A passion for baseball was on full display throughout the summer of 2022 in North Haven. Max Sinoway fielded two 15-U Babe Ruth teams this year, and one of those teams, led by Head Coach Todd Kennedy, persevered through a difficult start to finish its season with a District 2 championship. The dedication of the players toward improving throughout the summer proved the biggest catalyst for the Babe Ruth team’s success.

Many of Max Sinoway’s players had competed together in the spring and then returned for summer ball. Coach Kennedy, who took over the team in the summer, guided a club that struggled to limit mistakes at the start of the regular season, but then played nearly perfect baseball in the playoffs.

“Towards the end of the season, we really started playing some good baseball. I think we shocked a lot of people,” Kennedy said. “Obviously, we’re really happy that the kids played this well, but I don’t think anybody thought we would have dominated like we did in the playoffs. These guys were on fire.”

All of Max Sinoway’s players were on board with the process. The grand finale of the season came in the District 2 Tournament, a double-elimination bracket that included the top five 15-U Babe Ruth squads in the district. Both of North Haven’s 15-U Sinoway teams qualified for the tournament. Coach Kennedy’s squad ultimately took the title by defeating Stratford in the District 2 final.

The players on Max Sinoway’s 15-U Babe Ruth district championship team are Blake Carlson, Oskar Drake, Jason Hiang, Brady Kennedy, Caden Kennedy, Gage Mott, Glenn Mott, Arjun Nichols, Anthony Papa, Joe Peretore, Jason Petrucci, and Gibbs Wade.

Prior to playing in districts, Coach Kennedy’s ballclub had navigated through a District 2 regular-season schedule that featured competition against teams from Naugatuck, Stratford, Milford, and New Haven. After Sinoway lost a few games due to some mistakes, Kennedy was hoping that his team could use those defeats as stepping stones to learn from as his team opened play in the District 2 Tournament.

“At one point, we were at .500, and we got above it. I felt like we were underachieving,” said Kennedy. “I thought we had a really good team, and we weren’t playing like that in the beginning of the season. What I would say to the kids after the games were, ‘These games are just getting us ready for the playoffs.’”

On the heels of a 7-6 regular season, Coach Kennedy and company were matched up versus the other Max Sinoway Babe Ruth team, coached by Brian Correll, in the first round of the District 2 Tournament. Kennedy’s team had taken two losses to their fellow Sinoway squad during the regular season, but solved the puzzle in the playoffs by claiming a 12-8 victory in the contest on Aug. 3. The win further cemented the growth and development that the players on Coach Kennedy’s club had made throughout the summer season.

“Watching the kids come together as a team, growing, and just the development of some of the players from where they started [were the most rewarding aspects],” Kennedy said. “It was exciting.”

The victory propelled Max Sinoway to face off against Stratford, which had also won its first-round matchup in the district bracket. Due to the double-elimination format in the five-team tournament, Sinoway needed to twice defeat Stratford in order to claim the District 2 title.

On Aug. 4. Max Sinoway notched a 21-4 win over Stratford in the first game of the District 2 final. Two days later, Sinoway clinched the District 2 crown by posting a 13-3 victory versus Stratford. Coach Kennedy felt proud that his team full of talented and dedicated players capped off their exciting journey with a championship win.

“This team is full of talented kids,” said Kennedy. “There’s not much you’re doing as a coach. You’re putting the kids in the right place and encouraging them.”

As Sinoway’s players savor the feeling of winning the district title, Coach Kennedy feels encouraged and excited about the potential for the team next year. Kennedy knows that several players will be returning with the hopes of capturing similar success in 2023.

“The future is bright for these kids. I hope that these kids get a chance to play baseball,” Kennedy said. “It’d be exciting to come back and coach this team again to see where we can go for next season.”

Coach Kennedy felt grateful to see the growth of his players as they led the charge for the team’s success this summer. Max Sinoway’s run to the District 2 championship meant a lot to the players, and Kennedy is glad that their efforts paid off with a bright shining moment.

“When you have a team and you help develop them, you see that development by the wins and getting to the playoffs,” said Kennedy. “It feels great. It makes everything worth it.”