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2022 New England High School Team Previews

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2022 Spring Team Preview: Winnacunnet

HAMPTON, N.H. - Aaron Abood has built Winnacunnet back into a state title contender in his time in charge of the Warriors.

“Winnacunnet was a Division I powerhouse in the late ’90s and early 2000s,” pointed out Abood, who was an assistant coach in the program in 2016 before taking over as head coach a year later. “They won titles in 1999 and 2001 but slowly went into a decline from 2008 to 2016. When I got here in 2016, they were in the midst of a 30-something game losing streak over the previous two seasons.”

Abood, who coached from 2010-15 at Manchester Memorial before coming over to Winnacunnet, is happy with where the program is now.

“We have slowly rebuilt the program thanks to an influx of talent and hard-working players over the last four seasons,” said Abood, who has won 95 games with two state runners-up finishes and two Coach of the Year awards (2012 with Memorial and 2019 with Winnacunnet) in his 10 seasons as head coach.

Last season the Warriors finished 18-5, losing to Concord in the state championship game. Despite three key losses from that squad, Winnacunnet appears ready to make another run at a title with a handful of top returnees.

Joe Allen, a first-team All-State selection last season, is back for his senior year after throwing 22 innings with 43 strikeouts and a 1.27 ERA in 2021 along with a .955 WHIP. The 18th-rated 2022 right-handed pitcher in the nation is a Michigan commit and “potential MLB draft pick this spring,” according to Abood. Allen also batted .316 with  13 stolen bases and a .466 on-base percentage.

Hunter Chase also earned first-team All-State accolades as a junior after averaging .435 with nine doubles, one triple and 15 stolen bases. An outfielder signed with Stevenson University, Chase had a .486 on-base percentage in 2021 and will play shortstop this spring.

Senior outfielder Owen Bateman, a Saint Anselm commit, returns after batting .365 with eight stolen bases to earn third-team All-State recognition. Another senior back is Zach Brassil, a RHP/OF who has signed with Southern New Hampshire University.

Junior right-hander Jason Pinsonnault adds another arm to the staff after throwing a shutout in his lone start a year ago.

“I believe we have a strong pitching staff, some solid bats in the lineup and an excellent defense,” explained Abood. “Obviously having a guy like Joe Allen as our ace gives us a huge advantage out of the gate but Jason Pinsonnault and Zach Brassil will both be solid high school starters for us. Junior Ethan Nowak will eat up innings as well as a reliever or potential starter.

“Joe, Owen Bateman and Hunter Chase will be very tough at the top of our lineup and juniors Jake Fredericks, Evan Gaffney and Ethan Nowak will look to make the leap to being a top high school hitter.”

Fredericks started every game at third base as a sophomore while Gaffney is penciled in at first base and Nowak in the outfield and on the mound.

“The biggest key for us is filling the hole at catcher,” noted Abood, who lost last year’s catcher Cam MacDonald, the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year who is now at Maine, to graduation. MacDonald, a four-year starter, hit .484 last season.

“We have a few young and very talented guys looking to win the job,” Abood said. “They've been working hard all year and if they come through for us, we will be a contender again.”

Hayes Waddell, a LHP/OF now at Macalester University who was first-team All-State after hitting .375 while tossing 33.2 innings with 39 Ks and a 1.04 ERA, is another huge loss from the 2021 team. An additional first-team All-State selection that is gone is pitcher Brady Annis who fanned 62 in 34 innings with a 1.85 ERA.

“Pinkerton is the team to beat because of their pitching depth, but I expect that we will be in the mix once again in a very competitive Division I,” Abood concluded.

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