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Baseball team wraps up a successful season

Posted 5/26/15

It was another standout season for the high school baseball team, with the Falcons going on to claim a 26-4 overall record, earn the section title, make it all the way to the semifinals in the state …

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Baseball team wraps up a successful season

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It was another standout season for the high school baseball team, with the Falcons going on to claim a 26-4 overall record, earn the section title, make it all the way to the semifinals in the state tournament and earn a number of records and honors along the way.

The year began with a 12-0 victory against Bourgade Catholic, followed by a trio of similar victories against teams from Holbrook, Camp Verde and Winslow.

The Falcons suffered the first of their rare defeats against Lake Havasu before going on another win streak, this one lasting five games.

That would prove to be the norm for the local squad this season, matching long strings of victories with a close loss.

Even when the Falcons suffered a defeat, however, they were always in the competition. As head coach Mike Briguglio pointed out, the team’s four losses were by a combined difference of just five runs.

Earning a bye through the first round of the state tournament after claiming the school’s 10th section title, the Falcons managed to best teams from Tucson Amphitheater and Yuma Catholic before falling to Walden Grove in another drag-out battle.

In the end, the Falcons were ousted from the state tournament in a narrow 10th inning loss of just 5-4.

The Falcons broke quite a few local season records this year, with a handful of athletes earning additional honors to boot.

“It was a good year for the team,” Briguglio said.

“It was a very competitive year. The problem with a single elimination tournament is that one little hiccup and it can cost you but, overall, we look back on it as a very, very nice year.”

Devin Foyle was unanimously chosen as the ANA and AZBCA Player of the Year. This was also his second season being named the section player of the year, as well as being named to the all-section and all-state first teams.

Paul Bryniarski was first team all-section yet again, as well as being named to the all-state first team.

Matt Woltkamp was first team all-section and second team all-state while teammate Cory Kukkola was named to the first team all-section.

Tiger Horikawa and Connor Gevirts were also named to the second team all-section, with Teo Vargas earning an honorable mention.

In the records department, Foyle broke six season records for the Falcons, including four at the plate and two from the mound.

“As a pitcher, he had four shutouts, but he also struck out 121 batters,” Briguglio said.

“The old school record was 96. He didn’t just break a bunch of records, he shattered them.”

As a team, the Falcons broke high school records for earned run average at 1.5.

Looking back at the past several months, Briguglio said he felt the Falcons loved one another and bonded as a group.

“They worked hard, they bought into the system and they were steadily excellent,” Briguglio added.

“A lot of that is owed to our seniors, Paul Bryniarski, Devin Foyle, Cory Kukkola and Andy Szwiec, all of whom I’ve been working with since they were in sixth grade.”

Briguglio said all of his seniors proved to be great leaders, providing a solid foundation from which to build.

“Paul is probably the most vocal leader, and he’s not real vocal,” Briguglio said with a chuckle.

“Andy and Cory brought the experience from being in the program so many years and knowing the process, and then Devin’s quiet yet consistent work ethic really helped guide the team.”

The Falcons will unquestionably be losing some strong leadership next season, but Briguglio said that he expects to see the consistency in quality play continue.

“We always talk about just playing the game of baseball and trying to perfect that craft,” he added.

“They approach playing the game the right way, day in and day out, and that was a strength from this season.

“I’ve resisted writing anything with pencil and paper concerning next season just yet, but I know that the system, the process that we believe in, will continue. Kids graduate every year, but the process continues, so I think the future is bright for Falcon baseball.”