Author: Alec Crouthamel

by Alec Crouthamel

Highland Park looks to continue upward program trajectory, opening 2026 season against New Brunswick tonight

Highland Park and New Brunswick bring some similarities to Friday’s opening game of the season.

Both battled through tough losing streaks, but came out on the othe side better than they entered, and from there have set solid groundwork to continue to build forward.

Now two full seasons removed from snapping the skid, the Owls have continued to build upward, and head into the 2026 season with a mix of veteran returners and eye-turning young talent.

They’ll kick it all off at home Friday night at 7:00 against the Zebras, in the second Big Central Game of the Week to open the season live on Central Jersey Sports Radio. Tune in at 6:45 for the pregame show with Mike Pavlichko and Alec Crouthamel; click here to listen.

Highland Park returns its starter to the most important position, with Marcus Smith back for his second year as the starting quarterback. Much of his development over the offseason came on the mental side, as well as the physical side, as a rising senior after throwing for 866 yards and eight touchdowns.

The Owls also return just over 60 percent of their rushing production, led by top rusher Jacob Quiros, who is also heading into his senior year. Even after the graduation of Kostas and Stamatis Hantsoulis, the skill-position cupboard is well-stocked for Highland Park, especially with some exciting youngsters entering the fray, set for some of their first varsity action.

And much the same could be said for the defensive side. Even with the graduation of Matthew Adamczyk-Zapor, who led the team in sacks (three) and tackles for loss (seven), there remains a solid set of leaders and talent across the defense, with young talent continuing to be infused.

But above all the stats and talent across the board, the main key the veterans bring to the table is their experience. They saw what it meant to snap the skid and to grow from it with 6-3 and 3-6 records, and are now the leaders in the clubhouse. Head coach Shawn Harrison has led the charge in raising the expectations for the program, and it starts with the returning veterans that have seen it all under his watch.

Those expectations will help be set with the opening home game against nearby New Brunswick.

Click below to hear Highland Park football coach Shawn Harrison talk about the Owls and their season opener against New Brunswick, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

New Rutgers Prep boys' basketball head coach Will Abrams (Photo: @CoachWillAbrams - X)
by Alec Crouthamel

Rutgers Prep tabs Associate Head Coach, alum Will Abrams as new boys’ basketball coach

Rutgers Prep will have a familiar face patrolling the boys’ basketball sideline, as the school has announced a successor to former head coach Matt Bloom, who stepped down on Friday after nine years at the helm.

Will Abrams, an alum of the school and the program’s associate head coach for the last five seasons, was promoted to head coach, the school announced on social media.

He inherits a strong program that won a sectional title in 2022, and has appeared in four of the last five Somerset County Tournament finals.

“Will has earned this opportunity through five years of dedicated leadership as our top assistant,” Bloom told CJSR on Wednesday night. “He’s ready to lead a terrific group of returning players, and I can’t wait to support him as he takes the program to new heights!”

It’s a full-circle moment for Abrams, taking over the reins 20 years after his standout playing career with the Argonauts under Bloom’s predecessor, former Rutgers Prep and Franklin head coach Tony Mento.

Abrams went on to play at Division III Utica University, becoming a team captain in his final two seasons. He ended his playing career averaging 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a senior.

He entered the coaching world two years after graduating, remaining with the Pioneers as an assistant in 2013. In two years on staff, he helped in all facets of the program, including day-to-day operations, scouting, recruiting, as well as game and practice preparation, while also helping guide three players into the program’s top-ten record books.

From there, he spent a year as the basketball director at USA Sports Group in New Jersey.

Abrams then got back into college coaching, spending a year as an assistant coach at Division II Felician University in North Jersey.

After that season, Abrams both returned to New Jersey and got his first Division I opportunity, joining Rutgers’ Women’s Basketball coaching staff under Hall of Famer C. Vivian Stringer. He first arrived in 2017 as a recruiting assistant, working in that role for two years before being promoted to Director of Player Development. In that role, his responsibilities included “coordinating the community outreach program, managing male practice squad and walk-ons, serving as the academic liaison, and assisting in scouting and game preparation.”

He moved down Easton Avenue after three years with the Scarlet Knights, joining Bloom as Rutgers Prep’s associate head coach. In his time with Bloom, Abrams helped lead the Argonauts to a sectional title in 2022 and four straight Somerset County Tournament final appearances, winning the county crown in 2023 and 2024.

Rutgers Prep is set to enter 2026 off an 18-10 campaign, making it to yet another Somerset County Tournament final, before falling in the Non-Public South A semifinal to Bishop Eustace. The Argonauts return a solid stable of veteran upperclassmen, even with the departure of star sophomore Will Brunson to Florida’s IMG Academy.

Abrams will be just the third head coach at Rutgers Prep in the last 23 years.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with new Rutgers Prep Boys’ Basketball coach Will Abrams:

by Alec Crouthamel

Rutgers Prep boys basketball coach Matt Bloom steps down after nine years leading the Argonauts

There will be two new head coaches on the hardwood this upcoming season at Rutgers Prep.

Matt Bloom, the Argonauts’ boys basketball head coach, announced on Instagram Friday afternoon that he will step down from the position after nine years at the helm.

Bloom led Rutgers Prep to three Somerset County championships and seven finals appearances, and was named CJSR’s Boys Coach of the Year in 2022 after winning the Non-Public South A sectional championship and making the state final. A successor was not announced at the time of publishing.

His statement reads as follows:

“After much reflection, I have made the decision to resign from my position as RPS Boys Basketball Coach. This is a decision I have made thoughtfully and independently, and while it is not easy to step away from something that has meant so much to me and my family, I am confident that it is the right decision. It has been an honor to work with and advocate for our tremendous student-athletes and coaches. Some of my life’s most cherished memories have come from my time on the sidelines coaching the Argonauts. I am incredibly grateful for the relationships I’ve made and am very proud of the championship program we have built over the last nine seasons. While I will no longer be coaching basketball, I am excited to continue teaching at Rutgers Prep and remain an active member of this terrific community. I look forward to continuing to support our students and the school across a multitude of activities and programs. To the student-athletes I have had the privilege to coach—thank you for trusting me and know that I will always be proud to have been your coach.“

In all, Bloom compiled a 173-64 record during his nine-year tenure, led the Argonauts to its first sectional title in program history, and broke a long county title drought in 2020, the first of three they’d win under his guide.

A graduate of Teaneck High School, and later the University of Pennsylvania, Bloom spent all four years as a manager for the Quakers’ men’s basketball team under head coach Fran Dunphy.

He couldn’t stay away from basketball long even after graduating. Bloom spent three years on Fred Hill Jr’s staff at Rutgers, including two as the operations coordinator. He then stayed in the Division I ranks at La Salle after Hill’s dismissal, starting as a video coordinator before rising up to become the Explorers’ Director of Basketball Operations for his last three seasons in Philadelphia.

Then, when head coach Dr. John Giannini (now the AD at Rowan) left La Salle after 14 years, Bloom had to find another opportunity. That’s when he arrived at Rutgers Prep, and the rest was history.

The Argonauts went 18-10 and made it to the Somerset County Tournament final in his first year at the helm, then the semifinals in 2018-19. They finally broke through in Bloom’s third season, winning the program’s first Somerset County title since 1983.

That year, led by future Division I players Otega Oweh (Oklahoma/Kentucky), Nico Galette (Sacred Heart/Youngstown State), Trey Patterson (Villanova/Saint Peter’s/Rice) and Noah Harris (Marist), they went 27-2, won the county tournament as the top seed, and made it to the sectional final, where they lost to Wildwood Catholic.

Rutgers Prep also won back-to-back county tournaments in 2023 and 2024, giving Bloom and the Argonauts four titles in five years, when counting the sectional crown in 2022.

This past season, Rutgers Prep went 18-10, making it to yet another Somerset County Tournament final, before falling in the Non-Public South A semifinal to Bishop Eustace.

Always quick to give credit to his players, Bloom departs coaching the Argonauts, but noted in his statement he will remain in the classroom as a teacher at the school.

by Alec Crouthamel

New Jersey umpires see “a dream come true” in Yankees’ Old Timers’ Day Game

Ask any kid growing up in the Tri-State area about their childhood dream for when they’re older. 

A good number of them will point to swinging the bat – or toeing the rubber – for the New York Yankees.

But another dream was accomplished in the Bronx on Saturday.

Four present or former NJSIAA umpires, Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff, donned the blue for the Yankees’ annual Old Timers’ Day game on Saturday. Bennett patrolled home plate, Killduff worked first base, Parkhill at second, and Giackette at third.

In an opportunity that the quartet all agreed was a “surreal” one, the afternoon was full of laughs and smiles as legends from many different eras of Yankees lore came together to put on a show.

The Bombers poked out a 3-2 victory over the Clippers, with plenty of highlight-reel plays from former Yankees of (relatively) young and old.

Many of these players brought familiarity to the four umpires, having seen plenty of star-studded talent come through the Garden State over the years. That includes Toms River-native Todd Frazier, who arguably won MVP honors with an RBI double and a wicked play at the hot corner. 

In a full-circle moment, Giackette and Killduff had seen Frazier make eye-popping plays in the infield for many years. Both of them umpired Toms River East American’s 1998 Little League state final victory over Randolph in Sayreville, on the way to winning the Little League World Series over Japan in Williamsport. 

Frazier starred at shortstop and on the mound that year, on the way to a powerhouse career at Rutgers and a ten-year stint in the MLB as a consistent fan favorite, including three months with the Yankees after a deadline trade from the Chicago White Sox.

The legends weren’t afraid to bring out the theatrics, either. 

Former star catcher Jorge Posada, whose No. 20 jersey was retired four years after retiring, tried to jokingly call an ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) challenge in the first inning after Bennett called a breaking ball out of the zone.

His request was promptly denied by public address announcer Paul Olden. Another batter tried to do the same later in the three-inning showcase after a fastball up in the zone was called a strike, once again to no avail.

Maybe next year!

Umpires Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff wave to the crowd at the New York Yankees' Old Timers' Day Game (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Umpires Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff wave to the crowd at the New York Yankees’ Old Timers’ Day Game (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).

With their decades of umpiring experience, the four all have built up strong reputations across the state — Bennett is currently the first Vice President of the NJ State Federation of Umpires, and Giackette the secretary — while Kilduff retired two years ago after 50 years on the job.

And on Saturday in the Bronx, they got to do so in the big leagues.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with umpires Gary Giackette, Warren Bennett, Chris Parkhill, and Bill Killduff before umpiring the New York Yankees Old Timers’ Day Game:

Umpire Warren Bennett, calling balls and strikes at home with Bernie Williams at the plate (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Umpire Warren Bennett, calling balls and strikes at home with Bernie Williams at the plate (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Recently-retired Bill Killduff, calling an out at first base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Recently-retired Bill Killduff, calling an out at first base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Chris Parkhill, chopping it up at second base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Chris Parkhill, chopping it up at second base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Gary Giackette calling a ball foul at third base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Gary Giackette calling a ball foul at third base (Photo: Alec Crouthamel).
Woodbridge shortstop Gavin Slicner (6) hits a ball.
by Alec Crouthamel

Woodbridge’s Gavin Slicner is Central Jersey Sports Radio GMC Player of the Year after star-studded senior season

Sometimes in high school baseball, you see a stat that makes you rub your eyes to make sure you read it right.

Woodbridge shortstop Gavin Slicner could’ve wrote a whole book of those in his senior year.

The Barrons’ leadoff batter put up a stellar senior campaign and is the winner of the 2026 Central Jersey Sports Radio GMC Player of the Year.

Slicner had already put up a solid junior campaign, but came into his senior year with a determination to build and get even better for his follow-up.

The shortstop put up eye-popping offensive numbers as a senior, batting .517 on the year (including a .966 slugging percentage), with 12 extra-base hits and nine home runs, all team-highs. And even after doing the damage with his bat, Slicner was still a threat on the basepaths with 26 stolen bases to lead Woodbridge.

And the numbers weren’t of the empty kind at all. Slicner came through in countless big spots as a clutch hitter, with plenty of his 32 RBIs playing big roles in Barrons victories.

Comparing his junior and senior seasons, he raised his batting average – already at a solid .400 mark – by over 100 points, added 14 more RBIs, and hit six more home runs.

And while this is print, what we can’t show you is all the defensive gems he turned in at shortstop.

Slicner played a big role leading a veteran-laden Woodbridge squad, with an extremely strong senior class, flanked by standouts such as Xavier Diaz, Kevin Arroyo, Michael Gurovich, and Billy Mansfield. It was a tight-knit group, one that had played alongside each other since their younger days in Little League, and they helped the Barrons win plenty of games.

They made the North 2, Group 4 semifinals twice and the quarterfinals once, and two GMC Tournament quarterfinals. That included a sectional quarterfinal appearance this year, where tenth-seeded Woodbridge knocked off seven-seed Scotch Plains-Fanwood, and nearly took down second-seeded Bayonne on the road.

And the Barrons relied on Slicner plenty in that first-round win over Raiders, as he clubbed an insurance home run in the seventh as part of a three-hit, three-RBI day.

In the end, Slicner and his fellow veteran teammates put together a strong run of Woodbridge baseball to look back fondly on.

The righty shortstop won’t be veering too far away for his next step, either. Slicner will head to Edison to play baseball at Middlesex College after graduation. The Colts finished off a strong 38-17 year, making it to the NJCAA Region 19 / District Final Four Series.

They also featured two former Barrons, as well, in pitchers Drew Lukachyk and Eddy Nunez, as all three played together in 2023. Middlesex boasted 15 former GMC players on its 2026 roster, and will bring in the best of the conference this upcoming season.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with CJSR GMC Player of the Year Gavin Slicner from Woodbridge

HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • Connor Murphy, Edison: The Monmouth-bound senior had an ERA you’d need a microscope to see: 0.54, while going 5-1 on the season, including a no-hitter on April 14 against St. Joseph-Metuchen. He fanned 83 this year, after striking out 82 last year, and graduates with 207 career whiffs, and an ERA of just 2.05 for his four varsity seasons.
  • Grant Lorentzen, JFK: This kid does it all, and not just in baseball. While he was 4-5 as a pitcher despite a 1.97 ERA, he also hit .472 this season. He finished his career with 220 strikeouts and a 1.81 ERA over four seasons, while also logging 102 hits at the plate. And as an impressive side note, he was also a thousand-point scorer in basketball – finishing with 1,246 points – and finished his football career as a two-thousand yard receiver, with 2,470 yards and 34 touchdowns. He had 1,221 this past season along with 22 TD catches, one of the top single-season totals all-time in New Jersey. He’ll play baseball and football at TCNJ.
  • Chris Kozak, Middlesex: While Kozak and junior Dominic Long were really starters 1a and 1b this year – and the difference may at times have been microscopic, the senior Kozak gets the nod here. We saw him get his 200th strikeout late in the season against St. Joseph-Metuchen. Kozak was 6-2 this season with a 1.98 ERA, and fanned 76 hitters, a career high.
  • Ben Faigin, Monroe: Just a junior, Faigin – who’s committed to Rutgers – was 7-1 this season, winning three GMC Tournament games while allowing just four total hits, including a 9-2 first-round win over Colonia in which he threw an immaculate inning. He also got a 1-0 win over South Plainfield in the semis, and led the 9th-seeded Falcons to a 7-0 victory over Old Bridge in the GMC final; both were one-hit, complete-game efforts.
  • Matt Chin, Old Bridge: The senior hit .407 with 22 RBI and two home runs to pace the Knights’ offense this year, helping his team gain a berth in the GMC Tournament and Central Jersey Group 4 finals. He’s also an excellent and smart center fielder.
  • Aiden McCarthy, South Plainfield: “The Bull” is a Rutgers commit, and tough as they come. He was 8-2 this past season, always giving his team a chance to win the big game, including an upset of top-seed Chatham in the opening round of the North 2, Group 3 playoffs. McCarthy struck out 74 this season, and had an even 2.00 ERA, while also getting it done at the dish, where he hit .367 – the best of his career – with 28 RBI, ten doubles, and two home runs. He also no-hit Old Bridge in a 4-1 win on April 21.
  • Louis Rizzolo, St. Thomas Aquinas: The senior and Marist commit was 8-0 this season, with a 0.90 ERA, and also got it done at the plate, batting .382 with 12 RBI and three home runs. In the state playoffs, he hit a big, early three-run home run at Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public North B semifinals, en route to a 7-3 win and berth in the championship game against St. Mary-Rutherford. A four-year varsity player, he never had an ERA over 1.74 in his final three seasons, and finished with a career 1.49 ERA.

by Alec Crouthamel

Immaculata lefty Ryan Auten takes a big senior leap, and is 2026 CJSR Somerset County Player of the Year

Ryan Auten was already on a solid pace after his junior season.

The tall lefty sported a 2.80 ERA in 40 innings, with 69 strikeouts and 32 walks in his first season as a Spartan, after transferring in from Delaware Valley.

But Auten and his coaches knew there was still room to get even better.

The Wake Forest-bound southpaw took all of that room and then some, closing out his high school career with a dominant senior campaign, and has been named Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Somerset County Player of the Year.

COMING TUESDAY: Central Jersey Sports Radio’s GMC Player of the Year

On the season, he finished 7-1 with a 0.74 ERA in 57 innings, all career bests. He also attacked hitters at a wildly efficient level, upping his strikeouts to 114 this season alone — he came into the year with 142 over the previous three years combined — and just 12 walks.

Auten went from pretty good to flat-out dominant, thanks to a strong offseason plan to focus on attacking batters early in the count, and finishing them off, with plenty of simulated game environments leading up to the year.

He allowed just six runs all year, no more than two in any outing, and struck out double-digit batters in all but one start.

Even from the first time he stepped on the rubber as a senior, it was apparent Auten was in for a big year. He finished off an opening week sweep of Hillsborough with a four-hit shutout, striking out 15 Raiders in 100 pitches flat.

With a daunting fastball and wipeout breaking ball combination, Auten was able to put Immaculata in a good position to win every single time he went out to pitch. The Spartans won seven of his nine starts this year, with the only losses coming against Winter Park (FL), where he still struck out 12 batters in five innings, and in an epic 1-0 pitcher’s duel against Watchung Hills in the Somerset County Tournament final. Auten pitched into the extra eighth inning in that one and struck out 15, before ultimately reaching his pitch count.

This year gave him a bonus, as well. He got to share the field with his younger brother, Bryson, for the first time as a senior and a freshman in high school. The younger Auten contributed heavily at the plate and on the mound, looking into his bright future, as well.

After a stellar prep career, Auten is headed to the ACC with the Demon Deacons, where he committed in November of his junior year. Wake Forest has made five straight NCAA Tournaments, and will look to continue its high level with Auten joining the fold next season.

Click below to hear CJSR’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Immaculata pitcher Ryan Auten, the 2026 CJSR Somerset County Player of the Year:

HONORABLE MENTIONS

  • Li Perez, Rutgers Prep: A four-year varsity player, Perez had his best year on the mound, going 6-2 with a 1.49 ERA, striking out 102 – a year after he came up one shy of 100, logging 99 last season. But he also contributed at the plate, hitting .356, with 15 RBI and two home runs.
  • Rob Centamore, Watchung Hills: A big reason for the Warriors’ success in 2026, he did it with his arm and his bat. As a pitcher, the senior was 8-0 with a 0.97 ERA, best on the team. And a big win in the Somerset County Tournament semis propelled them to the finals, where they beat top-seed Immaculata. He also hit .353 (second to Jacob Jaconski at .460) with 22 RBI and led the team with three home runs.
  • Jake Dolan, Ridge: A senior centerfielder, not only did he hit .436 to lead the Red Devils, with a team-best 36 RBI – the most by any Ridge player since at least 2011, and the fourth-best single season total in program history – he was an excellent reliever. He pitched a perfect final inning and two-thirds to clinch the North 2, Group 4 championship, in a 3-2 win over Watchung Hills. In nine appearances, he allowed runs in only three.
  • Michael Lobosco, Bridgewater-Raritan: The senior catcher took over from the excellent JR Rosado full-time in 2026 and managed ten different pitchers this season, and even threw two innings himself. In addition to managing the staff well, helping guide the Panthers to semifinal berths both in the county tournament and state sectionals, he hit .352 to lead Bridgewater, with 26 RBI and one homer.
  • Luca Catanzarite, Immaculata: Just a sophomore, the Spartans’ centerfielder and leadoff hitter led the team with a .427 batting average, while knocking in 19 runs and hitting two home runs. He’ll be a centerpiece of the offense – and the middle defense – for years to come.
by Alec Crouthamel

St. Thomas Aquinas falls to top-seeded St. Mary in Non-Public North B final for Gaels’ first title since 2023

Each coach had a similar message heading into Friday’s Non-Public B final.

If we take care of our own business, we’ll be in a good spot.

Top-seeded St. Mary of Rutherford did so at a higher level than third-seeded St. Thomas Aquinas, winning its first sectional title since 2023, 11-7, at Tamblyn Field in Rutherford.

The Gaels (17-11-1) built up a 7-2 lead after just three innings of play, and even after a late rally from the Trojans (14-15), sealed the win in seven full innings.

Two freshmen faced off on the mound, a tough task for both sides. But St. Mary southpaw Ayden Vargas was ready for the challenge and then some, earning the win with 6 1/3 strong innings.

St. Thomas Aquinas freshman Justin Monterosso got the start for the visitors, but only recorded four outs before the Trojans went with junior Nikash Patel out of the bullpen.

Aquinas never backed down, scoring six runs in the final two innings and raising some blood pressures on the home side, but in the end ran out of innings and time to fully make a comeback.

The Trojans left the bases loaded in the top half of the first, and the Gaels responded with a run in the bottom half, as right fielder Andres Bracho singled home centerfielder Jakhi Gale to open the scoring. Gale reached base in all five plate appearances, and scored three runs on the afternoon.

St. Thomas Aquinas tied the game up in the top of the second, as they loaded the bases for the second straight inning. Catcher Adrian Sanchez got the Trojans on the board with a bases-loaded walk, but Vargas worked two consecutive strikeouts in the heart of the order to leave the bases loaded for the second straight inning.

St. Mary started to take full control in the bottom of the second with four runs to take a 5-1 lead. Five straight batters reached after the first was retired, with Patel replacing Monterosso on the mound in the middle of that stretch. Patel walked in two runs with the bases loaded for his first two batters faced, and even after a strikeout of first baseman Jeffrey Paulino, the Gaels added more.

Bracho stepped up once again, and singled into right field to bring home two more runs to make it a four-spot in the inning.

The Trojans added another run of their own in the top of the third, a sacrifice fly from right fielder Aiden Alberto, but St. Mary got right back to its mojo in the bottom half. The Gaels worked two more runs off a two-RBI double from shortstop Roysell Rivera, taking a commanding 7-2 lead early on.

Each team threw a shutout fourth, but in the bottom of the fifth, St. Mary fully broke the game wide open.

The Gaels worked four straight hits with one out, including RBI base hits by Gale and Rivera, before Paulino mashed a long home run up the left-field hill. By that point, St. Mary worked an 11-2 run, and with a runner on second, came close to ending the game in five innings.

Courtesy runner, Logan Bartley rounded third with a full head of steam after a single by catcher Joshua Figueroa, but Trojans right fielder Justin Brown launched a long throw from the outfield to throw Bartley out at the plate, and keep the game alive.

From there, St. Thomas Aquinas fought to the very last pitch.

The Trojans added a run in the top of the sixth on an RBI single from Brown to score senior Louis Rizzolo, cutting the deficit to eight runs. Reliever Chris Gutaukas threw a shutout bottom half of the inning, setting up the Gaels to win the game in the top half of the seventh.

But as a wise man once said on ESPN, “Not so fast, my friends.”

St. Thomas Aquinas refused to go down without a fight, putting up four runs in the final frame to make things interesting. Designated hitter Harrison Eng reached on a full-count walk with one out, prompting St. Mary to go to the bullpen, as Vargas earned a round of applause for his efforts.

Designated hitter Demir Giddens replaced Vargas on the mound, but the Trojans kept fighting. Giddens struck out pinch-hitter Vic Burgos, setting the Gaels up one out away from a title, but it took a bit longer than anticipated. Monterosso worked a walk of his own, flipping the lineup back to the top one last time. Rizzolo worked another walk on four pitches, then catcher Adrian Sanchez brought home pinch-runner Andrew Scaff with a scorching RBI single. Patel came up and brought two more home with another single up the middle, and Brown made it three straight, going station-to-station with an RBI single of his own, as St. Mary made another pitching change during that stretch, putting Xavier Vargas on the bump.

All of a sudden, it was 11-7 with two runners on.

Vargas didn’t waver, though, facing third baseman Tyler Coello, the ninth batter of the inning. Even in a full count, Vargas trusted his stuff and froze Coello looking to seal the title.

Monterosso took the loss in 1 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four runs on five hits and a walk. Patel pitched four innings, allowing six earned runs, while Gutaukas allowed none in an inning and two thirds of his own.

Ayden Vargas earned the win with 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball.

In the end, the Gaels took advantage of their chances. Their top five hitters reached base 18 times, accounting for nine of the 11 runs on the scoreboard.

St. Mary won its 16th sectional championship – 13th in Non-Public North B – and will move on to the Non-Public B final against South champion Gloucester Catholic on Wednesday at Rutgers. St. Thomas Aquinas’ season comes to a close.

Click below to hear postgame reaction from both head coaches with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino
St. Mary head coach Nigel Archibald
by Alec Crouthamel

Third seed St. Thomas Aquinas, top seed St. Mary, battle for Non-Public North B crown, in matchup between two of the last three sectional champs

It would be an understatement to say St. Thomas Aquinas – particularly its seniors – have had an eventful week or so.

Tuesday, the third-seeded Trojans (14-14) defeated second-seeded Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public North B semifinals, advancing to the sectional final for the second time in three years.

Thursday, the school held its graduation, meaning the aforementioned title game was moved to Friday.

On Friday, St. Thomas Aquinas will head up to Tamblyn Field to battle top-seeded St. Mary (Ruth.) for its third sectional title in program history.

The Gaels (16-11-1) and Trojans represent two of the last three sectional champions, with St. Mary hoisting the championship trophy in 2023, the first year under head coach Nigel Archibald.

First pitch is set for 4 pm in Rutherford, and you can hear the game live on Central Jersey Sports Radio, with Alec Crouthamel on the call. Pregame begins at 3:45 pm.

Click the above link to listen LIVE to
the Non-Public North B final between
St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Mary!!

The two teams each bring some similarities and differences to the field.

The Gaels are coming off back-to-back 12-1 victories over eighth-seeded Montclair Kimberley and fifth-seeded Morristown-Beard, and the Trojans won each of their two playoff games 7-0 over sixth-seeded Morris Catholic, and 7-3 over the Argonauts.

They each bring a core top of the lineup to the table, led by veterans such as Louis Rizzolo for St. Thomas Aquinas, and Sebastian Santana and Jeffrey Paulino for the Gaels, with the bottom of the order featuring developing talent, getting invaluable experience along the way.

One of the main differences comes in the history. St. Mary has long been a non-public power on the diamond, looking for its 16th sectional championship dating back to 1958.

But none of that history will matter once the two teams take the field. They’re both battled-tested, the Gaels playing a tough NJIC and out-of-conference schedule, and the Trojans in a rugged GMC Red Division.

With the season on the line, all hands are on deck, as each team looks to make it two sectional titles in the decade.

Click below to hear both head coaches preview Friday’s Non-Public North B sectional final, with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel:

St. Mary head coach Nigel Archibald
St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Tom D’Agostino

Championship History

St. Thomas Aquinas: The Trojans won their second sectional title in 2024, and their first in 18 years at the time. They defeated Rutgers Prep in the final, the first of three straight years with victories over the Argonauts in postseason play.

  • Non-Public South A
    • 2006 (Then Bishop Ahr), lost to Seton Hall Prep in Non-Public A Final
  • Non-Public North B
    • 2024, lost to Gloucester Catholic in Non-Public B Final

St. Mary: The Gaels have a long history of dominance in their program’s history, racking up 15 sectional titles, including eight since the turn of the century. Their best stretch was a run of six titles in 11 years from 1998 to 2008. St. Mary’s most recent championship came in 2023 over Rutgers Prep, in Archibald’s first year at the helm.

  • Non-Public North B
    • 1956
    • 1962
    • 1968
    • 1998
    • 2000
    • 2001
    • 2003
    • 2006
    • 2008
    • 2016
    • 2019
    • 2023
  • Non-Public North C (Discontinued in 1979)
    • 1974
    • 1976
    • 1977

List of previous Non-Public North B Sectional Champions

  • 1948: Holy Family/Union City/Our Lady of the Valley/St. Patrick’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1949: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1951: Our Lady of the Valley
  • 1953: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)/St. Michael’s (Jersey City)
  • 1954: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)/Don Bosco Prep
  • 1955: Pope Pius XII
  • 1956: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 1957: Pope Pius XII
  • 1958: Immaculate Conception (Montclair)
  • 1959: Bayley-Ellard
  • 1960: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
  • 1961: St. Luke’s (Ho-Ho-Kus)
  • 1962: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 1963: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1964: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
  • 1965: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1966: St. Michael’s (Jersey City)
  • 1967: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
  • 1968: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 1969: Bayley-Ellard
  • 1970: Bayley-Ellard
  • 1971: Morris Catholic
  • 1972: Pope Pius XII
  • 1973: Paterson Catholic
  • 1974: Paul VI (Clifton)
  • 1975: St. Cecilia’s (Englewood)
  • 1976: Don Bosco Tech (Paterson)
  • 1977: Our Lady of the Valley
  • 1978: Paul VI (Clifton)
  • 1979: Don Bosco Prep
  • 1980: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
  • 1981: St. Mary’s (Jersey City)
  • 1982: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1983: St. Mary’s (Elizabeth)
  • 1984: Bayley-Ellard
  • 1985: Immaculata
  • 1986: Phillipsburg Catholic
  • 1987: St. Anthony’s (Jersey City)
  • 1988: Pope John XXIII
  • 1989: Marist
  • 1990: St. Anthony’s (Jersey City)
  • 1991: Marist
  • 1992: Essex Catholic
  • 1993: Marist
  • 1994: Pingry
  • 1995: Immaculata
  • 1996: Pope John XXIII
  • 1997: Montclair Kimberley
  • 1998: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 1999: Paterson Catholic
  • 2000: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2001: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2002: Montclair Kimberley
  • 2003: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2004: Newark Academy
  • 2005: Morristown-Beard
  • 2006: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2007: Newark Academy
  • 2008: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2009: Montclair Kimberley
  • 2010: Morristown-Beard
  • 2011: Newark Academy
  • 2012: Newark Academy
  • 2013: Morris Catholic
  • 2014: Hudson Catholic
  • 2015: Newark Academy
  • 2016: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2017: Newark Academy
  • 2018: DePaul Catholic
  • 2019: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2021: Morristown-Beard
  • 2022: Immaculata
  • 2023: St. Mary’s (Rutherford)
  • 2024: St. Thomas Aquinas
  • 2025: Pope John XXIII

Bold and italics represent CJSR-area teams

by Alec Crouthamel

Piscataway Magnet’s surprise season comes to a close, 14-2, to Point Pleasant Beach in Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals

Even as the second seed in the Central Jersey Group 1 section, Piscataway Magnet’s season has been somewhat of a Cinderella run.

But the clock struck midnight for the Raiders (25-4) in the sectional semifinals, falling to third-seeded Point Pleasant Beach 14-2 in five innings.

The battle-tested Garnet Gulls (17-6) piled on runs early and often, including an eight-run third inning, to send them to their sixth consecutive sectional final appearance.

Point Pleasant Beach opened up the game with two runs and plenty of pressure on the basepaths, as the first two pitches of the game were swung on and resulted with a batter on base.

Centerfielder Brody Powers brought both of them home with a rare two-RBI sacrifice fly, after the ball was slow to come back into the infield. Raiders starter Jack Garrison got out of any further trouble with a groundout to end the inning.

Piscataway Magnet threatened in its half of the first, as shortstop Trey Lyerly made it to second base on an error in the outfield. But Garnet Gulls starter Tommy Conroy worked a groundout of his own to keep the Raiders off the board.

Conroy helped his own case with an RBI single in the top half of the second, after right fielder Davin Marquez got plunked with two outs. He once again worked around some trouble on the basepaths in the second, with a hit-by-pitch and a fielder’s choice, before striking out designated hitter Tristen Miller to end the second.

Then the floodgates opened in the top of the third.

Point Pleasant Beach broke the game open with eight runs, turning a three-run lead into an 11-0 ballgame. Catcher Danny Lubach – who recorded his 150th career hit in the game – reached on an error to lead it off. Powers then put runners on second and third with a double, prompting a Piscataway Magnet pitching change. Brody Guthrie replaced Garrison, but the change didn’t faze the Garnet Gulls.

Third baseman Carson Pfeifer brought home Lubach’s courtesy runner, Jalen Kreiger, on a sacrifice fly, recorded after a diving catch by centerfielder Vincent Canavan. It appeared the third-base umpire called Kreiger out for leaving early, but the call was reversed, and Kreiger was safe at home.

After another hit-by-pitch, designated hitter Thomas Slobiski brought in two runs with a single. Those two plays cycled once again, with another hit-by-pitch and then an RBI single from Marquez to make it four runs in the inning and seven on the game.

But Point Pleasant Beach still wasn’t done.

The Raiders made another pitching change after just one out was recorded. Third baseman Colton Lyerly made the move to the mound to face the top of the order for Point Pleasant Beach’s third time through. Conroy walked on five pitches, then second baseman Mason Sesny flew out to right field to record the second out.

But Lubach came back up to bat for the second time in the inning, and took full advantage of the opportunity. He crushed a fastball, sending it over the fence to make it 11-0.

Powers struck out to end the inning, but not before the Garnet Gulls put up eight runs with ten batters, on four hits, two walks, and an error.

With the big lead, Point Pleasant Beach opted to make a pitching change of its own, relieving Conroy after two shutout innings on 38 pitches, saving his potential pitch count for Friday’s sectional final.

Slobiski came in to relieve Conroy, and continued the strong pitching. He threw two shutout innings, allowing just one two baserunners on a single and error.

In the top half of the fourth, the Garnet Gulls added three more runs for good measure. First baseman Dylan Ryan singled to bring home shortstop Antonio Acevedo, Marquez walked, and with the lineup card flipped over and two outs, Conroy added his second and third RBIs of the game with a double into the outfield to make it 14-0.

After two shutout halves in the bottom of the fourth and top of the fifth, Piscataway Magnet had one final shot.

Senior Michael Schimpf – the lone senior on the entire Raiders’ roster – worked a full-count walk in his final game. The next two batters were retired, and with two outs, Piscatway Magnet got on the board with the top of the lineup. Canavan lined a triple into right field to score the first run, and Lyerly brought him in with a flared single to left field.

The Raiders’ magical season comes to a close, with a 25-4 record and sparkling 12-0 mark in the GMC Gold division. They won their first two playoff games in (what we think is) program history, both in walk-off fashion.

And with a young team after a playoff run, the future is bright for Piscatway Magnet.

Point Pleasant Beach will move on to the Central Jersey Group 1 final for the sixth straight year, and the Garnet Gulls will host fifth-seeded Shore, who knocked off top-seeded Middlesex 2-0 in the opposite semifinal. This marks the first year Point Pleasant Beach will not face the Blue Jays in the sectional tournament since 2016.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with Piscataway Magnet head coach Greg Sampson about the Raiders’ season and loss to Point Pleasant Beach in the Central Jersey Group 1 semifinals, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Alec Crouthamel

Rizzolo, Patel power St. Thomas Aquinas to 7-3 win over Rutgers Prep for third postseason year in Non-Public North B semifinals

Three straight years Louis Rizzolo got the ball against Rutgers Prep in the Non-Public North B sectional tournament.

And three straight years, the senior southpaw helped guide St. Thomas Aquinas to a playoff victory.

The third-seeded Trojans (13-14) went on the road to defeat second-seeded Rutgers Prep 7-3 in the semifinals, advancing to their second sectional final appearance in three years. The Argonauts (17-7) saw their season come to a close after another strong campaign.

Rizzolo and junior Nikash Patel applied much of the damage, with both of them going the distance on the mound and accounting for all seven runs on two homers.

Both came with runners on, as Rizzolo mashed a two-out three-run blast on the first pitch to open St. Thomas Aquinas’ scoring in the second inning, and Patel launched a grand slam to extend a one-run lead to five. The seven earned runs were the most all season for Rutgers Prep ace Li Perez, and just the second outing all year he allowed any earned runs.

The Argonauts struck first in the game, as Perez worked a shutout top half of the first to set up his offense well. Second baseman Matt Bilmes reached on an infield single and advanced on an error, before designated hitter Maddox Chu lined an RBI double to bring him home.

But the Trojans responded immediately.

Perez retired two of the first three batters, but freshman Justin Monterosso – one of four first-years in the lineup – worked a key walk on four pitches to flip the lineup card over and bring Rizzolo up in a big spot.

The senior came through, as a fast-moving fastball from Perez left the yard even faster off the bat of Rizzolo, instantly putting St. Thomas Aquinas ahead with a 3-1 lead.

Rutgers Prep brought a response of their own after that, as Bilmes scored his second run of the day on a sacrifice fly from Perez, but Rizzolo limited the damage to just a run after loading the bases, striking out first baseman Mason Cimini looking to end the trouble. Perez struck out the side and retired seven straight after allowing the home run, and it looked like the veteran-laden Argonauts were setting themselves up to get right back into the game.

But in the top of the fifth, the Trojans’ veteran power struck again.

Monterosso worked his second important walk of the afternoon, reaching to lead off the inning on a full count, and Rizzolo singled to set up another big inning. Catcher Adrian Sanchez worked a full-count walk himself to load the bases with nobody out. Then came Patel. Perez got off to a solid start, working a 1-2 count, but Patel got a breaking ball he liked and powered it the opposite way, sending the ball over the right-centerfield fence to take a commanding 7-2 lead.

Perez retired the next three batters to get out of the inning, but the damage had been done.

Argonauts catcher Ethan Nepomuceno launched a solo home run off Rizzolo to lead off the bottom half of the inning, but Rizzolo didn’t let another baserunner on in the inning, keeping the lead at four runs.

Senior reliever Peter Wheeler pitched the final two frames for Rutgers Prep, working around a hit-by-pitch to Monterosso and an intentional walk to Rizzolo to keep the score at 7-3.

Rutgers Prep had one final shot in the bottom half of the seventh. With Rizzolo up against his pitch count, he struck out Bilmes on four pitches, then shortstop Alex Perez on three. But Perez reached on a dropped third strike and wide throw from Sanchez for pitch 111.

But as the two have so many times, Patel picked up his starter, ending the game in just three pitches as Nepomuceno grounded into a 2-0, 4-6-3 double play to seal the win.

Rizzolo earned the win in 6 1/3 innings pitched, with three earned runs on six hits, with just one walk and 12 strikeouts. Perez was given the loss with seven earned runs in five innings, with five hits, four walks, and six strikeouts.

The Trojans will advance to the Non-Public North B semifinals for the second time in three years – they won it over the Argonauts in 2024 – and will face top-seeded St. Mary in Rutherford on Friday at 4 pm.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Alec Crouthamel talk with St. Thomas Aquinas senior Louis Rizzolo, junior Nikash Patel, and freshman Justin Monterosso, as well as head coach Tom D’Agostino, about the Trojans’ semifinal victory over Rutgers Prep, presented by the Sportsplex at Metuchen: