CHERRY VALLEY — One half hour before Cherry Valley-Springfield’s
second Pony League practice last Wednesday evening, 15-year-old
freshman Anthony Brant was alone on the baseball field.
The varsity reserve could be seen from the road, raking and grooming the school’s well-maintained diamond.
Asked if he was instructed to be doing so, Brant simply replied “No,” and stopped to extend his hand.
“I’m Anthony Brant,” said the tall, slender sophomore-to-be.
As the general conversation ensued, coach Ed Dubben’s pick-up truck
slowed to a stop near-by and out of the back jumped fellow Pony
Leaguers Sammy Dubben and Tyler Cade, both 13 years of age.
It was immediately clear then that not-so-recognizable Brant, who
found time for just 12 at-bats on a loaded Patriots team that rattled
off 15 wins this past varsity season, was going to have all the
opportunity in the world this summer to produce as one of the
unquestionable leaders once the 10-game Pony League schedule gets under
way some time next week.
“Anthony (Brant) and Nathaniel (Herringshaw) will do most of the
pitching,” said Coach Dubben a little later on from inside the dugout.
“But we’ve got seven pitchers all together.”
Joining Brant and Herringshaw on the Pony League roster of
13-to-15-year-olds that is not quite finalized will be fellow varsity
Patriot Mike Fassett, who like his two aforementioned freshmen
classmates, had little playing time during the high school season but
should stand out in a lineup featuring mostly modified talent.
Of the three soon-to-be-leaders, Brant had the most success at the
plate in his 12 varsity at-bats, collecting a hit four times (including
one double) for an encouraging .333 average. He also stole a base,
scored three runs, walked four times, and drove in three runs.
Herringshaw, meanwhile, (whose father, Roger, will assist Dubben this
summer as he does during the spring, and whose brother, Steven, is
competing on Cooperstown Post’s American Legion team), also found a
little success at the plate as a varsity member. Though the freshman
managed just a .221 batting average in 29 at-bats, he did accumulate
six RBIs and eight walks. Fassett, finally, tallied two hits in 12
at-bats for a .167 average with one RBI and four walks.
Aside from the trio of varsity players, three modified up-and-comers
also return for another season of Pony League action in 14-year-olds
Spenser Staley, David Adams, and Adam Halay. All three were a big
reason why the modified team, coached by Ed Dubben’s brother, Tim,
turned in a terrific 6-1 campaign this past season, and all three
should see some time on the mound later this coming season.
“I know pretty much where all the guys are going to be,” continued
Dubben. “But we’re real young. Last year we had a real deep team with
20-plus kids. This year we’ve only got six guys with (Pony League)
experience, so we’re just doing the basics. We’re working on our
fundamentals and trying to get them ready for varsity.”
As for the differences between the summer ball and varsity?
“I’ve got to do more teaching than I do during the varsity season. I
get kids from Little League who know how to hit the ball, run, catch,
and throw, but don’t know how to handle certain situations and
techniques. So they’re all in the learning stage and I use this to
groom the younger kids for varsity. But (like varsity), I’m never
relaxed, and you always want to win that division so we can keep
playing.”
Under Pony League format, the top two teams in the four divisions
throughout Otsego, Chenango, and Delaware counties advance to a
playoff. Last season, the Cherry Valley-Springfield Patriots won their
division and finished the regular season a perfect 10-0 before losing
to Oxford in post-season play. Divisional foes include Schenevus,
Worcester, Milford, and Cooperstown.
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