Current Old Bridge coach Matt Donaghue was on Glenny Fredricks’ staff at Spotswood in 2010, when the Chargers beat Governor Livingston for the Central Jersey Group 2 title. Donaghue is second from the right, just over Fredricks’ shoulder. (Submitted photo)
Old Bridge baseball coach Matt Donaghue played for one of the best, and now leads his own Knights into a state title game this Saturday for the first time ever, just like his high school coach, the late Fred Cole, did for Madison Central in 1988.
And one longtime GMC coach who knew Donaghue from his playing days says he knew he’d be destined for something special the first time he saw him play.
Spotswood coach Glenny Fredricks – who, himself, has been the Chargers’ coach for close to two decades now – says Donaghue made a great impression on him, when – in 2005 – he had a key hit to knock his very first Spotswood team out of the GMC Tournament.
After Donaghue played collegiately at Kean and was looking to get into coaching after graduation, Fredricks said he never forgot the name, and brought him on as an assistant. Now, he sees Donaghue’s Old Bridge team in the same mold as he sees his own: gritty, aggressive, and tight-knit.
All of that, Fredricks says, has been key to the success of Old Bridge baseball this year, and will continue to be when the Knights (21-8) take on Ridgewood (23-7) on Saturday at 4 pm for the state Group 4 title, in a game you can hear live on Central Jersey Sports Radio from Bob DeMeo Field at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton. (Click here to listen live.)
Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko talk about Old Bridge coach Matt Donaghue’s Knights and their key to success: