High School Baseball Is Back

The Falcons warm up prior to the game against New Canaan

After the 2020 season was cancelled, high school baseball, and all spring sports, were back this week in Connecticut. 

It's interesting times for everyone, dealing with COVID protocols and quarantines, and the unknown due to the fact that there wasn't a season last year. 

For the Ludlowe baseball team, they got our season going on Tuesday against New Canaan after getting postponed against Greenwich on Saturday and New Canaan on Monday. 

It was 682 days between the 2019 season ending loss against Southington until Ludlowe played another game that counted. 

In terms of the game, the Falcons picked up a 9-8 win on a walk-off by catcher Christian Smith in the bottom of the seventh. 

Ludlowe took an early 3-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI single by Smith and a two-run triple by Andrew Fortunato. 

New Canaan cut into the lead with a two-run triple to center field in the fourth by Cameron Wheeler. 

Ludlowe extended their lead in the bottom half of the inning as they scored five times. Matt Vivona led off with a hustle double to right field and Noah Schaper walked. 

Three batters later with the bases now loaded, Fortunato singled to right to bring home two runs. Charlie Mulhall followed that up with an RBI single to put the Falcons up 7-2. The scoring for the inning when Mike Innaimo delivered a sacrifice fly to plate Mulhall. 

New Canaan scored four more times in the fifth as they batted around despite only getting three hits in the inning. 

The Rams would tie the game in the top half of the seventh. A single and an error put two one with one out before Jack O'Donnell came up with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 8-7 and put two runners in scoring position. Andrew Rashad's sacrifice fly would tie the game at eight. 

In the bottom half of the seventh, Rhys Davies led off with a single to center field. Matt Vivona laid down a bunt and the ball was thrown into center field to put two on and none out. Two batters later, Longo would walk to load the bases and put the winning run 90 feet away. Smith then came out and drove a 1-1 pitch deep enough to right field to allow Davies to come in and score. 

Ludlowe improves to 1-0 on the early season and will travel to Greenwich to take on the Cardinals on Wednesday at 4pm. 

We'll see if I continue to write these recaps. The lack of media coverage, especially newspaper coverage, around the league for all sports is disappointing and I want to give the student-athletes some coverage. 

Missing Sports

I haven't blogged in over two months. I keep saying I want to blog more, but I just don't have much to write about, and don't want to write about news you can get many other places. What's the point? I need to be better at finding topics and just write. Write for myself. It doesn't matter who reads or doesn't read. It doesn't need to be sports (even though, as I say below and everyone knows, sports are my life). I want to continue to keep my journalism passion and sharpen my writing skills. 

I look at what Rob Adams is doing over at his blog, Exit 55, with Project 365+. He's almost at two full years of one blog a day. Or John Nash at The October Weekend, who first challenged Rob to Project 365 in 2019 and continues to blog often. I'm not saying I'm going to be them, but I just see what they are doing and which I would write more. 

Now to my main point of this post. 

I miss sports, especially at the local level. I realize what's going on in the country (and the word) with the COVID pandemic is more important than sports, but I am still holding hope that there is a safe way to have local sports around here. 

Connecticut fall high school sports ended in early November* and as of now, winter sports don't start until January 19th at the earliest. Hopefully we get some sort of winter season in. In addition, no matter what happens with winter sports, the CIAC (Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference) has said they will try to give as much of a normal spring season as possible consider the spring athletes lost their entire spring season last year. 

*It was a modified season, but we got a fall sports season in without much disruption and the athletes and teams got to have a fall sports experience, which is the goal. 

I see photos from people in other parts of the country where games are being played. It makes me miss sports even more. 

As I said to someone else, not only is high school sports my job, it's my life. As pathetic as that may sound. I live for HS basketball and HS baseball. 

Between helping out the basketball team at Ludlowe and being on the Ludlowe baseball coaching staff and then of course dealing with all the other Ludlowe and Warde teams as part of my job, there's not much else. There's still work to be done, and I'm able to get ahead on some things, but not as much as I'd like just due to the uncertainty of the seasons. 

I've enjoyed all the professional and college sports we have gotten to watch. From MLB, to the NFL, to college football and college basketball, as well as the NBA and NHL and so much more. I've been home more so I've watched a bunch and it's been great to watch. To those who say it's not real, or it doesn't matter, you're not a real sports fan. 

We will see what happens. Hopefully we have some answers soon. And hopefully there is more from me around here. 

CT School Buildings Closed For School Year

Sorry Warde, of course I have to use a photo of Ludlowe

Schools are not going back to in-person classes for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. Distance-learning will continue.  

Governor Ned Lamont officially made the announcement this morning, following announcements from New York and New Jersey over the last few days. It was obviously the correct decision and we knew it was going to happen, but still sad to see it in writing (or in a Tweet). 

Heartbroken for the seniors who won't be able to have a regular end to their senior year with their classmates, teachers and friends and won't be able to have a normal end-of-year experience. Hopefully something is able to be done for them at some point, when safe, to recognize their accomplishments. 

From a sports perspective, the CIAC officially cancelled spring sports following the school announcement. Extremely disappointing for the seniors miss out on their final spring seasons. Memories are made in school, but also in sports. It's not just what happens on the field, it's what happens on the bench, bus rides, team dinners, fundraisers, and so much more. It was unfortunate that winter athletes couldn't finish their season and even more unfortunate that spring athletes can't have a season at all. 

To the Ludlowe baseball seniors, you guys left a remarkable stamp on our program, playing a vital part in the success we had a season ago. So sorry you couldn't have a senior year but thankful for what you did for our program and most importantly getting to know you guys. Sorry you can't go out on your own terms. You are a fantastic group of young men. 

To all the seniors at Ludlowe and Warde, pleasure getting to know you and deal with you. 

Hopefully all the seniors will be able to be recognized in some way.  This is a special class. 

To the Class of 2020, you will go on and to great things in life. We are always here for you. Sorry your high school experience had to end this way. 

 

Thank You....Ludlowe Basketball

In December, I wrote about my experiences about being a student manager for Ludlowe basketball and baseball.

The 2016-2017 Ludlowe basketball season came to an end last night. 

Since graduating high school in 2013, I have still been around the teams....a lot.  It's been a blast.

Due the the fact that I'm graduating college in May, I'm going to need to get a job. That being said, I realize that last night is probably the last time I will be around the basketball program on a close to everyday basis.

Who knows, depending on a job I get, if I will still go to some games, or even if I might be covering the teams.

With that being said, many people to thank.

 First off, Josh Marko, who was the basketball coach and I managed freshman baseball for him. I never managed basketball for him as he resigned, but I never would have thought of managing basketball if it wasn't for Coach Marko asking me about it.

Brian Silvestro, who was the varsity head coach for the three years I was the manager. He was not only a coach, who I enjoyed helping out and doing whatever was needed. He became a friend and someone who would (and still does) push me with school work and other life things.

John Dailey, thank you for allowing me to continue to be around the program after I graduated when you took over as varsity coach.

To all the other coaches, sub-varsity and volunteer assistants...Thank you.

Alex Borusso, Kevin Mason, Kieran Kilbride, Colin Sullivan and Jack Began. All of these people (sorry if I missed anyone) were varsity managers at one point or another in the last four years. Thank you for allowing me to hang and help you guys out. Sorry if I did too much. You guys were fantastic and I can't think of better successors.

To all the players, from guys like Kevin Bentivegna and Erik Krumins, who were seniors my first year, through this years team, thank you for allowing me to be a part of the team

This is a program that I am so thankful for being a part of. I'll always have the managers pride and I'll always follow this program.

Baseball season ahead. Falcon Pride forever!

Began's Perseverance Helping In Life And Basketball

Jack Began handles the ball at the top of the key (SS Photo)

Perseverance. Survivor.

Those are two words to describe Jack Began, but he is so much more than that. He is hardworking, caring, honest and so much more. The junior on the Fairfield Ludlowe boy's basketball team has fought through a lot of adversity in his life.

Jack grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin (30 miles south of Green Bay) with his parents, Sandra and Patrick, and brother Charlie.

In September of 2012, Patrick died by suicide.  In July of 2014, Jack, his mother and brother moved from Wisconsin to Fairfield, Connecticut.

Jack and his mother have both written about their experiences and I will let them tell the story. This is a focus on Jack as a basketball player and a person.

Jack played freshman basketball during the 2014-2015 for Ludlowe. His sophomore year, he made a decision to not play that year and was a student manager. He put in the work as a manager, while continuing to keep his basketball skills strong. As a manager, Jack worked with the other managers and did what was asked of him. Anytime there were people needed for a drill, Jack would jump in and play hard. He watched intently as the team practiced so he could learn the plays and terminology used by coaches John Dailey and Lawrence Richardson.

Jack could have just sat there and said, I'm not playing so I won't help any more than I have to, but that's not him. He wanted to help, he wanted to get better, he wanted to learn.

This season, Jack is back on the court and has a positive impact on his team. He is starting on junior varsity and playing as a role player off the bench for the varsity team. Even as a junior, he is showing great leadership qualities. Jack pushes everyone to work hard and makes sure people know what they are supposed to do.

The sharp shooter, Began hit a big three-pointer late in the Falcons loss against Bassick on December 21.  He is a very smart player on the court, knowing what to do and where to be on the court in certain situations.

Jack is working hard every day in practice to not only be a sharp shooter, but the best all-around player he can be so he can help the Falcons as much as possible.

Jack is also a writer and a big time sports fan. Jack has written articles on many different topics, including his father. You can check out his writing here. He roots for the Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, and the University of Wisconsin.

Jack will look to be a key piece for the Falcons this season.