| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Catholic | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 17 |
| Amesbury | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Brendan Walsh delivered the game of his career, pitching a no-hitter to lead Central Catholic to a season-opening 17-0 drubbing of Amesbury.
"This is the first no-hitter for Central since Kevin Bateman in either 1986 or 1987," said Central head coach Marc Pelletier. "He was just in control from the first batter. He ran his fastball away and he was never really threatened."
Walsh, who was 4-1 a season ago, struck out 14 and walked only two over seven innings of work.
Andrew Guyer was 3 for 4 with a two-run homer and seven RBIs, Ryan Kemp was 4 for 5 with four RBIs and Tim Wheeler hit a three-run homer for the Raiders. Robert Taylor scored three runs and drove in another for the winners.
True. I did hear from fans at the weekend games that the freshman looked really "lost", almost confused. After all, they have just recently come up from little league, not more than a season or two ago. Are they ready for 6 foot tall 220 lb. pitchers? Doubt it. This game is much too fast for them; they need at least one season on freshman. That's the whole purpose for freshman & JV teams. Our coach is new, though; I have faith that he will make the right decision after a few games, and get some offensive players to come up from JV. They are BADLY needed, obviously.
#2 04/11/2008 01:08 PMDon't forget, too, that Central Catholic was ranked 6th in the state last year.
#3 04/11/2008 03:51 PMHonestly, the hitting isn't the problem. It's the total lack of organization and discipline on this team. Their seems to be no respect or reverence for the coaches whatsoever, nor do the coaches seem to have a plan. They are constantly shuffling players from position to position, and they seem panicked. Mr. Burnham is a very nice man, and I'm sure he means well, but this ain't pony league. I think we all want this team to do well, but I can't see it happening with the way things are going. This team seems to be dead, with no life and no enthusiasm, and maybe, that has something to do with the younger players being up, and some of the veteran players not trusting them or feeling that they belong. I wish them well.
#5 04/11/2008 09:26 PMThey do not belong. That is the issue altogether. They have been put in an unfair position. I mean really, this is high school; not being able to reach first from third is unacceptable. One bouncers don't always work on varsity. Must be relatives or neighbors of coaches.
#6 04/12/2008 09:59 AMI'm a little confused about the third to first issue? None of the freshman start at third....again, I believe the real issue is team moral and game plan. Both are low or none existent. Also, their is offense on this team, they just haven't gotten the hit to break open a game yet.....in fact, two of the players on this team were in the top 10 in the CAL in batting last year, not to mention one who hit .500....
#7 04/12/2008 03:35 PMYou are likely correct; as, I only saw freshman PRACTICING at third base; didn't see this at an actual game. My point is, that if ANYONE can't make such a throw, then they need a little more time to catch up maybe. Again that's what JV & Frosh teams are all about. A senior sat on the bench all day Saturday in the cold rain, while freshman played & made several errors, and also expereienced many. many pass balls. Scary. Does Coach Burnham, himself, know what lettering means to a senior? I do not think that he does; as, he has not been there, himself. Yes, his son has; but that's not the same thing, at all. I have heard that some parents are ANGRY; and I also know that experienced coaches NEVER bring freshman up in the fashion that this coach has. In the 25 years that Gerry coached; he brought about three freshman (I believe), and, they did not start too often. I assumed that there would be some shuffling around; but, after three games that have been lost (and not by only a couple of runs) that bigger, faster, stronger kids would be put into place. They certainly are available; on both JV and varsity. Not only is the team unable to score; but, it is the lack of hitting that is unsettling; I am not talking home runs; but, singles even. John Nicol, one of the better players in our school, was cut from varsity. OK; coach doesn't see what he has; well, this was done before the kids ever sawy a baseball field--they were still in the gym. If you know Amesbury baseball, then you know John. John was not sent down to JV.. He was sent HOME. Yes, a junior, and he was told by the Coaches Burnham, to go HOME. John is quite soft-spoken, and if it had not been for parents and friends urging him to approach Coach Pike (JV), he would not even be playing. Something is wrong.
#8 04/13/2008 08:07 AMDon't worry all.........things have a way of working themselves out........There are three sophomores practicing with both JV and varsity; they are simply doing the job each is asked to do, on EITHER team. There will probably be a few different kids that move around like this. They will go where they are needed. I do not think that anyone wants to see the freshman SIT up there; nor would I want to a talented sophomore SIT up there. That would be a waste. I am sure that coach will get the kids into the right slots. THAT is when you will see this team GEL, and play like a team. My son loved Coach Burnham on freshman football; Coach Burnham does have a talent for getting kids to WANT to play for him. It'll happen. I do, however, think that it is important to respect your senior players, who would be lettering, and who have been valuable to this team for the past three years. One has already left the team because of the way he was made to feel, sitting on the bench all weekend (AmesburyIndianFan's comment above).
#9 04/13/2008 08:41 AMThis does not surprise me at all because Coach Burnham is known for playing his favorites whether they deserve to be there or not! He has done this in football and in baseball. Many parents have talked about this. Sorry to hear about John Nicol but his parents must not be in Coach Burnham's "click" of parents he favors and then he also favors their sons. It is terrible that this happens but Amesbury has been known lately as having this Rep. of coaches having favorites and not playing the true players that deserve to be out there. Amesbury sports is going downhill. Look at the Hockey Team 0-19 - Yikes. Amesbury was a hockey town thanks to Albie Roy, who started Amesbury Hockey back in the day and put our little town on the map. The teams were out of this world and went many years with winning seasons. Albie coached the likes of Leo Dupree and taught many young men how to act, how to play and to have respect. In return I was lucky enough to have played for Leo who was also a great coach and we won under his leadership. My father and his friends were all honored to have known Coach Roy and still to this day talk about him and how he built many to be fine adults. As a kid I could sit for hours listening to the stories of a coach who made a difference in so many lives and the great respect my dad and his friends felt about him. Can these coaches say that in the future they will be talked about for years to come with found memories? I don't think so! Maybe it is the coaches fault and it is also that the kids feel they are "entitled" and think they are better than they are and do not play up to other teams standards and we lose A LOT!!! Yes, Football went well but I am sure the boys will get cocky. Maybe AHS baseball should have kept Mondalto!! I am just glad I no longer have a child in the schools.
#10 04/14/2008 11:50 AMThis is what we are going to get from a LITTLE LEAGUE COACH.Been said he is going with a young team does"nt matter what anyone thinks it is his team.Also been said that his champion ship team is going to be this years Freshman's team.So now we know what he is thinking.What about all of the talent he has now and for the next 2 years.What is going to happen to this years JV'S team next year.This years Varsity team is going to lose 5 seniors with what he did this year by cutting all of the Juniors does that mean only 5 JV's are going to be playing after this year?Could be less if he brings any Freshman up which I have heard that he already told 1 8th grader that he will definitly be on Varsity next year so now only 4 more will make Varsity next year.What is the AD thinking when they had better talent of coaches apply.I know some of the coaches that applied didn't even get an interview.Seems to me the AD had her mind made up already who she was giving the job too.Too many good coaches were overlooked.Has anyone else been to a practice to see how they are run?I have been to many only to watch and see the kids do what they want to do.There is no coaching going on that I could see.Also if anyone does go to watch take a good look at the head coach and watch him closely sooner or later you will see him go behind the town barn or go to his car.I have watch this and have been very disappointed to see that when he does this he is doing this to hide from the kids and have himself a CIGARETTE.This is clear VIOLATION of school rules and to me not being a committed coach to the kids.Hope that the AD catches him.
#11 04/15/2008 11:21 AMIf that is true, that is unbelievable. I have seen a few of the games this year, and have been very unimpressed with the team, especially the coaching staff. From what I have seen, he certainly won't be having ANY championship teams, no matter what the talent because if you can't coach it properly, then it doesn't do you much good. And from the couple games I have seen, he has been BADLY out coached. He didn't seem to have a clue as to what to do. I have not seen a practice, but from the comments above, I can see why the team has looked the way it has. You feel for the Varsity Players from the last few years, those are some of the core players that got them to the tournament in the last few years, and now, with Freshman playing that aren't ready to play at this level yet, along with a team that is not ready to play, and you get 17-0 scores and 10-1. The only shining hope is that it can only get better....we hope.
#12 04/15/2008 02:19 PMThis is not a good way to start the season; or, to make this difficult coaching transition. Coach Tom Connors was able to show restraint and great patience; as, he was very well aware that of the fact that half of his future championship team is currently sitting in the wings, in the sophomore class. However, he did the right thing by keeping varsity in tact; using juniors and seniors who had been with him for the long run; and STILL, the team was awesome. Not perfect, but as good as it could be with its juniors and seniors. NO ONE can wait until football seasons 2008 and then 2009, NO ONE! We are all chomping at the bit! But at least our coach gave juniors & seniors the respect they deserve. One underclassman did go up to start; but, it was for a couple of very specific positions that needed to be filled. There was no other choice. I do not see why Coach Burnham feels that HE, himself, is unable to accomplish this, in the way that Coach Connors was able to. That is, having a successful season, with the varsity players he was given. Those that have supported this team for two to three years, and worked their way up. Perhaps, he does not have faith in himself, as a coach & teacher? it's odd. Parents will get together, just as they did against Coach Flaherty, and players may walk away, like they did with Coach Flaherty, if they get too frustrated, as they did with Coach Flaherty. Additionally, as controversial as Coach Mondalto may have been to SOME; he was also able to have very successful seasons, without losing patience and looking to the freshman class; except on VERY rare occaisions. He was TOUGH; but had himself experienced the value of lettering, and knew how valuable his current players were, no matter what kind of talent waited in the wings; waiting for their turn to shine.
#13 04/16/2008 08:43 AMwow!!!!! well first off i would like to say i have personally played for coach connors, burnham, and coach mondalto. Coach connors is the most disrespectful coach i have ever been coached by. he degrades his players and most players are scared of him because of how mean he can be. no one ever reads about how many players quit from football because they just leave their pads in the locker room and leave because they are too scared of the coach yelling at them. and the football team was not a championship team at all!! not even close. look at who they beat? anyone good? no not at all...look at how many times they got blown out...the only reason why the football team won the league was because clancy from newburyport was not allowed to play. ask anyone on the team and they will tell you that. secondly i played for coach burnham on freshman football and yes kids enjoyed playing for him but he barely knew anything about freshman football then and the kids ran the team same as they do in the varsity baseball. at some points the players do need to run the team because the coach needs to run off and have his cig break. i dont even want to get started on the freshman he has brought up. only one of them actually deserves to be there the others are too imature and are not phyiscally ready for that level of baseball. not to mention to young kids on the bench who could be pitching on jv or freshman or atleast getting innings. they are not getting any better on the bench. that was something coach mondalto always did. if he had freshman up on varsity that ment they would be playing. if they were not in the game he would send them down to get innings because all he cared about was the kids getting better. and the baseball team this year should be one of the best teams in the league they have a returning all leaguer who hit 500 last year who the coach can not control which is a shame because the kid has so much talent and just needs to be helped a little and he could be the best player in the league. but it doesnt help when you have the coachs callinng him out .
#14 04/16/2008 02:41 PMif you ask me it has nothing to do with the players, you see last year smith was the number one hitter in the league batting .500 they also had slevoski who hit very well, and mondalto didnt leave nothing to work off of there is still returning starters in both smith and slevoski, also jared f, serwon, and medvitz who all have plenty of talent so they team is going to come together very soon if you ask me. when i was in highschool we had plenty of slow starts.
#15 04/16/2008 06:13 PMeveryone needs to chill, ive played for both geno and mondalto they both are fine coaches, we are having a slow start and this happens to teams all the time look at the tigers right now they are having a terrible start (2-10) but they are suppose to have the best offense in the league so we will be ok. we already made a step in the right direction by scoring 8 runs in the last game so we are getting the bats going, and me not having a good start is on me its not on coach ill get it going soon last game i was 1-2 and thats better then what ive been doing so everyone just chill im promising a turn around ...
#16 04/16/2008 06:28 PMGood for you David. Great comments and how to step up and take responsibility for what is going on. It will turn around for you guys, and things will get better. You guys do have talent and talent usually comes out in the end.
#17 04/16/2008 07:12 PMCaptains Dad you are right they do have talent but it seems to be on the bench or down on the JV team.This coach is playing for 4 years down the road.He is not playing for this years team or the next 2 years team.Everyone open your eyes no coach at this level would ever bring up this many Freshman and play them if he is not looking for a team down the road.With all of the talent that coach Jerry had worked on bringing up and to have this so called coach just cut some of it and not play the rest is just plain ridiculious.Heard this Freshman catcher dropped 4 third strike calls at this level is wrong and he needs to be put down before he does it again in the wrong situation.The Freshman classes the past 3 years have been nothing but spectacular last years class I believe was the best posting 15-3.They didn't do this on luck this is where all the talent is .How many of these kids are still on the team today not many (because of cuts)and the one s that are should be playing and not sitting.So with a record of 36-11 there has to be talent in the system but I guess when you coach Little League for as long as this coach has you must always have to start at the bottom and work up.Coach this is not Little League you are where you are (0-5)because you are letting to much TALENT just sit around or you just refuse to bring them up and put the Freshman where they belong.People we are in for a long 3 years if he is planning on this years Freshman's team to be his so called CHAMPION TEAM.I feel bad for all of the kids with the talent (and plenty of them)that are going to be pushed out .David your bat will come around just stick with it
#18 04/16/2008 10:42 PMOn the bench or JV team? I've been to every game, and from what I see, the players who Jerry was playing last year are playing this year. So I don't know who would be on the bench who is not playing. They have plenty of talent on this squad, from Medvitz, Flannigan, Corrigan, Smith, Slevoski, Serwon, Wheeler, Cassidy etc.... The Freshman Catcher has not dropped 4 third strikes, in fact, he had a great game against Triton and has done a decent job so far. All the Freshman Classes, starting from 3 years ago all had great records, but to say that translates into anything at the Varsity Level is wrong. Now I tend to agree that having so many freshman in the starting lineup is wrong and hurting the team. Not that the freshman are bad players, on the contrary, I think there is talent there, but it just is not ready for the Varsity Level and they should be playing everyday at the JV/Freshman level to get better and learn. Best of Luck today guys, let's beat Newburyport, that would be a sweet first win.
#19 04/17/2008 07:06 AMThe freshman SHOULD be rotating and playing every game, on FRESHMAN. SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS and SENIORS all comprise varsity. Those who will not start or be second string go down to JV. That is the way it has always been, until now. Only the Athletic Director can tell the coach, however, what rules he needs to follow. She has allowed this, and she should be the one receiving complaints; not the coach. Additionally, SHE left the Triton athletic program in a SHAMBLES a year and a half ago. Go figure.
#20 04/17/2008 08:53 AMWell, if you look at the team, he is playing the Freshman, other than 1 or 2, and they are second string. It's amazing all these complaints about the coach and AD, where was everyone when Mondalto was getting scapegoated for an incident and being told how he didn't motivate players? Well I know he motivated players and he made them better ball players and people, but all that was important for the admin was to get rid of him because he wasn't well liked by the higher ups. Now we have what we have and we have to live with it, like it or not. We should all be supportive of the team that is here and in the words of David Smith, just CHILL..
#21 04/17/2008 09:25 AMreally man, Smitty said it all. My brother is a sophomore playing on jv and he has not complained that I know of. he was kind of confident that he;d play varsity but he is not complaining that he's not. He's able to do things down on jv that he may not be doing higher up. hasn't sat for one second and pitched his first win the other day; batting about 500-600 or so. Complain to the AD, but doubt if she'll pay attention to parents. If the kids are not happy then she'll listen. My parents did support Coach Mondalto, wrote a letter and everything but that's in the past & before a new coach was picked.
#22 04/17/2008 09:35 AMi played for gerry a few years back, and he did stick with sophmores, juniors seniors mostly; tough coach
#23 04/17/2008 09:36 AMThis is from March 28: THE AMESBURY NEWS "On the diamond, the new coaching duo — father and son Gene Burnham Sr. and Gene Burnham Jr. — hopes a mix of senior captains and underclassmen from a 15-win freshmen team works wonders. The Indians expect to put pressure on teams with bunting and stealing." Where are these sophomores...you know, last year's freshman who went 15-0?
#24 04/17/2008 10:48 AM
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0 AmesburyIndianFan
This is very sad; but, certainly not surprising. Moving 4 freshman catchers up to varsity, while you have vitually no BATS on the team to begin with will cause this. With decent hitters down on JV, this does not seem like the best plan.
Report! #1 04/11/2008 12:23 PM