As part of the North Arlington Legion baseball team, many of this season’s Golden Griffins team received more experience during the summer and head coach Rob Urbanovich is hoping the summer ball will help in the record this season.

"We’re going to play the big boys and get roughed up this season," admitted Urbanovich before playing American Legion ball last summer. "We want them to play together and we’re going to have five sophomores in starting lineup next year. These guys will be playing the next three years."

Last season Queen of Peace finished with a 11-13 record, but they made the state tournament for the second year in row. Despite a 12-2 loss to Don Bosco Prep in the state tournament, qualifying for the states has helped bolster the program.

This season the Golden Griffins will have more of an inexperienced team as all of their all-league players graduated including designated hitter Paul Villanueva, pitcher Ranphy Lopez, first baseman Dom Ghione, Nick Jentz and CJ Perez.

With a large group of sophomores referred to by the coach last summer, Urbanovich said that the defense will be there, but the offense needs to come through.

"The keys are first that we make all of the routine plays," said Urbanovich. "We played well defensively all summer and hopefully that continues this spring. We also need to hit. If we can drive the baseball, we should be able to compete and get back to the playoffs."

The group of sophomores that Urbanovich is referring o include Jared Skinner, Anthony Re, Dan Kochka, Chris DeRogatis, Chris DeCarlo, Carlo Ghione, Pete Amadio and Will Newby. Skinner started last season in the outfield and will pitch along with batting in the middle of the order. Re will see full-time duty in the outfield and leadoff while Kochka, Newby, DeRogatis, DeCarlo and Amadio will see some time on the mound. Kotcha is expecting to be the workhorse of the rotation while DeRogatis is also specifically a pitcher.

The rest like DeCarlo, Amadio and Newby will also compete for other slots on the field. DeCarlo is expected to share time at catcher while Amadio will play in the outfield and Newby can play at third base or shortstop.

Splitting time behind the dish with DeCarlo is Carlo Ghione who will also see time in the lineup as a designated hitter. He is the brother of All BCSL American first baseman Dominick Ghione from 2007.

While the sophomores will be the key for this season and future seasons, the Golden Griffins have some quality seniors especially Thomas Seickendick, Will DeCotiis and Chris DiGesu. Seickendick is expected to be a major contributor offensively at first base while also pitching. DeCotiis will move from catcher and start at left field. DiGesu will start at third base and could also see spot time at first base.

Other seniors expected to contribute are Jeff Viaud, backup at third, infielder Fred Morrone along with outfielders, Ryan Messina, Nick Paleologos and DJ Dimler.

The junior class has a transfer from Nutley in Dominick Merillo, who will start at second base and leadoff in the lineup. "A very gritty player with good speed and a lot of pop in his bat," said Urbanovich about Merillo. The other junior on the varsity is JP Rivera, a pitcher and a utility player.

In terms of the BCSL American, Urbanovich points to River Dell and Westwood as the teams to beat. The Golden Griffins will get a good indication at the top of the league when they face the Golden Hawks next Wednesday on the road.