Cavs anxious to get on the diamond

Macyn Clifford has seen it all.

The Hollis/Brookline High School catcher witnessed the highest of baseball highs when he was a freshman. When the Cavaliers played in the Class I championship game in 2007, Clifford was in the dugout, watching as the varsity pulled out a win over Plymouth.

And as a junior, Clifford experienced the lowest low last season. The Cavs missed the playoffs for what coach Ryan Coulter believes was the first time in his 12 years with the program.

Now that he’s a senior, Clifford wants nothing more than to go out on that high.

“Not making it was disappointing,” he said. “Being my senior year, I want to make it. I’ve worked a lot harder this year. I don’t want another season like last year. I’m trying to push people as hard as I can to get down to business. No fooling around.”

That feeling exists throughout the team, including the head coach.

“It took me … I don’t think I left my house for two weeks,” Coulter said. “I didn’t want to see anybody. We worked very, very hard at fielding a good product and trying to compete for a championship every year. When things don’t go to plan, it doesn’t sit well.”

The Cavs are counting on a group of seniors, many of whom picked up valuable varsity experience last season. Among those seniors are Clifford, shortstop Kevin Chase and pitchers Justin Dapolito and Charlie McCubrey.

Coulter expects Dapolito to be the team’s No. 1 starter, while much is also expected from McCubrey.

“We’re expecting big things,” Coulter said. “Macyn, I think he’s going to be one of the top catchers in the state. Kevin Chase, we’re going to look to him to be a leader.”

The Cavs will also look for leadership and production from junior Kenny Glover, who will play the outfield, pitch, backup at catcher and bat in the middle of the lineup, according to Coulter.

“On paper, it looks like a very good team,” he said. “But they always look good on paper. I think with what we have coming back and how we played this summer, I think we should pitch well, I think we should play good defense and I think we should score a lot of runs. We have some kids who have been around a long time, and I think it’s their time.”

Coulter expects the two teams that played in last year’s Class I championship game, Portsmouth and St. Thomas, to be among the favorites. Portsmouth has won the last two titles, and has won 40 straight games. The Clippers last loss was to H/B in the quarterfinals in 2007. Lebanon and Bedford should be up there this season as well.

H/B is scheduled to start its season on April 12 against Monadnock in Hollis.