BROOKFIELD – Will Kincanon has everything going for him on the mound.
The Riverside Brookfield pitcher has a pro baseball family pedigree, a devastating curveball that helped him rack up 118 strikeouts this season and he said he recently hit 90 mph with his fastball at a showcase. All that and he’s only a junior.
In addition to his mound dominance, which included a 1.06 ERA, an 11-1 record and a no-hitter in a Class 3A regional final victory, Kincanon also hit .425 with team-highs in doubles (16) and RBIs (37).
RB coach Dallas Till thinks Kincanon will only get better next year.
“He’s got everything going for him,” Till said. “He’s a hell of a kid and a hell of a baseball player. I can’t say enough about him.”
With Kincanon starring as both a pitcher and hitter and a senior-heavy RB squad that featured C.J. Duffek, Thomas Leary, Luke Keller and Kevin Garvey among others, the Bulldogs broke the school-record for wins in a season (32).
"Thirty wins in a high school season is unheard of," Kincanon said. "That was one of our goals at the start of the year and I don’t think we really expected to do it, but we got it done.”
Kincanon’s dominant spring earned him the Metro Suburban Conference Player of the Year award and plenty of attention from college coaches. He has offers from Creighton and Middle Tennessee State and has received interest from a pile of other Division I programs, including Indiana, Missouri and West Virginia.
Given his production and pitching arsenal, it’s no surprise the 6-foot-3 Kincanon is a wanted man. His father, Bill, and his grandfather, Bernard, both pitched in the minor leagues to add more reason to like Kincanon.
Kincanon said his father has helped him grow into the player he is today and continues to give him pointers if he sees something Will isn’t doing right.
“He really showed me everything I needed to know about the game,” Kincanon said. “He works with me constantly and then everything started to come natural and I started getting better.”
This summer Kincanon is playing for Top Tier 17U, one of the most prestigious travel teams in the area. The team travels the country and gives players plenty of exposure to college and pro scouts, something Kincanon is well aware of.
“I hope I get even more exposure. It’s a big summer,” he said. “It’s fun with this team. Definitely with a group of guys you like, traveling around, having fun with the team after the game. Walking around the town, seeing all the different areas of the country.”
Meet the 2013 All-Area Baseball East Team:
Jake Bartels
School: Nazareth
Year: Junior
Bartels was the Roadrunners' top two-way player. He split time between first base and on the mound. He had a .325 batting average and a 2.50 ERA. Bartels had a key role in the Nazareth playoff run with a game-winning, three-RBI double in the sectional semifinal and pitched a quality start in the supersectional.
Zach Carlson
School: Lyons Township
Year: Senior
At the beginning of the season, Carlson didn't have a big role with the Lions. By the end of the season, he was one of the team's hottest bats and finished with 30.1 consecutive scoreless innings on the mound. The Wisconsin-Stout recruit had a .383 batting average and a 1.16 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 36-1/3 innings.
Gino Cavalieri
School: Fenwick
Year: Junior
Cavalieri hit .340 with a team-high 10 extra base hits and 23 runs scored from the top of the Fenwick order. The junior was also a key part of the Friars' defense at shortstop.
C.J. Duffek
School: Riverside Brookfield
Year: Senior
The Bulldogs' speedy leadoff hitter was a nightmare for opposing teams once he reached base. The Northwest Missouri State recruit stole a school-record 47 bases in 49 attempts and hit .470 with 51 runs scored while playing a strong center field.
Sam Heilenbach
School: Lyons Township
Year: Junior
Following in his older brother Steve's footsteps, Sam Heilenbach was a standout for the Lions in his first year on varsity. The catcher hit .330 with 24 RBIs and posted a 1.75 ERA out of the bullpen.
Anthony Iniquez
School: Morton
Year: Junior
The junior played in every game and was an all-conference selection. He had a 3.50 ERA on the mound as one of Morton's conference starters and contributed 13 RBIs and 11 runs to the offense.
Trayvon Johnson
School: St. Joseph
Year: Senior
Johnson's quality could best be demonstrated by the respect opposing pitchers gave him this season. He drew 33 walks in 28 games to post a .486 on-base percentage. On the mound, Johnson had a 1.30 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 48-1/3 innings.
Will Kincanon
School: Riverside Brookfield
Year: Junior
Kincanon put up off-the-chart numbers on the mound this season to help RB set a school record for wins in a season (32). The all-state selection struck out 118 batters in 79 innings with a 1.06 ERA. He also hit .425 with 22 extra-base hits and 37 RBIs.
Thomas Leary
School: Riverside Brookfield
Year: Senior
Leary was a part of the Bulldogs' aggressive offense. The senior hit .367 with 26 stolen bases while driving in 30 runs and scoring 42 more. On the mound, he had a 1.91 ERA in 22 innings.
Keith Lehmann
School: Lyons Township
Year: Senior
The Michigan recruit had another standout season to complete his memorable LT career. Lehmann hit .324 with 25 RBIs and struck out 86 batters en route to a 2.15 ERA in 71-2/3 innings. He was an all-state selection.
Peter Minella
School: Nazareth
Year: Junior
Minella emerged at the Roadrunners' top pitcher this spring. The 6-foot-3 junior had seven wins and a 2.62 ERA. He also won three straight playoff games, the regional final and both sectional wins.
Ryan Moritz
School: St. Joseph
Year: Senior
Moritz was a big part of the Chargers' first conference title since 1967. The senior two-way player led the team in batting average (.361), RBIs (22), extra-base hits (nine) and wins (six). Moritz also had a 1.43 ERA on the mound.
Paul O'Toole
School: Fenwick
Year: Senior
The Friars' third baseman had a big year offensively. He was a table setter with a .364 batting average and 20 runs scored.
Mike Stromberg
School: Nazareth
Year: Senior
Stromberg led Nazareth with a .365 batting average and was the Roadrunners' only all-conference selection this spring. The catcher finishes his career as a two-time all-conference pick.
Sergio Villalobos
School: Morton
Year: Junior
Villalobos lived up to his billing as one of the Mustangs' top returners. Offensively, he hit .318 with eight extra-base hits. He also was a valuable pitcher as Morton's primary closer with a 1.91 ERA in 29-1/3 innings pitched.
Honorable mention
Fenwick: Kevin Claffy, Bobby Hogan, Justin Rodriguez
Lyons Township: Mike Lorenz, Stewart Nelson, Tom Prescott, Alex Vannucci
Morton: Nicholas Campanile, Eli McMahon
Nazareth: Tim DalPorto, Pat Houlihan, Dan Kienzle, Mike Noesen
Proviso West: Muta Crusoe
Riverside Brookfield: Joe Duffy, Kevin Garvey, Luke Keller
St. Joseph: Joe DeLuna
Check out photos of the All-Area Baseball East Team