Nick Mannion and Steven Baker
Staff Writers
This year’s Jamesville-DeWitt High School’s spring sport teams are looking to have strong seasons, and have sectional championship expectations. Varsity Baseball, Varsity Softball, and Varsity Boys Tennis has a lot in store for J-DHS this spring.
Last year the Varsity Baseball team went 14-6 overall and 11-2 in their league. The team went on to lose in the first round of sectionals, 2-0, to Oneida. This year they are ready to do better. “Last year we let ourselves down, and this year we are ready to make a come back,” said senior captain Dylan McGee. Their first of 20 games is April 9 against Whitesboro. Junior catcher Ian Crawford says that Christian Brothers Academy and Vernon-Verona-Sherrill will be two of the team’s toughest games. Both teams made it to the sectional title last year, where VVS won 11-3. The team also has high expectations of what they’re capable of. “If we keep doing what we’re doing in practice we’re going to win states,” said senior manager Luke Rowe. Sophomore first baseman Sean Hylwa says that they will go undefeated and win states.
This year the Varsity Boys Tennis team looks to do as well, if not better, than last year. Last year they went undefeated, going 14-0, and then won sectionals. Although they lost six players from last year’s team, the team still has high expectations. “I expect us to go undefeated this year,” said senior David Benaroch. Their first game is on April 7 against CBA, this will be coth teams first games. The team has a tough schedule this year, playing games against rival CBA, and East-Syracuse Minoa. “I am really looking forward to the CBA game (because) they’re a good team,” said senior captain Alex Tso. Last year CBA went 12-1, only losing to J-DHS, and came in second in sectionals, again losing to J-DHS.
This year the Varsity Softball team looks to knock it out of the park. Last year the softball team went 13-7 and lost in the sectional title to Oneida, the final score was 3-2. This year the softball team has a new coach, long time volunteer Jeff Cantor. “He is a great guy and good coach,” said senior Julia Fairbanks. The team’s old coach Phil DeAugustine coached for 18 seasons and won eight sectional titles, nine league championships, and two regional titles. Along with that DeAugustine has been named All Central New York coach of the year three times. Their new coach is long time assistant Jeff Cantor, “It hasn’t been much different since our new coach was an assistant, so he does everything the same,” said senior captain Carly O’hern. There are 4 seniors on the team this year, infielder or outfielder Julia Fairbanks, infielder Hannah Gunther, centerfielder Carly O’hern, and shortstop Paige Sherling. Some players on the team believe they can do very well this year, including freshman pitcher Shayna Myshrall; “we have a very strong team this year, I think that we could go undefeated.” Although Myshrall is not the only one who thinks they would go undefeated sophomore catcher Sara Gow believes that “we will go undefeated and win sectionals, I am really looking forward to this season.”
