Bucks coach reflects on that championship season

Before the Shelter Island Bucks arrived to play their 2026 season, Coach Andy Concepcion predicted he would be bringing a Hamptons Collegiate Baseball League (HCBL) championship to the Island.

“I wanted to win it for Brian,” he said, speaking about General Manager Brian Cass. As he came to see how hard Mr. Cass had worked to secure housing for the players and coaches, and the enthusiasm the community had for the team, it redoubled his belief that the team could deliver the promised championship.

There were probably those who thought he was being presumptuous when he first spoke about securing a championship even before arriving on the Island from his home in Las Vegas. When the team lost eight straight games after winning its first two, people were likely skeptical, the coach said. But his confidence never waned even as he sat on a beach after that string of losses feeling “a little down in the dumps.”

What picked him up was Islanders coming along to encourage him and clearly embracing the team. Before he arrived on the Island, he had been told the Island was a special place because of the way residents connected with one another and newcomers. Week after week, there were more fans coming to games and cheering on the Bucks with great enthusiasm. 

Resident Rob Gorcoff came to early games and ultimately attended game after game, whether at home at Fiske Field or on the road to play other HCBL teams. Father Peter DeSanctis was another super Bucks fan who encouraged the coach to maintain his faith in the team. You can bet Mr. Gorcoff was there to cheer on the Bucks at home for the semifinal game won by a single run. And he was in Southampton the following day for the championship game against the Breakers where the Bucks rallied again and won by one run to take home the championship trophy.

Both games were “nail-biters,” Coach Concepcion said. 

Father Peter DeSanctis was another super-fan who encouraged the coach to maintain his faith in the team.

Thinking back over the season, Coach Concepcion thinks both those two wins at the start of the season and eight losses that followed contributed to a dramatic change of attitude. As the team reversed its losing ways, players became convinced they could turn their season around and all they needed was belief in themselves and each other, the coach said.

“I didn’t travel across the country hundreds of miles to a small town I knew nothing about to lose,” he said. 

As for that Island he knew nothing about, he quickly found himself loving the Town and its residents who rallied behind the team. That so many people opened their houses to him and his players impressed him.

The coach stayed with Town Justice Mary-Faith Westervelt and her husband Brian Westervelt and said they were wonderful and made him feel so much at home. He cherishes their friendship, he said.

Learning about the efforts Mr. Cass and assistants Frank Vecchio and David Austin made to secure housing, the team and their coaches spent time meeting residents at the Farmers Market one Saturday mornings, where several people heard about the housing struggle and expressed interest in housing team members in 2027.

“Get their names,” was Mr. Cass’ instructions.

Down To The Wire

As the season was nearing an end, the Bucks had a rain-interrupted game against the North Fork Ospreys followed by a win that knocked the Riverhead Tomcats from a place in the final four teams. They still had to secure a win in the finish of the game that had been interrupted by rain. When they won that game, they sat in second place behind the Southold Breakers.

Semifinals pitted the Bucks against the Westhampton Aviators, where the team pulled out what looked like a comfortable win, but the Aviators pulled out all the stops in the ninth inning and came within one run before the Bucks won the game.

The following day, the Bucks traveled to Southampton for the championship game against the first place Breakers and Coach Concepcion had right-handed pitcher Danny Kerr (Thomas Jefferson University) lined up to pitch. It was Kerr who had broken the league record with 15 strikeouts in a game, giving the coach confidence his team was primed to bring home the championship. He had Sam Lowenstein (Colby College) lined up in relief if needed.

The team also ended the season breaking another record with 99 stolen bases for the season.

It had been a long dry spell since the Bucks won a championship in 2015. So what’s ahead for 2027? Mr. Cass said he’s too tired to focus on 2027.

Coach Concepcion said he misses Shelter Island but can’t yet commit to where he will be next summer. His long-time dream is to coach for a college team. If that happens, he won’t be available to return to the Island next summer.

Fans will just have to wait awhile before those who brought thrills to the Island this summer begin planning for the next collegiate baseball season.