Tesseyman continues CTK baseball revival

Basketball season has long been over, yet playoff optimism still exists in Middle Village. Under first-year Manager Allen Watson - a former major league pitcher with the Mets and Yankees - the Christ the King baseball team, a group that hasn’t reached the postseason since 2002, and won just a single game last spring, is not only becoming respectable, but eyeing a playoff berth.
CTK has not only defeated first place Holy Cross but recently beat Xaverian, the Brooklyn powerhouse, for the first time in eight seasons. “We’re getting better and better,” Watson said. “Now the hard work is paying off.”
No longer do the opposing teams simply throw their gloves and bats onto the field and trounce the Royals. Actually, they now use their top pitchers to dethrone them. And not even that can guarantee victory these days, as St. Edmund’s Prep learned when ace Vinny Garvey was out-dueled by CTK’s junior southpaw Bobby Tesseyman.
The Royals are now tied for the final playoff spot in the CHSAA’s Brooklyn/Queens division with McClancy and St. Edmund’s after Tesseyman allowed just an earned run in a complete-game, six strikeout performance that lifted the Royals to a 4-2 triumph over St. Edmund’s Prep Friday afternoon at Juniper Valley Park. “He’s been awesome,” Watson said of his ace lefty. “He’s been outstanding. He’s been pounding the [strike] zone and the control’s been there.”
Greg Scarpulla homered and shortstop Chris Valerio had two hits, including an RBI double that capped the Royals’ tie-breaking two-run fifth inning. “This feels a lot better,” Valerio said, comparing the emotions of last year’s one victory total with this season’s campaign, “being on the winning side instead of being down in the dumps.”
Although the young, talented crop headed by Tesseyman, Scarpulla, Valerio and centerfielder Greg Downing, have matured, it’s the leadership factor that has ignited the resurgence. Watson has instilled discipline, respect and, most of all, accountability, with this group. “The whole team’s attitude changed,” Tesseyman said of Watson’s arrival. “Everybody shows up expecting to win. He always tells us we have the talent and we’re right there, so close. Now we’re starting to click.”
Of course Watson, a southpaw himself, has added immediate dividends to the rotation that includes three left-handers, with the immense pitching knowledge that goes along with a nine-year major league career. But his presence on the bench has ended a disappointing period when winning wasn’t expected and losing was accepted.
“He brings a winning mentality,” said the CTK basketball Coach Bob Oliva who knows a thing or two about developing a winning program. “It’s revitalized now with Allen. If this team makes the playoffs, it’s a 100% improvement. And even if they don’t make the playoffs, it’s a 100% improvement.”