COUNCIL ROCK NORTH: This postseason means more
NEWTOWN — Last season, Council Rock North finished in second place in the Suburban One National League (SONL), captured the District 1-AAAA championship then went all the way to the PIAA quarterfinals to finish top eight in the state.
This year, not only are the Indians the league champions, but they are loaded with veteran talent. For seniors such as Matt Hand, Chase D’Arcangelo, Jared Schram, Seth Leuz, Tyler Nowmos, C.J. Kilgariff, Juliano Kovalcik, Jackson Parker and James Closser, the upcoming postseason means even more than 2015
“It means 100 percent more,” said Hand. “These are our last couple high school games. We don’t want to stop playing.
“We’ve been here for three or four years and we love it. It’s great that we get to play at the next level but this is the most important thing in the world to all of us.”
Most – if not all – of these Indians have grown up playing Little League at Council Rock-Newtown Athletic Association then come out to play Newtown Junior and Senior Legion baseball.
“Not only are these guys seniors but they’ve been playing together for a long time,” added CR North head coach Matt Schram. “These guys have played a lot of baseball together. Now, you’re starting to say ‘OK, we don’t want this to end.
“They have good things ahead of them in college but they don’t want this to end right now
“The goal is to stay together as long as we can.”
The Indians might be the league champs but that means nothing, says Hand, once the district playoff tournament begins.
“We won it last year but that doesn’t really matter because we have a bunch of new guys on the team this year,” We’re just taking it one game at a time. We want to be more successful than we were last year – that’s our one goal and I definitely think we’re capable of doing that.”
“I want to see them extend this season as long as possible,” added Coach Schram “You go into the playoffs, you don’t want to be one and done.
“You want to play some baseball and extend the season. The longer the season goes, the more connected they feel and the more memories they create.
“I want these guys to be together as long as possible
“I’m not going to say state championship because that’s what we want but just to be out here for as long as possible because once this is done, then it’s all over.
Once the Rock’s 2016 campaign is over, Hand will take his pitching talents and head to Lehigh University, Jared Schram is going to Bloomsburg and Kilgariff has committed to Philadelphia University. Additionally, reserve senior James Closser will play for the football team at Johns Hopkins.
Coach Matt Schram, now in his seventh season, says that he will most definitely be back for his eighth.
Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter
