Bat Buddies

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It was a typical day at the office for Notre Dame High first baseman Jack Gurevitch, who snatched a hard grounder to begin a double play that ended the fourth inning, then singled to open the fifth and knock the opposing team’s starting pitcher from the game in Friday’s 3-0 victory over Mira Costa in the first round of the Southern Section Division I baseball playoffs.

The 6-foot senior and University of San Diego commit has been the Knights’ best offensive player this season, starting all 29 games while leading the team in hits (38), RBIs (36) and doubles (six) with three homers, 22  runs scored and a .546 slugging percentage. Yet he credits teammate Garon Maxon, who has had one at-bat all year, for helping him become the elite player he is.

“Not only are we friends, but away from baseball he’s pushed me since my freshman year—in fact his whole family has been there for me,” says Gurevitch, who sharpened his technique courtesy of his friend’s Iron Mike batting cage (and still does). “We commute back and forth to school, hang out at each other’s houses, we go golfing. Our moms are best friends too.”

In fact, Maxon’s mother Tuki is partially responsible for Gurevitch ending up at Notre Dame. Although he went to Marquez Elementary and Paul Revere Middle School, Jack transferred for part of 8th grade to St. Anne’s in Santa Monica, where he and Garon played together on the basketball team. They have been like two peas in a pod ever since.

Asked why he chose San Diego, Gurevitch says geography has a lot to do with it: “Overall it’s a good fit. I want to stay on the West Coast so my mom and dad and grandparents can see me play. It doesn’t hurt that it’s near the beach either.”

Gurevitch wears No. 10 and Maxon No. 9, though both admit it is by mere coincidence. Maxon, a 5-9 senior outfielder and pitcher, will be going to North Park, a Division III school in Chicago. They savor their last semester on campus in Sherman Oaks and will miss eating at their  favorite fast-food

joint, In-N-Out. 

Six years ago the two boys were members of the PPBA Bronco 12U All-Star squad that won 25 of 35 games, scored 431 runs and made the finals of the PONY West Zone Tournament—the farthest any local team has ever advanced—coming within two victories of a spot in the International World Series. It was a magical summer for both Maxon and Gurevitch, who grew from that experience both on and off the field.

“I wonder what might have happened if three players (Marty Kaplan, Eli Weinbach and

Andrew Citron) didn’t miss Zonals,” Gurevitch says. “Still, I’ll remember that the rest of my life along with winning the World Series with the Dodgers.”

   From the ages of 7-11, Maxon was an All-Star in Santa Monica Little League every year before switching to the PPBA when he was 12. Little did he know the successes in store.   

“Being on that team with Jack is something I won’t forget,” he says.

  Notre Dame sophomore Sammy Petrocelli also played in the PPBA.