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2022 New England High School Team Previews

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2022 Spring Team Preview: North Kingstown

NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. - Hopes are high for North Kingstown this season and it starts up the middle for Kevin Gormley’s 2022 team.

“We have a lot of experience up the middle,” noted Gormley, who led North Kingstown to the state championship a year ago, the first title at the school in 54 years.

TJ Gormley, a Maine commit, is back at shortstop, while Josh Lincourt, a Rhode Island College signee, returns at catcher. In addition, Robby Lamond brings experience to center field with Will Brew a returnee at second base.

The left-handed hitting Gormley, the sixth-rated senior in Rhode Island, was a first-team All-State selection and finalist for Player of the Year in the state after hitting .381 with 22 runs, 20 RBIs and 21 free passes to go along with 12 stolen bases. In addition to batting at the top of the order, the son of the head coach was the team’s closer with a 2-0 record, five saves and a 1.68 ERA.

A senior, Lincourt was second-team All-State after averaging .302 with two home runs and 19 RBIs a year ago.

Lamond hit .321 with 17 runs while Brew, a left-handed hitter who will play second or third base this year, had a .260 average with 12 runs scored during their sophomore seasons.

“Our overall defense, that’s what made it for us last year,” related Gormley, who in 14 seasons as coach at North Kingstown has a 259-105 record. “In the playoffs we only had one error. We can hit, but throughout the years pitching and defense and not giving away runs is what we’re known for.”

The Skippers definitely will have some pitching in 2022 with the return of Evan Maloney and Braeden Perry. A Wake Forest commit, Maloney, the 33rd-rated 2022 right-handed pitcher in New England, was 6-1 with a 2.51 ERA, striking out 58 in 48 innings to earn first-team All-State honors. Perry, a Rhode Island College recruit, was 5-2 last season with a 2.80 ERA.

“Those are two of the top five arms in the state,” proclaimed Gormley about his two senior right-handers.

Junior Andrew Ciarniello is another returning player being counted on this season after hitting .317 last season. A left-handed hitter, Ciarniello played outfield last year but is expected to move to second or third base and potentially bat leadoff in 2022.

Another returnee is junior Evan Beattie, a left-handed hitting corner outfielder who batted .220 with 10 runs scored in 19 games last year.

“We had some sophomores last year that got experience and now they’re bigger and stronger,” Gormley pointed out. “It’s a very dedicated group which is one of the reasons why we’ve been successful.”

Senior Max Proulx will bring more depth to the outfield for North Kingstown, which went on a nice run at the end of last season to finish 14-7 overall.

Finding depth on the mound is a priority with sophomore left-handers Ben Napoli and Will Creed fighting it out for the number three pitcher. Senior Brayden Beard, who did not play last season, is another potential pitcher who may be the closer this year.

The biggest concern involves replacing a trio of key losses to graduation in third baseman Justin McCarthy, now at Catholic University, Noah Quarella, the winning pitcher in the state title game, and DH Wyatt Daft, now at Keene State.

“We’ll have a target on our back this year, we’ll be the hunted rather than the hunter,” Gormley said. “But if we do what we’re supposed to do we’ll be there at the end of the year. I really like our team. If we keep our heads in it and work hard we have a good opportunity to have another great season. Kids that work hardest win.

“The key will be making plays,” Gormley continued. “If our pitching and defense holds up, we can play with anybody. For us it’s all about not walking people. If we give up runs we want it to be because the other team gets hits.”

A change this year has a 20-team league with everyone playing teams on your side twice for 18 league games. Out of the 20 league teams, a dozen will make the playoffs.

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