6-4-19 Issue - 7 Volume XI Shore Sports Network

JUne 7, 2019 Volume-XI Issue-7

The first thing fans, players, coaches and parents want to know after the big game is always, � � Is this going to be on Shore Sports Network has established itself as a leader in scholastic sports coverage in Monmouth and Ocean counties, providing more video highlight clips, in-depth reporting, feature stories and regular updates than ANY OTHER OUTLET in the area.

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of all the important games that Shore Conference fans will be talking about. n Catch up on the action you might have missed n Watch video clips of everything from the action early in the event to the big finish as well as video interviews with various athletes. n www.shoresportsnetwork.com is the most visited sports site in the Shore Conference during the scholastic year n Follow us on Twitter (over 18,000 followers) & Facebook, we keep fans posted on the latest scores and news n Established leading portal for local high school coverage.

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Senior Content Providers MATT Manley // mmanley21@gmail.com GREGG Lerner // glerner3@verizon.net

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LACROSSE STARS OF FUTURE & PRESENT GATHER THURSDAY JUNE 13TH AT DONOVAN CATHOLIC By

Bob Badders – Senior Managing Editor

O

n Thursday evening at Donovan Catholic High School in Toms River, Dynamic Sports Event Marketing & Management will present the 2019 Shore Conference Lacrosse Coaches Association senior and youth all-star games featuring some of the top boys lacrosse players in the Shore as well as some of the best eighth-graders in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

The night will begin with the eighth-grade youth allstar game at 6 p.m. and the high school seniors will follow and take the field at 8 p.m.

conference and state career records for goals (392) and points (558). Line mate Ryan Anderson also had a tremendous season and career and finished third in the state in points with 49 goals and 67 assists for 116 points. Anderson concluded his career with 104 goals and 238 points. Rutgers recruit James Pendergist was a two-way force in the midfield for Manasquan, as was Mike Page, a dynamic long-stick midfielder who will continue his career at Syracuse. Manasquan had a fantastic defense, and a major reason why was the play of standout pole Jack Fabean (Richmond) and goalie Mike LaPoint (Tampa), who spearheaded a unit that allowed just 3.2 goals per game.

The North all-star team is a loaded squad that features 10 SCLCA First Team All-Shore selections, including six from the incredible senior class at Manasquan. The top-ranked Warriors won their third straight Shore Conference Tournament title this season and also claimed the program’s third NJSIAA state sectional title in the last four seasons.

The North also features a pair of standouts from No. 2-ranked Christian Brothers Academy. Which captured the Class A North division title and reached the SCT championship game for the second straight season.

Attackman Connor Macrae was among the Shore’s top scorers this season with 65 goals and 25 assists while defenseman Tommy Gray was a shutdown defenseman and two-time All-Shore selection for the Colts.

Attackman Canyon Birch leads the way after an record-breaking season and career that saw him finish as New Jersey’s all-time leading goal scorer and point producer. Birch, who will continue his career at Penn State, scored a state-leading 118 goals and added 51 assists for a state-best 169 points. He obliterated both

Freehold Township will have four players representing their program with midfielders Matt Kondrup and Nick Elimanco, defenseman Evan Nastarowicz and goalie Aidan Purcell. Kondrup scored a team-high 35 goals, Nastarowicz picked up 81 ground balls and Purcell had a .639 save percentage and 202 saves to lead the way.

The South allstar team will be led by a contingent of five players from Class B South champion Shore Regional. The Blue Devils had the best season in program history in going 15-2, winning their first division title and advancing to the SCT semifinals and the South Jersey Group 1 semifinals for the first time in program history. Attackman Jake Turner and midfielder Gil Goldsmith were third and fourth in the conference in scoring, respectively, and also top 10 in the state. Turner, who was a midfielder before this season, posted 62 goals and 42 assists while Goldsmith capped his tremendous, 300-plus point career with 31 goals and a conferenceleading 71 assists. Midfielder Jack McCrae had a splendid senior season with 49 goals and 29 assists while attackman Tom Bocco tallied 41 goals and 14 assists. Shore’s defense held opponents to an average of 5.4 goals per game, and a big reason was the play of defenseman Gunnar Schuelzky.

Lacey had another solid season in finishing second to Shore Regional in B South and will have six players participating in the all-star game. Attackman Dylan Vitale and Dominic Waltonowski were two of the top scorers in the conference and combined for nearly 200 points. Vitale’s 75 goals were the second-most in the

Shore and he finished with a career-high 97 points.

Waltonowski totaled 41 goals and 51 assists to finish ninth in the Shore in scoring with 92 points. Joining Vitale and Waltonowski will be midfielders Chris Augustine (27 goals, 15 assists) and Ryan Giles (16 goals, 15 assists) and defensemen Ryan Collins and Shane Flanegan.

Southern Regional captured its seventh straight Class A South division title this season and will be represented by midfielder Ajani Steverson, defenseman Ian Maul and goalie Luke Maul. Steverson had a career year with 45 goals and 11 assists while Luke Maul, with an assist from twin brother Ian and the rest of the Rams defense, was again one of the top goalies in the conference with 157 saves and a .633 save percentage.

Other standouts include Ocean attackman Holden Lowe, Red Bank Catholic attackman Ryan Schellin, Rumson-Fair Haven defenseman Ethan Ardolino, Wall defenseman Shane Meyler, Holmdel midfielder and face-off specialist Dan Tempone and Donovan Catholic midfielder and face-off ace Trevor Barber. Lowe scored 58 goals and 14 assists and Schellin had 68 goals and 28 assists. Meyler and Ardolino were both SCLCA First Team All-Shore selections. Tempone and Barber should have a good battle on Thursday as two of the best in the Shore on draws. Barber led the conference with a .769 winning percentage and also scored 43 goals and picked up 79 ground balls. Tempone had a .683 winning percentage, collected a conference-best 186 ground balls and tallied 33 goals and 14 assists.

Complete rosters for both the senior and youth allstar games can be found at ShoreSportsNetwork.com.

Special thanks to the game’s title sponsor, Dynamic Sports Event Marketing & Management, for their support of Shore Conference lacrosse.

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By Matt Manley

Senior Staff Writer

W

ith so much still at stake in the 2019 season’s final few days, the final spots in the Top 10 are going to be decided on the last day. As for the actual teams that belong in the top 10, there is really not a lot of room for debate.

Here is a look at how the teams stacked up heading into the Shore Conference Tournament final and state-championship Saturday in Hamilton Township.

Through games played on Monday, June 3

Manalapan

Point Pleasant Boro (23-6, 9-5)

(24-8, 11-3)

To say that Manalapan’s finish to the 2019 season has been emotional would be an understatement. The Braves watched their pursuit of a Group IV championship end on the heels to a controversial call that took the tying run off the board in the seventh inning of a 1-0 Group IV semifinal loss to Eastern. The next day, the team learned of the passing of a sophomore teammate in the program, then had to turn around and prepare for a Shore Conference Tournament final vs. Red Bank Catholic. Before that game, Manalapan had proven itself to be as well-rounded as any team at the Shore, with a 2-1 record vs. CBA, a head-to-head win over Wall and a Central Jersey Group IV championship to its credit.

Wall (26-4, 12-2) If not for a head-to-head loss to CBA with its ace in the mound, Wall might be playing for a fourth championship on Saturday and a No. 1 spot in the final rankings.

As it stands, the Crimson KNIGHTS could still wind up No. 1 but a head-to-head loss to Manalapan in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals will mean the Knights need some help to finish in the top spot. Regardless of the rankings scenarios, a more important title is in front of the Knights in the form of the Group III championship, which they will go for Saturday with Trey Dombroski on the mound. If Wall can end its 15-year state title drought, they will have a pretty compelling case for No. 1.

Christian Brothers Academy (18-7, 10-4) CBA was eliminated from the Shore Conference Tournament in the quarterfinal round, finished third in Class A North, lost at home in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A semifinals to St. Joseph of Metuchen, and went a combined 1-5 against Middletown South and Manalapan. On the flip side, the Colts won the Monmouth County Tournament by beating Trey Dombroski (Wall), Spencer Bauer (Manasquan) and Kevin Schoenberger (Ocean) – all of whom suffered their first losses of the season vs. CBA in the MCT (and in the case of Dombroski and Schoenberger, their only losses). In some cases, County Tournament runs can end up watered down because of a cluttered schedule, but CBA got no breaks during their run and should be rewarded for it.

Red Bank Catholic (22-6, 14-0) Although the Caseys did not get past the quarterfinal rounds of either the MCT or the South Jersey Non-Public A bracket, they still made it to the SCT championship game and put themselves in position to at least have a case to be the Shore’s No. 1 team at the end of 2019. RBC has three wins over Manasquan and one over Jackson Memorial to headline its resume, while its losses have to come to heavy-hitters in Delbarton, Middletown South, Manasquan, Jackson Memorial, Bergen Catholic and Notre Dame.

The Panthers keep on climbing and with two big-game pitchers in Nick Guzzi and Sam Collins rested for the Group II championship game, Point Boro could very well find itself in the top-five at seasons end. While Guzzi and Collins have been the undisputed top-two in the rotation, Point Boro would not have made it to the Group II final without senior Christian Aurin’s pitching performance in an 8-4 Group II semifinal win over West Deptford. With an Ocean County Tournament and Central Jersey Group II titles already in the bank in 2019, Point Boro has a chance to cap its season with a third title and a spot comfortably in the top-five.

Jackson Memorial (20-5, 12-2) After finishing 2018 No. 1 and beginning 2019 in the same spot, the Jaguars had a head-scratching season. They won 20 games, won the Class A South title and scored a number of resounding victories during the regular season against Jackson Liberty, Somerville, Bayonne, Red Bank Catholic and Manalapan. On the other hand, Jackson Memorial failed to get past the quarterfinal round in all three tournaments and were eliminated in two of them by teams that currently sport a losing record (Toms River East and Cherokee). Throw in a regular-season loss to Central (318) and three of the five losses are to teams well below the .500 mark. It was a shocking end for a team that won a South Jersey Group IV championship last year with basically the same cast and looked so dominant at times in 2019. Most of the group will be back again next year, but replacing hit machine Alex Iadisernia, shortstop Ahmir Cournier and left-hander Joe Princiotta will be plenty challenging.

Manasquan (17-6, 11-3) Manasquan’s bid for a championship season ended with a loss to Red Bank Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals, which followed a sectional quarterfinal exit in the Central Jersey Group III bracket. Despite those losses, the Warriors took a significant step forward this year and returned to the ranks of Group II contenders behind a deep pitching staff and a monster offensive season from senior third baseman and Monmouth University commit James Harmstead (.470 average, 9 home runs, 5 triples, 34 RBI in 89 plate appearances).

Middletown South (17-7, 12-2) Like Jackson Memorial, Middletown South could not get past the quarterfinal round in any of the three tournaments, losing in the final eight in the MCT, SCT and Central Jersey Group IV – all at home. While that may seem like a disappointment, Middletown South entered the year with an untested pitching staff and 2018 First Team All-Shore shortstop and Seton Hall commit Aurelio Licata played in one game this season due to a shoulder injury. Throw in the fact that the Eagles were coming off a losing campaign in 2018 and the 17-7 finish with an outright Class A North championship become even greater accomplishments. The graduation of second baseman Robby Zega and catcher Trevor Brey will leave two big holes to fill in the lineup but the Eagles are set to return a strong core of current juniors and sophomores in 2020.

Jackson Liberty (23-4, 14-0) For the third straight year, Jackson Liberty’s season ended on its home field in the Central Jersey Group III semifinal round and for the second time in three years, it came against a double-digit seed. No. 11 Northern Burlington quieted the Shore Conference’s highest-scoring team during 2019 in a 5-3 Greyhounds win before going on to lose to Wall in the sectional final. The Lions have given up 10 runs in each of their first three losses and pitching was a concern heading into the late stages of the state tournament, but it was an off-day hitting and some untimely defensive miscues that doomed the Lions. Despite the bitter finish, Jackson Liberty enjoyed the best season in its young history, breaking the single-season school record for wins, going unbeaten in B South play and reaching the Ocean County Tournament final for the first time.

Ocean (20-8, 10-4) Ocean’s season came to an end in the Central Jersey Group III quarterfinals, capping a season that included 20 wins, a second-place finish in Class B North behind Wall and a trip to the Monmouth County Tournament championship game. The Spartans are comfortably ahead of the next group of teams vying for the No. 10 spot and the only unranked teams still playing are Point Beach, Toms River East and Marlboro. The Spartans are comfortably ahead of the next group of teams vying for the No. 10 spot and so Ocean can safely add “No. 10 in the final Shore Conference Top 10” to its 2019 resume.

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Manalapan Rallies for First Sectional Title in Seven Years

By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

S

enior Ben Levine entered Friday's Central Jersey Group IV championship game with experience pitching in the sectional final round and pitched with the poise of a staff leader who had been there before.

There was just one problem as he walked back to the mound for his sixth inning of work Friday against Old Bridge: his Manalapan team was still losing and had to score against a counterpart who rarely gives up a run.

With the pressure mounting and the path to victory narrowing, the Braves did what they have been telling each other to do all year: they found a way.

Facing a pitcher in senior right-hander and St. John's commit Sonny Fauci who had allowed three earned runs all season long, Manalapan scored three runs on three straight two-out singles in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead and Levine closed the door in the seventh to deliver the Braves a Central Group IV championship, 3-2.

"The thing that Coach (Brian) Boyce has been saying to us all year is 'Find a way,'" said junior third baseman Nick DiPietrantonio, who had the game-tying RBI single with two out in the sixth. "That's the only thing that's going through our heads in that situation. We just had to find a way to get the runs across and win the game."

Manalapan is the Central Jersey Group IV champion for the first time since 2012, when the Braves won the second of back-to-back overall Group IV championships.

"The 2011 team was loaded with talent, the 2012 team you had two or three guys really carry the load game-in and game-out," Boyce said, comparing his sectional championship teams. "This is a special team. It's the epitome of a team. It really is a different guy every game for us."

Fauci entered the game 8-0 with a 0.35 ERA in 60 innings and was shutting the Braves out through five full innings while on the cusp of making it six. A batter's interference call led to Manalapan's first out and wiped off a stolen base by senior shortstop Jake Pellecchia. After a flyout to center by left fielder Tom Guidice, Fauci was one out away from forcing the game to the seventh inning with Old Bridge leading 1-0.

"It's tough to be in a situation like that, but we still had at-bats left so I had to focus on what I had to do," Levine said. "I had to make pitches on the mound and focus on my atbats."

Pellecchia finally got his stolen base and did so without a throw. With Levine at the plate and ahead in the count, 3-1, Old Bridge opted in intentionally pass the remainder of the at-bat and put Levine - the go-ahead run - on first.

That brought up DiPietrantonio - Manalapan's leader in doubles (9), home runs (3), RBI (30) and slugging percentage (.564). - with two out and speed on second in Pellecchia and first in courtesy runner Kyle Sciallo.

On the first pitch he saw from Fauci in the sixth, DiPietrantonio scalded a line drive through the right side of the infield to score Pellecchia, who dove head-first into home plate with the tying run just before the tag.

"I was just happy to get a shot to help the team win," DiPietrantonio said. "I was on his fastball in the first at-bat, I sat on the first pitch and I was just glad I got a shot to do it."

DiPietrantonio has had a journey of highs and lows to get to the gaudy numbers and, ultimately, one of the biggest hits of the season for Manalapan. He hit safely in 11 of Manalapan's first 12 games, during which he hit .529 with six doubles, a triple, a home run and 16 RBI. "When he is patient at the plate, when he lets the ball travel, that's when he's at his best," Boyce said of DiPietrantonio. "He hits the ball hard to right-center.

Sometimes he gets overanxious but when he can stay back and be patient, he is one of the better hitters in the Shore."

Over the next eight games, however, DiPietrantonio went just 2-for-25 (.080) with one double and two RBI. Over the last 11 games, the junior third baseman has stabilized, hitting .311 with two doubles, a triple and a pair of home runs to go with 12 RBI. Those numbers would be even better were it not for a spectacular diving catch by Old Bridge center fielder Elliot Hayward in the second inning to rob DiPietrantonio of extra-bases and likely prevent a run from scoring.

Mazza was also the hero in Manalapan's win over Wall in Thursday's Shore Conference Tournament semifinal game, in which the left-hander earned the win with 4 1/3 innings of work and laced a three-run triple in the first inning of the Braves' 5-1 win.

Senior Mike Kuver capped the rally with a check-swing dribbler up the third-base line that Fauci picked up as it was rolling along the line and threw to first too late to get Kuver. Marzo scored from third base on the play.

and four strikeouts before hitting trouble in the fifth. Old Bridge loaded the bases with none out on a double by right fielder Matt Flores, a bunt single by catcher Andrew Deciglie and a hit-by-pitch.

Kuver got his glove on Flores's double with a diving attempt that ultimately allowed Flores to go to second, while Levine dove for a popped-up bunt and missed it, allowing Deciglie to reach first. He then hit Mark on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases.

Levine returned to the mound now leading 3-1 with a chance to seal up Manalapan's first sectional championship in seven years, but had to fight off one last threat from a resilient Knights team.

Designated hitter Brandon Mark reached base for the third time in three trips with a single to leadoff the inning but Manalapan's defense erased him when second baseman Hunter Serrano caught shortstop John Cardile's line drive and fired to first base to double off Mark.

Down to its last out, Old Bridge fought on, beginning with a line-drive single to center by center fielder Elliot Hayward.

Left fielder Dave Chiofalo followed with a single and after a wild pitch moved Hayward to third, Fauci singled to rightcenter to make it 3-2 and place the goahead and tying runs on first and second with two out.

"In the bullpen, I knew my changeup wasn't that good," Levine said. "I don't think I threw it at all. It wasn't all working for me but against a good team and a good pitcher, you just have to scrap and battle to try to keep your team in it."

Manalapan brought its infield in and Levine got a ground ball, but Serrano elected to go to first on the slow chopper hit by Cardile, allowing Flores to score the game's first run. Levine shook off the run crossing the plate and struck out the next two batters to strand runners on second and third.

Sr. Ben Levine

"Ben is such a gamer that you would have had to gone out there with a police escort to take him out of the game," Boyce said. "I didn't think he was coming out at any point. We didn't have anyone warmed up. He was finishing it."

First baseman Matt Herbstman stepped in and lined the first pitch his saw into right field, but Mazza hardly had to move to squeeze the final out and set off the celebration.

The action-packed final two innings followed a first four dominated by the two starting pitchers. Fauci allowed four hits and one walk while striking out five over the first five innings but walked the leadoff man in the sixth to reveal the first sign of trouble. The batter's interference provided a temporary reprieve but the middle of Manalapan's order - DiPietrantonio at No. 5, Mazza No. 6 and Kuver No. 7 - was lying in wait, ready to swing the momentum.

"Obviously, I was trying to get out of it with a zero," Levine said.

"If I can, that's what I'm trying to do. Coach Boyce came out and said, 'Let's try and limit this and get out with as little damage as possible. We have done it all year.'"

Levine's performance fell short of dominant - he allowed one earned run on eight hits and a walk while striking out six - but it was exactly what Manalapan needed with its pitching staff thinned-out from Wednesday's win over Hunterdon Central and Thursday's over Wall.

It was also redemption of sorts for Levine, who was the losing pitcher in last year's 4-0 loss to Hunterdon Central in the Central Jersey Group IV final. Senior teammate Aaron Ayers put many of those demons to rest by pitching a two-hit shutout against Hunterdon Central on Wednesday and Levine took care of the rest by pitching the Braves to the sectional championship.

"This team has shown grit the entire season," DiPietrantonio said. "We have been finding a way all season and I think our heart showed at the end of the game. We wanted it and I think it showed by the way we finished the game."

Manalapan mounted a threat in the third inning with a one-out single by Serrano and a hit-and-run with Pellecchia that put runners on the corners with one out. Fauci got a big strikeout for the second out and got his glove on a chopper by Guidice. The ball rolled slowly toward second baseman Chris Picariello but Cardile ranged from his shortstop position, cut in front of his double-play partner, bare-handed the ball and threw out Guidice from the seat of his pants. It was another dazzling defensive play that helped Fauci pitch a clean first-five innings.

Matt Manley

Levine, meanwhile, cruised through four innings with three hits allowed, no walks

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Young & Collins Lift Point Boro to CJ 2 Crown

By G r e g g L e r n e r - S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k C o n t r i b u t o r

I

nstincts would’ve had Sam Young inclined to look for a first-pitch fastball. Wisdom encouraged the Point Pleasant Boro junior to anticipate something else.

“I asked one of our coaches who does the pitch chart for the opposing team what should I be looking for,” Young said of a quick briefing prior to his at bat with a runner on second in the bottom of the eighth. “Usually I look for a fastball and adjust. He said every single batter he started off with a curveball, so I was ready to put a good swing on it.”

And, that he did. Equipped with what to foresee, Young lined a breaking ball from inside the left-field line, scoring Nick Guzzi from second with the winning running that stamped a textbook walk-off rally and vaulted fifth-seeded Point Boro to a dramatic 2-1 triumph over seventh-seeded Robbinsville on Friday for the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 2 title.

A year after bowing to Haddonfield, 2-1, in the South Jersey Group 2 final, the Panthers claimed a sectional crown for the first time since 2006 to add to their Ocean County Tournament trophy. And, they did it before an enthusiastic, overflow crowd that pumped endless energy into its hometown nine.

to second on a sacrifice bunt by Young and scored on a base hit from junior catcher Ryan Jasaitis, who was locked in all afternoon, going 3 for 3 with three well-stung singles.

The Panthers’ decisive uprising was hatched through sound execution within a blinding sequence of a mere four pitches. Junior third baseman Nick Guzzi ignited it with a first-pitch single laced into center and senior first baseman Paul Franceschini dropped a sacrifice bunt to advance Guzzi into scoring position, setting the table for Young to feast.

Collins got into a groove, retiring six straight before senior Nick Matt broke the string with a two-out single in the sixth. Frascella ensued with a base hit and Joe Barnaba connected on a wicked ground ball that eluded the backhand of Guzzi and darted inside the third-base line, scoring Matt with the tying run.

“It almost went foul because I was so excited to swing,” Young said. “This was the chance. I wasn’t going to let it pass.”

“Big base hit by Nick, big bunt from Paul and Sam couldn’t have placed that ball any better,” noted Point Boro coach David Drew. “It was a perfect inning. We keep those charts for a reason, to learn from previous at bats and get some tendencies. It’s a credit to Sam coming through with that clutch hit.”

Young’s educated and timely swing made a deserved winner of Sam Collins. The senior righthander was gritty and ceaseless in going the distance for the Panthers to run his mark to 6-2. His command of the curveball was instrumental in a tidy six-hitter that featured seven strikeouts, no walks and an unearned run.

“Anything hit near me that I don’t field I consider an error,” said Guzzi. “I was 0 for 3 at the plate and had two errors. You try to flush all that stuff out and I did. I was able to atone with the single in the eighth.”

Jr. Nick Zbikowski

“Can’t let that get to you,” Collins said of Robbinsville crafted threats in first, third and fourth innings only to have Collins slam its fingers in the door. The Ravens stranded a total of five runners during those frames, including four in surrendering the tying run. “Gotta stick to being a scoring position. bulldog and just get outs. I was pitching for “He is a bulldog,” praised Drew of the Kean-bound contact and the defense had my back. We knew Nick Collins. “It’s tough to line up your pitching, would pick us up and he did by starting that rally.” especially having to play Gov. Livingston (on Thursday) in the semifinal round. We were very happy that we had Sam Collins in this game because we knew he was going to compete. That’s exactly by: what he did.”

Point Boro grabbed a 1-0 edge in the fourth. Franceschini was hit by a pitch to lead off, went

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Gregg Lerner

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SJV avenges loss, beats Donovan Catholic for SCT softball crown By

Kevin Williams – Shore Sports Network Director

O

n Friday night, St. John Vianney suffered a bitter extra-innings loss to Donovan Catholic in the South Jersey Non-Public A Final and a day later the Griffins would go on to win their first-ever NJSIAA title.

While it won’t make up for that heartache, the Lancers got some measure of revenge Monday night when they rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Donovan Catholic, 4-3, in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game at Count Basie Park in Red Bank.

Alexis Agrapides tied the game with her fourth hit of the night and then scored what turned out to be the game-winner on a groundout by Charley Baker. As she has so many times, junior ace Julia Parker then closed the door on the Griffins in the top of the seventh as Vianney finished a 27-1 season with the SCT crown.

While the loss was disappointing for the defending champion Griffins, they will now turn their attention to the Tournament of Champions where they are the top seed in the field of six and have an opening round bye. The Griffins will face the winner of the Ramsey vs. Lodi Immaculate game

in the semifinals on Wednesday at Ivy Hill Park on the campus of Seton Hall. Should they win that game then it’s on to the TOC Final on Friday night.

Donovan Catholic captured its first Non-Public A state title with an 11-1 victory over Mount St. Dominic on Saturday night, less than 24 hours after the big win over St. John Vianney.

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Wall Rolls Past Northern Burlington for First NJSIAA Sectional Title in 11 Years

By S c o t t S t u m p - S h o r e S p o r t s N e t w o r k C o n t r i b u t o r

W

all's senior class has multiple 20-win seasons and division titles on its resume, but there would've always been a gnawing sense that they didn't live up to their potential if they exited the baseball program without a single tournament title to their credit.

Senior leadoff man Johnny Volpe, who finished 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored, got things started with a single to right field in the first inning and it was all Wall from there.

He went to third on a line drive to right field

by Shulman, a Rutgers recruit who finished 2for-2 with two walks, two runs scored and a stolen base. Junior left

"To not get one would've been devastating,'' head coach Todd Schmitt said.

The fourth-seeded Crimson Knights made sure they never had to wonder "what if" by rolling over 11th-seeded Northern Burlington, 10-2, on their home field Friday to capture their first NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III title in 11 years.

followed with a two-out, two-run single to blow the game open.

Wall added its final run in the fifth when Volpe scored on an RBI groundout by Bant after hitting a leadoff single and reaching third on a pair of wild pitches.

"If we didn't win this or any of them, it would've been underachieving,'' senior third baseman Grant Shulman said. "We got it done today, and dreams came true for us."

Sharkey, a Florida State recruit, struggled with his command in issuing five walks in 5 2/3 innings before reaching his pitch limit, but he did not allow an earned run and struck out seven while only giving up three hits on 112 pitches. While he could not quite harness his offspeed stuff, he used his fastball to keep a lid on the Greyhounds.

Wall made sure that a Cinderella Northern Burlington squad coming off road upsets of No. 3 Ocean and No. 2 Jackson Liberty never had a chance to build momentum.

The Crimson Knights also regrouped quickly considering a day earlier they had a school-record 14-game winning streak halted in a loss to Manalapan in the Shore Conference Tournament semifinals. The state tournament offered their last chance at redemption.

It was the exact scenario they faced last year, when they lost in the SCT semifinals and then lost a one-run heart-breaker to Allentown in the Central Jersey Group III final to abruptly end their season.

"We just couldn't repeat that, us seniors,'' Shulman said. "We're all back, and we couldn't do that, so we just put the pedal to the metal right away and just did what we had to do."

The Crimson Knights roared out to a 9-0 lead after three innings as junior right-hander Teddy Sharkey (6-0) kept the Greyhounds (13-8) off the scoreboard while the offense received contributions from throughout the lineup.

"I feel like jumping on them early was huge,'' senior second baseman Dylan Richey said.

"Once we put that two-spot up (in the first inning), it made me throw better and have more confidence in my pitches,'' Sharkey said.

Jr. Teddy Sharkey fielder Sean Nocera then followed a walk by sophomore designated hitter Jay Bant by punching a two-run single to left field to make it 2-0 and immediately seize the momentum for the home team.

"They're the ones rolling. We're the ones who just lost yesterday, so to get on them early and (get) their morale down...we just kept going,'' Shulman said.

Once Sharkey breezed through an eight-pitch second inning, Wall put up three more runs to expand the lead. Richey scored on a wild pitch and Bant ripped an RBI single to right field to chase starter Jake Babuschak (4-3) from the game after only 1 2/3 innings.

Shulman then added one more run when he scored by crossing the plate before Bant could be tagged out on a firstand-third double steal attempt with two outs.

The lead ballooned to 9-0 after a four-run third inning, putting the Greyhounds in a massive hole given that they hadn't scored more than five runs in any of their state tournament wins. With a pair of runners in scoring position, Richey hit a high chopper to the mound that left relief pitcher Ryan Dromboski with no play and allowed a run to score to kick off the rally.

Sharkey then drew a bases-loaded walk, and Shulman

"(Catcher) Dave (Howarth) did a real good job behind the plate, mixing speeds, inside, outside, up,'' Sharkey said. "The mound wasn't working that well for me today, but I just had to make some key adjustments."

Shulman came on in relief and rolled through the final four outs as the Crimson Knights celebrated a much-anticipated dogpile after a victory three years in the making.

With the monkey off their back, Wall can now set its sights on trying to bring home its first Group III title since the magical 2004 team that became the first Shore Conference squad to ever win five titles (division, county, conference, sectional and Group) in the same season.

"I think we're definitely the frontrunner to win the whole thing,'' Shulman said. "Trey is arguably one of the best pitchers in the state.

With him on the mound, we feel like we can play with anyone."

by:

Scott Stump www.shoresportsnetwork.com

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By Matt Manley - Senior Staff Writer

According to the TrackMan software in FirstEnergy Park, Glancy's first-inning single to left field measured 104 miles-per-hour off the bat. He did himself one better in the third inning, crushing a curveball from Manalapan starter Ben Levine 105 miles-per-hour off the bat and well over t h e

ed Bank Catholic senior David Glancy knew before opening day of the 2019 season he was not going to have the kind of year he had as a junior. A broken hamate bone in his left hand knocked him out of action for most of April and upon his return, he was not the same power-hitting version of himself that starred for the Caseys in 2018.

At practice on Tuesday, Red Bank Catholic coach Buddy Hausmann saw the old Glancy. The healthy Glancy. The scary Glancy.

On Wednesday, in the Shore Conference Tournament final against Manalapan at FirstEnergy Park, the rest of the Shore got to see that same Glancy.

The Red Bank Catholic center fielder broke a scoreless tie with a rocket that cleared the left-field wall at FirstEnergy Park for a three-run home run - part of a 2-for-3 day at the plate in Red Bank Catholic's 5-0 win over the Braves for their second Shore Conference Tournament title ever and first since 2011.

"We took (batting practice) at Count Basie yesterday and you could see it right away," Hausmann said. "He was back. He wasn't bunting or anything like that. I knew he was locked in and we were going to let him swing."

Glancy did not play in a game until April 18 and did not step in the box for an atbat until April 24. After plodding through the first two weeks, his bat came alive for the Shore Conference Tournament, in which he went 4-for-11 (.364) with two home runs, a double and five RBI in four RBC wins.

"I just wanted to get back for my team," Glancy said. "I wasn't worried about stats or anything like that. We had a chance to win a championship and I just wanted to get back and be a part of it."

left-field wall.

"I was hoping it would get out," said Glancy, who will continue his career at Harford Community College in Maryland next season. "It felt good off the bat but it's a little bit bigger here than it is at Count Basie (Park).

"It's a great feeling to hit one on a Major-League-size field. Hopefully I'll get a chance to do that in a Major League game someday."

So. Shane Panzini 12

Sr. David Glanc

cy

Red Bank Catholic added two runs in the fourth by scoring on two wild pitches, with junior third baseman Rob Gonzalez (2-for-2) starting the rally with a single.

The three-run shot by Glancy was all the support sophomore starter Shane Panzini needed. The Caseys right-hander pitched a one-hit shutout with four strikeouts and two walks to cap a dominant sophomore season, which he finished at 7-2 with a 0.66 ERA, 73 strikeouts and 29 walks in 53 innings.

Panzini topped out at 91 miles-per-hour Wednesday and took a nohitter into the fourth before Manalapan sophomore Tom Guidice ripped a one-out single just out of the reach of senior shortstop Vincent Bianchi.

Bianchi threw 109 pitches in Friday's 5-2 win over Manasquan and was eligible to pitch on Wednesday. According to Hausmann, Bianchi was given the option to start in his final high school game and opted to give his sophomore rotation-mate the ball.

"I knew the decision was up to Vinny, being a senior and this being his last game," Panzini said. "I wanted to pitch but he earned a chance to go out there for his last game. I asked him yesterday and he told me I could have the game. I was just grateful for the opportunity and I wanted to step up for him and all the guys."

Bianchi's standout senior season ended with a quiet 0-for-3 day at the plate but his postgame celebration was anything but understated. After posing for a team championship photo, he got word from the stands that he was selected in the 35th round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Jr. Rob Gonzalez

See

champions page 14

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c h a m p i o n s Continued from page 13

sophomore in the baseball program - passed away overnight Monday into Tuesday.

Upon hearing the news, his teammates mobbed him on the field at FirstEnergy Park, just as they mobbed Panzini after the final out. In the end, both RBC co-aces got a tasted of the middle of the mob.

According to coach Brian Boyce, the team took off from practice on Tuesday and decided to press on and play. The two teams met out and home plate for a moment of silence prior to the game.

"I got a text from a friend of mine saying 'Congratulations,'" Bianchi said. "I said, 'Thank you,' thinking it was for the Shore Conference championship, but then I found out I got drafted. It's pretty cool, but we won the championship and that's all that matters to me right now, so it's really exciting."

"Buddy (Hausmann) was great," Boyce said. "He said whatever we need, he was willing to accommodate us. It was a really tough situation for the kids. There was a lot of emotion yesterday, obviously, and a lot of emotion today.

Bianchi said he intends to honor his commitment to play at St. John's University.

Manalapan's 24-win season ended with another difficult loss in a week full of them, both on and off the field. On Monday, the Braves lost the Group IV semifinal to Eastern, 1-0, on a controversial call that took the tying run off the board in the top of the seventh inning.

"It gives us some perspective that this is just a baseball game. This is more about the family. My heart hurts for them today."

Sr. Alex Gonzalez

On Tuesday, the team found out sophomore David Korman - a

RBC SCT Photos by:

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very week this spring, Jersey Mike’s & Shore Sports Network will be selecting a Baseball Team of the Week based on its performance over the past week. championship and followed that up with the program's third ever NJSIAA sectional championship and first since 2006. At the end of the day Friday, Point Boro was the only Shore Conference team to win two tournament titles this season and for that, the Panthers are the final Jersey Mike's Team of the Week of the 2019 season.

To win its first ever Ocean County Tournament, Point Boro had to overcome Jackson Liberty in the championship game - a team that defeated the Panthers twice during the Shore Conference Class B South regular season, including one game started by Point Boro junior ace Nick Guzzi.

Guzzi took the ball against Jackson Liberty on May 16 and had his roughest outing of the season, allowing seven runs - four earned while pitching into the sixth inning. It did not matter because Point Boro's offense put up 10 runs on the Lions and captured the OCT title by a 10-7 score.

After Jackson Liberty rallied from a 5-0 deficit to tie the game, junior Sam Young drilled a tie-breaking two-run double to put the Panthers ahead for good, 7-5. Senior center fielder Christian Aurin later made a tremendous running, over-the-shoulder catch on a deep drive by Kevin Ritz in the sixth inning that prevented extra-bases.

hen the Point Pleasant Boro baseball team lost in the South Jersey Group II championship game to Haddonfield to end the 2018 season, many of the core players and starters in the group knew they would be back in 2019.

W

Over the last two weeks, the Panthers have lived up to that expectation and them some.

In the last two weeks in May, Point Boro won its first ever Ocean County Tournament

Christian Brothers Academy

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Central Regional

Sam Collins came on to pitch the end of the game and recorded the final three outs to seal the win.

Young, Collins and Guzzi all played key roles two weeks later, when Point Boro took on Robbinsville in the Central Group II championship. Collins pitched an eight-inning complete game and in the bottom of the final inning, Guzzi started the winning rally with a lead-off single.

After a sacrifice bunt by senior Paul Franceschini, Young came to the plate and jumped on the first pitch he saw, lining a single down the line in left to score Guzzi from second and complete Point Boro's run to a sectional title - a run that ended one win short of the destination one year earlier.

Colts Neck

Middletown South

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Simplifying Heel Pain

By Glenn Gabisan, MD, FACS - Professional Orthopaedic Associates

H

eel pain can essentially be placed into two categories:

a. Pain behind the heel b. Pain under the heel

If your pain is behind the heel, you may be suffering from an overuse injury known as Achilles tendonitis. Calf muscles come together to form a cord-like structure that connect behind the heel.

When this tendon becomes inflamed, due to overuse, this can cause pain and swelling in this area.

If you are experiencing pain under the heel, there are a few likely causes.

a. Plantar fasciitis b. Fat pad atrophy Plantar fasciitis is a common injury seen in runners and other sports like basketball and that involve jumping. It is when the broad band of tissue, under the foot, becomes inflamed. Often times, the first steps after waking up are the most painful. Fat pad atrophy often occurs in the elderly. Age related loss of padding beneath the heel causes pain when walking on hard surfaces.

There are many conservative treatments for these injuries and they include activity modification, wearing proper footwear, ice massage, stretching, antiinflammatories and heel lifts. If pain persists, you should consult with an orthopaedic surgeon who sub-specializes in the foot and ankle.

Glenn G. Gabisan, MD, FACS Foot & Ankle, Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Surgery, Ankle Replacement, Bunion Correction Glenn G. Gabisan, MD, FACS, is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in foot, ankle, sports medicine, arthroscopic surgery, ankle replacement, and bunion correction. Dr. Gabisan joined Professional Orthopaedic Associates in 2004.

Dr. Gabisan is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

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Shore Conference Baseball Coaches All-Division Teams

By Matt Manley

Senior Staff Writer

T

he following are the 2019 Shore Conference All-Division Teams, as selected by the coaches in each of the six Shore Conference divisions.

Check back during the week of June 10 for the 2019 Shore Sports Network AllShore Teams and more end-of-season baseball content.

Class A North Position C C 1B INF INF INF INF OF OF OF DH UTIL UTIL P P P P P

Player Justin Kapuscinski Trevor Brey Tom Guidice Kyle Brex Cristian Corcione Chris O'Connor Tommy DiTullio Mike Kuver Tommy Talbot Ramon Fontanes Danny Minze Ben Levine Chris Lotito Joe Escandon Pat Reilly Aaron Ayers Bryan Bernard Zach Gorman

Class A Central Position C 1B 1B INF INF INF INF INF OF OF OF OF OF DH UTIL P P P P P

Player Cody Fleischer Alex Galvan Jack Scrivanic Jason Lyons James Harmstead Alex Gonzalez Andrew Schmid Jake Tennant Chris Anfuso Ezra Caspi Ryan O'Hara Thomas Elgrim Tyler Bruno Spencer Bauer Vincent Bianchi Mike Deusch Mike Anthony Dante Ciaramella Shane Panzini John Nimeth

Class A South Position C 1B INF INF INF INF INF OF OF OF OF OF OF DH UTIL UTIL P P P P P P

Player Tom Cartnick Carmine Petosa Greg Hanlon Ahmir Cournier Christian Pellone Jordan Erbe Aidan Meola Alex Iadisernia Max Cala Ryan Lasko Colin Mackle Robert Jeans Scott Truhan Lucas McLaughlin Matt Hartshorn Sam Angelo Matt Potok Reece Miller Torrey Savoia Joe Princiotta Nick Beetel Gabe Driscoll

School Marlboro Middletown South Manalapan Howell Freehold Twp. Middletown South CBA Manalapan Howell Marlboro Middletown South Manalapan Middletown South CBA CBA Manalapan Howell Freehold Twp.

Grade Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. So.

School Shore Manasquan Red Bank Catholic Holmdel Manasquan Red Bank Catholic Rumson-Fair Haven Raritan Monmouth Holmdel Red Bank Catholic Rumson-Fair Haven Raritan Manasquan Red Bank Catholic Shore Manasquan Monmouth Red Bank Catholic Red Bank Catholic

Grade Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr.

School Jackson Memorial Jackson Memorial Brick Memorial Jackson Memorial Jackson Memorial Toms River South Toms River East Jackson Memorial Brick Memorial Jackson Memorial Toms River South Toms River North Central Brick Memorial Toms River South Toms River North Jackson Memorial Toms River East Brick Memorial Jackson Memorial Jackson Memorial Toms River South

Grade Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. So. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr.

Class B North Position C 1B 1B INF INF INF INF INF OF OF OF OF DH DH UTIL P P P P P

Player John Gannon Ron Cole Danny Cowles Grant Shulman Ryan Toomey Rocko Brzezniak Robert Skinner Chris Gendi Teddy Sharkey Sebastian Jno-Baptiste Reece Horneck Jay Kalieta Jay Bant Rob Mannino Max Winters Trey Dombroski Ryan Napolitano Kevin Schoenberger Jack Povey Sean Gardiner

Class B Central Position C 1B INF INF INF INF OF OF OF OF OF DH UTIL P P P P P

Player David Terra-Nova Alec Glen Sean Turner Phil Trebour Brett Wehringer Timmy Farrell Liam Meyer Charlie Chropuvka Hunter Alia Justin Young Matt Payne Rob Cassin Pete Gorman Brandon Sansone Will Baranello Ethan Gavin Patrick Mastro Matt Van Brunt

Class B South Position C C INF INF INF INF INF OF OF OF DH UTIL P P P P P

Player David MelďŹ Jorden Jurkiewicz Shane Hickey Nick Zbikowski Lawrence Zingi Miles Feaster David MacGillvray Connor Keenan James Johns Liam Leonard Ryan Jasaitis Sam Collins Nick Guzzi Noah Dean Joey Ventresca Nick DeCarlo Nick Chiappisi

School Neptune Neptune Colts Neck Wall Ocean St. John Vianney St. John Vianney Matawan Wall Neptune Colts Neck Matawan Wall Colts Neck Ocean Wall Wall Ocean Red Bank Middletown North

Grade Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Fr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. So. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr.

School Point Beach Point Beach Mater Dei Point Beach Ranney Henry Hudson Keansburg Ranney Point Beach Keyport Henry Hudson Mater Dei Mater Dei Mater Dei Point Beach Ranney Mater Dei Point Beach

Grade So. So. Jr. Fr. Fr. Sr. Sr. So. So. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Jr. So.

School Jackson Liberty Lacey Jackson Liberty Point Boro Donovan Catholic Lacey Barnegat Jackson Liberty Manchester Donovan Catholic Point Boro Point Boro Point Boro Pinelands Pinelands Jackson Liberty Manchester

Grade Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr.

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Training the Right Way for You

By Russell E. Anderson MA, CSCS,TPI F3 - Elite Sports Physical Therapy

A

s a former high school and collegiate athlete, I have experienced the years of weight room, court and field training sessions. Sadly, when I was in high school, I did not have a strength coach or trainer to help guide me or to instill a proper strength and conditioning program.

I did have a coach who was there motivating me to train, but there was no method or purpose behind the exercises. As some may hear from their parents and coaches today, “I wish I knew then, what I know now.” This could not be more true. Thinking back on my high school strength and conditioning program, if you want to call it that, I now know that I was performing a lot of exercises that actually made me slower, less functional, and more prone to injury.

Training programs need to allow the individuals to progress, according to their physical capabilities and environmental stresses. Programs also need to be muscle balanced; posterior and anterior muscle groups need to be understood and incorporated

properly. My high school program was so anterior based, (bench presses, barbell upright rows, crunches) that my posture, at the time, was the worst ever. Proper training programs are not just thrown together looking at Instagram or the internet.

Instead, they should be well thought out paradigms with the client in mind.

Adding more insult to injury, I was never educated to the use of a foam-roller was until after college when I started studying and practicing the methodology of the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). I wish I had known what that small cylinder foam thing was, maybe my legs would have recovered more quickly and my delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) would have been less intense. Maybe, doing the two sets of max heel raises on the basement stairs before bed, every night, was a little too much. Using the “Strength Shoes” was another jump higher exercise I used.

Lucky, I did not blow out my knees or achilles with the extreme overuse I practiced during those uneducated years.

Understanding the “WHY” and “HOW” is very important to success in anything, especially in strength and conditioning. Invest in yourself and learn the “How”, and “Why”.

I have been blessed and privileged over the past 13 years to train all types of individuals both friends and family. My clients include professional athletes, adolescents, college students, amputees, avid skiers, professional athletes, teachers, club champions, construction workers, weekend worriers and 77 years’ young active adults. REA Training Methods and Elite Sports Physical Therapy have allowed me to do what I love, and enjoy the rewards of giving back, and teaching others “what I know now.”

Find an educated and proven professional in the field you want to progress in, and learn the right way tailored to YOUR needs. Do not be afraid to ask questions, and always be grateful for the things you have.

Red Bank Catholic alum and Indianapolis Colts First round draft pick Quenton Nelson with ELITE PT trainer Russell Anderson

SPECIAL THANK YOU to all the photographers who allow us to use their

GREAT PHOTOS seen throughout this Issue as well as our website: shoresportsnetwork.com

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