Coming off back-to-back conference championships in 2016 and 2017, Seaford took a bit of a step back last year. They finished 12-9 and dropped both playoff games by a score of 4-2.
After graduating 12 seniors and ending the season with two consecutive losses, it would seem Seaford is expecting to fill a significant amount of holes if they wish to be conference championship contenders once again.
For many reasons, the Vikings are hanging their head high and staying optimistic for the 2019 season.
“We are very excited about the large amount of juniors that played a lot as sophomores in 2018,” stated Head Coach Mike Milano.
Offensively, the Vikings will be lead by senior SS Tim Saulpaugh. In 2018, Tim batted .415 with 18 stolen bases and only struck out four times. As a result, he was named All-County.
Another player the Vikings are excited about is junior catcher Nick Barreiros. Last season, he split time in CF and behind the plate. This year, he is expected to take on a tremendous leadership role as he will handle the young Seaford pitching staff.
Expect to see new faces make an impact for Seaford this season, such as junior (1B) Joe Cain. They may lack some varsity experience, but they have shown success at the JV level and were able to learn from previous successful Seaford teams.
There may be some uncertainty as to who will make an impact for Seaford on the mound. In past years, we’ve seen Lucas Hall (Columbia) and AJ Cain (New Haven) shine for the Vikings. Replacing their senior pitchers from last year will be their largest obstacle to overcome heading into the season.
As far as their competition, Seaford is in a conference where they are familiar with their opponents and match their competition. Conference A5 consists of Valley Stream South, Mineola, Clarke, Island Trees and Locust Valley.
The Vikings up their season against Locust Valley on April 8th. The young Seaford team will certainty be exciting to watch, but they must prove themselves if they wish to be contenders come May.
