The Lion's Roar
Lions Score Homers on the LHS Field and MoreMonday, June 08, 2009 By Staff
What a year for Lindenwold High School’s Baseball Team! The team tied the school record for wins with 9 victories, while missing wins in four significant Conference games by only one run. Even more impressive, however, is the team’s representation on the All-Conference Squad, with FOUR players earning prestigious spots. Junior Luis Nieves, catcher, is the first junior in LHS history to be named All-Conference, which, in turn, earned him an invitation only PROFESSIONAL TRYOUT on June 25. He also earned a spot on the All Olympic/Colonial Conference All-Star team competing in the Carpenter’s Cup on June 15 at the University of Pennsylvania’s ball field. In addition to Nieves, sophomore Scott Beach (outfield) earned First Team All-Conference status! Senior Kevin McGahey (utility) and sophomore Gio Maldonado (infield) were selected for Second Team All-Conference. According to Coach Shannon, “The entire team was dedicated from the start, but the one player who surprised me the most was Enrique Gonzales. Enrique had a winning attitude from the start with the sole purpose of doing whatever he could for the team’s benefit. He spent most of the season covering first base, but when we needed a third baseman, he substituted there as well. Without a doubt, Enrique was one of the strongest defensive players in our infield.” All the coaches feel that the strongest attributes of this year’s team were its work ethic and commitment. “The guys bought into committing to the team’s goals and philosophies well before the start of the season,” exclaimed Shannon. In fact, it was common to see many of the players hitting at 6 a.m.(!) in the auxiliary gym, motivated and driven entirely by each other. “Without question,” Shannon says, “our captains were the leaders of the team: Kevin McGahey, Rob DiClementi, and Mike Cartwright. AND these guys are no slouches in the classroom either, carrying 3.29, 3.91, and 3.67 GPA’s, respectively in their Honors coursework. These three guys played the game the right way, “no matter the score, and the goal of us coaches is to get our younger players to achieve this success as well.” Highlight of the 2009 season? No question --- beating previously undefeated Haddonfield. DiClementi pitched, Cartwright came in as relief, and McGahey hit a walk-off grand slam to win the game. And what a game it was! Definitely one for the books! |