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2022 New England High School Team Previews

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2022 Spring Team Preview: Spaulding

BARRE, Vt. - Spaulding reached the Division 2 state championship game for the first time in 31 years in 2021. While the result was a 5-0 loss to U-32 and standout pitcher Owen Kellington, the future is bright with seven sophomore starters back for head coach Dan Kiniry, whose first year in charge of the program was 2019.

“We have a strong, experienced squad,” noted Kiniry, who is hoping to bring home a state title for the first time since 1990.

“I worked with these players growing up as a travel baseball coach and in Little League,” pointed out Kiniry. “I know what they’re capable of doing. I’ve tried to bring a more system-based approach and try to coach the kids based on their strengths and try to utilize those strengths.”

The philosophy is working with nearly 50 players out for this year’s team, up from 35 a year ago.

“Our expectations are high,” Kiniry admitted. “Last year nobody knew what to expect, we kind of snuck up on some people. That won’t happen this year.

“If we can compete one game at a time and learn from our mistakes and get better every game, we have a chance. I think we’ll see a lot more top pitchers this year, some front-end bullpen guys.”

Four first-team All-State players return for Spaulding, bringing a lot of promise to the 2022 campaign.

“We have talent and potential, but that only takes you so far,” Kiniry related. “We need these guys to become driven and have the willingness and desire to outwork teams every day.”

The head coach’s son Danny Kiniry, a junior catcher, headlines the returnees for the Crimson Tide after leading the team in batting average (.458), on-base percentage and slugging percentage a year ago.

Junior first baseman Kieron McNamara and 2023 shortstop Trevo Arsenault are other key performers back for Spaulding.

McNamara, a 6-1 200-pounder, “has the ability to change a game with one swing,” Kiniry said of this year’s clean-up hitter, who batted .390 last season with an on-base percentage better than .500. 

Arsenault had just two errors with a .975 fielding percentage as a sophomore.

“He has the reputation of one of the best shortstops in the state of Vermont,” Kiniry said. “He has great speed and hit .450 with runners in scoring position.”

The Spaulding coach also had high praise for Zack Wilson, the returning right fielder.

“He is as close to a five-tool player as we have,” Kiniry noted about the 6-2 Wilson, who hit .450 with 25 stolen bases in 2021. “He has next-level arm talent.”

Two pitchers are also back for the Crimson Tide in senior Hayden Kennedy and junior Dylan Bachand. Kennedy, who was first-team all-league last year going 5-1 with a 1.85 ERA, “has three pitches, can locate and spot and is an unbelievable competitor,” according to Kiniry. Bachand was 3-0 with three saves and a 2.50 ERA in earning honorable mention all-league honors.

“People know we’re good, so we’ll have a target,” Kiniry concluded. “We need to work hard for all seven innings. Also, we need to be team-first and be able to sacrifice for the team. If we get all of our guys bought into that, it will make us go from good to great.”

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