50 APRIL 2023 By Mallory Gleich Our area high school baseball teams have grabbed their gloves, bats and sunflower seeds and have taken to the field for the 2022- 23 season. Arcadia News reached out for a mid-season check-in to see how the teams at Arcadia, Brophy and Veritas are performing so far! Details are from information available as of March 24, 2023. ARCADIA HIGH The Titans are third in the 4A Desert Sky Region – and are looking to improve on a ten loss, three-win start to the season. BROPHY PREP The 2023 Brophy varsity baseball team enters the season with high hopes under the direction of 2007 alum Josh Garcia. The Broncos are ranked No. 3 in the state by Prep Baseball Report Arizona and No. 14 in the West Coast in the Prep Baseball Report regional preseason rankings. As of press time, they were tied with eight wins, eight losses. “My expectations for the season are to do everything we can to make sure we are better at the end of the season than when we started,” Coach Garcia said. “It is about getting the most out of every player and getting them to reach their potential. On paper, we are a good team and will work to get the most out of our roster.” The Broncos return a talented group, including nine senior players led by senior pitcher JD DeCremer, who was named to the Preseason All-Arizona team and will play at Oregon State University after graduation. According to Athletic Director Steve Shaff, JD is “expected to be a high-round draft pick by Major League Baseball this summer.” “Every major league team is out scouting at all of his games, and that is a lot for any player to handle,” Coach Garcia said of the pitcher. “It is great attention for our school and program, but we want to ensure it stays fun and he performs for the team.” Garcia, who is in his sixth season leading the program, says the team strengths are on the mound and with the senior leadership. “We have three strong starting pitchers in DeCremer, junior Johnny Casale, and sophomore Jack Lafflam,” he said. “Our leaders include shortstop Nuri Todd, outfielder JT Craig, and pitcher Matt Maledon. They are all once-in-a-decade quality human beings, so it is a blessing to have them as our senior leadership.” Brophy opened the season by hosting the 31st Adam Donnenfield Preseason Tournament in late February and recorded a 3-1 start. They play a challenging schedule in the 6A Conference Premier Region with nationally-ranked Hamilton, Basha, and Perry. Regular season games are held at Opus Field on campus and are free to attend. State playoffs are held in late April and early May. VERITAS PREP Veritas held their first game on February 22, and in the first four weeks, they have played six games while gearing up for a return to the State Playoffs in May. The team is in the Metro region of the AIA’s 2A conference. The Falcons have 16 games scheduled in their regular season, with a potential of five additional games in post-season state playoffs. In early March, they beat San Tan Charter 5-1 – marking their first win of the season. “The game lasted seven innings; six hits and one run while striking out nine and walking one. Senior Payson Murasky went deep for a home run in the sixth inning. Murasky led Veritas with two hits in three at-bats, while sophomore Cade Huseth had a triple in the victory,” Coach Ward Huseth said. This year’s team is young but has seven starters returning from last year’s varsity team, including an infield with senior third baseman Andrew Logan and middle infielders (junior) Kishan Bhatnagar and Cade, who were second-team all- region in 2022. “Veritas returned to the state tournament last season for the first time in nine years,” Huseth said. “The team has set its goal of returning to the state tournament and advancing further after losing to state 2A champions Scottsdale Christian last year.” Practices are fast-paced to maximize teaching and development. With only one assistant coach, the older student- athletes are encouraged to help mentor younger players. “This season, the team needs to find a way to replace their two top hitters from last year, as well as find reliable pitchers who can replace their best pitcher,” Huseth said. After spending a decade in the youth baseball sector, this is Coach Huseth’s second year working with Veritas’ varsity squad. He was a pitcher and infielder during college at the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater and said he’s looking forward to another great season with the Falcons. “I’m committed to the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance. I aim to be a ‘Double-Goal Coach’ who strives to win while pursuing the more important goal of teaching life lessons through sports,” Huseth said. I’m against a ‘win-at-all- cost’ mentality but make no mistake – we compete to win!” Huseth’s goal is to help students become better athletes and people by emphasizing the importance of being a good teammate, dealing with failure, and respecting the rules, opponents and umpires. “We emphasize having a growth mindset and strive to improve daily. Baseball is a hard game to master, so it’s a great lesson for facing challenges in life,” he said. “This is a team game. For us to succeed, we will need everyone to be committed to each other and ourselves to be the best we can be.” Sophomore pitcher/shortstop Cade Huseth has played baseball since he was four. This is his second year on the varsity team. His goals this season are to make first-team all-region, pitch a complete seven-inning game, and own an ERA below 2.50 throughout the season. “During practice, my motivation is always to improve at the game,” Cade said. “During games, it’s to enjoy every moment I have on the field because the relationships and lessons I get from baseball carry into all aspects of my life.” Junior middle infielder Kishan Bhatnagar’s favorite part of the game is how mentally challenging it is. “Baseball requires a lot of focus and strength. I like that the effort you put in is as much mental as physical,” he said. “We made the playoffs last year for the first time in a long time, and we want to improve on that finish.” Senior third baseman Andrew Logan cites three things that motivate him: his love for the sport, his friends and team, and his family. “Baseball is tough mentally and physically, but that feeling after winning a close game is hard to beat,” Andrew said. “Enjoying the ups and enduring the downs with your team creates strong friendships.” Facing challenges together is this baseball season’s theme Veritas Prep Brophy Prep WE HAVE MOVED 4600 E Shea Blvd | Suite 100 | Phoenix, AZ 85028 NW corner Tatum and Shea | West of Trader Joes 602.955.8700 • FPSAZ.com IN PRACTICE CELEBRATING EXPERT DOCTORS AND PRACTITIONERS. CONVENIENT SERVICES. EXTENDED HOURS. Our Family Caring for Yours