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2024 New England High School Team Previews

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2024 Spring Team Preview: Taunton (MA)

TAUNTON, Ma. - After winning state titles in 2019, 2022 and 2023, why would Taunton expect anything less this season?

“These guys have figured it out,” explained head coach Blair Bourque about the recent success, giving credit to youth coaches as one key component. “Great pitching, great defense. They play for each other and are really clutch. They’re just talented hard-working kids that have figured it out.”

What has not been figured out is a lineup for 2024, with a number of graduation losses including Braden Sullivan, now at UMass-Amherst, Dawson Bryce, currently  at Merrimack, and Ryan MacDougall, now at Dayton.

“What I prioritize is trying to be prepared and trying to be great teammates,” noted Bourque, who enters his eighth year in charge of the program. “We don’t focus on wins and losses, we try to get better everyday and do the little things. Luckily we’ve had a lot of talent the last couple of years. We’ve been fortunate to have kids with high character. We pride ourselves in character and how we play the game.”

The Tauton mentor points to three pitchers being counted on to make this season memorable. Johnny Escobalz, who started last year on the JVs but eventually was brought up to varsity and went 5-0, winning the playoff opener as well as the finale, a 7-2 victory over Franklin, is expected to be the ace. The 11th-rated junior left-handed pitcher in New England will be joined in the rotation by Jack Cali and Brady Morin. Cali is a senior committed to Wheaton who missed last year with an injury, while Morin is a senior going to Johnson & Wales who pitched in relief last season.

“We have some junior pitchers that need to step up,” Bourque said.

MacDougall leaves big shoes to fill behind the plate, with junior Cameron Dorr and senior Christopher Wallace battling to earn the starting catcher position. Depth behind the plate comes from sophomore Corbin Melo.

Sophomore Joey Benoit is the likely first baseman with a number of players battling for time at second base and third, including junior Caden Lindskog, who is also one of the underclassmen that could pitch. Jace Galante and Xavier Spencer are others looking to see time in the infield with Bradon Cali moving from second base a year ago to shortstop in 2024.

Andrew Cali is back in center field with Dwayne Burgo returning to play left from the championship team last season for the Tigers. Jared Spencer will complete the outfield.

“These guys really enjoy each other,” explained Bourque. “The camaraderie is really good and their work ethic is really good. They love the game and they practice really hard.”

It has been a menu for success, something that Bourque is counting on as the 2024 campaign gets ready to kick off.

“We just try to get better every day,” Bourque concluded. “In order to be successful you need to do the little things - make sure you’re prepared and work in practice. It takes a little luck, too. It takes a collective effort from the guy on the mound to the guy doing the book.

“A state title is not our goal,” Bourque added. “The more we go away from focusing on wins and losses the better we are.”

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