Their strength lies in their seniors.
But two of their biggest contributors have been freshmen.
And they all live by one mantra: Keep it simple, strive for consistency and stay mentally tough every time you take the field.
Meet the 2008 Beverly High baseball team, a collection of talent where the sum of their parts is stronger than any one individual.
"There's no secret formula; we just try to have a workmanlike attitude all the time," said Beverly head coach Dave Wilbur, whose 8-4 club hosts Saugus today (4 p.m.), looking to move within one game of qualifying for state tournament play.
"We try to plug along, because we know how hard it is to win games. Every win for us is a battle. We have to take care of the little things and need to do them on a consistent basis while keeping our heads on straight."
In keeping with that thinking, Wilbur is constantly reminding his players how competitive the Northeastern Conference is this spring.
"Anyone can beat you, and that's how you have to approach each game," he said. "But we've been able to have some success, and I attribute that to our senior leadership. Our seniors are focused, have been working hard and know their limitations."
Jack Leathersich is the Panther whose name is most familiar to local baseball fans. That's no surprise, given that he's one of the top pitchers in the area, if not all of Eastern Mass. The Babson-bound lefty is 4-1 after Monday's 16-strikeout gem over Marblehead.
"Obviously, Jack's a high-profile player. "He's our guy, one of the best in the area," said Wilbur, who believes Leathersich will find even more of his groove on the hill as the season wears on. "He doesn't give up a lot of hits, he hardly gives up any runs and he really bears down with men on base.
"But while his pitching has been great, he's been much more disciplined at the plate this year. He's one of our leading hitters, which has really helped us."
Start learning some of the other Beverly names, however. They're just as vital to the Panthers' overall success, and the seniors mentioned below are a big reason why.
Take Conor Walsh, a backup catcher as a junior who has blossomed into an everyday player in left field. He's also a solid contact hitter out of the No. 2 spot, a player who can drive in runs and sets the table for the big bats in the lineup.
Captain Chris Freni, who was shifted to first base this season (he can also catch), seems to come up with clutch hits when his team needs them most. So does Paul Drinkwater, who has been penciled in as both a DH and right fielder. Brian Skerry, another team captain who moved from first to third base, is gaining confidence as his bat comes around the last week or so.
Nick Colanto has taken the mantle of being Beverly's No. 2 pitcher and run with it, proving to be a nice option behind Leathersich. Zak Levine has also thrown well when his number has been called; he also knows how to manufacture runs either by hitting safely, drawing walks or sacrificing guys in.
In addition, senior Sean Deady has played well splitting time in the outfield. Not to be outdone, Sam Cohen's emergence as a shortstop after serving as a backup in 2007 has been a pleasant surprise; so has his offense from the bottom half of the order.
Wilbur has two ninth graders in his starting lineup: catcher Joe Wioncek and second baseman Andy Brown. Only one other player in the coach's tenure, Brendan Fullerton (who was league MVP as a senior), started for the Panthers as a freshman.
Wioncek and Brown are no ordinary freshmen, however.
"They've both settled in nicely and not intimidated by anything," said Wilbur. "They're tough performers who play hard and contribute every game. My son Stephen (who is on the BHS freshman team) is the same age as them, and I've seen the two of them play ball since they were five years old. We knew they were ready for the varsity this season."
Junior hurler Nick Lanza and fellow 11th graders Peter Kallas (2nd base) and Frankie Messina (outfield) round out this well-balanced team.
The Panthers' resolve and talent will be tested over the next week. Following today's game with the Sachems, they host a Swampscott team already fighting for their postseason lives (tomorrow), travel to Danvers to face the NEC-leading Falcons (Saturday night) and return home to face a talented Peabody team they've lost once to already (Monday).
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Despite a last-inning loss at unbeaten Shawsheen yesterday, times are good over at North Shore Tech. This mostly junior-laden team has started to perk up offensively as the weather warms up, and its defense is now playing up to par.
Those two elements, combined with a very good pitching staff, have the Bulldogs (7-5) thinking playoffs after missing out on the postseason by one game a year ago.
The team's two seniors, catcher J.J. Navas of Beverly and center fielder Ben Dora of Danvers, have provided stability, terrific defense in the middle of the diamond and some pop in their bats. Junior first baseman Zach Newman of Salem has also been a find in the field, saving potential errors with diving stops and scoops in the dirt.
On the hill, junior righty Ryan Mahan of Beverly is the staff ace, having run his record to 5-1 after Monday's 9-2 triumph over Chelsea. Sophomore righty David St. Pierre of Salem is a strikeout artist who has morphed into a very successful No. 2 man, and Dora has filled the role of closer nicely.
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Salem's Aiden Church has made a seamless transition across the diamond this spring. The Witches' cleanup hitter, who made first base his home the last two seasons, accepted a move to third base for the good of the team.
"He's been terrific there," said Salem head coach Mike Ward, whose team (6-5) will try to snap its three-game losing streak today at Marblehead (4 p.m.). "He's been gobbling everything that comes his way and has a nice throw over to first. Plus, it was a totally unselfish move on Aiden's part to move over there."
With Church now entrenched at the hot corner, that means that Harry Noone has settled in at first base. When Noone pitches, Sean Linehan mans the bag.
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Speaking of the Witches, junior catcher T.J. Larivee hit one of the hardest shots of the season Monday off of Danvers ace righty Bobby Dean.
Unfortunately for Larivee, his rocket to dead center field fell about five feet short of the 380-mark at the New Salem State Baseball Field, and Danvers' Tom Marini gloved the bomb for a long out.
Around The Horn, a column on North Shore high school baseball, runs each Wednesday during the spring season in The Salem News. Contact sports editor Phil Stacey at pstacey@salemnews.com, or at 978-338-2650.
