Eagle-Tribune All-Star Baseball Team

July 04, 2009 01:56 am

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2009 Eagle-Tribune All-Star Baseball Team

Player, School%Yr.%Pos.

John Farrell, Andover%Sr.%P

Shawn Carlson, Andover%Sr.%P

John Hennessy, Andover%Jr.%SS

Tim Wheeler, Central%Sr.%1B

Anthony Conte, Georgetown%Sr.%SS

Josh Chasse, Haverhill%Sr.%CF

Ronnie Rosario, Haverhill%Sr.%C

*Michael Calzetta, Lawrence%Jr.%P/1B

Harvey Blanco, Lawrence%Jr.%SS

Kyle Neverman, Londonderry%Sr.%SS

Sean Caron, Londonderry%Sr.%CF

Ryan Sifferlen, North Andover%Sr.%CF

Michael Weisman, North Andover%Soph.%P

Jordan Silva, Pentucket%Sr.%SS

Zach Mathieu, Pinkerton%Jr.%C

Steve Clark, Whittier%Sr.%INF

* Eagle-Tribune MVP

Honorable Mention

Andover — Jake Ponti, Jr., OF

Brooks — Michael Johnson, Sr., P/1B; Jason Buco, Jr., P/OF

Central Catholic — Marc Crowley, Sr., OF; Matt Novak, Sr., P; Pat Noone, Sr., CF; Brendan Walsh, Sr., P/OF

Georgetown — Andrew Sinkiewicz, Jr., P; Ryan Browner, Frosh., P

Greater Lawrence — Jorge Santiago, Soph., INF; Joe Pizzuto, Soph., OF

Haverhill — Trevor Behrendt, Sr., P; Taylor Robinson, Sr., 1B/P

Lawrence — Yunior Vasquez, Soph., P; Jose Sandoval, Jr., 3B; Devin Montanez, Jr., OF

Londonderry — Kasey Carollo, Soph. P; Dan Lagasse, Jr., INF: Jake Finnegan, Jr., P

Methuen — Alex Shepherd, Jr., C

North Andover — Aaron Brunette, Sr., P/OF; Mike Levy, Sr., C; Connor Walsh, Jr., 3B

North Reading — Darren Hartwell, Sr., OF; Kevin Singer, Sr., 1B/P; Matt DiVecchia, Jr., SS

Pelham — David Wesson, Sr., INF/P; Corey Couillard, Jr., OF

Pentucket — Chris Modlish, Sr., OF/P; Bobby DiSorbo, Sr., OF

Phillips — Geoff Lynch Sr. C; Michael DiFronzo, Soph., OF

Pinkerton — Steve Curry, Jr., OF

Salem — Darren Brown, Jr., OF; Nick Poore, Soph., P; Josh Heil, Sr., INF

Sanborn — Robby Ficker, Sr., P; Logen Johnson, Sr., OF

Timberlane — Nick Mascioli, Sr., SS; Matt Faia, Jr., P/INF; P.J. Singster, Jr., P/INF

Whittier — Damian Colman Sr., 3B; Billy Lafferty, Jr., SS

JOHN FARRELL, Andover Senior, Pitcher

All-MVC. Blazing 90 mph fastball complemented by a hard curveball. Faced the iron and finished misleading 5-4. Posted dazzling 0.70 ERA, striking out area-high 94 in 60.1 innings. Only walked 15. Allowed one unearned run over the last 25.1 innings. Opponents hit just .170 against him. Blanked North Andover for eight innings with 17 Ks. Will pitch at Division 1 William & Mary.

SHAWN CARLSON, Andover Senior, Pitcher

Power personified. Fastball tops out at 91 mph. Team co-MVP. All-MVC. Dominated title game with 3-hitter to earn co-MVP honors at the Lawrence Invitational. A perfect 6-0 this season. Fanned 60 in 43.1 innings with 1.13 ERA. Opponents hit just .167. Went 4-2 with 42 Ks in 34.2 innings as a junior. Will pitch at San Jacinto (Texas) Community College.

JOHN HENNESSY, Andover Junior, Shortstop

Three-year starter. Two-time Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Hit .338 with .516 on-base percentage. Drew 18 walks and was hit nine times. Drove in 17 and scored 16 runs. Has 70 career hits. "A kid no one would pitch too; defensively the best shortstop in the area," said coach Ken Maglio. Brothers Matt and Andrew both starred for Andover. Threw for 1,648 yards and 20 TDs in the fall.

TIM WHEELER, Central Catholic Senior, First Base

Went from benchwarmer to All-Scholastic. MVC Large MVP. Led region with .547 average and 41 hits. First player in region with more than 40 hits in nine years. Slugged four homers with 22 RBIs and 16 runs. Awed people with a 370-foot, broken-bat homer vs. Andover. Only had three hits in 2008. The 6-4 southpaw from Lowell will play at URI. Three-year starter in basketball.

ANTHONY CONTE, Georgetown Senior, Shortstop

Four-year starter. Totalled 105 career hits, nine off Tim Holland's school mark. Led Royals to what was believed to be first ever sectional title. Hit .382. Led team in hits (34), walks (school record 21), runs (30) and steals (9). Also went 3-3 with 2.12 ERA. Son of ex-North Andover great T.J. Conte and brother of ex-Eagle-Tribune All-Star Sam. Prepping at IMG Academy in Florida.

JOSH CHASSE, Haverhill Senior, Center Field

All-MVC. Three-year starter. A pitcher's best friend in center. Hit .333 with team-high 18 runs. Stroked double to beat Tewksbury in extra innings. "Our most consistent player, made the catch or big hit to help us win," said coach Chip Dunn. Hit .297 as a junior and .323 as a sophomore. Won Eagle-Tribune's Johnston Award for his love of the game. Will play at Daniel Webster College.

RONNIE ROSARIO, Haverhill Senior, Catcher

Repeat Eagle-Tribune All-Star. Three-year starter. A specimen at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. Dynamite arm with snap release. Hit .361 with 18 runs and 14 RBIs. Haverhill having no outfield fence cost him at least four homers. Batted .375 as a junior. Catching for Post 4 American Legion this summer. MVP last fall at Lynn Invitational. Will play at New Mexico Community College.

HARVEY BLANCO, Lawrence Junior, Shortstop

All-conference. Batted .369. Scored 17 runs and drove in 21. Had two hits, two RBIs and two defensive gems to lock up MVC Small title-clinching win at Dracut. "Can hit anyone's fastball ... a coach's dream," said coach Brendan Neilon. Helped Lancers to 17 wins, believed to be their most in 25 years. Two-year starter, three-year letterman. Starting fullback-linebacker in football.

KYLE NEVERMAN, Londonderry Senior, Shortstop

Three-year starting middle infielder. Two-time first-team All-Class L. Area leader with 34 runs in 22 games. Team leader with four homers. Drove in a dozen. Hit .426 and slugged .750. Had a 34-game hit streak covering much of last two seasons. Ran 37.7 300 meters indoors Long-jumped 20-10. Scored 720 on math SAT. Will study engineering and play at Johns Hopkins.

SEAN CARON, Londonderry Senior, Center Field

Set school record with area-leading 32 RBIs in 21 games. Batted .448 with 30 hits and 21 runs scored. Slugged .634 with eye-popping 1.096 OPS. Had two hits with six RBIs in playoff opener vs. Spaulding. Two-time All-Class L selection. Three-year starter. Hit .324 with 19 RBIs as a junior. "You can't replace a kid like him," said coach Brent Demas. Will attend URI.

RYAN SIFFERLEN, North Andover Senior, Center Field

All-league choice. Tri-captain. Three-year starter. Fifth in region with .463 average. Also led Knights in runs (30), hits (37) and RBIs (17). Was on 19-for-31 tear (.613) on historic run to Division 2 North title. Terrific three-sport athlete. Scored 91 goals in unforgettable hockey career. League soccer all-star. Won prestigious Adams Scholarship. Will focus on baseball at UMass Amherst.

MICHAEL WEISMAN, North Andover Sophomore, Pitcher

Lone sophomore named All-CAL. Southpaw throws in low-to-mid 80s. Finished at 8-2. Beat Wilmington three times, Masco twice, Reading and Newburyport. Struck out 87 and walked 30 in 65.2 innings. Had 1.92 ERA. "Took over big games when we needed him," said coach Todd Dulin. Hit .392 with 13 runs and 16 RBIs. Went 2-1 as a freshman. Also plays varsity basketball and football.

JORDAN SILVA, Pentucket Senior, Shortstop

Four-year letterman, three-year starter. Cape Ann Large co-MVP. Hit .308 as a junior and led team with .446 average this year. Scored 17 runs and drove in 19. Saved six of team's 11 wins on mound. Pitched 15 innings with 0.47 ERA, 11 strikeouts and 5 walks. Led hoop team in scoring at 15.6 ppg. Threw four TD passes, ran for six more in the fall. Will play baseball at UMass Lowell.

ZACH MATHIEU, Pinkerton Junior Catcher

Second-team All-Class L. Made move from first base to natural position of catcher. Gave up two passed balls all year. Rifle arm. Towering junior (6-7) led team with .389 average and 17 runs. Slugged .574. Hit .297 with 14 RBIs as a sophomore. Division 1 UConn and Bryant have expressed interest. Honorable mention All-Class L center scored 14.4 points a game in basketball.

STEVE CLARK, Whittier Tech Senior, Infield

Four-year varsity starter. CAC Large MVP. Third in region with .485 average. Stroked 32 hits. Scored 22 runs. Drove in 14 runs. Hit safely in 17 of 21 with 11 multiple-hit games. Third Whittier 100-hit man in history. Hit an even .400 (100 for 250) in his career. "He's just a pure hitter," said coach Joe Boland. Excelled in electrical shop. Plans to play at Fisher College.

Intense Lawrencian was area's best

Lawrence High baseball coach Brendan Neilon says of his junior right-hander Michael Calzetta, "You just can't help but get intense being around him."

The Lancers pushed it to the limit in 2009, winning 17 games and the MVC small championship. Calzetta always seemed to be at the center of the action.

Calzetta went 5-1 as a sophomore and came right back with a 7-1 campaign on the hill this year, with three shutouts and a sparkling Division 1 North tourney (2-1) nine-inning, complete-game win over Andover.

He boasts a well-commanded mid-80s fastball, a biting curveball and the penchant for making the big play at the big time.

"I wouldn't want anyone but him on the mound in a one-game-showdown," said Neilon of the 6-foot-3 Calzetta, who struck out 79 and walked only five in 55.2 innings of work, posting a 1.51 ERA.

The All-Scholastic selection also batted a team-high .385 with 10 runs and 16 RBIs.

Calzetta, whose father was a talented athlete at North Andover High, is also a talent in football as evidenced by his 36 catches for 459 yards and four TDs in the fall.

Calzetta is the first Lawrence High athlete to win be named Eagle-Tribune Baseball MVP in the 20-year history of the award.

Former Eagle-Tribune MVPs

2008 — Sean Hayden, Haverhill; 2007 — Dan Godefroi, Andover; 2006 — Dan Godefroi, Andover; 2005 — Jeff Castillo, Salem; 2004 — Terry Doyle, Salem; 2003 — Terry Doyle, Salem; 2002 — Tim Bransfield, Masconomet; 2001 — Kevin Shepard, Andover; 2000 — Steve Palazzolo, North Reading; 1999 — Doug Johnson, Pelham; 1998 — Ben Crockett, Masconomet; 1997 — Brian Tisbert, Andover; 1996 — Bryan Welch, Central Catholic; 1995 — Jay Yennaco, Pinkerton; 1994 — Jay Yennaco, Pinkerton; 1993 — Justin Hesenius, Andover; 1992 — Jim Hanning, Andover; 1991 — David Blank, Andover; 1990 — Chris Eggert, Andover