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2022 New England High School Team Previews

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2022 Spring Team Preview: Greely

CUMBERLAND, Me. - If pitching and defense mean success, it could be a great season this year at Greely.

“We should be a championship contender but there are plenty of other strong programs in Class B who will also contend including Freeport, Yarmouth, Cape Elizabeth and York.” noted Greely head coach Derek Soule, who led Greely to a 16-4 record a year ago with three playoff wins before falling in the regional championship game.

The reason for such optimism?

One of the top pitchers in the country is a good place to start.

Zach Johnston, the 42nd-rated 2022 left-handed pitcher in the nation, will anchor a strong pitching staff.

“He is 6-5 and can get into the low-90s with great command and breaking stuff,” Soule said of the Wake Forest commit, who pitched in the PBR Super 60 this winter iand was on Shooter Hunt's Top 10 spotlight, seen here.

Last season the second-ranked senior southpaw in New England was 5-2 with a 0.656 ERA, striking out 85 and walking nine in 42.2 innings.

The battery mate for Johnson is also back in senior catcher Ryan Kolben who batted .340 with three home runs, 19 RBIs and 22 runs scored last year. The UMass-Amherst signee, who is the ninth-rated 2022 catcher in New England, will also pitch for Greely this season.

Another reason for excitement is the return of senior Max Cloutier, an all-conference shortstop committed to St. Lawrence who batted .320 with 17 runs last year.

Senior outfielder Brooke Williams is another returnee coming off of a junior year batting .300 with seven doubles, 10 RBIs and 15 runs scored.

Sophomore Marky Azelsen brings more experience to Greely after pitching in five games without allowing an earned run as a freshman.

“He is also a strong defensive third baseman with a good bat,” Soule noted about Azelsen.

Brady Nolin, who is now playing at Allegheny College, is the biggest loss from last year’s team. A finalist for Maine Mr. Baseball honors, Nolin was 9-0 pitching while hitting .356 with 15 RBIs and 22 runs in the 2021 campaign.

“Pitching and defense should be a great strength with the bulk of the defense back and three pitchers who can throw 85-90 miles an hour,” Soule said. “The biggest concern is scoring runs consistently against quality pitchers.”

But the 22nd-year head coach, who has a career mark of 298-94, is confident about a successful season heading up a program that has won six Class B state championships, those coming in 1997, 1999, 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2015.

“We will be tough to beat if our lineup can grind out consistent quality at-bats because the pitching and defense should be solid,” Soule concluded.

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