By DAVID DOBRASZ
Two-time basketball state champion, two-year varsity starter for baseball and basketball, three-sport athlete, college recruit, Class D1 Baseball Champion, two-time all-class baseball honors, and now, the 2023 Class D1 Player of the Year. The list of accomplishments and accolades seems to never end for Avoca-Prattsburgh senior, Haden Abbott.
“He just had that drive to be something special,” Titans’ head coach Dennis Miles commented on the senior. “Whether it was soccer, basketball or baseball, he just willed himself to be something special.”
“It means a lot to me. I can credit my teammates as well for always having my back. Pitching and hitting offensively got me the award, but without the guys behind me, I wouldn’t have gotten here.” Abbott said of the honor.
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Abbott’s legacy as a three-sport athlete is unmatched by many before him.
“It’s a great thing. Leaving an impact on the guys behind me is what’s nice. They can look up to that and strive for goals, and end up on top,” Abbott said.
“You couldn’t ask for a better role model for the young kids,” Miles said of the SUNY Corning commit. “He scored 15 goals in soccer this year. He had a 21.4 scoring average in basketball. He won nine games and had a monster year for us in baseball. He is the kind of kid who is extremely driven.”
Abbott made his second appearance on an All-Class squad, last year earning a slot on the Class D squad. Miles credits Abbott’s dedication and commitment to the game.
“It’s dedication. I think with great athletes, it’s not what you do when people are watching, it’s what you doing when people are not watching.”
“I put forth everything I have. I’m 110 percent all the time, and I go out there and do what I can to help the team win,” the pitcher added.
Abbott finished his senior season with a 9-1 record and a 2.15 ERA on the mound.
“He not only dominated games with his offense, but he also did it on the mound,” Miles commented on the right-hander. “He was the one kid you could rely on when you threw him out there on the mound. You knew he was going to pitch a nice ball game for you, and it really didn’t matter the competition. He just kept us in every ball game he pitched, and gave us an opportunity to win.”
Miles will admit that Abbott does not throw the hardest, but he dominated with his accuracy and off-speed pitches.
“He doesn’t throw all that hard. You watch him pitch and you say ‘geez.’ You know he doesn’t throw hard and he is not over powering, but you can’t measure what’s inside him.”
“He keeps you at bay because of his breaking stuff, and that makes his fastball just look a little bit faster,” Miles added on Abbott’s curveball and slider.
Abbott affirmed his coach’s words.
“Definitely picking my spots around the edges and not making too good of pitches,” Abbott talked answered on what makes him so dominant. “I go out there and know my game, knowing I don’t throw the hardest. I just want to make the right pitches to get the guys out.”
In the box, the shortstop set career-highs in batting average (.459) and RBI (18). He added eight doubles.
“Coming up in clutch moments and doing my job was key,” Abbott commented.
The most improved stat is Abbott’s 38 stolen bases, which is up from 10 last season.
“Going off the first couple pitches he throws to the next batter, and having the confidence in myself that nobody was going to throw me out with the speed I have,” the senior stated about his approach on the base path.
The senior is verbally committed to play basketball at SUNY Corning, where he will attempt to walk on for baseball.
Abbott is one of three representatives from Avoca/Prattsburgh to earn a spot on the 2023 Section V Baseball Class D1 team, joining teammates Jamel Crowder and Macoy Putnam. Crowder closed out his senior season with a 4-2 record and a 1.95 ERA on the mound. At the plate, the shortstop hit for a .470 BA with a team-leading 28 RBI, stealing 15 bases in the process. Putnam finished with a .364 BA, 20 RBIs and 28 stolen bases. The catcher threw out 11 runners along the base path.
“Those guys are big. When I’m pitching, we got Corey behind the plate; I trust him as a catcher 100 percent. They both are great with the bat on offense. Defensively, I know [Crowder] is going to make every play that comes toward him, so it’s just vital to have those guys behind me,” Abbott said.
Harley Allendale-Columbia’s Salvatore Timpani earned a spot on the Class D1 team. The senior season had 2.739 ERA over 38.1 innings pitched and 74 strikeouts to set the HAC program record with 231 career Ks. At the plate, Timpani hit .612 with an .889 slugging percentage. In 60 plate appearances, Timpani registered 30 hits, 28 RBI, eight doubles, three triples and one home run.
Honeoye’s Evan Cuba nabbed a second All-Class team selection to close out his high school career. The senior had a 4-6 record and a 2.423 ERA on the mound He racked up 80 strikeouts over 52 innings pitched. At the plate, Cuba finished hit .474 with a .702 slugging percentage and a 1.240 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging) in 57 at-bats. The infielder had 27 hits, five doubles, four triples, 10 RBI, eight walks and 14 stolen bases.
Drew Reigelsperger earned a spot on the Class D1 team from Naples. The senior had a 4-0 record with 33 strikeouts, two saves, 11 walks and a 2.25 ERA over 28 innings pitched. The centerfielder finished with a .406 batting average, .531 slugging, and a 1.089 OPS in 64 at-bats. In 86 plate appearances, Reigelsperger had 26 hits, 15 RBI, three doubles and one triple. The Big Green centerfielder went 30-for-30 on stolen base attempts and scored 26 times. He registered a .974 fielding percentage with 37 putouts and one error committed.
Nolan Krzeminski earned the honor out of Fillmore. The junior posted team-highs in batting average (.563), OPS (1.380), runs scored (40) and stolen bases (26).
Nolan Tormey led Alfred-Almond with a 4-4 record and a 2.95 ERA on the rubber. The senior registered 88 strikeouts over 40 innings. He led the team with a .406 BA, 12 RBI and only three strikeouts.
Logan Hoyt (Arkport-Canaseraga) and Nathan Thayer (Keshequa) rounded out the 2023 Section V Baseball Class D1 team.
*Section V coaches decided the All-Class teams.
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