Last year Yorktown had a dream season, finishing 20-5, winning its league, and earning a No. 1 seed in the Section 1 Class AA Tournament, before losing to visiting Mahopac 7-1 in the double-elimination semifinals.
If the Huskers are to succeed again this spring, they will have to successfully replace a lot of talent they lost to graduation.
“After graduating 14 seniors, we lack the experience,” said Yorktown sixth-year coach C.J. Riefenhauser, a 2008 Mahopac graduate who pitched for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014 and 2015. “We have a lot of competition at each position, which I feel will make us better. This group has a lot of heart and if we do the little things right we will be very competitive.”
One of the Huskers’ top returnees is Alex Ornstein, a senior captain, who was All-League and All-Section last spring. Ornstein, who has committed to play at SUNY-Oneonta, is expected to lead the defense at shortstop and have another good year at the plate.
Another of the Huskers’ top returnees is Mercy University-bound senior captain Lirim Biberaj, who was also All-League and All-Section in 2025. Biberaj will provide leadership at catcher and in the infield as well in addition to being a big bat in the middle of the order.
Two other senior captains are Brandon Manchess and Swaraaj Pujari. Manchess, a Fairleigh Dickinson University (Florham campus) commit, is looking to have a huge year at the plate while playing the outfield, with Pujari expecting to produce on the mound and with the bat.
Another senior captain, Liam O’Connor, is also expected to have a big year on the mound this spring.
“We expect them to lead by example and keep the team's mindset on getting better each day,” Riefenhauser said of his captains.
Senior center fielder Tyler Galante will lead the Huskers’ outfield while junior Travis Mahar gives Yorktown someone who can hit and play well defensively behind the plate.
Riefenhauser also anticipates that junior Dylan Muck will produce big results on the mound.
Yorktown, which will play its home games at Granite Knolls Park, will open its season at noon Tuesday, March 31 at Brewster.
Leading Lakeland into this season are its top returning players, seniors Ramzi Done (pitcher/middle infield, All-League, SUNY-Plattsburgh), Alex Mautone (pitcher/outfield, Fairleigh Dickinson), Chris Bambace (third base), Travis Reigle (outfield) and Mikey Santoiemma (catcher); juniors Louie Vernagallo (middle infield, All-League) and Paul Arundell (pitcher/outfielder) and sophomore Jack Consiglio (catcher/third base/outfield).
“Our strengths overall for our returners are experience and their ability to play multiple positions,” said Hornets’ fifth-year coach Justin McCarthy, a 2010 Lakeland graduate. “They have the versatility to move around the whole field and give me a lot of lineup options.”
Lakeland doesn’t have captains but McCarthy expects his seniors to provide the leadership.
“We will be looking for the five seniors to step up as leaders,” McCarthy said. “Some will be vocal leaders while others will lead by example for the newcomers to our team.”
Juniors JJ Aleva (corner infield/pitcher), Kevin Brown (pitcher/first base), Landon Groh (pitcher/outfield), JJ McDermott (corner infield), Brandan Taber (corner infield), Frankie Veca (outfield) and sophomores Luke Aurigemma (outfield), Ryan Battista (middle infield/pitcher) and Charlie Cappo (corner infield/pitcher) are the Hornets’ top newcomers.
“Same as the returners, versatility is our biggest strength (with the newcomers),” McCarthy said. “The ability for many of the newcomers to give us innings on the mound is going to play a big role in our success.”
McCarthy said that the goals as always are to win a section championship, which the Hornets did in 2018 and 2019, but on the smaller side, they are just looking to get better every single day.
“We want to improve on our seasons over the past few years,” McCarthy said. “We have a group of kids that are going to be battling every day at practice to see their name on the lineup card. This is a full team of players that have the ability to start and give us a bunch of different skill sets on the field.”
Lakeland, which finished 6-14 a year ago and as the No. 14 seed, losing at No. 3 Nanuet 11-4 in the opening round of the Section 1 Class A Tournament, will start this season by hosting Ossining at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 25.
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