Young Marple Newtown eyes deeper run next season

GREENE TWP. >> While Alden Mathes patiently listened to questions in a postgame interview Monday, his fellow Marple Newtown players couldn’t help themselves.

It had been a long journey for the Tigers this season, Mathes was saying, as he got showered by the contents of a water bottle and stifled a laugh at the distractions offered by teammates trying to catch his gaze.

Minutes after Marple’s ouster in the PIAA Class AAAA semifinals, 6-2 at the hands of District 7 runner-up Plum, the Tigers took their final chance of the season to remind Mathes where on the totem pole the freshman stood in the hijinks hierarchy of the dugout.

But that message is only so stark given how utterly irrelevant the class structure was on the field for the Tigers. And sometimes a freshman who has hit leadoff all year and powered a robust lineup needs — in the view of his elders — a dose of the little-brother treatment.

Postgame shenanigans aside, Monday’s loss was another illustration of just how bright the future is for Marple. And Mathes is the epitome of that promise.

The freshman centerfielder accounted for three of Marple’s six hits. That took his tally on the season to 44 safeties, 13 for extra bases, with a batting average of .449 and an on-base percentage of an even .500. Again, freshman.

But he’s not alone in the contributing underclassmen category. Steve Smith’s team started more or less the same lineup throughout the postseason. It featured just three seniors — shortstop/pitcher Ricky Collings, designated hitter Brian Reynolds and right fielder Nick Molinaro. In all, Marple counted just six seniors on its roster, the only other primary contributor being Vince Greco, the lefty third starter who went 5-0 on the mound. (Multi-sport athlete Mike Rutecki was a frequent pinch runner, while Will Johnston pinch-hit in the playoffs.)

The rest of the roster will be back next year — and to hear them say it, better than ever.

“With all the underclassmen, we’re definitely looking forward to next year,” said outfielder Luke Cantwell, a sophomore outfielder whose sturdy stature easily passes for a senior’s. “Even though we have a couple of starting seniors leaving, I think we’ll come back with an even stronger year next year.”

Junior Cameron Mathes, who drew the loss Monday to blight a record that finishes at 8-2, formed a potent 1-2 pitching punch with Collings. His classmates include Scott Hahn, who formed the middle-of-the-order power axis with Cantwell, catcher Brian Protesto, second baseman Bobby Steven and first baseman Corey Woodcock.

Top reserve Reilly Fillman and fourth pitching option Steven Morrison represent the sophomores. And that’s not to mention a pipeline of youth talent through the national champion Broomall-Newtown Babe Ruth conveyor belt that’s churning out ready-made contributors every year.

For all the youthful talent, Alden Mathes said, the Tigers’ team remained driven by the seniors, who set the tone and gave the team direction.

“The seniors led us through all of it,” Mathes said. “We executed some of the part, but the seniors did a lot. They helped lead us through everything.”

That group has also helped shape the expectations for next year, even after they will move on. This year’s journey to the state semifinals and a piece of the Central League title set the foundation, and the seniors’ contributions in that endeavor can’t be overlooked.

But the astounding production from young players indicates that they are more than ready to pick up the baton and run with it … farther, they hope, than this year’s team, which leaves only one conclusion.

“It’s been awesome,” Cameron Mathes said. “We know we’re just as good as any other team now. Next year, we’ve just got to work that much harder to get better, come back and end up winning it.”