HOLDEN — High school spring sports are back, and with their return comes typically high expectations for Wachusett Regional High School teams.
One squad to keep an eye on in 2023 is the WRHS varsity baseball team, and why not? A season ago, head coach Jeff Kodys led an intrepid band of Mountaineers to a hearty 13-8 record, spearheaded by a cast of largely juniors who now return to their final season wearing the green and white. Eleven seniors are back and anxious to take this team to an even higher level, with senior captains Noah Pratt, Jack Hansen and Alex Toomey setting the pace.
“We were junior- heavy last year, and now we’re senior- heavy this year,” said Kodys of his team’s outlook. “They worked really hard this offseason to prepare themselves to keep things rolling. Our goal is always to win a state championship. The kids understand their responsibilities and have confidence going into the season.”
“I think we have a really bright future ahead. We’ve got a lot of returners who’ve been on the varsity team for a while,” Toomey said. “We also have a lot of good young talent coming up. We’re really determined and anxious to get on the field. We figured out a lot of things from last year. A lot of guys know already how to compete at the varsity level. I think we’re going to be hot right from the start and keep things going.”
“Last year we started at 0-3 and a lot of us were down, but then we won 10 out of 11, and that brought the team a more positive outlook,” added Hansen. “If we can start hot, I think we can stay hot the whole season. I’m going to do what I can for the team by trying to keep everyone on their toes making sure that everyone’s ready for the game.”
While the season is in its infancy and positions are not etched in stone, look for talent up and down the roster that will be on display throughout the season.
Expecting to see innings behind the plate are senior catchers in Braden McLoughlin and Justin Mariani, who split the role last season. Both bring additional experience and will get the nod from Kodys depending on who is on the mound.
Around the infield, it will be Ben Domineck at the hot corner once again, while Pratt splits time between the mound and shortstop. PJ O’Rourke will hold down second base, and expect to see Steven Hebert returning from injuries at first. All will be counted on to flash the leather while chipping in heavily on offense.
Dennis Jardine turns in ice skates for cleats, coming off a successful season for WRHS ice hockey. He is expected to show speed from the centerfield position. Jason Flaherty slides into the leftfield slot leaving rightfield open for Anthony Doe.
All three captains are experienced pitchers and will start. Hansen, a tall, rangy southpaw, looks to provide quality innings, as do Toomey and Pratt from the right side. Other hurlers expecting to see time on the mound include Doe, Travis Moran, Will McGrail, Nick St. Cyr and Aiden Riley.
“With Hansen, we’re leaning on him to give us more innings this year,” said Kodys. “Toomey had a great year last year on the mound. We’re hoping that he continues that success. Pratt will shift between pitching and shortstop. These three guys are going to hopefully lead us down the right path.”
“I want to hold people accountable for doing what they’re doing and make sure everyone’s positive,” said Pratt as to how he will provide the necessary leadership to fulfill his captaincy role. “We want to get off to a hot start so we’re not digging ourselves out of a deep hole when it comes to playoff time. If we get off to a fast start, we can be kind of comfortable going into the playoffs with less stress.”
“Our captains led all team activities through the winter,” said Kodys of his 2023 team leaders. “They got the kids together and were very vocal. This year, we had the kids vote on captains, and it was pretty much unanimous that they favored these guys. It’s good that they received the respect from the other players.
“I think we have quiet confidence with this group. The kids get along really well. There’s not a lot of issues with kids pulling in different directions. It’s a big part of what we’re doing being sure that they know their roles.”
Members of the 2023 Wachusett Regional High School varsity baseball team are Sam Perry, Ben Domineck, Braden McLoughlin, PJ O’Rourke, Nick St. Cyr, Dennis Jardine, Anthony Doe, Jason Flaherty, Will McGrail, Gavin L’Heureux, Alex Toomey, Jack Hansen, Lucas Gamache, Noah Pratt, Justin Mariani, Travis Moran, Steven Hebert, Nate Roy, Aiden Riley and Ethan Divito.
