By WALT BURROWS
Courier-Post Staff
May 27, 2006

One of the goals of any high school baseball coach is trying to build strength up the middle -- catcher, pitcher, second base, shortstop and center field.

You've got a running start to a successful season if you have those positions filled with experienced personnel.

Riverside coach Gary Herron believes in that formula and also believes his team is in fine shape when it comes to being strong up the middle.

Right in the middle of Herron's optimism is senior second baseman Tim Wasco, who has held the position for the past two seasons.

"Tim is a quiet leader," Herron said. "And he's made a big jump from last year to this. He's hitting over 100 points more than last year and his fielding has been exceptional."

Herron calls his double-play combination of Dennis O'Hanlon and Wasco as good as there is in South Jersey.

"We work hard on the double play and those kids can pull it off," Herron said. "Our middle is pretty strong.

"Tim has made only four errors in 110 chances, and that's pretty darn good."

Wasco has been playing since he was 4-years-old. He started in T-ball and has come a long way since then. He's experienced playing time in virtually every position.

"I started in the outfield and we had a problem at second base heading into my junior year and I volunteered to move," Wasco said. "I did really good, so coach kept me there."

Wasco and his teammates have their eyes trained on the Group 1 title, a venture they began on Friday at Barnegat in an opening-round game.

"We're trying to win it all," Wasco said. "The team is playing really good right now and we've got momentum on our side. We just have to keep it up."

However, when the season ends, the camaraderie Wasco has with his teammates won't stop in June.

Wasco is one of four members of the Riverside team who's headed to Rutgers-Camden in September. Pitcher Mark Cimorelli, infielder-pitcher Alan Hendrick and O'Hanlon are the other three set to take up residence at Campbell's Field come next April.

But for now, all four have their eyes trained on a game at a field in Toms River on June 10th -- the site and date of the Group 1 state championship.