Highlands grad Campbell looks to get baseball team back to winning ways
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Thursday, March 15, 2018 | 8:12 PM
First-year Highlands baseball coach Jeff Campbell is putting the “golden” back into the Rams.
In January, a month after being hired as Highlands' second coach in as many seasons, the 1977 Highlands graduate called a players-only meeting in the high school gymnasium. The meeting touched on a number of different subjects, but the conversation never strayed far from the Golden Rams' rich baseball history.
“I told them what it used to be like,” Campbell said. “All that history in the 1990s, ‘80s and ‘70s when baseball was a big thing here at Highlands. Teams used to worry about playing Highlands.”
The calm, cool and always-smiling Campbell stood before his new team for two hours that evening. He started the process of changing the culture of a program that went 1-16 last season and hasn't appeared in the WPIAL postseason since 2003 by ignoring the program's recent history and reaching back to its heyday.
“The mindset is completely different because coach Campbell changed it right away,” senior third basemen Nick Cichello said. “He's a Highlands guy, and he really loves this place and made us realize that we love it too.”
For Highlands, change will begin with Campbell's core group of eight players. The group includes three seniors, three juniors and two sophomores and each has varsity experience.
“The ninth spot is up for the taking,” Campbell said.
There's an air of excitement when it comes to pitching. The Rams could have their best collection of arms in a long while. Campbell's top three pitchers are seniors Josh Stuckley and Cory Nicastro and junior Noah Gillette.
A reliever last season, Stuckley put the time in during the offseason and will get a chance to make his case to become the ace of Campbell's staff.
“I was in the gym 24/7 working out,” Stuckley said. “I got (more) arm strength and a lot of leg work. Our team is in a resurgence this year; we're coming back.”
Campbell said he'll also be looking for sophomore Chase Godfrey to eat up some innings from the hill.
The Rams' infield will be Nicastro at first base, sophomore Michael Magdinec at second, Gillette at shortstop and Cichello at third. Campbell touted Magdinec and sophomore starting catcher Matt Cekada's commitment to their offseason workouts and said both have come into the season as better ball players.
Switch-hitting junior Jayden Yarris' speed, range and glove has him a lock for center field.
With Yarris and Nicastro batting near the top of the lineup, the pop in the Highlands bats this year will come from Gillette, Cichello and junior left fielder Zac Kuniak.
“We have hit three to four times a week for the past three or four months,” Cichello said. “That's the most we've hit in a long time. (Coach Campbell) takes his time to teach you.”
Highlands will compete in Section 1-4A with section champ Knoch, Deer Lakes, Freeport, Derry, Greensburg Salem, Yough and Indiana.
The Rams' only victory last year came in a 10-1 win at Indiana. The top four teams in each of the three Class 4A sections make it into the WPIAL postseason.
“We're not looking back; the past is just that,” Campbell said. “This group is embracing the process and moving forward.”
William Whalen is a freelance writer.
Tags: Highlands
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