Varsity Baseball: Season Outlook

St. Luke’s Varsity Baseball Head Coach Sam Colon is ecstatic to finally have the opportunity to coach his team in interscholastic competition. After being appointed St. Luke’s baseball program director in 2020, his first season was cancelled prior to the opening contest.

Colon comes to St. Luke’s with a wealth of experience as both a player and coach. He graduated with a bachelor’s of science in business administration from Concordia College, where he was a four-year starter, all regional, and All-American athlete. As a coach, Colon has been involved in youth baseball in Westchester County and Fairfield County since 2002 and was the owner of ProSwing Athletic Training Center in Port Chester, a softball and baseball training facility.

He is beyond happy to see his team compete this spring: “I am extremely excited to coach this team. Having a regular season is awesome but the greatest feeling is just being able to get back out there after so long. I am very fortunate to have this talented group of young men be the first I coach at St. Luke's.”

The team has been working hard in preparation for the season, both on and off the field. Colon believes all this hard work will position the team to challenge for honors this year: “We have been on the field five days a week but preparing off the field seven days a week. The group has been focused on one game plan after another, each designed to help every member of the team progress as players. Our goal is to get better every game and have the ability to bounce back from any setbacks. We want to challenge for the FAA title. I believe we have the talent to do that.”

Colon expects captains Lewis Cropper ‘21, Ryan Higgins ‘21, and Evan Panageas ‘21 to lead by example in everything they do. “I want the three of them to enjoy their senior year. Watching them prepare for the season has been fun. Their devotion to the game is evident and their drive to play beyond high school is inspiring. They have been shown great leadership so far, and I expect them to continue to be great role models for the younger players.”

Colon knows there is a wealth of talent in the league and doesn’t expect things to be easy for the Storm. However, he believes the Storm will be tough to beat: “There are a number of good teams in this league, but we plan to focus on what we can control. If we play the brand of baseball we are capable of playing, then we can match anyone. I want the team to play for each other, to play as a unit, supporting one another through the good and the bad times.”

Higgins, who is committed to play baseball at Duke University next year, is thankful to be back on the field for the Storm: “I'm so excited to be out on the baseball field again, as I haven’t played spring ball since my sophomore year. I'm just grateful that, with everything going on in the world, I'm able to still play the sport that I love. Also, this is the first time that I'll be playing on the same team as my younger brother, Justin, so it'll be pretty awesome when I'm on the mound, knowing he’s got my back in the field.”

Higgins also believes this year’s group can compete with anyone in the league: “The only thing I demand from my teammates as a captain is maximum effort. There are a lot of uncontrollable factors in the game of baseball, but effort is something that is within every player's reach. I believe that if everyone on the team gives it their all, we can beat any of our opponents.”

The Storm opened up the season with a home 5-0 against Greens Farms Academy on Wednesday, April 14. The team continues a run of eight home games with a doubleheader against Cheshire Academy on Saturday, April 17.