Briarcliff WPBA Squad Brings Mix of Players Together

While high school athletic teams are generally made up of students within a single district, summer teams can consist of kids from all over the area.

That's the case for Briarcliff’s 18-and-under team in the Westchester/Putnam Baseball Association.

The squad has gotten off to a 6-4 start under head coach John Schrader, who also is an assistant coach for ’s Class B .

“They have played pretty well,” Schrader said. “We have kids from different towns, but they have done a nice job of coming together. It’s a little hard sometimes because in the summer everybody is going in different directions compared to say the high school season, but for the most part everybody is doing their job.”

The team, which plays its home games at Briarcliff High School, is made up of athletes from Briarcliff Manor, Pleasantville, Ossining and Somers.

“Obviously, it’s easier when the kids come from the same school and you know them all,” Schrader said. “But I do know some of the players from other towns from coaching against them during the high school season. And it’s not that bad because the kids I don’t know, I do get to learn about pretty quickly and are able to help them out.”

While playing in the summer is designed to get the players more experience, Schrader said that it is also beneficial to coaches as well.

“Anytime you get a chance to coach more or for a player to play more or really get the opportunity to do anything in any business you are in more, it’s just going to make you better,” Schrader explained.

He added he really doesn’t have one go-to guy on his team. Instead, said Schrader, it’s a squad that is a well-balanced and depends on contributions from everybody on the roster.

Two of Briarcliff’s key WPBA players also played on the Briarcliff High School state finalist squad this spring.

One of them is third baseman Zach Ship.

“He helped us a lot during the high school season,” Schrader said. “He has very quiet leadership attributes. He worked really well with the high school team and is working well now with the kids on this team. He’s been hitting the ball and fielding it well. He’s just a good, hard-nosed ballplayer.”

Another notable Bear is left-handed ace pitcher Josh Miller, who Schrader says is doing the same solid job he did during the summer that he was doing in the spring during the high school season.

Filling the jack of all trades role is Pleasantville’s Danny Dwyer, who sees time at shortstop, second base, third base and pitcher. Schrader said that Dwyer is someone that takes control of the infield no matter where he is playing.

Dwyer, a smart-headed ballplayer according to Schrader, either leads off or bats second for Briarcliff. He gets on base a lot and has all the intangibles you are looking for in a player, Schrader said.

Two key players from Ossining are catcher/pitcher Derek Badger and left fielder Anthony LaFiandra.

Badger is a solid backstop who handles Briarcliff’s pitching staff well. At the plate, he bats in the middle of the lineup and is able to make good contact with ball.

LaFiandra is a solid outfielder, makes all the plays and also makes contact at the plate as well.

Lefty pitcher, first baseman and outfielder Bill Conlin is the one player from Somers on the squad. Conlin is absolutely a heads up, hard-nosed competitor who will run through a wall for the team, according to Schrader.

“He makes the plays in the field and puts the bat on the ball,” Schrader said. “He bats in the top of the order.”

With the above group leading the way, Schrader is hoping to win at least somewhere between 12-15 games in the 23-game schedule and compete for the WPBA crown.

The championship game is scheduled for Aug. 13 at Lakeland High School, with the rain date of Aug. 14.