2024 Record: 13-7-1
Central League Record: 11-5
Manager: Rudy Shiller
Playoff Results:
- Beat Council Rock South 11-6 in PIAA 6A first round
- Lost to Central Bucks East 7-10 in second Round
- Extended playoff streak to 4
Key Departures: Nick Gordon, Eddie Cwiertniewicz, Mark Zuppo, Jack Krautzel, Justin Gretsky, Logan Hamilton, Dean Bianco
Key Returners: Harrison Maull, Cole Lombardo, Chris Shaller, Nolan Carroll, Brady Thompson, Joe Anzalone, Cody Weist, Gavin Lewis, Dylan Orr
Impact Players: Ryan Mcghee, Kyle Klein, Zach Gordon, Kevin Coleman, Garret Hosterman, Dylan Orr
Well It’s no surprise that this Garnet Valley Team Will be a top contender solely from the ability to rake 1-9 in their order. This team has some exciting young talent, similar to years before, that the team is excited to see step up in big ways in the likes of Harrison Maull, Cole Lombardo, and Dylan Orr.
The Jags really came together toward the end of the season, setting up for a thrilling finish where they came in second place for the Central League title, only one game Behind A talented Strath Haven Lineup, paving the way for a great 2025 season.
So what’s the biggest thing about this Jags team? Interchangeability, cohesion and chemistry.
The Jags were led by seniors Nick Gordon, Mark Zuppo, Eddie Cweirtniewicz, and Jack Krautzel, all of whom graduated.
Multiple .300+ hitters, and the Jags ace with a 2.30 ERA over 40 innings, including a no-hitter, all evaporated for the 2025 season. But, this lineup was just so good that almost every other hitter in the lineup was north of .300 average at the plate.
Four of the most notable names, all which are now seniors, hit close to, or substantially north of .300.
The team broke multiple school records offensively as a team in 2024, and had plenty of hitters leave their mark on the season. Chris Schaller hit over .400, Harrison Maull north of .350, Cole Lombardo hit north of .325, Brady Thompson hit .298, Dylan Orr was over .300, and Aidan Bendo made a strong Impact in 2024 as well, all of which are returners in this Jags Lineup.
The Jags are going to hit. There’s no lie in that statement. But, they are looking forward to some names stepping up this year. They have younger talent and are defensively focused on replacing and strengthening the Pitching Rotation for the Jags.
Chris Schaller, a senior, understands that the focus is not on the lineup, but more so on the holes in the rotation.
“We have a very experienced team this year with many returners in our lineup one through nine,” Schaller said. “It doesn’t matter who is at the dish, we will drive in runs and produce quality at-bats”
His goals, more so lie within the taking of a leadership role, as well as maintaining his team’s poise throughout the year.
“Last year I learned how important trusting his teammates is to win games”,” said Schaller. “I know that no matter the performance I gives, my teammates will have my back and I should have theirs”.
Schaller also looks forward to seeing the development of Dylan Orr and Ryan McGhee both offensively and on the mound to provide some great innings.
Schaller will be the catalyst of this lineup offensively, batting a whopping .440, with a 1.200 OPS, and over 20 RBI last year. If Schaller can stay healthy for the full season this year, he quite possibly could be Delco’s player of the Year.
Another Name to Talk about here is Nolan Carroll, who will be making the switch from catcher to left field this season. Carroll’s decision to switch was backed by all three coaches, and was mainly focused behind the idea of getting reps and getting acclimated to the position he was going to play in college.
Carroll, who recently Committed to Ursinus College, will continue his baseball Career as opposed to wrestling or football which he also had illustrious careers with.
“Baseball is my favorite sport, and even though I have had some more success through football and the wrestling mat, I decided to choose baseball solely for my love of the game,” said Carroll.
Carroll also looks forward to seeing young talent step up and take over his position, led by potential candidates sophomore Kevin Coleman, and Freshman Zach Gordon.
While we’re on the topic of young talent, both coaches elaborated on what young players getting a varsity experience is like.
Third Base Coach Joe Dean, who is likely next in line to take over the manager role whenever Rudy Shiller decides to retire, talked about the impact giving experience to young players has on a team.
“We’ve had a good number of young talents step up over the past years, which is allowing us to come into this season with more than a couple players that have three years of varsity experience,” said Dean. “It’s a well seasoned group that is confident in their abilities, but more so, their confidence in each other, making sure that they don’t need to try to do too much.”
Coach Dean also looks forward to the development of a junior left-handed pitcher Ryan McGhee, who has a Fernando Valenzuela Type effect on hitters.
“Mcghee threw some innings last year… none more important for his confidence than the playoff game against a talented Central Bucks East team loaded with Division 1 talent,” said Dean “He kept his composure, understood the assignment, and made a lot of great hitters look uncomfortable at the plate.”
On the flip side, manager Rudy Shiller believes in his seniors to pave the way for this young up and coming group of underclassmen.
“The seniors decided not to elect captains this year for a change. They felt that every senior’s input was equally as valuable, and they all wanted each other to have a leadership role,” said Shiller. “We will rely heavily on our seniors in the top part of our order with Chris Schaller, Nolan Carroll, and Brady Thompson leading the way.”
He continued to talk highly of his trained, experienced middle infield pair of Cole Lombardo and Harrison Maull, and was intrigued by the potential of underclassmen Dylan Orr, Kyle Klein, Kevin Coleman, and Zach Gordon.
Gordon, likely to take on a role at catcher, has made a great impression on Coach Shiller who believes he has look very impressive back there.
Brady Thomspon, another senior who naturally takes a leadership role in anything he does including his school’s Drama Club, loved to talk about how he sees the season playing out.
The Washington College recruit sees himself setting a followable example led by being a great character and performing to the best of his ability.
“The biggest thing is picking guys up… baseball is too tough of a sport to take all your failures so hard,” said Thompson. “We are just trying to maintain calmness and focus on winning instead of personal performance, that is something I can try and help with.”
Thompson believes chemistry is the biggest key to their success and that if nine talented guys play cohesively and united they can give theirselves the best chance at winning.
The closing statement? This team is the same as some of the vintage Jags teams we’ve seen in the past decade with some new flairs of embracing the youth, similar amongst the likes of the 2021 squad led by Jake Potts, and the 2022 squad led by Ryan Wooten.
“The season goes as far as our seniors take us,” said Coach Shiller.
But with a newfound pitching rotation led by Ryan McGhee, Joe Anzalone, Cole Reber and Cody Weist and a crazy lineup that can slug with the best one through nine led by Schaller, Thompson, Carroll, Maull and Lombardo, the sky’s the limit for this jags team heading into 2025 as they search for another way to compete for a title.
The team is focused on getting a little bit better every day, no matter what your role is
“Give your best,” said Schiller. “That’s what the seniors expect of themselves, and you.” Shiller stated.
That combined with the perfect mix of young talent makes for an intimidating confident Jags team that Is hungry to take back what is theirs.