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09/09/2021 12:00 AMAs he enters his senior year at Daniel Hand High School, Will Bazenas is coming off of one of the most successful seasons of his baseball career. Will suited up for the Madison Senior American Legion 19-U baseball team this summer and made key contributions for a club that had an exceptional campaign.
A catcher/first baseman, Will caught nearly every game for Madison during the summer season. Will helped Post 79 finish its year with a record of 18-6, win the Zone 2 title, and then advance to the semifinals of the State Tournament.
Will has been playing baseball for as long as he can remember. The sport is a major influence in Will’s life, and he enjoys every second that he’s out there on the ballfield.
“My favorite aspect about baseball is the factor that tenacity and grit can have in the sport,” says Will. “In most sports, a player’s ability to be very strong, tall, or fast are what allow them to win. Though those things are important, the true test of a baseball team is their knowledge and fundamental skills.”
While he had a great time playing Legion ball for Madison in the summer, it was hard for anything to top what Will experienced with his high school team this year. In the spring, Will and the Hand baseball squad put together a storybook season that saw the Tigers claim their first Class L state title in program history.
“My favorite moment as a player was this past spring, when I was a part of the Daniel Hand team that won the state championship. What really made that moment so special was that we had all been playing together since we were little,” Will says. “Everyone on that team truly loved each other, and it was that bond that we all had that made us such a great team. A lot of credit goes to the Madison Legion and travel programs that kept us playing together for so many years.”
Jeff Buck, who served as head coach of Madison Senior Legion baseball for the past seven years, describes Will as the unsung hero of the team. Buck was particularly impressed with how Will worked with Post 79’s pitchers while calling games from behind the plate this summer.
“Will is a tremendous young man on and off the field. He is an energy player that his teammates feed off of. He is typically one of the first players to show up and the last player to leave the field,” says Buck, who recently retired as Madison’s head coach. “Will improved a lot this season as a teammate and a baseball player. He stepped up for the team and was our starting catcher for almost every game. His catching knowledge and ability got better each day. Will managed the pitching staff very well throughout the season and learned how to call a good game, so pitchers were successful.”
Will says that Buck has been his biggest influence throughout his baseball career. Buck was also a catcher in his playing days, and he passed on a lot of knowledge that helped Will excel both behind the dish and with the stick.
“Coach Buck has contributed to me getting better as a player more than anyone else. Coach Buck was a catcher when he played and helped me tighten up things in my game that most coaches wouldn’t think about or have knowledge on,” says Will. “As a hitter, I started hitting the ball much harder when I started playing for Buck. The way he teaches hitting really speaks to me. As a person, Coach Buck has always been extremely kind to me and always given me honest advice.”
Aside from baseball, Will also participates in several extracurricular activities. Will recently achieved a significant feat when he became an eagle scout.
“One big personal accomplishment that I just finished was my eagle scout, which I finished this summer. The project was benches that me and my father made ourselves, and then we made small gravel plots along the grass for them to rest at the Madison Senior Center,” Will says. “I’m also in the Excel Club and play the trumpet in the band at Hand.”
Will is looking forward to his senior year at Hand and is also planning on competing for the Madison Legion team again next summer. Will knows that there will be new challenges for Post 79 with Buck having retired, but he will be ready to step up and help the team have another special season.
“Overall, this season was extremely fun. It was exciting to play with guys from college, along with most of the guys who played with me in the spring,” says Will. “I believe that next year is going to be a bit different with Coach Buck gone, but we’ll try our best to continue his legacy and help develop the guys coming up next year.”