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2026 New England High School Team Previews

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2026 Spring Team Preview: Cheshire Academy (CT)

CHESHIRE, Ct. - Success is a given expectation at Cheshire Academy and the 2026 season is no different.

“We work really hard and play hard,” fifth-year head coach Anthony Giano pointed out about the program. “We have guys that are very motivated and dedicated to get better. Most of them want to play in college and we strive for that.”

Hitting should be a strength for the Cats in the upcoming season with the return of a pair of team captains, catcher Cillian Morrissey and first baseman Connor Crosbie. Morrissey, a Pace University commit, batted .300 a year ago while Crosbie, a Western New England All-League performer a year ago after hitting .410 and leading the team in RBIs with 24, is the 59th-ranked senior in Connecticut and a St. Peter’s recruit.

Seniors Chase Mendoza and Miles Perez will be at second base and shortstop, respectively. Mendoza came to Cheshire from San Diego while Perez is a transfer from the Frederick Gunn School.

Chris Cascella, the 32nd-ranked junior shortstop in New England, will be at third base.

The outfield is loaded with Alex Modica, a senior headed to Pace, in center field and sophomore Jason Dewitt in left. Both left-handed hitters, Modica will bat leadoff after earning first team honors with a .353 average while Dewitt drove in 19 and averaged .326 in taking home second team recognition in the league.

Junior Arthur Smithwick, a 6-3 225-pound move-in from Florida, is expected to be in right.

Depth comes from versatile players, senior Kyle Parker and junior Owen Widger. Parker, a Post University commit, plays first, outfield and DH while Widger, the sixth-ranked junior third baseman in New England, plays corner infield and could also DH.

“We’ve got a lot of new guys that want to fight to be better,” explained Giano, who led Cheshire to a 22-2 record a year ago, losing in the league finals. “Everybody wants to beat us and our guys are buying into it’s us against the world.”

Four pitchers will help the cause this season including a trio of southpaws. Will Morgolies, the third-ranked senior left-handed pitcher in New England, is a Bryant commit with the 6-7 lefty joined in the rotation by transfer Philip Soltes, the fourth-rated 2027 LHP in New England, and junior Ryan Degumbia.

Giano, who has a 56-17 record at Cheshire, points to junior right-hander Justin Fanning as another arm being counted on to help make up for the loss of pitchers from last season that graduated and moved on to play in college at Notre Dame (Garrett Snyder), Virginia Tech (Tyler Stone) and Clemson (Daniel Margolies).

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