Jack Loughren, a senior pitcher and infielder for Riverview, stands out because he's the only senior on a team of mostly young players called the Raiders.
The ceremony to honor the team's seniors will be short.
However, Loughren is not the only player with previous varsity experience in the lineup.
Last year, the team lost eight seniors, including in a tough defeat to Seton-La Salle in the WPIAL Class 2A quarterfinals at Gateway.
Despite that loss, the team is back with big goals for this season.
The team had a good start this spring with a 3-0 record, including a big 11-2 win against Brentwood on March 25.
Loughren said, “I want to leave on a high note.”
He also mentioned that his personal goals align with the team's aspirations of reaching the WPIAL finals and performing well in the state tournament. The team is a mix of experienced and talented younger players, all aiming for success.
Loughren added, “My batting average and on-base percentage, along with my pitching performance, are important, but ultimately, winning titles is a team effort.”
The team's experienced core also consists of juniors Rece Stempfer, Eli DeVita, Johnny Bertucci, and Tyler Aftanas.
These four juniors spent extra time together last summer as part of the Rawlings Tigers 16U travel team.
DeVita had the second-highest batting average on the team in 2023 and has had a strong start this season.
This was evident in the away game against Brentwood, where he hit two doubles and brought in four runs as part of Riverview's 11-hit offensive.
Stempfer also drove in four runs, and Aftanas stole two bases.
Loughren performed well in both batting and pitching, getting two hits in three at-bats. He also gave up only four hits, walked once, and struck out 10 in a complete-game victory.
DeVita said, “We've had a good start, but with a young team, there is much more to look forward to.”
He added, “We've put in a lot of effort and are prepared for whatever comes our way. We're not getting ahead of ourselves, but we're excited.”
Riverview was scheduled to continue their games against Brentwood at Riverside Park on Thursday afternoon.
The Raiders began the season with wins over OLSH (8-3) and Laurel Highlands (2-1), both nonsection games.
Loughren also got the pitching win in the nonsection game against OLSH.
Bertucci secured the win in a close game against Laurel Highlands, only allowing one hit and no runs while striking out five and walking three in five innings.
Loughren had another successful day at the plate, going 2-for-3, and both Stempfer and freshman Lukas Duncan each got an RBI.
There are still nonsection games remaining against Shady Side Academy, Bishop Canevin, Valley, Highlands, and Ellwood City.
Last year, Riverview and Greensburg Central Catholic tied for second place in the section at 8-4, trailing section champion Serra Catholic by two games. The Raiders will play Apollo-Ridge in a series this week and will face Jeannette and Ligonier Valley in the following weeks.
Ligonier Valley was also a playoff qualifier in 2023.
“We began well but it's still early,” commented Riverview coach Bill Gras. “I was excited last year when we started strong in the section. We were 5-0 but then lost to Serra and went to 5-1. After that, we fell apart.
“It's a long journey, not a quick race. But I'm happy with how we started hitting the ball in those early games. The number of times our batters struck out has decreased. We've been making contact with the ball.”
Gras mentioned that he's eager to see the ongoing progress of Lukas Duncan and his twin brother Miles.
“Miles is our main catcher, and Lukas serves as a versatile player for us,” Gras explained.
“Lukas pitches, and he can also play third, short, second, and in the outfield. Both of them have adapted well to varsity baseball. They are going to help drive the team forward.”
Gras mentioned that junior Carter Loughren (infield, outfield, pitcher) is finding his place in the team, and freshmen Rex Roberts and Owen Metz are earning their spots in competition for the right field.
“We have a good mix,” Gras stated. “They will continue to develop as a team as we progress further into section games. It's a challenging section. We need to be prepared to deliver our best performance every time.”
