The Northern Essex Knights baseball team has really stepped up over the past few weeks ,bringing their record to 17-8 after starting the season off 3-6 after the first nine games.

The baseball team here at NECC is well known for not only constantly winning their region, but heading to the college world series. However, with COVID, this season was not set up for such.

Before the season began, every other team in the Knight’s region and conference decided to not thave a 2021 season. This led to not only the Knights having to find dozens of other teams to play, but leaving them with no choice but to switch their district for the year so they could place in an NJCAA tournament in order to possibly make another trip to the College World Series.

Not only has their district changed, but their entire regular season schedule was filled with top division 3 schools in New England along with some of the best NJCAA teams in the country.

However, none of the players have seen this as an obstacle. Catcher Dylan Duval said,“We have clicked. What was going on at the start of the season was not our game. We have grown so much as a team there is no stopping us when we play our game. Our chemistry as teammates and friends has skyrocketed. Anyone can see when we step on the field how much each of us want to be there in the World Series together.”

It is great to hear how these young men have come together in such a short span of time all so they can reach this specific goal of theirs. In fact, the Knights have made it a ritual to run a mile and a half after every practice and every game no matter the conditions or the time of day.

Outfielder Kam Levesque said,“The runs are a game changer. We will beat a team at home and when they are walking back to their bus they see us running around the track and that to me is just the best feeling in the world. Now every team we play knows that when we step out on the field we are willing to work harder than them. Even on away games when we get back to the school at 9 or 10 p.m., we immediately head over to the track and get busy.”

Being there with this group of guys everyday has changed everything. Every player on the team is so focused on simply the classroom and winning a national championship.

It does not seemlike anything else goes through their head other than making sure their work is completed andgetting in their extra work on the field or in the weightroom.

Outfielder Logan Burril stated,“This school brings out the best in all of us. The team chemistry cannot be beat. On the day weare helping our teammates in practice and finishing laps while later on we are in the gym together which is followed by us making sure we have our assignments completed in the best quality. We all feed off of each other which is why I think we are the best team in the nation.”

Every player is devoted to making themselves a better person, a better student, and a better ballplayer in their time here. It is great to see and observe the fact that every player on the Knights baseball team here at Northern Essex has bought into the process and putting in the work to be great at whatever they are doing in that very moment.

Editor’s Note: Joe Muzio is a member of the NECC baseball team.