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Hernando Today

Two Spring Hill Teams Aim For One State Bid

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: June 21, 2008

In 2007, Spring Hill captured the AAA Majors (ages 11-12) All-Stars District 6 Tournament and went on to states.

This year if Spring Hill plans to make the very short return trip to the State Tournament in Ridge Manor starting July 12, it will have to repeat that performance.

Since Ridge Manor will host states, its team bypasses the district tournament which begins today at Millennium Park in Wildwood. Because of this, District 6 will have only one state bid up for grabs.

This time two Spring Hill teams are part of a 10-team field in the double-elimination event, including Bushnell, Hernando, Oak Griner, San Antonio, South Lake, Sumter, Wildwood and Wesley Chapel.

At noon today, Spring Hill American opens against Sumter while Spring Hill National faces Wesley Chapel.

Lot of talent

The Spring Hill American roster features Ryan Keith, Keagan Kreier, Blake Laferty, Brandon LaMondra, Josh Lopes, D.J. Parfitt, Matthew Rhineberger, Danny Schonborn, Vito Tambasco, Austin Treverton, Gabe Vazquez and Evan Webster.

The Spring Hill National team consists of David Bailey, Lenny Beetz, Jacen Bordonaba, Jonathan Brosher, Frankie Gomez, Zach Guerin, Ryan Kaplan, James Leyden, Josh Rivera, Jason Rybka, Jon Waskowitz and Blaine West.

Though the two teams held no scrimmages against one other, both coaches spoke highly of the opposite team.

"They're talented," National Head Coach Rob Gomez said. "To beat them, you're going to have to be on your game. An error will coast you a game, that's how good they are. They're going to be a big threat to everybody out there."

"They do have some premiere pitching," said American Head Coach Shawn Laferty, downplaying his team's status as a potential favorite.

However, Laferty felt his team has some high-caliber pitching, as well. Tambasco, Laferty, Webster, Treverton, Keith, Schonborn and Parfitt are all listed as pitchers.

"To me we have top-tier pitching that can shut teams down," Coach Laferty said. "They just dominated throughout the season in the league."

He doesn't sell the offense short, either, feeling he has a line-up that can do a variety of different things, as well as a solid defense that has experience playing together.

Laferty views South Lake, who his team has scrimmaged against, plus Bushnell and the two Spring Hill clubs as the top teams in the tournament.

"Obviously win the district," said Laferty of his goal. "But we're telling the kids to just go out, have fun, play ball. Play smart baseball. I'm not putting pressure on them to win the district. Obviously they know we're a good team but we just have to play smart."

Gomez had difficultly pinpointing his team's strength, feeling that his squad was sound in all areas.

"I think we're just a well-rounded team," Gomez said. "I don't think our pitching is going to win, our defense either or our hitting. I think it's a combination.

"We have good, consistent pitching. Overpowering? Maybe, but I think they're talented with the ability to keep us in it."

Like Laferty, Gomez feels he has a deep pitching staff which includes Frankie Gomez, Waskowitz, Guerin, West, Brosher and Rivera. He also feels he has some power in his line-up.

"I think they're well-rounded and level-headed," Gomez said. "They don't get excited or overconfident.

"I think we'll be very competitive. It's hard to say without seeing everybody. Anybody can be beat on a given day. We should be at least in the semifinals and we'll see from there."

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com.

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