Five CHS players receive All-Trico baseball honors

Second-team recognition went to senior catcher Josh Billette, junior outfielder Bryan Charters and sophomore pitcher Eric Crause. Senior Zach Clifford, a third baseman, received honorable mention.

Verley played in all 21 games and had a team-leading .397 batting average (27 for 68) and .588 on-base percentage in his first high school and varsity season.

The sweet-swinging left-hander slugged two home runs, batted in a team-best 23 runs, tied for the team lead in runs scored (18), and stole 11 bases in 14 attempts.

Billette, a first-team last season, had one of the toughest jobs on the ballclub, handling a young pitching staff.

As a consequence, his offensive production suffered. He hit just .196, with one home run and seven runs batted in.

Charters, who saw spot duty with the varsity a year ago, mainly as a pinch-runner, stepped into a starting job and the lead-off spot in 2001.

Though he didn't have a great batting average (.169), he walked 20 times, had a .508 on-base percentage, stole 15 bases in 16 tries, and scored 18 runs.

Crause, in his first varsity campaign, quietly emerged as the Bruins' No.-1 starting pitcher. He led the staff in victories (5, versus 2 defeats), innings (35.2), strikeouts (26) and earned run average (2.78).

At one point during the season, he tossed 21.2 consecutive scoreless innings.

Clifford also made his CHS varsity debut in 2001. He started the year in right field but soon moved to the hot corner, where he made some of the team's best defensive plays of the season.

He also had solid offensive numbers for the Bruins, batting .308 with 10 runs scored and six stolen bases in seven chances.

Trico champion Ridgefield swept the top individual honors, winning both player and coach of the year awards.

Senior Scott Gilberti, who fashioned a 9-0 record during league play, was voted player of the year. The Spudders' skipper, Art "Ozzie" Osmundson, won coach of the year honors.