Former WHS baseball and golf star Wallace begins as Vikings’ head coach
By Cary Shuman
Jack Wallace won an NEC championship as a golfer and a national championship as a college baseball pitcher.
Now as the new head coach of the Winthrop High School baseball team after two years as an assistant, Wallace, 26, wants a Massachusetts state championship.
“It’s time to bring a baseball championship to Winthrop,” said Wallace. “Hockey won, now it’s our turn.”
Wallace, who helped Eastern Connecticut State claim a Division 3 national title after playing four years at Franklin Pierce, was selected head coach from a large field of candidates for the position, according to Athletic Director Mark DeGregorio, who previously served as head baseball coach.
“Jack is a smart person who knows baseball,” said DeGregorio. “He has an outstanding background and similar goals to mine as to the direction of the program, trying to get the program to a point of sustainable success, and one that is looked at with respect in the town and by other schools. I think Jack will do a great job. He has surrounded himself with an excellent staff as well.”
Thirty-six players at practices
Wallace has welcomed 36 players to the Vikings’ baseball program this spring. That group includes 22 varsity players and 14 eighth graders.
“I have a good group of seniors and sophomores, numbers wise – there are no juniors, and we have a committed group of eighth graders,” said Wallace.
Several players have varsity experience as starters including seniors Matt Reardon, Phil Boncore, Jay Fotiades, Will Murphy, and Matt Noonan, and sophomore Joe Pumphret.
Reardon, who is the team captain and last year’s Coach’s Award recipient, was the ace of the staff last season while Fotiades and Boncore are also returning starters.
In addition to Boncore, Pumphret, and Fotiades, also moving to the diamond from the recently crowned state championship hockey team are Nikita Rossi, Dom Spinale, Braedon Lounsbury, Michael D’Ambrosio, and Ricky Mackenzie.
“We gave them the day off after they won the state title,” reported Wallace.
Wallace believes that Spinale, the Vikings’ placekicker, will make a big impact at the plate and on the mound while Lounsbury will also have a significant role on the pitching staff.
Sophomore Ryan Murphy will have a key role as a starting catcher. Freshman Danny Connolly has been hitting the ball well and is vying for a role in the starting lineup. Sophomore Desmond Cassidy is in the mix for a starting infield position.
“Our goal is a state tournament berth and to get the best out of our seniors, so they have a great last spring,” said Wallace. “And we want to develop our sophomores and eighth graders because they are our future. I’ve known a lot of these seniors since they were sophomores and freshmen, so I’m excited to see how they do this year.”
Fotiades will start in the opener
The Vikings were set to scrimmage Newburyport Wednesday and Stoneham Friday. The regular season opener is April 2 against Salem, with Fotiades set to get the Opening Day nod on the hill.
“Jay no-hit Salem for five innings last year, so he’ll get the call,” said Wallace.
Reardon will follow in Game 2 versus the Saugus Sachems.
A former NEC batting champion
A 2017 Winthrop High graduate, Jack Wallace was a four-year starting pitcher and former NEC batting champion for the Vikings, competing for three state tournament-qualifying teams.
In golf, Wallace captured the NEC individual title. Interestingly, sophomore Ryan Murphy is a contender to earn that accomplishment. Ryan is the No. 1 golfer for the Winthrop varsity team that is coached by Wallace.
“I have high hopes that Ryan will win the [golf] title in the next couple of years,” said Wallace. “He’s been All-Conference as a freshman and sophomore, so the sky is the limit.”
Joe Pumphret is also a varsity golfer in addition to his monumental contribution as a first-liner and triple-overtime, MIAA Tournament goal scorer for the Vikings’ hockey team. It’s nice to see outstanding athletes like Pumphret prospering in three varsity sports.
“JoJo can do it all. He works hard. He’s been in the gym a lot recently and he has a lot of confidence and that definitely helps him,” said Wallace.
Coaching staff selected
Jack Wallace has announced his assistant coaching staff. The group includes head assistant Mike Vatalaro, a former Salem State shortstop, Joe Murphy, who played baseball for the Division 1 URI Rams, Tommy Capasso, and Dan Shannon. Middle School teacher Al Nahigian will be the junior varsity coach.