May 8, 2012 - Volume-IV - Issue-9
All-Star 3 Academic Football Teams Advances 4 Barnegat in OCT
6
Rumson Gets Top Seed in SCT
Baseball 7 Keansburg Hosting Charity Run
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ASEBALL 8 BTOURNAMENT TIME ACROSSE 9 LTOURNAMENT TIME Wins 10 Manchester B South Title TRS Battles Jackson 12 Memoria 15 Stumpy’s Corner
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May 8, 2012 Vo l u m e - I V I I s s u e - 9
company that provides exciting and innovative coverage to high school athletics in the Shore Conference in order to highlight the achievements of local athletes in one of the premier conferences in New Jersey. Whether it’s the star of the team or the last player off the bench, everyone has a story and it is our mission to recognize as many athletes as possible and add to the memories for all of the families, coaches, friends and fans who support Shore Conference sports. Whether in print or on the Web, All Shore Media is your main source for all things exciting in the Shore Conference.
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Ac ade mi c A ll -S ho re F ootb al l Pl ayers H onore d
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
This year's recipients of the Academic All-Shore honors by the Shore Football Coaches Foundation were recognized on May 6th at the Sheraton in Eatontown for their strong work on and off the field.
Army represenatives from left SGT. Adam R. Reddinger, SSG. Samuel M. Blagrove & Cpt. Lawrence M. Tobin
The banquet also featured the unveiling of this year's rosters for the U.S. Army All-Shore Gridiron Classic at Holmdel High School on July 12. It will mark the 35th edition of New Jersey's oldest allstar football game, pitting the top seniors from Monmouth County against their counterparts from Ocean County.
The divisional coaches of the year from the 2011 season were also recognized. They are as follows: Manalapan's Ed Gurrieri (A North); Matawan's Joe Martucci and Rumson's Shane Fallon (A Central); Southern's Chuck Donohue Sr. (A South); Red Bank Catholic's Jim Portela (B North); Point Beach's John Wagner (B Central); Barnegat's Rob Davis (B South); and Wall's Chris Barnes and Manasquan's Jay Price (C Central). Here are the recipients of the Academic All-Shore honors by team. All of them are seniors, and there were a maximum of two recipients for each team who were nominated by their head coaches. Barnegat Ryan Morris David Smithman
Brick Kevin Francese Kevin Matthews
Brick Memorial Justin Hockaday Ryan Townley
Central Kyle Barker Albert Labagnara
Colts Neck Ryan Oros Victor Scalici
Freehold Peter Scalgione Kenneth Taylor
Freehold Township Zach Lotti Nick LoRusso
Monmouth University head coach Kevin Callahan
Coach Kevin Callahan center & formar Matawan HC Joe Martucci right hand out the Academic Awards
Holmdel John Cardaci Mike Nolan
Manalapan Jesse McEnery Mitch Moy
Monmouth Evan Imber Keone Osby
Raritan Connor Flynn Tyler Kalarjian
Jackson Liberty Charles Burgard Tom Stoudt
Manchester Steven Bick Ken Johnson
Neptune Jazzmar Clax Jaheem Woods
Red Bank Tyler Karalewich Terrance Scanlon
Howell Nick Craig Ryan Davies
Jackson Memorial Colin Macfarlane Nick Petrizzo Keansburg Nick Lozito
Keyport Sam Bellamy Richie Smith
Lacey Ryan Hanula Brandon Lucante
Monsignor Donovan Christopher Fanara Grant Paulus
Manasquan Bryan Abadrabo Kodie McNamara
Matawan Anthony Castaneda Matt Morenz
Mater Dei Prep Michael Miles Brad Rauen
Middletown North Sam Coppola Jessie Fredricks Middletown South Chris Grippo Jon Valentine
Ocean A.J. Caruso Tim Heard
Pinelands Joe Petillo
Point Beach Christian Martino Jordan Pettinato
Point Boro Steven Krohn Andrew Matter
Red Bank Catholic Anthony Dorsi Jimmy Portela
Rumson-FH Dan Babiak Michael Morralle Shore Regional Elpidio Cruz Brendan Dula Southern Kyle Readel Tyler Wilk
St. John Vianney Anthony Carlucci Anthony Pante
Toms River East John Caruso Gavin Reilly
Toms River North Scott Buxbaum Grant Duffield
Toms River South Vinnie Roma Mike Tomkowich
Wall Steve Cluley Matt Pisarcik
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Barn egat Ou tl ast s TR East i n Ocean Cou nt y Tou rname nt
By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer
There is no other pitcher Barnegat head coach Dan McCoy - or maybe any other coach in the Shore Conference - would rather have on the mound in a key situation than his son, Mark, a Wake Forest University recruit and possible Major League Baseball Draft prospect. While McCoy knows he has a battle-tested senior he can turn to on the mound in a tense situation, he also found out he has a freshman who can come through at the plate and behind it as well.
McCoy pitched six-innings of onehit relief and freshman catcher Nick Fraim delivered the game-winning RBI on a line-drive single to center field in the top of the ninth inning as the Bengals, the No. 9 seed in the Ocean County Tournament, outlasted No. 8 Toms River East, 2-1, on May 5 in nine innings in the first round of the OCT.
"This is a great team win and it's a great program win," said Dan McCoy, whose team beat Toms River East 4-1 on April 23. "To come up here and beat a team like Toms River East in a tournament setting is a great accomplishment, especially beating them for a second time."
and advanced when catcher Jordan Hoefling's throw got into the center field.
Fraim worked the count full and on the seventh pitch of the at-bat, he lined a clean single into center to score Ulrich and put Barnegat ahead 2-1. Fraim gave way to pinch-hitter Mike Fusciello in the seventh inning, but re-entered to get the key hit and handle his duties behind the plate.
"I didn't really know about him until the first day of practice," Dan McCoy said. "He obviously showed us he has a lot of talent and a lot of potential, and once we saw what he could do behind the plate and with the bat, he was a guy we wanted to get in the lineup. (Senior) Mike Dunkin was originally Barnegat freshman Nick Fraim our catcher, and we moved him to the outfield because it made out team better."
After McCoy worked into and out of trouble in both the seventh and eighth innings, Barnegat finally mustered some offense of its own against Toms River East starter Dan Foley. Sophomore right fielder Ryan Ulrich walked to lead off the ninth and made it all the way to third when he stole second
"I remember when I was a freshman on varsity and it can be a little overwhelming at times, so I always try to help (Fraim) out when he needs it,’’ Mark McCoy said. “He's a skilled player and he's definitely showed he belongs up here and for the most part, he really doesn't need much help."
Junior Rob DeSanti threw the first three innings of the game and McCoy came on in the fourth to pitch what Dan McCoy planned to be four innings. Mark allowed a double to Lasky to lead off the fourth and did not allow another hit over the next 18 outs. He walked four - one intentional - and struck out nine. DeSanti allowed four hits and walked two while allowing a run on a bases-loaded walk to leadoff hitter Kyle Dietrich. "I told Rob, 'Give us three innings,' and that's what he did," Dan McCoy said. "We had Mark ready to go and we just needed him to keep them down for three and outside of the one walk with the bases loaded, he did about as well as we could have asked."
Both of Barnegat's RBI came from the bottom of its order, with sophomore No. 9 hitter Joe Letinski plating junior third baseman Adam Tynan with a ground out to shortstop in the fifth. Tynan started the inning with a single.
Barnegat will play top-seeded Jackson Memorial in the OCT quarterfinals on May 10.
"It's definitely gratifying to start winning games," said Mark McCoy, who has not played for a team with a winning record yet in high school. "We've struggled to finish off games in the past and I think we're finally starting to put it together."
Game Video Highlights by:
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Boys Lacrosse: Defending Champion Rumson Earns Top Seed in SCT Tuning up to defend its Shore Conference Tournament title, Rumson-Fair Haven’s boys lacrosse team knocked off rival Red Bank Catholic 16-5 on May 5 to cement its status as the team to beat as the tournament gets underway.
Rumson improved to 12-0 with the win over the Caseys, who are considered a top-four team in the Shore and only had two losses entering the game.
The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick lead with goals by Jack Curran (3 goals and 2 assists), Michael Clarke (1 goal and 2 assists), and Chris Sutphen (2 goals and 1 assist) and led 4-1 at the end of the first period. RFH kept the offensive pressure on in the second period by outscoring RBC 3-1 to take a 7-2 lead at the half.
win over Jackson Memorial in a rematch of last season’s SCT championship game.
For the season, the Bulldogs have scored 140 goals with Curran leading the way with 45 points (31 goals and 14 assists). Clarke has 28 points (17 goals and 11 assists) and Sutphen has 26 points (18 goals and 8 assists). Tildesley has been impressive in goal all season long with 112 saves.
The Bulldogs’ offense was relentless as 10 different players scored on the way to an 11-goal victory. Goalie Artie Tildesley was a force in goal with some amazing stops and totaled 10 saves in the game. Tildesley also had an assist in the game on a pass that traveled the length of the field for another RFH goal. The high-powered offense and stifling defense have been apparent all season long with some of their latest lop-sided victories over Barnegat, Shore Regional, St. Rose, and most importantly, a 6-4
Rumson attackman Jack Curran
Rumson attackman Michael Clarke
RBC midfielder Kyle Vill
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Keansburg Baseball Holding Event to Benefit Wounded Warrior Project
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor After raising $10,000 last year to benefit the Wounded Warrior Project, the Keansburg baseball team is hosting the second annual Titan 5K Run/Walk on May 12 to help assist members of the military who have been injured in service of our country.
Over 40,000 service members have been injured in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is further estimated that over 300,000 suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. Through innovative programs, services, and new technology, Wounded Warrior Project is further connecting and finding resources for this generation of warriors.
The aim of the WWP is to raise awareness and enlist the public’s help of injured service members, to help injured service members assist one another, and to provide direct programs that meet their needs.
Registration is $25 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under, and registration is at 7:30 a.m. The race begins in the parking lot of Keansburg High School.
Members of the Keansburg baseball team will be either participating in the race or serving as support staff. Titans head coach Brian Kmak came across the WWP online last year and felt it was a good cause for his team to get behind while also ensuring that they give back to the community. “It was unbelievable,’’ Kmak said about last year’s event. “I was overwhelmed with all the different groups and businesses in the town that came out to support it, so we definitely wanted to bring it back this year and continue to grow it as a regular event.’’ More than 200 participants took part in the race, which begins and ends at Keansburg High School. Members of neighboring police departments also helped out and several Titans athletic alumni were part of the field.
“I think it shows our kids that there is more to being part of a team than just playing,’’ Kmak said. “They see they can have an impact on the community.’’
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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor ith th e cou n ty to u r n a men ts s till in th e ea r ly r o u n d s an d th e S h o r e Co n f er en ce an d N JS I AA Tou r n a men ts r ap idly ap pr oach in g, it’s time to take a loo k at two top s tor ylin es a s we h ea d in to th e h ome s tr etch o f th e S h or e Con f er en ce ba s eball s ea s on .
While it looked for much of the season like Red Bank Catholic, Wall, Toms River South and Jackson Memorial would be the heavy favorites to make it deep into the local tournaments, the last two weeks have shown that there are plenty of other worthy contenders out there. Colts Neck handed RBC its first loss after a 10-0 start and then beat Wall a week later.
Middletown South has captured the Class A North title and also has a win over Wall. Toms River South and Jackson Memorial are neck-and-neck in the race for the Class A South title, but both were picked off once in the division in addition to splitting their two games against one another.
The early rounds of the SCT should be a freefor-all given how competitive teams have been in the last two weeks, with pitching matchups playing a huge role. A majority of the teams do not have much depth behind their ace, but if a certain pitcher like Barnegat’s Mark McCoy or Brick Memorial’s Brian Cottrell is on the mound, it makes teams that may be double-digit seeds in the SCT into very dangerous early-round opponents.
Here are some other trends and storylines that have defined this season thus far. The new BBCOR bats have changed the way most teams play.
The return of small ball, stolen bases, hit-and-runs and
Barnegat’s Mark McCoy
bunting runners over has occurred because teams can’t just bomb teams into submission with home runs thanks to the new bats. The BBCOR bats, which stands for “Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution,’’ were adopted across the country when the National Federation of State High School Associations put the rule into effect on Jan. 1.
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While the senior class certainly has its share of standouts, the two classes behind it feature some of the Shore Conference’s top players and most promising prospects at the next level.
It has resulted in lowerscoring games and a quicker pace of play without as many 17-12 slugfests that drag on for hours. It also has put a premium on line-drive hitters and has revealed who the true power-hitting prospects in the Shore Conference really are. Virginia-bound Jackson Memorial junior catcher Matt Thaiss led the Shore with five home runs through May 7, but he was one of only five players with more than two home runs this season. Right behind him with three apiece was his teammate, Bucknellbound senior infielder Joe Ogren, and Red Bank Catholic junior third baseman Mike Rescigno, one of the top prospects in the state from the Class of 2013.
The junior class has more high-end talent than any Shore Conference class in recent memory. Christian Brothers Academy pitcher/first baseman Joe Dudek is committed to the University of North Carolina and pitcher Matt Pidich is committed to Pittsburgh, Jackson Memorial’s Matt Thaiss is headed to the University of Virginia, and Red Bank Catholic pitcher/third baseman Mike Rescigno is being pursued by multiple ACC programs and has the potential to be a MLB draft pick next year. Also, Toms River North junior pitcher Karl Blum has attracted ACC interest, and CBA pitcher John McCarren has received heavy Division I interest. Thaiss’s teammate, junior Spencer Young, also has had a big season.
RBC's Al Molina
While also affecting offensive stats, the new bats have changed
the approach of many pitchers. Fearful of giving up a cheap bloop single with men on base, pitchers were often afraid to challenge hitters inside with the old bats. Now they attack consistently, and it has produced some eyeopening numbers, particularly from a pair of pitchers in Class B South.
SJV's Anthony Santoro
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Wake Forest recruit Mark McCoy, a senior lefty at Barnegat, has posted a 0.22 earned run average through 31 2/3
innings this season, striking out 45 and allowing 14 hits. He is being projected to be taken as high as the third round in June’s Major League Baseball FirstYear Player Draft. His counterpart on Manchester, senior Tim Rogers, also has been lights-out with a 0.34 ERA and a Shore Conference-high 57 strikeouts in 41 innings, and he also threw a no-hitter against Lacey in his first start.
While the new bats have benefited pitchers, they also have played a premium on defense up the middle. With more teams trying to hit-and-run, steal bases and play small ball and more games being low-scoring, one-run affairs, there is added pressure to be flawless in the field. A team like Wall that has Monmouth University recruit Connor White behind the plate and the tandem of Chaz Salvo and Mitchell Preston up the middle and Ty Block in center field can enter the postseason feeling comfortable that it will make the plays in the field during crunch time. The classes of 2013 and 2014 have made their presence felt.
Colts Neck has a team chocked full of impact juniors who have triggered a major improvement from last season. Outfielders Lucien Dellafera and Tim Vangelas, catcher Matt Kleinstein and shortstop Jon Baturgil have been a huge reason for the Cougars’ success. For St. Rose, pitcher/first baseman Brad Currao has been a centerpiece of the Purple Roses’ success. The sophomore class has also contributed in a major way. Three of St. John Vianney’s top players are sophomores, as catcher Anthony Santoro is the Lancers’ cleanup hitter and one of the best young talents in the Shore Conference. First baseman/outfielder Evan Pietronico has been one of the team’s top hitters all season, and infielder Joe Rotelli is now eligible after sitting 30 days by rule after transferring from Holmdel, where he started as a freshman.
Holmdel also has one of the top young hitters in the Shore in first baseman Joe Sadler, who leads the team in multiple categories. However, the sophomore having the biggest season of them all is Toms River South’s Russell Messler, who has been outstanding through the first month. Through May 4, he was among the Shore Conference leaders in batting average (.500), hits (24), doubles (6), triples (4) and runs scored (12) in his first season as a varsity starter.
A pair of shortstops, RBC’s Al Molina and Middletown South’s Kyle Brey, as well as RBC sophomore second baseman Brendan Madigan, have emerged as top offensive players for two teams looking to make deep runs in the postseason. Shore Regional’s Matt Cosentino and Red Bank Regional’s Jacob Nappi, a pair of outfielders, also have been significant contributors for their respective teams, while at the smallschool level, infielder Noah Yates has emerged as a top offensive threat for Point Beach.
TRS’s Russell Messler
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By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
s th e S h or e Co n f er en ce Bo ys Lacr o s s e To u r n amen t go t u n der wa y th is week , th er e was o n e ob vio u s qu es tion .
C an
Anyone Stop RumsonFair Haven?
The undefeated Bulldogs are the defending SCT champions and the No. 1 seed. Not only that, but they dispatched of the majority of the main contenders to their throne during the regular season. They topped second-seeded Jackson Memorial 6-4 in a rematch of last year ’s SCT championship game, took care of third-seeded Christian Brothers Academy, 11-8, and dispatched of fourthseeded Red Bank Catholic, 16-5, only two days before the SCT began.
Those are three of the main teams that will try to close the gap between now and the championship game on May 15 at Holmdel High School. They will have to find a way to slow down Rumson’s explosive attack led by Villanova-bound senior Jack Curran along with junior attack Michael Clarke and sophomore attack Chris Sutphen. The Bulldogs also have a battletested
veteran goalie in senior Artie Tildesley who has been very solid in the fourth quarter of tight games, including the win over Jackson Memorial. Jackson’s Connor Cunningham
Rumson’s Jack Curran
some newcomers on defense and in goal get settled. The combination of senior attackmen Connor Cunningham and Nick Wolf is one of the most lethal duos in the area. Cunningham entered the SCT with a team-high 37 goals along with 25 assists, and Wolf was right behind with 36 goals and 31 assists. Junior Evan Farrar has also emerged as another complementary scoring threat with 28 goals and seven assists.
Sophomore midfielder Scott Wedgeworth leads the Jaguars in groundballs with 70 in his first year as a starter. Junior Ryan Young and sophomore Vinny Celidonio also both have over 50 groundballs to lead a young but talented defense in front of first-year starting goalie Drew Smith, a converted midfielder who has two shutouts under his belt. The Jaguars started off the SCT on the right foot with a 14-4 win over Wall.
CBA
Jackson Memorial
appears to be the primary team capable of toppling the Bulldogs thanks to a relentless offensive attack that has helped
R um s on’s D a nie l B a bia k & J a c k s on’s Vinny C e lidonio
also features one of the Shore’s top offensive players in senior midfielder Donny Finn, who passed 100 career goals and 100 career assists earlier this season. He leads a potent attack that also includes Luke Habich, and the eight goals the Colts posted in their regular-season loss to Rumson are one of the highest totals allowed by the Bulldogs this season. The Colts kicked off their SCT run with a 13-7 win over Shore Regional.
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Ro ger T ha t: Manchester Grabs Share of Division Title
By Matt Manley – Senior Staff Writer For the second straight year, the Manchester baseball team has clinched at least a share of the Shore Conference Class B South division championship, and that's where the Hawks want comparisons between this year and last year to end.
deep into both the Shore Conference and NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III Tournaments while Manchester scuffled to a 12-9 finish.
"We heard some of the things their players were saying (on social media), how we're not that good, so we were feeling pretty motivated," Rogers said. "It's just basic trash-talk, we all do it, but it definitely fueled us. It's a big game anyway, we're playing for a division but we definitely wanted to show we are the better team."
Rogers benefited from three double plays turned by his defense, one to end the first, one in the third and the last to end the game, but did plenty on his own as well. In the fifth inning, Rogers had a rare four-strikeout inning. He struck out his third hitter of the inning on a swinging strikeout, but his slider in the dirt got away from catcher Aaron Kane and pinch-hitter Aaron Strong took first base. Rogers responded by fanning Ryan Griffith to end the inning with his fourth strikeout of the frame.
Senior righty Tim Rogers struck out nine batters and the Hawks scored nine runs in the third inning on the way to a 9-1 win over Brick on May 3, clinching a piece of the title and eliminating the team that shared the title with the Hawks last year from contention.
Last season, Brick and Manchester were neck-and-neck through the regular season, but the Green Dragons took off and won the Ocean County Tournament and advanced
"We had a 30-minute meeting (Wednesday) and coach (John Musolf) gave us an inspirational speech," Rogers said. "The message was that if we want to accomplish what we're capable of and become a team that's respected and remembered, now is the time to start playing our best. We've had a pretty good year, but I still think we can play better."
"The defense is huge," Rogers said. "When you know you have guys behind you who are going to turn hits into outs and then score runs at the plate, it gives a pitcher a lot of confidence."
With a knockout slider, Rogers has ascended to the top of the Shore Conference leaderboard in strikeouts this season with 53. Manchester pitcher Tim Rogers He threw a nohitter in his first start of the season against Lacey, a game in which he struck out 15. Rogers has featured the slider over the past two seasons, but he believes the refinement of his twoseam fastball has made him a better pitcher this year, one who uses his defense. "I had the two-seamer last year, but it was something I wanted to work on and refine this year to be able to get a ground ball when I needed it," Rogers said.
The offense gave Rogers as much help as the defense did, rolling nine runs across the plate in the bottom of the third inning. Brick did its part by committing an error, and falling victim to two miscommunication incidents, while junior third baseman Ed White and senior left fielder Dan Tuma each had key doubles in the rally.
"We came out pretty motivated," White said. "(Brick starter Trevor Mastria) got us behind in some counts the first time through the order, but we got a chance to see his cutter and measure him up. He threw me a cutter in my second at bat and I took it, then he threw me a two-seamer and I was able to jump on it." White broke a scoreless tie with a long two-run double to left field with the bases loaded and Tuma - who led off the inning with a single - later cranked an RBI double to the gap in right-center to make it 6-0. Kane also added a two-run single in the inning to make it 8-0.
Tuma had two hits in the key inning and gave the Hawks plenty of energy out of the No. 9 hole. After his double in the third, Tuma began jawing with Brick second baseman Bill Berg. "Coach (Musolf) wants a second lead-off hitter in that number-nine spot and that's the kind of player I want to be down there," Tuma said. Tuma and shortstop John Sudol each finished 2-for-3, while first baseman Matt Zingaro went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
"We came out fired up, we put some runs up and stuck to it," Tuma said. "We showed them who the better team was."
Game Video Highlights by:
Matt manley
www.allshoremedia.com
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Lacrosse Continued from page 9
Red Bank Catholic had to escape a
scare just to get out of the first round of the SCT when the Caseys edged 13th-seeded Howell 8-7 to advance to face a hard-nosed Southern team in the quarterfinals. RBC senior Doug Whitlock, who is headed to Navy to play football, is one of the top
midfielders in the Shore. He was second on the team in scoring with 23 goals entering the tournament. Junior Cal Whaley leads a C B A’s D onny Finn balanced attack with 26 goals and Whitlock’s younger brother, Chris, is third with 21. The Caseys also look to get a boost from the return of senior attack Ryan Anderson, who is returning from what could have been a potentially career-ending shoulder injury.
RBC’s primary asset has been its defense, also led by Doug Whitlock, who had a team-high 64 groundballs during the regular season in front of goalies Chet Tooker and Tyler Leonard. Fifth-seeded
Southern
edged Class A South
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rival Toms River East 6-4 to get out of the first round and give itself a shot at knocking off RBC in the quarterfinals. The Rams are hoping to make noise despite only having two seniors on the roster, as they have two of the best freshmen in the Shore Conference. Freshman attack Dylan Jinks entered the SCT with a teamhigh 40 goals, and freshman goalie Brendan Lefanto has 14 starts and a .760 save percentage.
The Rams’ other top scorers are also part of the youth brigade, as sophomore Brendan Mullen scored 34 goals heading into the SCT and junior Tyler Lipositz had 18 goals and 32 assists. They have complemented a team built around the defense, led by juniors Frank Thissen and Nick Jinks, the latter of who is Dylan’s older brother. The Rams battled Jackson Memorial down to the wire in Class A South, losing 9-5 to the Jaguars in a game that decided the division title. Other teams that could be in the mix are sixthseeded Colts Neck and 10th-seeded Holmdel , both of which picked up first-round wins. Holmdel went to overtime to upend seventh-seeded Brick and advance to face Jackson Memorial, while Colts Neck beat Freehold Township 10-4 to advance.
Eighth-seeded Brick Memorial also made history with a 9-5 win over ninth-seeded Red Bank Regional that marked the first SCT win in Mustangs’ program history.
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Cliff Lavelle ww w.cle ared ge . ze nfol io.com
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Rivalry Renewed: TR South Upends Jackson Memorial
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
After having beaten Jackson Memorial three times in 2010 behind current Monmouth University pitcher Andrew McGee, Toms River South watched as the Jaguars got the upper hand in the rivalry with two wins last season and a rout earlier this year. In a year where it looked like graduation might finally catch up with one of the state's top programs, the newcomers at Toms River South heard the chatter about how the Indians could take a backseat to the Jaguars this season.
Jackson made it 1-0 in the first inning when Nick Petrizzo led off with a single, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a sacrifice fly by junior Matt Thaiss. The lead became 3-0 in the second inning when junior Spencer Young, who went 3-for-3 in the loss, hit the first of his two doubles, went to third on a wild pitch and then scored when
Toms River South had an answer for that on April 30th in a showdown between the top two teams in the All Shore Media Top 10. The No. 2 Indians avenged the earlier loss to the Jaguars and beat them at Larry D'Zio Field for the first time in six years behind a strong performance by Rutgers-bound senior righthander Kyle Driscoll in a 5-3 victory in a Class A South game. Toms River South is now tied with Jackson Memorial for first place in the division as it tries to prevent the Jaguars from repeating as Class A South champions.
After a shaky first two innings, the 6-foot-6 Driscoll settled into a groove to throw five scoreless frames and polish off a complete-game six-hitter, striking out seven and walking one. He threw three wild pitches and allowed three runs in the first two innings, including two that came as a result of his own throwing error, but regrouped to silence a potent Jackson lineup the rest of the way in a 97-pitch effort.
"He had his college coaches (from Rutgers) here, so maybe he was a little nervous,'' said Toms River South coach Ken Frank. "He had (head coach) Freddie Hill in rightfield and (assistant) Joe Litterio on the other side. I told him, 'Just bear down and be yourself.' Fortunately, he got stronger as the game went on. He showed a lot.''
"I needed to prove to (the Rutgers coaches) that I'm back (from an early-season injury),'' Driscoll said. "After the first two innings, I knew I had to bear down. I couldn't let them get any more than that.''
"Driscoll was ready to go after we got that lead,'' Devish said. "He's a big-time Division I recruit, and he had what it took to shut them down after that.''
Jackson's biggest threat after Toms River South took the lead came in the sixth inning when Mike Folk and Young hit consecutive two-out singles. Driscoll responded by whistling a fastball for a called strike three on pinch-hitter Bryan Johnston to end the inning.
"In the beginning my curve was working, but in the middle of the game, it just didn't work,'' Driscoll said. "I just kept with the fastball. It felt like I was getting looser as I went along, and throwing harder. I do better when we have a one-run lead. There's no room for error.''
"People have been saying Jackson is the new South, but we showed them that we're still here,'' said senior second baseman Rob Cashin, who had a solo homer in the win. "We're not going anywhere.'' "Hearing that gets us going,'' Driscoll said. "That just makes us want to beat them more. We can't stand that. We're the South, the team with the tradition. I love playing Jackson. They bring the best out of us, and we seem to bring the best out of them.''
a run scored and an RBI in the win, followed with a single. He went to third on a single by Shane McCullough, who had a pair of hits, and then scored on an infield hit by senior James Burke to make it 3-2. Senior Sam Leone then dropped down a great bunt to the third base side, and the ensuing errant throw allowed McCullough and Burke to score for a 4-3 lead.
Toms River South senior pitcher Kyle Driscoll
Driscoll sailed a throw over the first baseman's head after a grounder by junior Brian Delesky back to the mound.
His error allowed Delesky to advance to second, and he went to third on a wild pitch and then scored on an RBI groundout by sophomore Nick Dabrio for a 3-0 lead.
Toms River South rallied to get all the runs it would need with a four-run fourth inning against Jackson Memorial senior ace Brandon Holup, an East Stroudsburg recruit. Cashin got things started when he hit a high fastball up into the wind blowing out to left field and it sailed over the fence for a solo home run to lead off the inning. "I kind of just threw the bat out there and got around on it and it carried out,'' Cashin said. "(Holup) was doing a great job, and we needed something to get us going, and that's exactly what it did.'' Senior shortstop R.J. Devish, who went 3-for-4 with
Devish tacked on an insurance run in the seventh inning when he punched a high fastball the opposite way to right field for a two-out RBI double to score sophomore Russell Messler, who had reached on an error. Driscoll avoided any suspense in the bottom of the inning, getting a diving catch by Cashin on a line drive to second base and then getting a flyout to centerfield and a foul popup to third base to end a 10-game winning streak by the Jaguars.
"This was a must-win to stay on top of A South,'' Devish said.
It also discounted the notion that Toms River South might take a step back after graduating a heralded senior class.
"We wanted to prove it to ourselves,'' Cashin said. "We followed those great players, and we wanted to go out and show what we can do, and that's exactly what we've done.''
"These kids are working so damn hard,'' Frank said. "They're working harder than many of the teams I've had here.''
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Charity Walk in Memory of Manchester Student to Benefit American Lung Association
By Scott Stump – Managing Editor
On May 12 at Winding River Park in Toms River, local residents are encouraged to come out for a 5K walk to raise money for the American Lung Association while also honoring the memory of Francesca Marie Previti, a Manchester High School sophomore who died at 14 years old in September.
A vibrant sophomore cheerleader for the Hawks, Previti, affectionately known as “Frankie,’’ went into cardiac arrest because of asthma while walking around the school track during gym class at the end of the day and passed away. Proceeds from the walk will go to the American Lung Association to help the millions of Americans who suffer from asthma and other forms of lung disease. More than one million people in New Jersey are affected by asthma, according to the ALA, and
255,484 of them are children. It is the No. 1 cause of school absences, which total 12.8 million lost days each year nationally.
The walk will begin at Picnic Area No. 1 at Winding River Park at 10 a.m., and registration is at 9 a.m. Companies and families are encouraged to sign up in addition to individuals. Participants can also create their own web page to email friends and family to help support fund-raising efforts.
Fo r mor e in f or ma tion , con tact J a ck ie Cas cio a t Th e Amer ican Lu n g As s o cia tion at 908 - 6 85 - 8 040 ext. 3 09 or via ema il at jcas cio @ lu n gin f o.o r g .
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A SM / 15 Preston and outfielder Ty Block. Duncan’s .533 batting average ranked second in the Shore through May 4, and he also was tied for first in hits with 24 and triples with four.
and scored the winning run in the 11th inning to help the Rams make a surprising move to the quarterfinals.
Their teams are not having the
type of success that heavyweights at places like Toms River South, Jackson Memorial and Red Bank Catholic have had this season, but several players around the Shore Conference are quietly putting together huge years under the radar. Two of the biggest examples are Point Boro junior catcher Ryan Prout and Southern senior outfielder Jack Bush, who have been consistently productive for two teams that have been under .500 for much of the season while playing competitive schedules.
Prout may be better known as a quarterback-chasing linebacker on the football team, but he is putting together a monster season at the plate for a team that is fighting to reach .500 by the cutoff for the Shore Conference Tournament on May 14. Through May 4, Prout was hitting .449 with 22 hits, a Shore Conference-high 11 doubles, and 14 RBIs for the Panthers, ranking in the top 10 in several categories. Even in losses against top pitchers, Prout is usually the one doing damage for Point Boro.
Monmouth Regional Freehold senior shortstop senior shortstop Brandon Pollina has Matt Holtz has also been one of the Shore’s exploded in the first most improved players. month for a below-.500 While Seton Hallteam, as he was hitting bound teammate Luke .489 with a Shore Cahill rightfully gets Conference-high 24 hits, plenty of attention, 10 doubles, 12 stolen Pollina has become a bases and 19 runs scored, standout as a senior the last of which ranked after moving over from second in the Shore. Like second base. He has Prout, Red Bank Regional been a solid fielder and junior catcher Dillon a linchpin in the lineup Stambaugh is better after an offseason in known as a tackling which veteran head machine at linebacker for Wall's Scott Duncan coach Ted Jarmusz said the Bucs, but he has that Pollina worked proven to be a star on the harder than almost any other player he’s ever coached. diamond as well. With a .470 average, 24 hits, and 14 He led the team with 17 hits and a .378 average RBIs, he was right among the top 10 in several through games in early May. categories. The surprises have not been limited to offensive players either, as pitchers like Brick Memorial’s Brian Cottrell and Neptune’s Tyler Daly have been impressive after entering the season under the radar. Cottrell leads the Shore at 5-0 and has made the Mustangs a very dangerous team when he is on the mound. Daly, who will continue his career at junior college power Brookdale, is among the Shore Conference leaders in strikeouts and has had multiple double-digit strikeout starts this season. He has made the Scarlet Fliers into a team that will be a low seed in the tournaments but will not be one opponents want to face with Daly on the hill.
Bush has been the same way, as his 10 doubles were one behind Prout among the leaders. He already has the Southern career record for There also are the doubles, and he could players who are on the possibly wind up with the more high-profile teams school record for highest Monmouth's Brandon Pollina but have opened eyes career average. At .525, he after being was fourth in the Shore among the batting leaders overshadowed by more heralded teammates. Wall through May 4, and that’s playing in Class A South, senior rightfielder Scott Duncan is putting together an one of the most competitive divisions in the state. His impressive year despite not being as well-known as finest moment came in an upset of third-seeded teammates like Monmouth University-bound catcher Manchester in the Ocean County Tournament on May Connor White and ace Harry Paytas, or mainstays like 5, as he belted a three-run homer in the first inning third baseman Jim Guiliano, shortstop Mitchell
The hardest part, of course, is when it comes time to sit down and select the ASM All-Shore teams and it comes down to a player with bigger numbers against one whose team was more successful. One side will argue that the reason a team was so successful was because of all of its talent, which should be rewarded with an All-Shore selection. The other side will argue that just because a player wasn’t on a championshipwinning team, he still tore it up statistically and it’s not his fault that wins didn’t follow.
There also is the catch of what type of pitching the players with big numbers did it against. Often teams near the bottom of the standings only see opponents’ second-, third- or fourth-best starters, whereas those at the top can face one ace after another. A player putting up numbers against a succession of No. 1 starters is obviously more impressive than racking up hits against second-tier competition. But again, do you blame that on the player when it’s not in his control who the other team chooses to put out there on the mound?
I’m sure this year won’t be any easier, but it’s worth noting that there are some great players out there beyond just the rosters of the top 10 teams in the Shore Conference. Don’t always judge talent by the win-loss record attached to the team.
Photos by
Cliff Lavelle
ww w.cle ared ge . ze nfol io.com
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