Scarborough senior Ben Greenberg – an imposing talent on the baseball diamond and an upstanding citizen off it – has earned himself the USA Today High School Sports Gatorade Maine Baseball Player of the Year award for the second year running.

Red Storm head coach Ryan Jones had plenty of good things to say about his ace pitcher. “He’s a well-rounded kid,” Jones said. “If he’s not the best well-rounded kid – in terms of the way he conducts himself, his character, and then academically and athletically – he’s definitely up there.

“Obviously we get to see him play every day, see his hustle and his hard work. What people don’t get to see is how good a kid he is. Kudos to his parents for bringing him up right.

“He makes my job easy, because he’s kind of my right-hand guy, other than my assistant coaches. He’s the coach of the players, so to speak. Guys look up to him.”

Greenberg himself had a fittingly humble perspective on the award. “I’m not the only guy who deserves it,” he said. “There’s a ton of great players. I take pride in – not necessarily the things that happen on the field…the off-the-field things. I enjoy watching the eighth-grade team play, and talking to little kids during the game and whatever.

“I feel like the whole town is behind me, and this team, and I know the whole team is behind me. It’s a team effort. I couldn’t have done it without the team. I can’t win games on my own. It’s definitely a team accomplishment.”

Greenberg was recognized at the Red Storm’s recent home game against Gorham, a 5-0 victory.

Scarborough starter Ben Greenberg unwinds into his throw at home against Gorham on Thursday. Greenberg was recently honored as USA Today’s High School Sports Gatorade Maine Baseball Player of the Year.