The J. Taylor Finley Middle School baseball team takes the field this week for its first games of the season. The squad has high hopes.
Coached by social studies teacher Jarrad Richter, Finley will play a 10 game schedule with five home contests and five away at their opponents.
The team has been practicing daily on its field located directly behind Finley’s gym. Richter has been teaching a combination of basic baseball along with some of the finer points of the game. He’s been spending time on defense and baserunning skills among other areas.
Finley’s roster includes seventh graders Nicholas Cuadra, William Donaghy, Graham Gooch, Brady LaCosta, Andrew Lopez, Dylan Michaelson, Dominic Muccia, Michael Munsch, Joseph Perotti and Grahm Sulinski; and eighth graders Kevin Gordon, Emmet Harlan, Matthew James, Spencer James, Spencer Krull, Alvin Luna-Mancia, Milton Maldonado, Presley Moss, Vincent Pupillo and Philander White.
Finley’s schedule includes home games against West Hollow, Commack, Lindenhurst, Elwood and Oldfield and away contests at Nesaquake, East Northport, Hauppauge, Stimson and West Islip-Beach. The season runs to June 1.
Richter wants to make Finley the powerhouse baseball school that many in the community still remember it once was during many of the seasons since the school opened in 1965.
Richter believes long-term success lies in doing all the little things well. Pitching and catching, solid defense, putting ball on the bat and running out every ball.
Players have varying degrees of experience, but all need to be sharp if Finley is going to have a winning record.