The spring season is well underway, and Townsend Harris High School’s spring sports teams are reflecting on their seasons so far while preparing for the approaching playoffs. The Classic spoke with representatives from the baseball, softball, and volleyball teams to gain an inside look at the progression of each team’s season. 

Boys Varsity Baseball

The boys varsity baseball team is currently performing with a perfect 8-0 record. Most recently, they competed against Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School on April 24, earning a 8-7 win. On April 20, the team secured a 17-0 blowout against Robert H. Goddard High School of Communication Arts and Technology. The Hawks currently lead the Queens 1A division with 3 more wins than Queens High School for Teaching, which holds second place.

“The season has been great,” junior captain Gavin Lettierri said. “We’re off to an 8-0 start, and it seems like everything’s clicking with the team.”

Coach Matthew Lemanczyk echoed this and pointed toward the captains’ efforts as a major reason for this season’s success. “Kaden has really stepped up as one of our captains, and he has been consistent in terms of his work ethic and showing up. And Kelden and Gavin as well are doing their part as captains,” Mr. Lemanczyk said.

This year’s strong start marks a shift from previous years, where the Hawks faced tough losses early in the season. The team believes that it will be able to make a deep run into the playoffs. Gavin said, “In the past seasons, we’ve fallen short of expectations, but I believe this year we have the right pieces, and we just need to execute.”

With a current perfect record, the team is hopeful but humble about what they can achieve. “Right now, everything seems up, but as it is early in the season, we will face challenges as the season goes on and we run into stronger teams,” Gavin said.

Mr. Lemanczyk highlighted the importance of maintaining consistency and finishing strong if the team wants to sustain its success. He said, “It’s not about how you start, but rather how you finish,” he said. “So it’s about keeping this momentum throughout the course of the year, and there might still be ups and downs, but being prepared for the playoffs is our ultimate goal.”

“We want to win our division and a city championship,” Gavin said. “We’re working hard every day, and through our teamwork and camaraderie, I believe we can achieve our goals.” 

Girls Varsity Softball

The girls varsity softball is currently seeded first in the 2A Queens II Division with a record of 10-1, dominating their competition.

The team won their most recent game on April 21 against Martin Van Buren High School with a score of 31-10. The team earned a 16-2 win the day before while competing against Richmond Hill High School on April 20. They faced one loss in the season against Metropolitan Campus on April 1 with a score of 4-17.

Players said they are confident in qualifying for the championships this season. 

The team secured a 25-4 victory against Richmond Hill in the opening game of the season. Players credited their performance to their intensive training schedules. Freshman member Ellie Miale said, “The team has practiced almost every day. We mostly run fielding drills in a mock infield and some partner drills, and on the weekends, we spend a couple of hours in the school batting cage.” 

This is part of an updated training regime that coach Daniel Largana started implementing this season. Coach Largana said, “There’s been a stronger emphasis on fundamentals and game-like situations during practice to help players better translate skills into real-game performance.” As a result, hitting has become one of the team’s greatest strengths. 

Beyond developing their technical skills, the team has also grown through creating strong bonds of teamwork and friendship under the leadership of their coach and captains. Senior captain Emma Kremer said, “I expect to lead the team to success by supporting each of the girls [by] making sure everyone is physically and mentally ready to play, checking in and cheering everyone on, and…showing up every single day with a smile on my face.”

Outside of school practices, individual players hone their skills by joining other leagues. Ellie said, “I’m in a little league that I have been in for a while…I think outside training is definitely useful. Especially as someone who catches sometimes, lower body strength training is essential.” 

Boys Varsity Volleyball

The boys varsity volleyball team won a 2-0 victory in their most recent game on April 23 against High School for Law Enforcement and Public Safety.

On April 21, the team had its first loss of the season while facing Scholars Academy, dropping the first set and then the second set with a tight score of 28-30. The team is currently ranked second in the Queens 1A Division with a 7-1 record, closely following Scholars Academy. 

Besides playing in-league games, the team is preparing for playoffs with non-league scrimmages against competitive schools like Benjamin N. Cardozo and Francis Lewis. 

The team is also participating in various tournaments to gain a competitive edge. On March 30, the team placed first in the bronze bracket at the Goldstein Tournament, defeating Tottenville High School in the bronze finals after a long day of tough games. 

On April 18, the team placed third in their bracket at the Francis Lewis High School Tournament. According to junior player Johann Juarez, these tournaments and scrimmages are just one way the team “is working towards winning the PSAL 1A championships,” which is their ultimate goal.

This season, the team lost seven starting seniors. “This year’s season came with a lot of changes because we are playing with a completely different team than last year,” Johann said. However, “this leaves room for many returners to solidify their spots and rise up where we left off with last year’s accomplishments,” he said.