Spring Has Sprung for Tiverton High Sports Teams

Six varsity teams at have already hit the field, court and links in search of Spring championships in their respective sports.

While poor weather earlier this week forced several postponements, the Tigers’ sports squads are still full of enthusiasm and optimism as their 2011 seasons commence.

BASEBALL

Veteran Coach Carl Reid guided the Tigers to a playoff berth last year and a first-round victory, but serious graduation losses will make a repeat performance this Spring a challenge.

“We have just three returnees this year,” Reid said. “We have a young, but very hard-working group.”

John Hartnett (pitcher/1^st baseman), Mike Perella (pitcher/2^nd baseman) and Jacob Kapstein (catcher) are the sole veterans returning, so Reid will heavily rely on last year’s junior varsity and freshmen performers. Included in this group are C.J. Toppa (outfielder), Alex Boddington (outfielder), Derrick Paquette (outfielder/1^st baseman), Andrew Enos (third baseman), Taylor Egstrom (infielder/outfielder), Andrew Murray (pitcher/3^rd baseman), Mitch Hartnett (pitcher/shortstop), B.K. Kiser (pitcher/centerfielder), Ryan Czajka (designated hitter) and Andrew Bonoan (second baseman).

“At this point, we’re very inexperienced, but I’m confident we will improve as the season goes on,” Reid said.

Tiverton started its regular campaign last week on a rocky note, losing to East Greenwich (7-0) and Portsmouth (12-6).

SOFTBALL

Much like the girls’ basketball team of this past winter, the Tigers will be extremely young this year on the diamond, but the comparison ends there. Based on its first two starts of the new season last week, Tiverton is a legitimate threat to win the Division II state championship this season.

The Tigers boast just two seniors – Natacha Almeida and Margaret Masse  – and no juniors, so will heavily rely on a gifted class of sophomores including Jenny Burton, Jessica Drolet, Hannah Glowacki, Emily Masse, Rachel Pimental and Sarak Whiston. Talented freshmen Coral Aiello, Sarah Barboza, Tammy Boutilier and Taylor Furtado round out Tiverton’s roster.

In its season debuts last week – both Division II East outings – Tiverton romped over Moses Brown (13-3) and St. Raphael’s Academy (22-3) as Drolet and Burton pitched complete games and Drolet, Barboza and Pimental all stroked home runs.

BOYS’ LACROSSE

After suffering through a 2-11 campaign last Spring in Division II, the Tigers have been reassigned to Division III this season and Coach Shane Parker said the change should benefit his squad.

“We’ll be very young this year, but I think we’ll be all right,” said Parker, who is starting his second season. “We have 18 underclassmen and that should help us in the future.”

This season, Tiverton will feature Jake Albernaz, Tyler Farias, Ben Sanford and Cole Criollos as attackmen; Ken Welchman, Dave Johnston, Jameson Hughes, Mathieu Platt, Paul Skaggs, Adam Lavoie, Tyler Doumaney and Drew Watts as midfielders; Zack Silvia as long-pole midfielder; Sean Ferreira, Avery Davis, Jameson Lawrence, Ben Bergandy, Sam Turner, Jordan Padigao and Derek Morin as defensemen; and Evan McGreavey in goal.

“Even though we have 14 freshmen and sophomores combined, I think we’ll be okay,” Parker said. “I think we’ll finish in the top half of our division.”

GIRLS’ LACROSSE

Emily DuBreil makes her coaching debut at Tiverton with a very young squad (just one senior), but a reservoir of optimism and enthusiasm. The Tigers have been promoted to Division II this time around, but DuBreil said her team can handle the upgraded competition.

“I think we’ll have a strong team this year,” she said. “We need to improve our defense, but our offense is solid.”

Tiverton will heavily rely on senior Alexandra Azevedo for leadership and experience along with juniors Jackellyn Carmichael, Alexandra Corr, Emily Costa, Katherine Karzenski, Kara Lotz and Sarah Mauricio. Much is also expected of sophomores Maya Bergandy, Olivia Bergandy, Marini Burk, Elise Daglis, Nicole DeLuca, Mae Edwards, Samantha Welchman and Jackie Wilson.

Freshmen Katelyn Caraveo and Rebecca Turner complete the Tigers’ roster.

“We’re looking for a lot of last year’s junior varsity players to help us on the varsity this year,” DuBreil said.

TENNIS

The Tigers captured just two matches last spring in Coach Jeff Heath’s rookie campaign, but expect to fare much better this year.

“I think we’ll be much improved over last season,” Heath said. “If we keep working hard and improving, I think we have a shot at making the playoffs this year.”

Seniors Jordan Darkow and Dan Tierney are 1-2 in Tiverton’s lineup and will be joined in singles by freshman Alessio Ayuninjam and junior Jordan Hancock at 3 and 4, respectively. The starting doubles’ units are juniors Tom O’Hara and Colin Mallory at No. 1; juniors Travis Doumaney and Matt Correia at No. 2; and junior Alex Rosa along with freshman Rob Walsh at No. 3.

Also vying for playing time with the Tigers are Willie Blake, Luke Johnston, Dominic Payer, Aidan Bradley, Rachel Mauricio, Dylan Clement, Carl Peterson, Avery Pacheco, Rebecca Mauricio, Dan Borden, Trevor Pare, Connor Roemlime and Andrew Bodell. Expected to start in doubles, Andrew Simpaio recently suffered a season-ending injury.

GOLF

The Tigers went winless last time around, but co-coaches Tom Murray and Ben DelDeo said they strongly believe prospects will change this Spring.

“For the first time in three years, we don’t have a shortage of players this season and that will help,” Murray said. “We have a good group of freshmen coming into the program this year and that should be a plus now and in the future.”

The Tigers will rely on the likes of Matt Bessette, Ryan Monast, Lucas Munaso, Logan Cabral, Michael Pacheco, Kacy Fernandes, Cameron Martins, Trevor Criollos, Nick Barboza, Jackie King, Matt Amaral, Gage Spisak and Andrew Decotis  to reverse the programs’ recent losing ways.

“On paper, we have a decent squad,” Murray said. “We’re hopeful this year.”

(A correction to a mispelled name was made to the original version of this post. Patch apologizes for the error.)