Crimson Tide baseball turns the corner for a brighter future

After finishing up with three wins and a couple of close losses, Everett sophomore ace pitcher Derek Soper makes the GBL all-star team

By Joe McConnell

Sophomore Derek Soper is the lone Greater Boston League (GBL) all-star on this year’s Everett High School baseball team.

“I’m so proud of him, and I can’t wait to see him only get better the next two years,” said coach Malik Love of Soper, who also plays AAU baseball in the off-season.

The Crimson Tide finished up the season with an 8-12 record, just missing the postseason by two games. They lost seven out of their last eight games, but two of them were just by one run. If they were able to turn those close losses around, they would have qualified for the Division 1 state tournament, which would have been a good thing for the seven returning players on the roster. They would have had a taste of what it’s like to play beyond Memorial Day.

Ironically, in both those one run losses, Soper was on the mound. He was the ace of the staff, who was responsible for three of the team’s wins this year, including the last game of the season against non-league Greater Lawrence, when he shut out the Reggies, 4-0. Overall, he ended up with a 3-3 record.

“It was a great way to finish the season,” said Love after the Greater Lawrence game. “We were able to send our eight seniors off the right way, and hopefully we will be able to use this win to roll into next year with the guys coming back and coming up from the JVs.”

The next two years is shaping up to be quite promising for Love’s team, led by not only Soper on the mound, but also current freshman M.J. Guida, who will be back throwing strikes, once again.

“(Soper and Guida) were our two best pitchers this year,” said Love, who says he hopes this resurgence of young talent that’s now in the program will keep future Tide players in the city playing for their local public high school.

Both of these underclassmen will be among those seven aforementioned returnees on next year’s varsity team, along with at least several more, who are ready to make the leap from this year’s JV squad. It definitely has the potential to be the beginning of a new age in Crimson Tide baseball.

“It was a great season for us in terms of the growth in the overall program,” said Love. “Our eight seniors helped out considerably in this process. They took a step in the right direction to become solid varsity players, while also teaching the younger players what it’s like to play on this level.”

Love’s eight graduating seniors were Albert Santana, Isaiah Goffigan, Jevaun Berberena, Nordeivy Santana, Reinaldo Santiago, Chris O’Neil, Jose Portillo and Manny Santago.

“These seniors meant a lot to the program the last four years,” said Love. “They all brought that leadership and commitment to the team with their great (renewed) attitudes, and I’m excited to see how the next chapter in their lives turn out.”