Bears Pulled Together, Surpassed Pre-Season Expectations

BREWSTER - Prior to the start of the 2009 season, Brewster High baseball manager Ed Mulvihill said he'd be disappointed if the Bears didn't have a turnaround season.

Ryan Carter Needless to say, Mulvihill was not disappointed.

After struggling to a 10-14 record in 2008, Brewster returned this spring with it's pitching staff intact, a revamped lineup and a fresh start. And the results were impressive, as the Bears enjoyed a solid season that resulted in a 14-8 final record. Brewster went 10-6 in League II-North, finishing third behind league champ Lakeland.

Brewster defeated Harrison in the first round of the Class A playoffs, then ended the season with a quarterfinal loss to Ardsley.

"I was very happy with the team," Mulvihill said. "From day one they worked hard and got better. And we got great senior leadership. I knew they had it in them… I knew that if we clicked, this type of season was possible. We needed some guys to step up this year, and we got that."

Leading the list of players who raised their game to a new level were senior captain Ryan Carter, sophomore pitcher/first baseman Chris Byrnes, senior third baseman and captain Joe Piacquadio and senior catcher Bobby DelFranco - all four took home post-season honors.

Bobby DelFranco Carter, Brewster's left-handed ace, went 5-2 on the hill, batted .435 (second on the team), was also second in RBI, and led the Bears in on-base percentage and extra base hits. He was named to the All-Section 1 and All- League teams for the second straight year.

"Ryan had a great two-year career," Mulvihill said. "He gave us 11 wins and was our No. 3 hitter. He did a great job, and was a quiet leader… we'll have a tough time replacing him."

Byrnes, a righty, went 5-3 on the mound and led Brewster with a .437 average at the plate. He was also first in RBI (20) and hits, in his second varsity season. He was named All- Section Honorable Mention and All- League.

"Chris was a nice surprise," Mulvihill said. "He did a good job pitching, and this year he was our No. 4 hitter and hit all year. He was probably one of our most consistent hitters. It's nice to know we have him back two more years."

Chris Byrnes Piacquadio rebounded from a difficult junior year and batted .330, earning All-League honors.

"I was real happy with Joe," Mulvihill said. "He had a tough junior season, and he worked hard in the off-season. He was our go-to fielder, and got some big hits for us. He really stepped up and elevated his game."

DelFranco made the transition from shortstop to backstop, and earned All- League Honors for a solid season. "It's tough to be a varsity catcher," Mulvihill said. "He did a great job with our staff, and was a big part of our success."

Mulvihill also pointed to contributions from senior captain and outfielder Dan Mannix, sophomore shortstop Ryan Winch, junior DH Tyler Hanson and junior pitcher Brian McNamara.

"Dan got better as the season went on, and was a big part of our offense," Mulvihill said. "Ryan solidified our defense, he changed the complexion of the team… this was probably our best defensive team in the four years I've been here. Tyler got hot at the right time, and finished at .350, and Brian pitched in some big spots for us, and he should be a big part of our staff next year."

Joe Piacquadio The Bears lose four starters to graduation, but with some strong players back, Mulvihill feels good about the 2010 season.

"We have a good nucleus back, and we have some good talent on the JV," the manager said. "So I like to think we'll be okay… We'll be in a new league - with Lakeland, Carmel, Mahopac and Panas - so that will be tough. We have some big holes to fill, but I'm optimistic."

Photos by Skip Pearlman