Doesn’t it feel like it was yesterday when we were all preparing for the first football game under the lights way back in September? Or watching the boys’ basketball team have one of the best seasons in recent memory? Well, in the blink of an eye, we’ve battled through the rain, wind, snow, and on a lucky day, heat, to get to April, and the beautiful season of spring sports. So in the last article about Buc sports, I told you to grab a cup of hot chocolate and cozy up by the fire to read the preview. Well this time, I encourage you to go outside and listen to the birds, because they will be singing the sweet song of success that is in store this season for the Bucs.
*note: all stats, figures, and quotes are as of April 30, 2014*
BASEBALL
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Preview: Coach Nick Tucker may very well be the most tech-savvy sports coach RBR has to offer. He is the king of creating hashtags for the various teams he coaches, and is always tweeting the results of the baseball games almost immediately after they end. It was #Together for soccer season, and for baseball season, it is now #H3—Heart, Hustle and Hard Work. All three things are keys to what the Bucs need to maintain this year throughout the baseball season. The team is coming off of losing a number of seniors from last year, including two current college baseball pitchers. Sticking together is going to be a key this year for Bucs baseball. They do return senior Eastern Kentucky commit Jacob Nappi, who had a .406 batting average last year, and a 1.29 ERA on the mound, and .425 hitting shortstop Corey Martin. While the rest of the order is a somewhat younger lineup, they have a pitching staff of leaders that will help other younger players as well as seniors fit in if they have any new roles. If there is one thing that this Buc team has, it is a lot of heart. Many of these players, whether they are returning or first year varsity players, have been waiting for baseball season since the very beginning of the year, and just like the springtime sun we have been wanting for so long, it is their time to shine. As Coach Tucker says, “The most important game for us is the next one.”
Coach Nick Tucker on his expectations for the season: “We are an inexperienced team, but we do have the talent and skills to have a successful season. The team will have to mature quickly and get used to the speed of the game. It's going to take a lot of hardwork and attention to detail to fine tune, but the players have been up to the task so far and are expected to continue down the same path. We preach "Heart, Hustle, Hardwork" as our identity (#H3) and the mentality to expect success everyday. We expect to qualify for both post season tournaments and compete for a division title.”
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Coach’s Players to Watch: Corey Martin (Sr., SS/P), Sean O’Connel (Sr., OF), AJ Forgione (Jr., P) and Jacob Nappi (Sr., DH)
GOLF
Preview: The other day, I heard someone talking about whether or not golf was a difficult sport. News flash: the sport of golf is not actually the same thing as Wii Golf. Just ask anyone on the boys’ golf team at RBR. It involves a lot of heavy baggage (yup, those bags full of about fourteen metal clubs you see being carried out of school almost everyday), small buses (yup, the ones you see pulling out of school everyday that are almost as big as your own car) and concentration. So give a lot of credits to anyone who plays it, whether it be a student from RBR or your dad. The Bucs happen to already have had a good start to the season this year, placing 11th out of 22 teams at the competitive Wall Invitational tournament. Golfer Matt Mery, a senior leader who is a four-year varsity player, placed tied for 22nd of 110 golfers. With a squad of just eleven athletes, and everyone from experienced seniors to up and coming freshmen, this is a very talented group of golfers. It’s not only this season that is looking good so far—it is also the future of the golf program. Expect success on the green this year for the Bucs golf team.
Coach Mike Canning on his expectations for the season: “Our golf season looks very promising and exciting, as we have a mix of fresh new talent and experienced leadership. Over the next few years, I am very excited at the prospected of having some phenomenal golf years with this squad and the future of RBR golf.”
Coach’s Players to Watch: Seniors Matt Mery, Kevin Reilly, Danny Lloyd and Joey Luca; junior Brian Lynch; sophomores Matthew Beal and Sean Provost; and freshmen Aidan Smith, Bailey Smith, Gary Roccaro, and Tate Nelson
TRACK AND FIELD
Preview: The word “fast” has forty-seven synonyms on Thesaurus.com. These words include rapid, agile, brisk, speedball, and oddly enough, hairtrigger. These words can all easily describe this year’s RBR track and field team. And believe me, if you’ve ever been to one of their track meets, it isn’t just running they do. It’s everything from high jump to shot put—and even those things are done FAST. In the blink of an eye (literally), this Buc team has already #wontheday (their fierce Twitter hashtag competition for Coach Tucker and his baseball team’s #H3) in their meets so far in which they have successfully competed (note: as of April 28, the girls’ outdoor track team had clinched the B North division title). This program is also very unique in the fact that both personal and school records are being broken daily. It isn’t like football or wrestling, where you may have to wait your whole high school career to break one single school-wide record. These track kids are really proving that they are getting better and better every day. I can tell you this now—this is going to be a very special season for the RBR track and field program. A little side note that I’d like to add: if you are ever curious about some of those personal and school records that these track kids make and break every day, take a look at the @RBRTrack Twitter account. Not only will you get a rundown of what goes on at the track meets, but you’ll also get a daily dose of Nike and Adidas inspirational running messages that’ll make your morning just a bit better.
Coach Whitney Breckenridge/Michael Bland with their thoughts for the season: “The season is going really well so far. The runners, throwers and jumpers are all working really hard. Our athletes worked really hard in the off season and during preseason, and we are excited that RBR will be participating in a total of 7 events (5 relays, 2 individuals) at Nationals, held in June down in North Carolina.”
Coaches’ Players to Watch: “Several athletes have broken school records and personal bests; Javelin—Megan Reardon, shot put—Sarena Dixon, and our boys 4x400 relay team—Mario Williams, Xavier Chestnut, Scottie Reeves, and Sean Patterson.”
BOYS’ TENNIS
Preview: Have you ever walked out of school late one day and watched the boys’ tennis team practice? It’s nice—peaceful and quiet, on the days where you hear nothing but the sound of a tiny green ball against racket strings. Unfortunately, I’m not a creative writer—so I can’t make it sound much more elegant than that. But who knows? Right there on those RBR courts might be the next Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal well, maybe the next American Andy Roddick—we all can’t be tan and lean Europeans who stay in perfect shape all year round. But seriously. Tennis is actually a great sport to watch, and it’s even more interesting when you’ve actually got good players to watch. Lucky for us, that’s not a problem when it comes to boys’ tennis at RBR. Coach Krishna Kanuga has got a talented lineup this year, including a freshman newcomer playing first singles and a lineup rounded out by experienced juniors and seniors. These guys are always out there trying to become better, even if it’s only for a few short months in the spring. I really recommend going out to see the Bucs’ tennis team this year. Whether it’s the compelling matches, or Coach Kanuga’s odd sense of humor (don’t worry, he’s my coach too), I promise that you’ll be very entertained.
Coach Krishna Kanuga on his thoughts for the season: “We have a great group of guys on the team. A lot of new tennis players who are constantly working on their game and showing a lot of improvement. Everyone on the team is playing at their positions for the first time, and I am very excited to see us battle.”
Coaches’ Players to Watch: Freshman James Latimer (1st singles), junior Pat Forsman (2nd singles) and junior Josh Even (3rd singles)
SOFTBALL
Preview: Taking the short path behind the actual RBR school down to the softball fields is almost like entering another world. A world full of “batter up” chants, fast pitchers, and this year especially, plenty of home runs. The girls’ softball team is one of the most accomplished at RBR—racking up 32 wins in the last 2 seasons and starting off this season with an 8-5 (as of April 28) record. For all of you who didn’t play softball really young, or just are a general sports geek like me, let me tell you an interesting fact. The average speed of a high school softball pitch is between 50-57 miles per hour. That is one pretty fast speed. For everyone who can’t picture it, that’s also the speed in which some car steering wheels start to shake, as well as being the speed of the world’s fastest baby stroller. Pretty fast, right? So imagine trying to hit that. First, actually, just imagine trying to stand to the side of that. Or catch it. Softball’s a pretty remarkable sport. Some players manage to hit at these speeds. RBR’s players? They hit HOME RUNS at this speed. The Bucs have five senior leaders who are ready to take this team far into the Monmouth County Tournament, and it’s going to be a really fun journey to watch. I recommend heading down to a home game, packing your batting helmet (can’t be too safe!) and watching as the Bucs softball team paves their way to success this year.
Coach Denise D’Esposito with her thoughts for the season: “RBR softball is off to another excellent season. We are setting our goal at winning the White Division of the Monmouth County Tournament. Our seniors are leading the way and have put up some nice offensive and defensive numbers as a group.”
Coach’s Players to Watch: In a recent game against Freehold Boro, the Bucs set a school record with 5 home runs in one game. Jamie Mannino had one homer, and Katie Serkus and Jess Stevenson both had 2 each.
GIRLS’ LACROSSE
Preview: Last year, around this time, I wrote an article about the 2013 RBR girls’ lacrosse team. The title read: “Improvement Is The Key For RBR Girls’ Lax”. It was one of the first sports writing pieces I had ever done, the first time I ever wrote about RBR sports, and the first time I was dead on with a prediction. I ended the story with, “Though this season has ended, expect nothing but more improvement from Lady Buc lacrosse next season.” Coach Ashley Schulte said before the season began that the team had been working together in the offseason, and was looking to pick up right where they left off last season. With a new mix of returning starters and key newcomers in the lineup this year, that is exactly what they have been doing. With a record of 8-5, as of April 30, including close losses against competitive teams like Red Bank Catholic and Ocean, this season is shaping up to be one of even more success than last year—and a season with its own share of record-breaking as well. On April 16th, after starting the season with 158 goals over her four years, senior midfielder Murphy Davis scored her 200th career goal, and also broke the school record for career assists on April 21, with 59 in four years. Junior goalie Mia Nelson is also looking to hit 400 career saves this season, and with five games plus two postseason tournaments left in the year, the Bucs are looking to improve on their 10-9 record from last season. As they enter the home stretch, this team is looking better and better game by game. Everyone, whether they are seniors or freshmen, is stepping up, and is really working hard to continue making this a special season for Lady Buc lacrosse.
Coach Ashley Schulte with her thoughts on the season: “This season, we have come out strong and prepared to get off to a good start. Our stick skills and overall team effort are excellent, and I am predicting a very successful season for this team. We have four seniors on the team, three of which are returning varsity level players, and we have two freshmen who have joined us and will be starting as defensive mids.”
Coaches’ Players to Watch: Seniors Murphy Davis, Kelly Bonner, Julia McIntyre and Melissa Banal; juniors Liz Doherty, Sophie Buchanan, Mia Nelson, Devon VanLoon; sophomores Katie Carroll, Madison Wood, Gabby Amorelli, and Samantha Quinn; freshmen Emily Bynoe and Mary Vilardi
BOYS’ LACROSSE
Preview: The first official recorded lacrosse game was played in 1794, when the Seneca and Mohawk (Native American tribes) played along the East Coast of the US. The game was originally played to toughen up young men for war—and though they aren’t quite a tribe, the RBR boys’ lacrosse team has been preparing for their next couple games like it is a war. Facing competition like CBA and RFH, the Bucs have been ready all year to take on the challenge. So far, the Bucs have a 10-3 record, including wins against teams like Colts Neck and Ocean Township, as well as close losses to Wall Township and RBC, the latter game being a score of 12-11. With at least three seniors graduating and planning to continue their lacrosse careers in college, the Bucs have an advantage when it comes to a blend of senior leadership and talented youth. It is key to have this kind of teamwork and togetherness in any sport, but especially boys’ lacrosse. It is a sport with players so physical and aggressive that the hits and checking can leave spectators feeling like they have suffered a concussion. This is another team that plays in the hidden areas of RBR’s athletic fields, and is sometimes hard to find. However, once these guys get on a roll, they become the talk of the town. With these next few games, and then the county and conference tournaments, they are sure to be the topic of every Buc fan’s conversation.
Coach Don Femminella with his thoughts on the season: “Right now, we have a 10-3 record, and obviously we’ve had a great season. We’ve got big games coming up on May 2nd and 3rd, games that are for the A-North championship, so we’ve actually got a chance to win the conference in the next two games. I’ve got a great group of seniors right now, and the team is mostly made up of sophomores.”
Coach’s Players to Watch: Senior Jake Smolokoff, who recently committed to NJIT for lacrosse, senior defender Zack Bradley, who just signed to play at Pace University, and sophomore goalie Jon Pierce.