GUILDERLAND — Coach Doug LaValley sees something special in this year’s team.

The fifth-year coach has eight returning players who played on the varsity all last season and two who came up for the Section II playoffs.
"My goal is to make the sectionals," LaValley said. "But the kids have bigger goals than that"The players said that they want to make the sectionals and get a home game and get a high seed."

The Dutchmen have their sights set on playing at Joseph Bruno Stadium in Troy at the end of the season.
"The guys want to play at the Joe on that last Friday night for the double A championship," LaValley said. "They are a tight group of kids. They are very competitive."

Among the eight are seniors Kevin Doherty, Reid Moreland, Nick Stark, Steve Blaauboer, Drew Zanotta, and Bill Rafferty.

Rafferty, who will play at Division I Fairfield University next year, and Doherty are two of the team’s captains.
"He is one of our leaders," LaValley said of Rafferty.

Junior Ben Henderson is the Dutchmen’s third captain.

Henderson has been on the varsity since his freshman year.

Also returning for the Dutchmen are juniors Nick Polsinelli, Joe Lima, and Mike Goldstein. Lima and Goldstein were call ups from the junior varsity late last season.

The Dutch will have to replace a good group of seniors that led the team to its first sectional win in eight years before bowing out in the quarterfinals.

Pitching ace Brendan Malkowski has graduated and moved on to The College of Saint Rose to play his baseball. Matt LaValley, the coach’s son and number-two pitcher and outfielder, is playing at Hudson Valley Community College.

Also graduated are former starters Josh Perches, Domenico Albanese, and Nick Napoli.
"We’ll be pretty good this year," Coach LaValley said. "But we have to replace Brendan. He is one of the best. He’s at Saint Rose and doing real good there."

Moving up

LaValley has 16 players total on his team this year.

Moving up from the junior varsity are juniors Ryan Winne, Greg Barcomb, Jimmy Sabbag, and sophomores Jake Colavito, Andrew Simpson, and C.J. Sohl.

Colavito has batted in the clean-up, fourth in the line-up, for the Dutch’s two scrimmages in New Jersey last weekend.
"We have some good hitters," LaValley said of his team. "I think it was our best year in the weight room. But these kids don’t have sophomore bodies. Believe me, they are men."

LaValley said the Dutch pounded the ball in their two scrimmages in New Jersey over the weekend and he liked a lot of things that he saw.
"We did pretty good," LaValley said. "We were down there an extra night. It was a little cold but we got what we wanted out of it. We are way ahead of schedule.
"We hit the baseball," LaValley added. "We’ll be able to hit and we’ll be able to put the ball in play. Usually pitching dominates hitting early. We did well, even in the cold weather, and that’s a good sign."

Guilderland will also have some experienced pitchers.

Henderson pitched last year and will return on the mound this year. He will also man first base when not on the mound.

Polsinelli will pitch as well as play second base for the Dutchmen. Zanotta and Blaauboer will be used mostly as pitchers this season. Moreland rounds out the pitching staff and will also play shortstop.

Rafferty, Doherty, Stark, and Lima will work in the outfield during the season and Goldstein will be the team’s catcher.
"We have to fill up what we lost," LaValley said. "But we have lots of returning starters. I think we are pretty deep."

"Good competition"

The Dutch open the season on April 7 against Albany High School. They play the next day against Bishop Maginn of Albany. Both teams are in the Big 10 conference.

Guilderland’s first league game will be against Shenendehowa on April 10.
"It’s normally what I do," LaValley said. "I like to play the Big 10 and see what they have."

The Dutch will also play Christian Brothers Academy, Schenectady, Amsterdam, and Catholic Central, all of the Big 10.
"It’s good to play teams we don’t normally play," LaValley said. "It’s good competition."

The Dutchmen will also be in the Blue Division of the Suburban Council. They are mixed in with the largest schools in the league — Shen, Shaker, and Saratoga — and will face those teams twice this season.

The Dutch will also play a regular-season game at Joseph Bruno Stadium. Guilderland will be the home team against Mohonasen on May 5. The first pitch of the that game is scheduled for 4:45 p.m.
"It’s a nice treat for the kids," LaValley said. "To go up there and play on that field is nice."

LaValley sees the steps his team has made over the past couple of years to improve and sees the team continuing to grow.
"We won a sectional game last year," LaValley said. "We made an enormous step forward. We can make a run for a title and I believe that can happen. My players believe in it. This program is definitely improving."