By DYLAN RIPPE
For the second consecutive year, Notre Dame-Batavia fielded the Section V Class C2 Player of the Year as Bryceton Berry took home the award. Berry led Notre-Dame Batavia to a sectional championship and a 21-1 record.
“It’s an amazing feeling, it’s been a build up for the past three years losing in the finals the previous two. To come and finally bring a block back to Notre Dame-Batavia before my time there was up is an awesome feeling,” Berry said.
Head coach Rick Rapone spoke about expectations for Berry coming into his senior year.
“I fully expected Bryceton to have a good year. He’s been an exceptional player the last three years and the previous two he was a league and class all-star. I anticipated he would have a very strong season.”
The Flagler College commit finished the season with a .432 batting average, 35 hits, 33 RBI and 36 runs scored. Berry made nine appearances on the mound logging an 8-1 record, striking out 109 batters and posting a 0.91 ERA.
“He’s been a tremendous player since he started,” Rapone added. “He’s always been a calm offensive player, but I think what started to separate him through the years was he became a much more dominant pitcher every year.”
“He’s a tremendously hard-working young man. He puts in all the effort and the time, playing a lot of high level travel baseball. He worked extremely hard on his body, if you look at him two years ago to now his muscle definition and everything is radically different.”
After successful sophomore and junior years playing, Rapone was looking for Berry to make a big jump in his final season. He spoke about what separated Berry during his senior year.
“I think this year the thing that gave him the biggest jump is his level of maturity. He became a much more mature baseball player and when that happens things slow down for you. You kind of understand the game a little more, the highs don’t affect you that much but more importantly the lows don’t bother you that much.”
Mike Anderson, the head coach of in-town rival Oakfield-Alabama, has played against Berry and Notre Dame twice this year. Anderson had nothing but praise for the senior pitcher.
“Bryceton is the type of guy who can do it all and do it all extremely well. He contributes in a major way in every facet of the game. Great arm, spectacular bat and some of the smoothest fielding I have ever seen. He is an outstanding pitcher, has great speed with his fastball and consistently throws his off speed pitches for strikes.
“At the plate, he is never an easy out and always hits the ball hard. He was also voted in as the Genesee Region All-Star and was voted the Genesee Region Player of the Year. He has the skills and stats that make him more than worthy of receiving these awards. Not only that but he is a great young man as well.”
Former ND-B Fighting Irishman Gavin Schrader, who currently plays at Niagara University, garnered 2022 Section V Baseball Class C2 Player of the Year.
Berry is joined by two teammates on the All-C2 team: Ryan Fitzpatrick (second appearance, .291 BA, 6 2B, 21 RBI, 7-1, 1.00 ERA, 65 K) and Jaden Sherwood (.316 BA, 4 2B, 18 RBI, 5-0, 1.34 ERA, 73K).
Warsaw added two players to the All-C2 team: Ty Joy (second appearance, .476 BA, 8 2B, 26 RBI, 6-0, 76 K) and Mason McClurg (.483 BA, 6 2B, 26 RBI, 4-0, 1 SV, 37 K).
Red Jacket’s Aiden Reed (.361 BA, 5 2B, 18 RBI, 3-4, 2.38 ERA, 96 K, 1 perfect game) earned his first Class C2 team selection.
Campbell-Savona’s Nolan Jamison (.417 BA, .493 OBP, 13 RBI, 2.80 ERA, 42 K)makes his second straight C2 selection.
Kendall’s Louie Conte (.464 BA, .516 OBP, 9 2B, 3 3B, 26 RBI) made the team along with Bolivar Richburg’s Trey Buchholz (.413 BA, 40 SB, 7 3B, 5-2, 2.51 ERA, 48 K, 1 SV).
Cuba Rushford’s Jacob Smith rounded off the 2023 Class C2 team.
*Section V coaches decided the All-Class teams.
Great article! Thank you for recognizing Bryceton. We appreciate all you do for these kids.