Saugus 15’s set to open state title quest

If experience plays a big part in finding success, the Saugus 15-year-old Babe Ruth all-star team has plenty of that to go around when it opens its play in the state tournament today (5:30) against Lawrence at the Ben Bowzer Complex in Lynn.Saugus comes in off a perfect 4-0 record in the District 1 tournament, which saw the team beat state tournament host Lynn in its final two games. Lynn also is in the states by virtue of its hosting the tournament.”I think that we have some momentum off the districts and the kids are ready to go and are looking forward to it,” Saugus manager Ed Groark said.Saugus is looking to go a step further than it did a year ago as 14’s. The 14’s of 2008 won the districts and reached the winners’ bracket final of the states before dropping games to Cambridge and Plymouth to be eliminated.”It’s the same group for the most part as last year. They work hard in practice and are not too difficult to coach,” Groark said.Groark’s team has players who have won district championships in Little League and now in Babe Ruth. Saugus will have Steve Blaney doing the catching; Al Nahegian at first base; Dan Groark, second; Kenny Runge and Scott Enos splitting shortstop duties; Ty Kennedy, third base; Dante DelTorto, left field; Nick Freehling, centerfield; and D.J. Webster, right field. Derek Coderre, Steve Almquist and Casey Orlando are the reserves.”They’ve got the experience of last year and we hope that we can use that to our advantage,” Groark said.Groark also expects to see a lot of tough teams starting today with Plymouth, Norwood, Everett, Braintree and Fall River/Maplewood among the contenders along with Lynn.”There are some really good teams here and I’d expect to see some high-scoring games,” Groark said. “We beat Lynn in the district final and hopefully we can meet up with them again in the winners’ bracket final.”