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Rice Memorial

SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - Coaches often point to pitching and defense as the keys to success.

Rice Memorial head coach Jamie Merchant is confident his squad will have the pitching in 2019. If the defense can come through, it could be a year to remember for the Green Knights.

“We were pretty young last year but should be better this year with a senior-laden staff,” noted Merchant, the head coach since 2011 who led Rice Memorial to state titles in 2014 and 2015.

Griffin McDermott, a first-team all-league performer a season ago, and Matt Guyette, a second-teamer in the league, will again provide a strong one-two punch for a team that last year finished .500, losing in the first round of the playoffs.

A 6-1 205-pounder ranked 191st in New England’s 2019 class, McDermott pitches and plays corner infield as does Guyette. Both are right-handers.

“Pitching will definitely be our strength,” Merchant pointed out. “Both of those guys threw the ball well last year. Now they’re stronger, they threw in the summer and they developed over the winter. They should be good.”

Freshman left-hander Tanner Wolpert could provide depth on the mound. The 6-1 155-pounder also plays outfield.

“Tanner is going to be good down the road, we’re just not sure how good he will be this year,” Merchant said.

Center fielder Trevor Mitiguy gives the Green Knights experience in the outfield coming off a junior season in which he batted .315 with 13 stolen bases.

Senior John Rousseau and junior Alex Messineo are two others being counted on to make major contributions in 2019. Rousseau is a standout outfielder who returned a year ago after missing time with an injury while Messineo, a middle infielder, played three-quarters of the time last year according to Merchant.

“I think he’s going to have a breakout season,” Merchant said of Messineo.

The veteran mentor, a player on the Rice Memorial 1999 state runner-up squad, has helped bring a college look to the program since taking over as head coach.

“I bring a college style offense,” noted Merchant, who was Pitcher of the Year in the America East Conference in 2003 with the University of Vermont and later played four years in the Astros’ organization. “I have knowledge on how to run a practice and a game schedule. Our player development is geared toward getting guys ready for college.”

This year Merchant points to defense as a key to success.

“Defense is the biggest question mark for us,” Merchant said. “Last year we were lacking play-making ability. We didn’t make the big plays when we needed to. We need to be better up the middle this year.”

If that happens, the Green Knights could be a force this spring.

“We can hit better than last year,” Merchant said. “If we can get three or four runs a game we should win most of them. The biggest thing for us to win is pitching and defense. If we can throw strikes and make the plays that cost us last year, we should be one of the top teams.

“If we can play defense behind those guys and be just a little better on offense than we were last year, we should be in most every game. There are some tough schools that we play, but with the pitching we have we should be one of the top teams in the Metro Division.”