Howard County 2024 baseball All-County team: River Hill senior Henry Zatkowski dazzles on the mound, is named Player of the Year
River Hill senior Henry Zatkowski has always played beyond his years, literally and figuratively. At 10, Zatkowski played on his older brother William’s U12 team.
His time with the Hawks was no different. That prior experience sharing the field with older players gave him a sense of comfort on the mound making River Hill’s varsity as a freshman. Zatkowski proved he belonged in his first-ever varsity start, pitching six no-hit innings against Mt. Hebron.
That performance not only boosted Zatkowski’s confidence, but provided a glimpse of the dominant ace he would become. Zatkowski, a Duke University commit, dazzled in big moments.
As a senior, Zatkowski allowed just one earned run and posted a county-best 0.17 ERA. He finished 4-1 with 74 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. He also excelled at the plate with a .413 batting average and 26 hits, including eight for extra bases and 24 RBIs.
“It’s also helped me develop pitching,” Zatkowski said of hitting. “Being a pitcher, it also helps get me in the right mindset in certain counts, thinking, ‘Hey, what would I throw in this situation?’ If I would strike out on a certain pitch, then I’d think to myself, ‘Hey, why don’t I try to do that on the mound.'”
Zatkowski ended his decorated career 19-3, with a 0.76 ERA, striking out a staggering 279 in 164 1/3 innings. For his consistency and dominance, he is the 2024 Howard County Times baseball Player of the Year for a second straight season.
“It’s almost like he’s not fazed by [pressure situations] because his personality is so easygoing,” River Hill coach Craig Estrin said. “He likes to have a lot of fun on the field. He just competes. He wants to knock your head off. When he’s on the mound, I haven’t seen anything like it in my years of coaching. You only hear about guys that take the ball and dominate, but he does it on the mound and at the plate.”
Zatkowski wasn’t always calm and collected in pressure moments. As a younger player, surrendering a walk or single would often build frustration and derail his confidence. Zatkowski recalled a sophomore year outing against Broadneck where he remembers William telling him, “Settle down. You just got to pitch and trust your stuff.”
That was a transformative moment in his young career, becoming the Hawks’ No. 1 starter late in his sophomore season. As a junior, Zatkowski encountered some early struggles. However, he quickly regained his rhythm as he started deep breathing between each pitch and inning. That helped him remain calm and guarded against those past frustrations.
He capped off a spectacular junior season with a 15-strikeout, one-hit performance over C. Milton Wright in the Class 3A state championship game. He maintained those breathing techniques and again it paid dividends as a senior, turning a prior weakness into arguably his greatest strength.
“I’d say definitely attitude on the bump that was the biggest jump from junior to senior year,” Zatkowski said. “Confidence on the mound is definitely a big thing. I found my groove after struggling initially in my junior year, and it ended in a great title run. This year started out great, so it really built confidence. I’ve been a deep believer in deep breaths. In and out before every inning, in and out before a big pitch, hold it for a couple of seconds.”
Zatkowski faced arguably his greatest challenge in what turned out to be his final high school start, facing three-time defending 4A state champion Sherwood in a regional final. He once again met the moment.
With the tying run on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Zatkowski trusted himself and never flinched.
Before his 103rd pitch, he released a final deep breath and shut the door on Sherwood’s rally with his 11th strikeout, a fitting conclusion to a storied career.
“That’s who he is,” Estrin said. “He doesn’t get too high or low. If you saw him in practice, he’s very loose about things. We take batting practice, and he wants to play shortstop after he hits. He wants to field groundballs. He has the perfect attitude. He has fun with all of this.”
Zatkowski now transitions into his next challenge as a Blue Devil, welcoming the new competition and potential high-intensity moments that await him.
“Striking fear into the opponents is definitely something that you want to do before a start,” Zatkowski said. “If you can make the other guys as nervous as possible to want to face you, it’s definitely a big part of the mental game. Moving forward in college, that probably won’t be a factor. So, I’ve got to create my own aura, letting hitters know that, ‘Hey, just because I’m a freshman in college, I’m still a force to be reckoned with.'”
Co-Pitchers of the Year
Nicholas Bilotto, Glenelg, junior
Bilotto was the Gladiators’ ace, finishing 6-1 with 43 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings. The junior finished with a 1.39 ERA and pitched two complete games this season. A University of Delaware commit, Bilotto dominated in a state semifinal win over Fallston, striking out eight and allowing just three hits.
Charlie Wentker, Centennial, senior
Wentker dazzled on the mound for the Eagles with a staggering 0.19 ERA in 37 2/3 innings. He finished 4-0 with 68 strikeouts, 19 hits allowed, two saves and four complete games.
All-County first team
Cadeyn Ahearn, Centennial, senior, first base
A Lehigh University commit, Ahearn spearheaded Centennial’s offense, hitting .370. He had 17 hits, 11 RBIs and was a force in the middle of the lineup.
Mike Brogno, Mt. Hebron, senior, middle infield
Brogno’s consistency played a key role in the Vikings securing the Howard County championship, hitting .442 with 23 hits and 13 RBIs. He anchored the defense at shortstop and pitched 11 innings, striking out 11.
Matt Russell, Reservoir, junior, middle infield
Russell led the Gators offense with a .390 average, 23 hits and 10 RBIs. The junior also collected 13 stolen bases.
Aidan West, Long Reach, junior, middle infield
First team All-County for a third straight season, West hit a team-leading .426. A North Carolina State University commit, West had 23 hits, including five for extra bases, drove in 11 runs and stole 13 bases.
Lucas Edwards, Mt. Hebron, senior, third base
Edwards led the Vikings in hits (30), RBIs (19) and batting average (.469). The senior also displayed his speed with 12 stolen bases.
Seth Rosenfeld, Long Reach, junior, corner infield
Rosenfeld was one of the Lightning’s most consistent hitters. He led the team with 26 RBIs and 24 hits with a .414 average.
Anthony Angarita, Marriotts Ridge, senior, outfield
Angarita sparked the bottom of the Mustangs’ lineup with a .448 average, 13 hits and eight RBIs. He showcased great range in the outfield and showed his speed with eight stolen bases.
Matt Brown, Long Reach, senior, outfield
Brown had a team-high 24 hits, including five for extra bases and 11 RBIs. Brown added 12 stolen bases and was strong on the mound with a 1.12 ERA in 37 innings, striking out 28.
Logan Pusheck, Glenelg, senior, outfield
Pusheck was one of the Gladiators’ top hitters, hitting .386 with 22 hits and 19 RBIs. A four-year starter, Pusheck also showed his speed with 10 stolen bases and played a key role in Glenelg’s regional final win over Centennial.
Chase Endres, Hammond, senior, catcher
A multi-year starter, Endres provided consistency for the Golden Bears behind the plate. He caught two runners stealing and finished with 14 hits and 11 RBIs.
Zach Harris, Centennial, senior, pitcher
Harris struck out 51 hitters in 34 innings as one of the Eagles’ top pitchers. He allowed just 30 hits and pitched two complete games.
Austin Kehres, Mt. Hebron, senior, pitcher
Kehres was the ace of the Vikings’ staff, finishing 6-0 with a 1.09 ERA. He struck out 36 in 32 innings and pitched one complete game.
Nick Duda, Mt. Hebron, senior, utility
Duda finished second on the Vikings with 28 hits, with a .438 batting average. He also stole six bases and was all over the field in the outfield.
Zach LaFountain, Glenelg, senior, utility
LaFountain, a Salisbury University commit, hit. 375 with 21 hits, including seven for extra bases and 15 RBIs. He finished with a 5-2 record and struck out 46 in 40 2/3 innings pitched.
Trey Miller, Glenelg Country, senior, utility
An NYU commit, Miller finished his career with 166 innings and 39 starts, both the second highest totals in program history. He is third in career wins (12), striking out 69 this season and finished his career with 188 strikeouts, both second in program history. Miller also hit .340 and scored the most runs on the team.
Andrew Varga, Wilde Lake, senior, utility
Varga played in a variety of roles for the Wildecats as a multi-year varsity starter. He hit .325 with 13 hits and six stolen bases.
All-County second team
Ethan Austraw, Long Reach, senior, outfield
Blake Bourne, Glenelg, freshman, middle infielder
Anderson Dang, River Hill, junior, catcher
Danny Dorsey, Glenelg, senior, outfield
Hunter Hilte, Howard, senior, middle infield
Colin Friedman, Mt. Hebron, sophomore, utility
Sebastian Fuentes, Reservoir, senior, pitcher
Thomas Jayne, River Hill, senior, pitcher
Chase Kamerman, Marriotts Ridge, senior, utility
Noah Murdock, Long Reach, junior, middle infield
Jonathan Norwood, River Hill, sophomore, first base
Ben Plasterer, Howard, senior, corner infield
Barry Romero, Marriotts Ridge, senior, utility
Alex Swan, Mt. Hebron, junior, catcher
Michael Tolle, Glenelg, senior, outfield
Ryan Walsh, River Hill, sophomore, third base
Final Standings
1. Mt. Hebron (15-3, 14-2, Howard County Champion, 3A South Region I finalist); 2. Glenelg (19-4, 13-3, 2A state runner-up); 3. Centennial (13-5, 12-4, 2A West Region II finalist); 4. River Hill (15-6, 12-4, 3A State quarterfinalist); 5. Long Reach (10-9, 8-7); 6. Reservoir (10-9, 8-8); 7. Marriotts Ridge (9-10, 8-9); 8. Howard (7-10, 7-9); 9. Hammond (7-11, 6-9); 10. Atholton (5-14, 5-11); 11. Wilde Lake (3-15, 3-13); 12. Oakland Mills (0-17, 0-16).
MIAA B Conference Glenelg Country (3-12).
MIAA C Conference Chapelgate Christian (7-8, 6-7).