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2020 ME Spring Team Preview - Thornton Academy

SACO, Me. - After consecutive seasons of falling in the quarterfinals, Thornton Academy head coach Jason Lariviere will be relying on youth to help the cause in 2020.

“The upcoming season will be a huge test,” pointed out Lariviere, who has a 27-10 record in two years in charge of the program. “We graduated five starting position players but have some strong young talent in the system.”

A trio of seniors and a standout sophomore are being counted on to lead the way in an effort to win a second straight Southern Maine Activities Association championship.

Ryan Penney, a left-handed pitcher committed to Husson, RHP Nicholas Griffin, outfielder Liam Nash and sophomore Cody Bowker, who started in center field a year ago, are key returnees for the Golden Trojans, which lost to Falmouth 3-2 in the quarterfinals in 2019.

Penney was 3-2 with a 2.17 ERA in 29 innings of work last season while Griffin threw 22.2 innings with a 4-0 record, allowing 17 hits and fanning 17 while walking just three.

Bowker is expected to be another big part of the staff after throwing 14.2 innings in 2019. The 27th-rated 2022 in New England was second-team all-conference after hitting .317 with seven doubles as a freshman starter in center field.

“He is one of the top prospects in the state,” Lariviere said of Bowker, one of the team captains this year.

Nash is another captain as an outfielder who brings top-shelf speed and good gap power to the lineup according to the Thornton Academy head coach.

Larieviere, who was a three-sport athlete at Biddeford Maine before going on to play baseball at Southern Maine, points to five young players to watch in sophomore Brady Graffam and freshmen Mason Collins, Henry Lausier, Josh Kopetski and Brayden Williams.

“We will have a younger team in 2020,” noted Larieviere, who was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1995, reaching Class AAA with Memphis during his time in professional baseball. “How these players respond to varsity will be key.”

The versatile Graffam is expected to compete to play at first base with Collins and Lausier potential catchers after the graduation of Cameron Seymour, now at Southern Maine. Lausier can also play infield and pitch. Kopetski, the ninth-ranked 2023 left-handed pitcher in New England, could provide depth on the hill this season.

“Josh has developed nicely over the past two years and added on about six inches to his height,” Lariviere said. “He is threatening to see time on the mound as a freshman. His velocity has climbed into the low-80s and he has a chance to be an impact pitcher.”

Williams, ranked 18th in the New England freshman class, brings offensive firepower and could play third base or in the outfield.

“Offensively we will need to put the baseball in play and utilize our team speed to be aggressive on the bases,” Larivierer explained. “We expect to take chances on the bases and play good situational baseball. This will be key to our success offensively in 2020.”

Henry Gustafson and Dalton Casey are others that could provide pitching help for Thornton Academy, which finished 16-3 last year, beating Marshwood 2-1 in the SMAA title game.

“With the loss of five position players there will be a great amount of pressure for us to field cleanly and make outs,” Larivierer noted.

Bowker is expected to move from center field to shortstop with Christopher Balzano at second or third. Senior Joe Reny is another infielder who is battling to earn playing time.

“We expect to have another successful season in what will be a huge year for a lot of young players in our program,” Lariviere concluded. “We have a talent-rich system right now from seventh-grade level all the way up.”