Dundalk High Baseball, Softball and Lacrosse Previews

Dundalk Softball

Head Coach: Rick Armijo (second year)

2010 record: 11-10 (8-9). Advanced to the 1A/2A North Regional Final, where they eventually fell to Eastern Tech.

“Although we felt fortunate to be in the game, we understand how difficult it is to repeat and are looking forward to our journey trying to get back there,” Armijo said.

Key Returning Players: Samantha Hartley, shortstop, senior; Shelby Ronco, catcher, sophomore; Megan Adolfo, 1st baseman, sophomore.

Biggest Contributor(s): Shelby Ronco, catcher, sophomore. “She has the intensity and drive to be a stand-out performer at her position,” Armijo said. “If Ronco can be productive at the plate, she will set herself up nicely for the next two seasons.”

Breakout player(s): Sam Hartley, shortstop, senior. “She is solid defensively and the need to move her from a natural second baseman to shortstop will be critical in how well we can keep ourselves competitive,” Armijo said.

Expectations: “The expectations we have at Dundalk are the same as we set last season....build, build, build,” Armijo said. “We are very young and lack experience in some key areas, but maintaining a positive attitude and trusting in each other's abilities can carry us through some challenging games this season.”

Keys to Success: “Keep a ‘learning’ mentality and play hard each pitch and having a commitment to softball that ranks right after family and academics,” Armijo said.

Strengths: “Work hard...although the victories may not show it at times...the effort will be there,” Armijo said.  

X Factor: “Trust in each other's abilities,” Armijo said.  

Dundalk Baseball

Head Coach: Brian Powell (third year)
Assistant Coaches: Mike Downes Jr., Shawn Tormey

2010 Record: 12 - 10 (6 - 1). The Owls won the Baltimore County Division III Championship and advanced to the 2A North Regional Championship in the playoffs, where they eventually fell to Eastern Tech, 6-3.

Key Returning Players: Jose Welsh, senior; Nick Stritch, senior; Brian Lemus, senior; Garrett Hadel, senior; Nick Petro, senior; and Chuck Rappazzo, senior.

Biggest Contributor(s): Jose Welsh, pitcher/infield, senior. In 2010, Welsh racked up impressive numbers as both a hitter and a pitcher, batting .404 while maintaining a respectable 3.80 Earned Run Avergae.

Breakout player(s): David Defalco, junior; Casey Rappazzo, junior; and Jasper Smith, junior.

Expectations: “Our core players returning were starters last year for the most part and they are looking to pick up the seniors who graduated last year,” Powell said. “Our goal is to make it back to the Regional Championship game and then take it one game at a time from there.”

Keys to Success: “We will look to Jose Welsh to be our #1 guy and we will have several pitchers we can rely on to throw strikes and manage the game,” Powell said.

Strengths: “We look to be very solid defensively and pitching will be able to keep us in every game,” Powell said.

X Factor: “We will look to improve our offense and put more runs on the board this year on a consistent basis,” Powell said.

Dundalk Girls Lacrosse

Head Coach: Kelly Marinelli (fourth year)
Assistant Coach: Kristen Areseneau (second year)

Current 2011 record: 1-1

2010 record: 7-4

Key Returning Players: Michelle Sandlin, center; Kim Perez, defense; Chelsey Wageley, attack; and Kyleen Blunt, attack.

Biggest Contributor(s):  “Our goalie, who is a senior and never played lax before, Ashley Harrison,” Marinelli said.

Breakout player(s): Jenna Leitner, defense; Megan Miolowski, defense; Kateland Otano, defense; and Chelsey Bynaker, offense.

Expectations: “We have 29 players and hope to have two strings that we can work with next year that are on equal levels,” Marinelli said. The coach also added that she foresees a division title in the Owls’ future.  

Keys to Success: “Always work together by seeing the field position and the opportunities,” Marinelli said.

Strengths:  “Score goals,” Marinelli said.

X Factor: “More defensive strategies that work all the time,” Marinelli said.

Dundalk Boys Lacrosse

Head Coach: Ryan Foley (third year)

Current 2011 record: 0-1

2010 record: 4-8

Key Returning Players: Dan Miller, attack, junior; Kyle Byrd, defense, sophomore; and Miguel Martinez, midfield, junior.                                                                                                                                                   
Biggest Contributor(s):  Dan Miller, attack, junior; Kyle Byrd, defense, sophomore; and Miguel Martinez, midfield, junior.

Breakout player(s):  Justin Miskiman, midfield, senior; and Corey Marsh, goalie, junior.

Expectations: “With a new volunteer coach, an assistant coach who has been acclimated to the program in his second year, and myself returning for a third year, we have pretty high expectations for this season,” said Foley, who expects to finish above .500 for the season. “More importantly, we feel as though we can really help develop some of our new players a little bit faster than we could in the past with an extra coach around each and every day.”

Keys to Success: “Returning defense needs to live up to potential, offense needs to mature and become more reliant on our offensive sets and less reliant on one-on-one matchups,” Foley said.

Strengths: “Defensive stops, whether it is fast breaks, or settled defense, our longpoles are by far the strength of our team,” Foley said.

X Factor: “Midfielders field awareness,” Foley said. “Understanding of exactly where they need to be at all times and beating their man in transition on both ends of the field.”