Here they are! Your Brooklyn baseball honors

The 2016 high-school baseball season is in the books, and Brooklyn led the charge when it came to success this year.

Poly Prep bounced back after an early playoff exit in 2015 to notch yet another New York State Association of Independent School title. It was the fourth title in five years for the Blue Devils.

Midwood defied nearly every expectation as the Hornets took down top-seeded Tottenville in the Public Schools Athletic League championship game. It was the first title-game appearance in program history. Nazareth also made a bit of program history, winning the school’s first Catholic championship in dramatic fashion, coming out of the losers’ bracket to take the city crown.

Grand Street Campus, Fort Hamilton, and Xaverian also saw plenty of success on the diamond this year.

Here are the players that helped spark their team’s and stood above the rest in Brooklyn:

Coach of the Year

Saverio Nardone, Midwood

The second-year head coach made good on his promise from last season, leading the Hornets to the city final and the program’s first-ever title. It was an improbable run, particularly after Midwood wrapped up the regular season 9–7. Nardone, however, never doubted his squad. He told them they could win, and that’s exactly what they did.

Pitcher

Andrew Hernandez, Grand Street

The senior was the ace of the Wolves’ pitching rotation this spring, posting a 7–0 record with an impressive .017 earned run average. He racked up 39 strikeouts in 40 innings of work and tossed three complete games, leading Grand Street to an appearance in the Public Schools Athletic League Class AAA semifinals. Hernandez will take his talents to St. John’s University next season.

Pitcher

Oliver McCarthy, Poly Prep

The southpaw sophomore was dominant on the mound this year, boasting a team-best 8–1 record for the Blue Devils. He owned a strong fastball and a changeup that left plenty of batters wondering what they had just seen at the plate. In 53 innings pitched, McCarthy racked up 61 strikeouts and posted a 1.58 earned run average.

Pitcher

Chris Allegretti, Xaverian

Xaverian’s success this season rested on the strength of its pitching and defense and Allegretti led that charge. The junior was a perfect 8–0 on the mound with a final earned run average of 1.13. He also struck out 30 batters in 58 innings of work.

Catcher

Marcus Chavez, Grand Street

The University of Michigan-bound senior was nothing short of dominant on both sides of the ball this spring. Chavez boasted a .560 batting average as well as an on base percentage of .651 and a .820 slugging percentage. He also won a Public Schools Athletic League Wingate Award as the top senior baseball player in the city this year.

Catcher

Nick Cardieri, Midwood

A bit of an everyman for the Hornets, Cardieri was a big part of his squad’s first-ever Public Schools Athletic League Class AAA championship. The junior hit .383 this season with a .532 on base percentage and could play anywhere in the field. In addition to catching, Cardieri also notched a save in the league semifinals and title game.

First Base

Xavier Vargas, Xaverian

The most consistent offensive force in the Clippers’ lineup, Vargas hit .404 this spring with 35 runs batted in, 11 extra base hits, and just 10 strikeouts in 114 at bats.

Middle Infield

Robert Howe, James Madison

The senior’s final season on the diamond didn’t end with any championship hardware, but Howe’s presence at the plate was undeniable. He hit .367 in 15 regular season games, striking out just twice in 49 at bats.

Shortstop

Anthony Prato, Poly Prep

The Connecticut-bound Prato was a perfect balance of middle-infield defense and a quick bat this spring. He was a consistent threat at the plate and hit .442 this season with 25 runs scored and 14 runs batted in.

Third Base

William Navarro, Nazareth

Navarro was the spark in Nazareth’s first-ever Catholic High School Athletic Association Class A title this spring. He pitched the squad to a victory in the first game of the championship series and caught the final out of the second game. Navarro finished with a 5–1 record on the mound, as well as two saves and 57 total strikeouts.

Outfield

Nick Storz, Poly Prep

The senior — who stands at 6-foot-5, 235-pounds — struck an imposing figure in the field and he also had the talent to back it up. Storz, who will attend Louisiana State University next year, hit .306 with three home runs and 24 runs batted in. He also found success at the mound with a 5–3 record, .188 earned run average and 59 strikeouts.

Outfield

Daniel Ryan, Xaverian

The senior, who will attend Fairfield University next year, was a dominant presence in the outfield this year and an even bigger threat at the plate. Ryan finished the season without an error and hit .350 this spring, including a 3-for-4 performance in the Clippers’ playoff victory over Fordham Prep.

Outfield

Jonathan Pena, Grand Street

A multi-sport star for the Wolves, Pena hit his stride on the baseball diamond this spring, using his speed to make more than his fair share of key plays for the squad. He was also a strong hitter and finished the year with a .488 batting average, connecting on 11 extra base hits with just six strikeouts.

Utility

Shamariah McCullough, Nazareth

After coming back from an injury during his sophomore season, McCullough didn’t miss a beat this spring. He hit a team-best .507 with 14 extra base hits and 30 runs scored. A serious speedster, McCullough was a defensive force in the outfield and nearly impossible to catch on the basepaths. He was picked off just twice in 28 stolen base attempts.