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Boston Globe
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
A year after its historic state championship, English High baseball is ready to prove it's here to stay
'It was like a dream come true,' said English senior Armanis Romero . 'I knew I wanted to go back-to-back since the second we won it last year, because that feeling was amazing.' The Eagles, ranked No. 18 in the first Globe's Top 20 of the spring, have become a juggernaut in Division 5. Their returning core, led by Romero, is key — but there's so much more that makes English the premier city baseball product. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Every player on the roster has ties to the Dominican Republic. Advertisement 'In that country, you're born playing baseball,' said fourth-year coach Christian Ortiz . The Eagles hang the Dominican Republic flag in their dugout — a nod to their shared heritage. 'We all know each other, we come from the same spot,' freshman outfielder Yeduary Soto said. 'We've got good teamwork, and a lot of brotherhood here, too.' Every player on the English High team has ties to the Dominican Republic. Barry Chin/Globe Staff They've thrived under a notion of playing not just for one another, but for their friends, families, and neighbors in the city. Each game at the turf diamond on Williams Street attracts a crowd of fans from nearby Jamaica Plain up against the backstop. Buoyed by that support, the English has been able to develop college talent — including Globe All-Scholastic David Castillo , now at Western Texas. That list now includes Romero, who Advertisement To the 13 new players across JV and varsity, Romero is an example of what hard work can do for you — and what a Division I athlete looks like. His work in the weight room over the years has complemented his skills. 'When he started as a freshman, he was less than 100 pounds,' Ortiz said. 'He's gotten stronger, he's consistent on the field. His leadership and his voice is going to have a big impact on our new guys.' 'To see what a real D1 baseball player looks like, it helps us see what we want to build up to,' Soto added. Matthew Guerrero provides a steady hand behind the dish. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Rusbert Martinez brings a big bat to the lineup, with his two-run double a massive turning point in last year's state championship game. Catcher Matthew Guerrero provides an experienced, steady hand behind the plate, and Manny de Jesus (Worcester State) is crucial in the infield, at the plate, and on the mound. Soto, who played varsity as an eighth-grader last season, will step into a bigger role and bring his speed to the outfield. Other contenders in Division 5 should include Georgetown and Bourne in EMass, as well as Hopedale, Greenfield, and Pioneer Valley Regional. The Eagles know they'll have to recapture their best — they outscored opponents 27-4 over the final four rounds games of last year's tourney — to get the job done again. 'We're trying to win again, so we've got to work harder,' Soto said. Christian Ortiz led English High to a state championship in his third season. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Extra bases ▪ Former St. John's (Shrewsbury) ace Sean Burke won his first opening day start for the White Sox Thursday afternoon, tossing six shutout innings against the Angels. Less than a month after making his MLB debut last summer, the 25-year-old righthander stopped in for a visit to his alma mater. Advertisement 'We want them to obviously still feel a part of the program,' St. John's coach Casey Cummins said, noting Pioneers' alum Ian Seymour is with the Rays and six other SJS graduates have made the big leagues. In his visit, the 6-foot-6-inch Burke ('18) discussed how St. John's prepared him for college ball at Maryland, and how the Terrapins prepared him for pro ball. In his second season, Cummins, said he 'stole' one of Burke's insights for the upcoming season. 'A milestone is not the finish line,' Cummins said. 'I've tried to work it in as much as possible, [Burke] probably not really knowing it.' The captains, infielder/pitcher Jack Forgues (UMass Lowell), lefthander Brayden Mercier (UMass Amherst), and outfielder Andrew Schmit (Salve Regina) have all embraced the message too. The Returning seven starters, the 'core five' consist of Forgues, Mercier, Schmit, and middle infielders Jamie Herlihy and Conor Secrist , both juniors. In 74 at-bats last season, Forgues slugged a robust .527 with just four strikeouts. Mercier, Herlihy, and Secrist all hit .375-plus. 'We're still fairly new to the Catholic Conference, and last year was the first time we had won,' Cummins said. 'But I think now, at this point, every team has won it probably over the last 10 to 15 years. It just speaks to the parity.' ▪ Plymouth North coach Dwayne Follette said the defending Division 2 champions are 'reloading, not rebuilding.' Advertisement Ranked 11th in the Globe's initial Top 20, the Eagles graduated 10 players from last year's roster. But senior captains Matt Nardone (.409 average, 20 stolen bases last season) and Will Novak (.395, 15 RBIs) lead a promising group. Novak's twin brother, Jake , bound for Rhode Island, will bat fourth and play third base while contributing on the mound. Danny Kenney , a 6-3 lefty, has a shot to be the ace. 'We're going to have to let our lack of experience catch up to our experience, if you know what I mean,' Follette said. 'But we're going to be a tough out.' Games to watch Monday, No. 9 St. Mary's at No. 14 Milton, 4 p.m. — Two of the best hurlers in the MIAA, St. Mary's Josh Doney and Milton's Scott Longo, are set to make their first starts. Tuesday, No. 15 North Andover at No. 10 Westford, 4 p.m. — A Dual County/Merrimack Valley crossover of Top 20 teams. Wednesday, King Philip at No. 8 Franklin, 3:45 p.m. — The Warriors have an early chance to steal one from the Panthers, the favorites in the Hockomock. Thursday, No. 19 Central Catholic at No. 1 St. John's (S), 4 p.m. — The top-ranked Pioneers have an early visit from one of the Merrimack Valley's most talented Division 1 contenders. Friday, No. 7 St. John's Prep at No. 16 Chelmsford, 4 p.m. — Harvard-bound Will Shaheen looks to get the Eagles back atop the Catholic Conference after missing out on a share of the title in 2024. Correspondent Graham Dietz contributed to this story. Mike Puzzanghera can be reached at
Boston Globe
20-02-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Boys' basketball notebook: Fledgling Muñiz Academy program soaring despite players still learning to play organized games
Learning on the fly, the Muñiz Academy Phoenix won 11 games and advanced to the state tournament in their inaugural journey, and they've taken another leap this year by winning the Boston City League East division and taking down East Boston, 57-55, in the BCL quarterfinals to make the conference semifinals at Madison Park, where they battled former co-op partner English in a close 67-64 loss Wednesday afternoon. Related : Advertisement 'It works because the players have bought into it,' said Silva, the son of legendary Marshfield football coach Lou Silva and a longtime assistant coach at his alma mater (class of '92). Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'And they've bought into it because they've shown some trust in me, and in each other. We have some kids who can play, and just because they haven't played organized basketball before, doesn't mean they can't play. We've had a lot of success this year and it's been a steep learning curve, but they've done really well to meet every challenge along the way.' Muñiz Academy's Ramón Cepedes put up a shot over English High's Edgar Escano in the Boston City League semifinals at Madison Park High School. Barry Chin/Globe Staff The challenges began three years ago when Silva was hired and began working as an athletic coordinator at Muñiz. Surveying students and staff to gauge their engagement, the administration was able to get approval for five athletic teams (boys' and girls' basketball, girls' volleyball, baseball, and softball) at the school, which previously only offered co-op athletics with other Boston Public Schools. Related : In March 2023, the school received the green light to plan for athletics starting the next fall, and the staff and roughly 400-member student body voted on a mascot and school colors. After playing all games on the road or at neutral sites, the school received funds to renovate a 50-year-old gymnasium, allowing for home games this year. 'Now we have to think about seating capacity because our gym fills up,' said Muñiz principal Dania Vázquez , the founding headmaster at the 13-year-old school located in Jamaica Plain, which offers learning in English and Spanish for mostly bilingual students. Advertisement 'The kids were super excited about starting athletics programs and we were fortunate we had the right staff to pull it together. Now they seem really connected. It's inspiring. They have someone to cheer for, and it's a part of high school life.' English High's Ronniel Luna tried to get to the hoop but found Muñiz Academy's Anibal Hatton in his way in the Boston City League semifinlals at Madison Park High School. Barry Chin/Globe Staff Senior captains Anibal Hatton and Jaden Barros are in their second year. Junior captain Koby Nelson was the only member of last year's team with organized basketball experience since he played JV for English High as a freshman. Zyheire Carr transferred from Holland (Burke) and senior Ramón Cepedes offers international basketball experience, but many players are still learning the game. 'It definitely changed the whole game for them,' Nelson said of teammates who are newer to organized basketball. 'But it helped people get closer. We started taking things more seriously, with more teamwork coming into it. We had a few ups and downs, but we worked through it together. Now it feels amazing to know I have a team that has my back and that we all worked together to build it.' For Vázquez, these second-year players are the founding athletes of a boys' basketball program that should gain momentum. Having athletics programs allows the administration to tie academic performance to eligibility, leading to notable improvement in the classroom. Suiting up for a team with their school name on the jersey has motivated many athletes who didn't feel as connected in a co-op model, despite the welcoming attitude from English boys' basketball coach Eric McKoy and other host schools. Muñiz Academy's Zyheire Carr tried to battle through a trio of English High defenders in the Boston City League semifinals at Madison Park High School. Barry Chin/Globe Staff 'It was a great opportunity and experience, but I didn't feel very comfortable,' Hatten said about trying out for English his sophomore year. 'Playing for another school and coming back to my school the next day, it didn't sit right with me.' Advertisement While he deflects credit, Silva has 29 years of coaching experience as one of the stewards of Muñiz athletics. He grew up learning from his father at Marshfield, became an assistant in 1996 when the Rams won a Super Bowl, learned basketball as an assistant at Holbrook, Middleborough, and coached track at Apponequet and Middleboro before getting his first crack to head a boys' basketball program at South Boston from 2010-16, taking the team to the BCL semifinals in 2013. 'We're trying to build a program and a culture for all our sports. And that's hard to do. I know that because I lived it,' said Silva, who uses analytics to demonstrate the importance of ball security and hustle stats to his team. 'I've taken so much from what I've learned from my father, and [current Marshfield football coach Chris ] Arouca , and so many others along the way. I try to fit it with our school's culture and it's worked so far.' Courtside chatter ▪ Behind a 29-point performance from junior guard Giovanni Jean , Lynn Tech earned a 68-64 win over previously unbeaten No. 6 St. Mary's on the final day of the Spartan Classic. After starting the season 1-6, the Tigers closed the regular season by winning 10 of their last 11. 'It was a rough beginning, but second half of the season, guys caught their winning,' said Lynn Tech coach Corey Bingham . 'They started understanding their roles and understanding the system, and we've been rolling ever since.' Advertisement The Tigers slowed down St. Mary's star JJ Martinez by limiting his free throw opportunities and forcing him to take tough shots. On the other side, Jean and Travis Sanchez (16 points) delivered timely buckets for Lynn Tech. 'It was just a great Lynn basketball game with two of the best teams in the city, and arguably in the state,' Bingham said. ▪ Westport senior Owen Boudria has been lighting it up, averaging nearly 28 points per game with multiple 40-point performances — including Tuesday's 41-point effort in an 83-80 overtime win over Carver. 'It's really just been my teammates coming through and taking the pressure off of me,' Boudria said. 'I'm not going into any games worrying about me scoring. I know I don't have to score for us to win. It just happens.' Boudria is 33 points away from breaking the program's career record. ▪ In another stunning result Tuesday, Xaverian handed No. 1 Franklin its first loss of the season, 40-38. Senior Manny Duran led the Hawks with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 steals, and Xaverian buckled down defensively, holding the Panthers to a season low in points. 'We played with great energy and never gave in when Franklin got up by double digits,' said Xaverian coach Ryan Sheehan . 'We knew it would be an up-and-down game but we just wanted to stay level-headed and play possession by possession.' ▪ The MIAA regular season wraps up Thursday, with brackets to be released Saturday. The tournament will begin on Monday, Feb. 24, although games are allowed on Sunday, Feb. 23. State finals will take place March 14-16. Correspondent Mitch Fink contributed to this story. Advertisement
