The Burrell Baseball team drove their way into the WPIALs with a 14-3 regular season record. This year’s playoff excursion, now a fairly regular trip for the Bucs, was powered by the triple-cylinder, “Taylor-Brown-Peoples Hi-Performance Pitching Machine.” The year-in, year-out success of Buc Baseball, according to Burrell Coach Mark Spohn is due to “a lot of talent, hard work and good athletes.”

Spohn didn’t mention Wheaties or something in the water but whatever it is, the baseball club is just the latest model to shoot off the Burrell playoff assembly line this year. The 2005-2006 Burrell Champion-making process has produced playoff-bound teams in almost every boys’ and girls’ sport. Principal Mike Stofa and Superintendent Dr. Amy Palermo have to be proud, and the “shareholders” of the district have got to be happy.

The 2006 Burrell package is extremely competitive, and hardworking, according to Coach Spohn. He says, “They want to win. They just strive to get better all year long.” In fact, that’s what produced the Taylor-Brown-Peoples Pitching machine. Senior pitchers Cole Taylor (4-2), Aaron Brown (6-1), and Shawn Peoples (4-0) all upped their game this year, as evidenced by their respective great records. Senior catcher Adam Snyder hit over .400 during the regular season. “Good defensively, with a really good arm,” according to Spohn, Snyder made a nice added-feature to the success of the Burrell model, as did senior first baseman Al Johnson and senior left fielder Justin Seaman. Junior shortstop Dan Mangini averaged around .538 at the plate.

With a lineup like this, it’s no wonder the 2006 Burrell Baseball team was awarded the coveted 2006 section title, and a trip to WPIAL playoffs.