Printer Friendly Version - Valley/Westbrook Baseball Looks to Grow, Maintain Shoreline Status as New Co-Op

Junior Caleb Winkley will serve as a junior captain for the Valley Regional-Westbrook baseball co-op team this spring after being the lone returning starter from the Warriors’ 2023 Shoreline Conference championship club. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/The Courier

The Valley Regional baseball program certainly sports a new look in more ways than one since the last time the defending conference champs took to the field. Still, the Warriors have the proper pedigree and potential to stay atop the Shoreline standings.

In 2022, the Warriors fought through a slow 3-4 start to finish the regular season 14-6, which earned Valley the No. 3 seed in the Shoreline Conference Tournament. The Warriors dispatched No. 6 Old Saybrook by a 4-0 final in the first round before topping No. 2 Old Lyme 3-2 in the semifinals. Valley then defeated fourth-seeded North Branford 7-4 in the final at Indian River Complex in Clinton to claim the program’s first conference crown since 1986.

Then, in the Class S State Tournament, eighth-ranked Valley dispatched No. 25 Wamogo 14-0 in the first round, then blanked No. 24 Coginchaug 13-0, and took down top-seeded St. Paul 4-3 in the quarterfinals. The team then took a semifinal loss to No. 4 Coventry by a 3-2 final to finish 20-7 overall.

This year, Valley is not only under the tutelage of a new skipper in Patrick Sirois, but the Warriors are also part of a co-op club by welcoming players from Westbrook High School. Valley is currently off to a 3-4 start this season.

Sirois noted that as the Warriors look to defend one crown and attain another, they have the all-important essential added asset of community support to do just that.

“Our goals are to win the Shoreline and state championships. In the program at Valley Regional, we have great support from our administration and town to do so,” said Sirois. “On a lighter note, we expect to compete in every single game no matter who the opponent is and continue to build up our younger players to have a successful future both on and off the field.”

Junior Caleb Winkley is the lone returning starter from last year’s Valley club and will serve as a captain as a catcher, and he is stepping onto the other side of the battery equation as a relief pitcher. Joining him in sharing the stewardship role are junior Braden Karich, the ace of the starting pitching staff, along with senior hurler and Mitchell College-commit Josh Faucher.

“Caleb has a big role on our team defensively as our catcher and a role as a reliever on our pitching staff. He has gotten off to a fast start at the plate with nine hits, including three doubles, over our first five games,” said Sirois. “Braden is a top arm in the rotation, off to a really strong start with a 1.90 earned-run average over his first two starts against top teams in the league. He also is expected to drive in runs and use his speed on the bases. Josh is the only senior in the program, and he will see a lot of innings this year on the mound.”

Going around the horn, sophomore Kyle Leandri will occupy the hot corner over at third base while being a balanced hitter at the dish. Junior Ben Stosse will patrol the grass in the outfield, and then anchoring the infield will be utility man Tanyon Champagne (also acting as a starting pitcher) and sophomore Logan Prue at shortstop.

“Kyle is a staple in the lineup and plays a very good third base; he is showing the ability to hit for power and average and has great speed. He will also come into a role as a large part of our pitching staff in relief over the rest of the season,” said Sirois. “Ben will do a little bit of everything, including hit in the middle of our order and be a starting pitcher. Tanyon will bat in the middle of the order and play multiple infield positions as a utility player, as well as be a top starter in the rotation. We are looking for Logan to continue his strong defensive effort up the middle; he has a very talented glove.”

In addition to Morgan, Valley will see critical clashes in the conference with the likes of league runner-up North Branford, along with defending Class S state champion Haddam-Killingworth. The Warriors also play a strong non-conference schedule, including matchups against Sheehan (with a contest at Dunkin Donuts Park) and a game facing Class LL-foe South Windsor.

While navigating the adaptation to the co-op element, the Warriors sport a youthful group that needs to gain its reps on the varsity level to help excel. Yet Sirois and his staff are confident in their abilities to make the minor but monumental tweaks to propel the squad to sustained success.

“I anticipate the team to grow and improve drastically over the course of the season,” said Sirois. “We are young, and players need experience at the varsity level before they start to perform their best in some circumstances. Our new coaching staff is still working on minor details to put the team in the best position to win on a daily basis.”

The Valley Regional-Westbrook 2024 roster is comprised of seniors Faucher; juniors James Brzozowy, Karcich, Winkley, Jack McPherson, Champagne (of Westbrook), Nathan Rowland, Stosse (from Westbrook); sophomores Gavin Abderhalden, Prue, Chase King, John Finn Heiser, William Sicignano, Patrick Finnegan, Leandri (from Westbrook), Kyle Litevich (of Westbrook); plus freshmen Jackson Baxter, (Westbrook) Luke Beighau, Jacob Bennett, John Blalock, Jacob Knox, Julian Mardjekaj, and Kaiden Werner (of Westbrook).

Sirois is assisted this spring by Derek Hanssen. Hanssen was the Westbrook baseball skipper for 18 years. Matt Amendola is the JV coach and another varsity assistant who has joined the team after being an assistant at Putnam the last few campaigns.

2024 Valley Regional-Westbrook Baseball Team Regular Season Schedule and Results