xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
SPRING SPORTS
WRAPUP
FAR LEFT The post-game "bring-it-in" LEFT Trevor Johnson ’16 came up with clutch base-hits throughout the season. BOTTOM LEFT Connecticut Coach of the Year Johnny Montanez managed his team to near-perfection. BOTTOM RIGHT All-FAA selection and catcher Wil Salomon ’16 will help lead the Bruins next year as co-captain.
BASEBALL Two-Banner Season on the Diamond
H
EAD COACH Johnny
early April practice or in a champi-
Montanez made one thing
onship game,” Montanez said.
But it was the way the team responded after April losses to
the late Tony Gwynn. It all added up to a two-banner
clear to his players at the
Boy, was he right on the money.
Choate and Avon Old Farms
season for the Bruins — one all will
outset of the 2015 baseball
The Brown & Gold batsmen —
that Montanez considers most
remember.
season. He would measure them in
captained by seniors Will O’Brien, Billy O’Malley, and Kevin Pendo —
important. “We were putting too much
“These boys kept their eyes on their goals and achieved them,”
two ways after each game: By the
ripped off 15 straight victories to
pressure on ourselves. Every player
Montanez said. “But I’m most
numbers on the scoreboard and by
finish the season 18–2, holders of
thought he needed to go 4–4
proud of the way they came
their work ethic on the field.
both the FAA regular season and
for us to win,” the MSG Varsity
together as a unit and became the
tournament titles for the first time
Connecticut Coach of the Year said.
most cohesive and unselfish group
The latter, the fifth-year skipper said, was in their complete control. And the Bruins, who returned a
in school history. Statement victories against
“Once we put aside individual
I’ve ever coached.”
statistics and focused on the team
With a core of seniors and six
game, there was no stopping us.”
All-FAA selections returning next
star-studded lineup with veteran
nationally ranked Poly Prep
varsity experience, would be hard
(Brooklyn, N.Y.), George
pressed to lose if they rose above
Washington High School (N.Y.,
priding themselves on the little
to build on this unprecedented
the rest in that category.
N.Y.), and Salisbury School —
traditions and nuances of America’s
success in 2016.
“As talented a group as we had, I
In addition, the players began
spring, the Bruins will expect
along with an unblemished 14–0
pastime — sprinting out of the
knew we’d be successful by simply
mark in the FAA — highlighted the
dugout to their positions, running
Marzonie, Connor Redahan, and
Rising senior captains Michael
working hard every time we took
Bruins’ memorable spring on the
out ground balls like Derek Jeter,
Wil Salomon will be charged with
the field — either at a mid-week,
diamond.
and hitting to the opposite field like
the leadership duties.
WWW.BRUNSWICKSCHOOL .ORG
| 47