Kyle LeBlanc | McClelland Miscellanea

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June 6, 2009 · 8:38 pm

Georgetown Wins Division 3 North Baseball Title vs Newburyport

The scoreboard after the game

(Lowell) I was at sunny LeLacheur Park in Lowell and watched Georgetown hang on to defeat Newburyport, 4-3, to gain the North Sectional Championship in Division 3 on Saturday afternoon on June 6th.

This game was tense from beginning to end. Newburyport ended the game with runners on second and third just a hit or an error away from winning the game.

It somehow made sense that pitcher Andrew Sinkewicz fielded the last grounder and tossed to first baseman Marco Luisi for the final out. Andrew and Marco were the two difference makers in my opinion. Andrew pitched a complete game in the biggest game of his life and also drove in what turned out to be the game winning run in the top of the 7th with an infield grounder. Marco launched two homers (2nd & 6th innings) over the left field fence that were the only runs on the board until the final inning.

The Clippers put plenty of pressure on the Royals with baserunners aplenty. Only in the fifth did they go quietly.

Ryan O’Connor started for Newburyport and was relieved by Tommy Morris in the 7th. Except for the two bombs by Marco Luisi, Ryan pitched very well. He had the misfortune of making the last out of the game which necessitates reminding folks that no one person ever loses a team game.

The coaches involved, Bill Pettingell(Newburyport) and Mark Rowe(Georgetown), have known each other for years. Bill coached Mark and later Mark was on Bill’s coaching staff. Those facts probably made the victory a little bittersweet for Mark Rowe.

I took quite a few pictures. Clicking on anything underlined will bring up a picture.

The teams wait for the North Andover/Reading game to end.

Mark Rowe and Bill Pettingell meet with the umpires before the game.

Tyler Stotz, Kyle LeBlanc, Joe Clancy, Matt Mottola, and Kyle McElroy line up during introductions.

Ryan O’Connor pitches for Newburyport and Andrew Sinkewicz pitches for Georgetown.

Marco Luisi mobbed in the second inning and the sixth inning after hitting homers.

Joe Clancy scores Newburyport’s first run in the sixth inning on Tommy Morris’s sacrifice fly.

Mike Ruh scores Georgetown’s 3rd run coming home on Anthony Conte’s triple in the top of the 7th.

Anthony Conte scores the eventual game-winner after Andrew Sinkewicz’s grounder to first in the 7th.

Coach Pettingell gathers his team together before their last at-bats in the bottom of the seventh.

Georgetown celebrates after recording the final out.

Joe Clancy leaves the field unable to score the tying run.

Georgetown celebrates the championship trophy.

The two coaches shake hands afterwards.

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Filed under 2009 North Division 3 Finals, Georgetown, Newburyport

Tagged as Andrew Sinkewicz, Anthony Conte, Bill Pettingell, Georgetown baseball, Joe Clancy, Kyle LeBlanc, Kyle McElroy, LeLacheur Park, Lowell, Marco Luisi, Mark Rowe, Mark Ruh, Matt Mottola, Newburyport baseball, Ryan O'Connor, Tommy Morris, Tyler Stotz

February 23, 2009 · 7:53 pm

Top Honors Go To Newburyport Indoor Track Team

Newburyport indoor track coach Tim Foley with Caroline Barnaby and Kyle LeBlanc.

The Newburyport indoor track team swept all of the “of-the-year” awards in the Cape Ann League Small division this season.

Newburyport coach Tim Foley was selected top coach in both girls and boys divisions while team members Caroline Barnaby and Kyle LeBlanc were the female and male athletes of the year.

Tim Foley started the indoor program at Newburyport with Don Hennigar in 1995. “The AD at the time (Dave Canaan) informed us that there might be funding for an indoor program,” he told me. “It was something that Don (cross country coach) and I (outdoor track coach) had wanted to put in place for some time.”

Starting the program was one thing, actually operating it was quite another. “It is pretty much the same throughout the Cape Ann League with everyone having facility stories to tell,” he joked. “In the past years, we’ve used the Salvation Army, the Army Corps of Engineers building, Hope Church, and last year a warehouse. This was the first year we used the high school. It’s small but at least it’s in the actual school building.”

Despite what has to be considered inconveniences, the program has thrived, especially this season. The two teams only lost once within the CAL Small division. “Our captains did a great job of recruiting and we had over forty kids involved,” he added. “We find ways to make our time together fun and I think we have succeeded.”

It certainly helped the Clipper indoor track team to have talented performers like Caroline and Kyle on the squad.

Caroline has been with the track program for four years and although she specializes in the high jump (tied for the NHS record at 5’2”) her value to the team is a result of her, “versatility,” according to Coach Foley.

“When I was a freshman Coach Foley set up the high jump bar and asked some of us to try it just to see what we could do,” Caroline recalled. “I kind of flew over 4’10” without any training and he decided that I should specialize in that event.” Later she would add the 55-meter dash, hurdles, and relays to her event list.

Coach Foley knew about junior Kyle LeBlanc after watching him run track at the Nock Middle School. “The first time I saw him run I knew he was a keeper. He was that much better than anyone else.”

“Kyle has been undefeated in the 55-meter dash the last two seasons in the CAL and is the NHS record holder in the event,” said Coach Foley. “He has been our best long jumper and also runs on a variety of relay teams.”

“The CAL track coaches nominate people for the end-of-the-year awards and provide statistics,” he said. “Sometimes the final decision is hard to figure. Not this time. Kyle won the award easily.”

Kyle took up indoor track at the high school on the encouragement of some of his older friends. “I had always played basketball in the winter,” he said. “I came out for track and had a good season and really enjoyed it.”

Kyle told me that initially he thought that track might conflict with his first love – baseball. “It has been just the opposite,” he explained. “One of my biggest assets in baseball is my speed. The training I’ve gotten in track has improved my running form and increased my overall speed.”

Coach Foley described Kyle as a “top-shelf kid.” “He’s got a lot of things going for him. He scored 12-14 touchdowns for the football team. He’s the number one track athlete we have and he’s even better in baseball. He’s also a top student.”

( Prepared for The Town Common for publication March 4th. )