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2025 New England High School Team Previews

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2025 Spring Team Preview: Guilford (CT)

GUILFORD, Ct. - Fifth-year head coach Nick Merullo has the Guilford program running on all cylinders these days.

“First and foremost, our program aims to help these young men develop both on and off the field, not just as ballplayers, but as people that will go on to make a positive impact in the community long after their playing days are finished,” explained Merullo, whose team has lost in the postseason to the eventual state champion the past two seasons. “As a team, we pride ourselves on playing the game the right way and trying to do so with a team-first attitude. We’re looking to be aggressive in all four phases of the game: hitting, pitching, baserunning and defense. We want to compete for 21 outs on both sides of the ball.”

Just 2-16 in his first year at the helm, Guilford has finished 12-11, 24-4 and 16-8 the past three seasons, falling in the CIAC Class L state finals in 2023 and in the quarterfinals a year ago.  

“Last year’s team entered the regular season coming off of one of, if not the best, years in school history,” Merullo related. “In 2023 we went 24-4, including a 17-game win streak with an SCC title, and lost 2-0 in a great game to Brookfield in the state championship game. Naturally, we started last season with much higher expectations placed on us and overall had a successful year. We made the SCC tournament and advanced to the quarterfinals in the state tournament, where we were defeated by Woodstock Academy, the eventual state champions.”

Five key players return from that squad led by Lucas Deshefy, the 2023 SCC Player of the Year who hit .443 and .338, respectively, the past two seasons.

“Lucas had a great sophomore season as our shortstop and closer, and took home multiple player of the year awards,” Merullo noted about the 44th-rated senior RHP in New England. “His junior year was limited by a shoulder injury but we are looking forward to him having a healthy senior season.”

Lucas Ametrano, an all-state performer last year after batting .373 is back to play center field with the seventh-ranked senior outfielder in New England, a Holy Cross commit, joined in the outfield by senior Adam Copeland. The 36th-rated 2025 outfielder in New England, a Skidmore College signee, will not only bat at the top of the lineup but be the number one pitcher after going 4-1 with one save a year ago.

Cade Rinehart, the 31st-ranked sophomore RHP in New England, like Copeland finished 4-1 last season, with a 2.80 ERA and is back to contribute valuable innings in 2025.

Junior Alex Tafro, a quarterback prospect in football, returns after starting 23 games at catcher, pounding out 12 hits including three doubles and will be behind the plate as well as pitch.

“We return about half of our lineup, so we have several players with key experience coming back to lead this group,” Merullo explained. “Our lineup should consist of several dangerous bats. I believe Lucas Ametrano and Lucas Deshefy are two of the top hitters in our league, so we’re fortunate to have them both. But we graduated two reliable starting pitchers, including the ace of our staff from the past several seasons (Bryce Meder), so we will be looking to several new contributors to help us on the mound.”

Meder, now at Salisbury Prep, was one of five seniors the Grizzlies lost including Mike Buccaro, now at Salem State, and Colin Pompano.   

The head coach points to a trio of newcomers hoping to help fill the shoes in sophomore transfer Gennaro Pellegrino, a right-handed pitcher and infielder, along with outfielder Finn Matlosz and LHP/OF/1B Tanner Smith.

“Both players will step into more significant roles within the team for their junior season after proving to be valuable depth pieces during their sophomore seasons,” Merullo said of Matlosz and Smith, the 19th-rated 2026 left-handed pitcher in New England.

It adds to a lot of promise for the upcoming season.

“Any time you return multiple players who have earned All-State accolades (Deshefy in 2023, Ametrano in 2024) that is a huge plus for the team,” Merullo noted. “We had good participation in our off-season workouts and the guys are really working hard to prepare for the season ahead.

“Staying even keel through the highs and lows of a baseball season and understanding we want to be playing our best baseball in late May and June will be the keys to success this season. The development of a young pitching staff will also be key. We have some talented arms that are eager to make an impact this spring. We need to be consistent with our focus and habits on a daily basis.”

It has Merullo looking forward to year five at the helm.

“We will play a challenging schedule, competing against some of the top teams in our league and in the area,” Merullo concluded. “I have so much respect for the baseball programs around the SCC having played in this league and now coaching in it for more than a decade (five years as an assistant coach at Daniel Hand before taking the job at Guilford). There are so many well-coached teams and talented players.

“We may experience some growing pains early in the year, but I think we have a chance to be a dangerous team late in the year if we can really gel and come together as a group!”

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