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2026 New England High School Team Previews

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2026 Spring Team Preview: Canterbury (CT)

NEW MILFORD, Ct. - After winning his first Western New England Prep Baseball League championship a year ago, could Todd Mathewson have Canterbury on the verge of another?

“We’re a little older team this year,” pointed out the 13th-year head coach, who is 123-77 in his time in charge of the Saints, which defeated Cheshire Academy in the title game last season. “We have 12 committed to college, 10 seniors and two juniors. I think our lineup will be deep from one through nine. We have guys hitting 6-7-8-9 that would be hitting in the top four in different years. Every starter is committed to college … that’s pretty unique.

“I think our team speed is very strong,” Mathewson added. “Pretty much our entire lineup is running a sub-seven.”

The Canterbury mentor, whose teams lost in the championship game to Salsbury in both 2023 and 2024, finishing 16-3 and 16-5, respectively, those years, sees “a lot of upside on the mound” this season.

Carter Heagle, the sixth-ranked senior first baseman in New England, was Player of the Year in the league as a junior. The Merrimack commit was 5-0 with two saves and a 0.72 ERA, striking out 31 and allowing 15 hits in 29 innings. Heagle will play first or DH when not on the hill.

Princeton signee Patrick Weaving, the sixth-rated senior southpaw in New England, and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts commit Owen Chizmadia, a post grad right-hander, are other pitchers along with senior lefty Connor Emens, a standout hockey player at Canterbury.

Depth comes from a pair of junior southpaws, Chris Calacci and Luke Panasci. The 42nd-ranked 2027 left-hander in New England, Calacci is a San Diego State recruit while Panasci has D-I and high academic D-3 interest according to Mathewson.

Junior Owen Rozelle and sophomore Canyon Cochran will also compete for innings for the Saints, which finished last year with a 17-3 record.

Logan Martel, the second-rated senior catcher in New England, is back behind the plate after batting .321 with a .925 OPS. The Rutgers commit had 17 hits including a pair of home runs with 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored a year ago.

Heagle batted .434 with six doubles, three triples, a home run and a 1.24 OPS and will be at first with Ryan Gabianelli, the 12th-rated 2026 third baseman in New England, at first, third or DH. The Stonehill signee hit .322 last year with eight doubles and a team-high 21 RBIs.

Union commit Jack Lee, a post grad, will also play third with Mason Kuchinski and Seumas McMakin playing middle infield. Kuchinski, the 29th-ranked senior shortstop in New England, is a St. Anselm signee, while McMakin is headed to Trinity.

Wells Cunningham, the 14th-rated junior outfielder in New England, is the likely center fielder with the Lafayette commit joined in the outfield by post grad JJ Schachinger, a Trinity signee, and senior Christian Milligan, a Worcester Poly Institute commit who can also provide middle infield depth.

“Every player is committed to play in college,” Mathewson said. “They’re older, physical and big strong athletic players which is exciting.”

But repeating is never easy.

“The lion getting to the top of the mountain is sometimes hungrier than the lion that got there,” Mathewson noted. “We need guys to be motivated similar to last year and not have that complacency.

“Our margin for error in our league is so small,” Mathewson concluded. “The teams are so good. If we don’t bring our A game we won’t win.”

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