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09/13/2018 12:00 AMThroughout the past four years, Matt Donlan not only proved a brick wall of a backstop behind home plate in Guilford, he also established himself as a leader in the dugout with his hard work and hustle.
Matt is a 2018 graduate of Guilford High School, where he played baseball and basketball. This past winter, the senior guard averaged 10.8 points, four rebounds, and four assists to help Guilford boys’ hoops win 21 games and advance to the quarterfinals in the Class L State Tournament.
Matt also enjoyed a successful year on the diamond in Guilford. A senior captain catcher, Matt sported a .292 batting average and had nine RBI for the Indians, who collected 16 victories and reached the semifinals of the State Tournament. He finished his high-school career with .311 batting average, 14 doubles, 30 RBI, and 50 runs scored.
“In my freshman class, we had the chance to play varsity with a bunch of upperclassmen and older guys. We followed their footsteps and got experience,” says Matt, who earned All-SCC honors in his junior season. “They worked hard, so we worked hard and carried that to the younger guys as we got older, and we had a bunch of success as a team.”
Matt’s main focus on the ballfield is leading his teams as a catcher. Still, Matt also made his fair share of contributions when he stepped into the batter’s box. Matt says that he trusted his coaches and believed in the advice they gave him.
“Hitting wasn’t my strong suit, so being a catcher, I was focused on defense,” Matt says. “Jeff Monetti was a great hitting coach for us at Guilford, and so I just trusted his approach and trusted the process.”
One of the things Matt enjoys the most about playing the catcher’s position is working with his fellow battery mates. Matt likes serving as a leader of the defense by having a say in each pitch and every play.
“My favorite part of being a catcher is calling the game behind home plate. It’s a demanding position, but it is the most rewarding,” Matt says. “I also love touching the whole field on defense and being involved with all the plays.”
Matt says that two of the most exciting moments of his high-school career came when the Indians pulled off a season sweep of their biggest rival, in addition to earning a dramatic victory against another SCC power. However, the memory that stands out the most for Matt was when Guilford claimed a 5-4 win versus North Haven in the Class L state quarterfinals this spring. The Indians trailed 4-1 entering the sixth inning, but rallied for the victory in a game that took two days to finish.
“One year, we had a season where we took both games against Hand, which was great to do against a big rival. We also had a walk-off win against Shelton. That was huge,” says Matt, who also played for Guilford’s Senior American Legion baseball team in the summer. “The biggest win, though, was the comeback win against North Haven in states this year.”
Indians’ Head Coach Brian Hayden describes Matt is a selfless athlete who progressed at a rapid rate. Hayden says that he’s going to miss having Matt around every day.
“Matt had a great career. He was a starter his freshman year and was our catcher the last three years. He is a great teammate who cares about helping others get better,” says Hayden. “He doesn’t let his play affect how he treats his teammates. He is mature beyond his years and will be truly missed. He is a great young man with a bright future.”
Matt recently began his freshman year at Stonehill College, a Division II school in North Easton, Massachusetts. Matt is ready to take a slow, but steady approach to succeeding in all arenas as he embarks on this new chapter.
“I am going to be a marketing major. I’m just going to try and be the best academically and athletically and be a well-rounded student,” says Matt. “I just got here, and so I’m working on settling in and keeping short-term goals. I can’t get too ahead of myself.”