Baseball is back for student athletes at Florence Township Memorial High School, Bordentown Regional High School and Northern Burlington County Regional High School.
by Michael Mack, Special Writer
The long winter is over and spring is finally here. Aside from no more snow, that means one thing – baseball is back for student athletes at Florence Township Memorial High School, Bordentown Regional High School and Northern Burlington County Regional High School.
The Flashes of Florence are heading into this season with a new coach at the helm. Head coach Shawn Counard is looking to improve on the results this team put up last season.
”We are looking to have a bounce back year,” Counard said.
Florence finished 9-8 last season, and is off to a bit of a rocky start this season. Though the Flashes beat Palmyra in their season opener last week, Sterling drubbed them a couple days later by a final score of 16-2.
Despite that lopsided loss however, Coach Counard has reasons to believe in his team’s potential for success this season.
”The seniors have shown tremendous leadership since day one of the preseason,” Counard said. “The team has been working hard at practice, becoming familiar with a new system.”
Counard also mentioned that returning senior Austin Minton will be a key player for his team this season.
”Austin is an extremely hard worker and a great leader,” he said. “He will play a pivotal role for us this year on the mound and at shortstop.”
The Bordentown Scotties are another team with some key players returning from last year. Head coach Christopher Glenn named three players in particular that will be counted on to lead his team.
”Tommy Walters, Austin Chaszar and Joe Cashman are three returning starters from last year who we hope will make a big impact,” Glenn said. “Tommy currently sits at 96 hits, which is four shy of the school record.”
Due in part to these returning players, Coach Glenn has some lofty goals for his team this season.
”Our first goal is to repeat as the (Burlington County Scholastic League) Patriot Division champs,” Glenn said. “Each year we strive to get back to the state tournament and get further than the year prior.”
Bordentown made it to the second round of the state tournament last season, and Glenn said he believes his team can go further this year. But it will not come without challenges.
”In order for us to reach our goal, our pitching is going to have to step up,” he said. “We do have some talent, but a lot of inexperience at the varsity level.”
Behind some steady pitching, Bordentown is off to a 2-1 start that includes a shutout victory over Delran.
One team that is not at all worried about their pitching is Northern Burlington. In fact, according to Head coach Rick Doppler, the team will feature six pitchers that can throw over 80 miles per hour.
Zack Galeker, Ryan Shinn and Tyler O’Dell are three of the nine returning starters that Doppler will look to for leadership this season, and Doppler likes his team’s chances.
”I have never seen so much talent on a team in my 14 years of coaching baseball,” Doppler said. “We are very talented and the players work ethic is terrific.”
This is a team that won the Group Three Central State Title last season and lost only three players heading into this year.
”Our season outlook is very positive with experienced starters returning and some young talent pushing them,” he said. “Iron sharpens iron and competition breeds excellence.”
That excellence has been at work so far this season as the Greyhounds are off to a 3-0 start during which they have allowed only two runs.

