Taft Rhinos come from nowhere to win Founders League crown

Taft was below .500 two of the last three seasons before going 16-1-1 to win the Founders League. (Bob Falcetti/Taft)

For years, The Taft School was a program embedded in the middle or lower half of the Founders League standings. From a history standpoint, two schools — Loomis Chaffee and Avon Old Farms — have consistently been the league’s dominant figureheads. Few expected that to change this year.

But the Rhinos had a different viewpoint. Just 7-12 a season ago, Taft took control of the league by storm early this season and never relinquished its grip. The Rhinos earned themselves a long-awaited Founders title, capping off a marvelous 16-1-1 season, with a victory over defending three-time league champ Loomis Chaffee in walk-off fashion.

Down a run in the ninth inning, Taft tied the game on a Nolan Grooms RBI triple. Then, with the bases loaded, junior Justin Humenay singled home the game-winning run for a 5-4 victory. Humenay started the game on the mound as he tossed six strong innings, allowing two unearned runs and racking up 10 strikeouts.

“This team was amongst the most resilient I have seen, fighting through adversity that took a number of different forms throughout the season,” said second-year Taft head coach Andrew Prince. “The common denominator was a willingness to win that proved to be indomitable.”