Tag: Morris Knolls

by Dylan Allen

South Plainfield falls short of Group 3 Championship game in heartbreaking fashion, losing to Morris Knolls 3-2, in 8

After surrendering back-to-back home runs, in the first inning, and being down 2-0 through the first three batters of the Morris Knolls lineup, it surely looked like South Plainfield was going to have a long day on the diamond.

It was quite the contrary, as South Plainfield came back to eventually tie the game at two, and had its fair share of chances to win the game. The effort from South Plainfield wasn’t enough, however, as Colin Iberer of Morris Knolls walked it off with a bases loaded full-count two-out walk in the eighth inning to send the Golden Eagles to Saturday’s NJSIAA State Group 3 final with a 3-2, eight-inning win.

Morris Knolls (15-10) had its ace on the mound in Dean Kaletcher, and boy, did he pitch like one to start. Kaletcher on the season had a 1.60 ERA with 77 strikeouts and only 17 walks and he retired the first seven batters he faced and racked up four strikeouts by the end of the third.

South Plainfield (18-11) had its ace on the mound as well. Junior Aiden McCarthy was tasked with pitching this road state semifinal game, and it didn’t start well. He surrendered back-to-back solo home runs to Dylan Fitzsimmons, his ninth of the year, and Ryan McDonald, his third of the year, giving the Golden Eagles a 2-0 lead in the first.

But McCarthy settled in, and head coach Scott Gleichenhaus credited his senior catcher, Steven Studlack. “He’s one of the hardest working and greatest kids we’ve ever had the pleasure of coaching,” Gleichenaus said after the game, noting he “helped settle McCarthy down, and he even energized the team later with a line drive single in the third.”

But the rest of the way out, no one could score, and the pitching was must-see. Despite the first-inning homers, McCarthy went on to pitch six scoreless innings and only allowed three hits in that span. All of a sudden, the pressure was put on Kaletcher to preserve the 2-0 lead.

The fourth inning was when South Plainfield started to string together some hits off Kaletcher. With two outs and no one on base, singles from Dan Kapsch and Lorenzo Fuscoletti put runners on first and second. It was only the Tigers’ second and third baserunners of the game.

Up came third baseman Chris Loniewski with a chance to do some damage. After working the count, he slapped a ball into center field for a single, Kapsch took off from second with a burst of speed and got the sign from Gleichenhaus to round third and takeoff for home. Fitzsimmons, out in center, fielded and fired the ball in on a line to home and gunned out Kapsch at the plate to end the inning, preserving the 2-0 lead.

McCarthy kept on cruising, retiring Morris Knolls in order in the bottom of the fourth. Now to the top of the fifth, with one out in the inning, Kaletcher walked two batters in a row. Then, he allowed an infield single to leadoff man Nick Irizarry to load the bases. McCarthy lined out to shallow center field, which kept the runners from tagging.

But with two outs and the bases loaded, South Plainfield had the guy they wanted up at the plate: recently-named GMC Red Division Player of the Year Dom Massaro. He singled, plating two, tying the game at 2-2.

South Plainfield had a chance to take the lead on the top of the seventh. Leadoff man Irizarry was hit by a pitch to start the inning. He then stole second base and later advanced to third on a wild pitch that got by Morris Knolls catcher Ryan Kuehne. The Tigers had a man on third with nobody out, and the meat of the order coming up. Kaletcher was then taken out of the game. He finished with six innings pitched, six hits, two earned runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts.

That’s when Fitzsimmons came in and got his team out of the jam. Unfazed, he struck out McCarthy, got Massaro to hit a weak ground ball back to him, and got Kapsch to fly out to shallow right field to end the threat.

McCarthy came back out and pitched a one-two-three inning to send the game to extras. Morris Knolls put Fitzsimmons back out on the mound, where he continued to dominate. He allowed just one hit to Loniewski in the inning and struck out the side. Onto the bottom of the eighth.

Fitzsimmons led off the bottom of the eighth with a single to center field. McDonald followed with a sac bunt, and Gleichenhaus intentionally walked cleanup hitter Ryan Kuehne to have a chance at an inning-ending double play. With runners on first and second, Jason LoBello hit a hard grounder to third that Loniewski fielded cleanly and beat Fitzsimmons in a foot race to third to get the force out. But Troy Kuehne followed with a soft ground ball back to McCarthy, who slipped, letting the ball get by him and loaded the bases with two down.

That was all for McCarthy, and the call went in for closer Jayden Jimenez in one of the toughest spots a pitcher can be in: game on the line, two outs, bases loaded.

Jimenez would face DH Colin Iberer, who was 0-for-3 on the day. After fighting off several pitches foul, he worked the count full, before Jimenez just missed with a breaking ball for ball four, sending the winning run across.

There was hysteria everywhere. Happy, angry, disappointed fans, parents and players. Morris Knolls stormed the field and celebrated the walk-off win, where South Plainfield players could only stand and watch it unfold.

A truly gut-wrenching way to end a truly successful, championship season for the South Plainfield Tigers.

Click below for postgame reaction from South Plainfield Head Coach Scott Gleichenhaus, presented by Sportsplex at Metuchen:

by Mike Pavlichko

South Plainfield answered its questions, and then some; now Tigers are two wins from first state championship since 2015

Back in March, we were taking a look at some of the top high school baseball teams in the area coming into 2025, and we talked with South Plainfield head coach Scott Gleichenhaus.

The Tigers were coming off a 22-6-1 campaign where they earned the top-seed in the GMC Tournament as the Red Division champion. They made it to the finals, falling 6-5 to Old Bridge in one of the highest-scoring title games in years, and went to the North 2, Group 3 finals, falling in spectacular fashion to Randolph, after looking in control late.

That left a bad taste in the mouths of the returning players, who came into the season believing they had unfinished business. But before that, Gleichenhaus also was looking at answering some big question marks, both on the left side of the infield with third-baseman Jayden Alvarez and shortstop Zach Robinson graduating, and the departures of quality senior arms like Chase Donovan and Aldo Pigna.

Well, those questions were answered fairly quickly. They started with a home-and-home sweep of Edison, and later swept two games from Woodbridge, which still wound up finishing ahead of the Tigers and got the top-seed in the GMCT.

And yet, here they are, 18-10, and in the state Group 3 semifinals Monday as the North 2, Group 3 champions, where they will travel up to Rockaway to take on three-time North 1, Group 3 champion Morris Knolls (14-11) at 2:30 pm. Follow Dylan Allen on Twitter for updates, and postgame reaction and a game recap here afterwards.

As far as the lineup, Gleichenhaus says other than a few position shuffles, his opening day nine hasn’t changed, and his top pitchers Kevin Penny and Aiden McCarthy have been rock solid.

The two teams are very similar in a lot of the numbers. The Tigers are hitting .278 as a team, Morris Knolls .266 on the year. South Plainfield has a 3.05 team ERA, with 3.03 for the Golden Eagles.

One area in which the Tigers have well outdone their opponents: on the basepaths. Morris Plains has only 10 stolen bases on the year, while South Plainfield has swiped 100 even. The Tigers are notoriously aggressive when it comes to baserunning – any aspect of the game, really – and that could be a big difference when the two meet up Monday.

The winner moves on to Saturday’s Group 3 state final scheduled for 4 pm at Veterans’ Park in Hamilton against the winner of the other Group 3 semifinal between South champion Toms River East (20-6) and Central champ Northern Burlington (26-2).

Click below to hear South Plainfield coach Scott Gleichenhaus talk about the Tigers’ North 2, Group 3 championship, the season, and Monday’s Group 3 semifinal matchup with Morris Knolls:

by Mike Pavlichko

Ramapo scores often, gets key defensive stops to claim back-to-back North 1, Group 4 titles; will visit Phillipsburg Friday in Group 4 semis

Much like Somerville and Delsea Friday night in the Central Jersey Group 3 championship game, Saturday afternoon’s North 1, Group 4 title tilt was a contrast in styles.

Ramapo likes to play at a high rate of speed, and the Morris Knolls triple-option keeps defenses on their toes.

Well, Ramapo prevailed, 38-25 to win the North 1, Group 4 title for the second year in a row.  Now 8-3, they’ll next visit North 2, Group 4 champion Phillipsburg  Friday night at 7 pm for a chance to go to the state Group 4 title game.

Phillipsburg won the North 2, Group 4 title Friday night in thrilling fashion, 13-11 over Northern Highlands on a school-record long 46-yard field goal by Alexis Moriera.

Ramapo beat Morris Knolls on the road Saturday, 35-38, to win its second straight North 1, Group 4 title.  (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

Much like Somerville did against Delsea’s Wing-T, the key was coming up with just enough defensive stops.

The biggest two of which came in the fourth quarter.  First was a fumble recovery at their own 36 after the Golden Eagles botched a pitch play.  Ramapo looked like it might go three and out, but extended the drive a bit, converting a fourth and short.  They punted four plays later.

That pinned Knolls back to their 20 on a touchback with 3:05 left, down seven.

Bobby Bruckner peeled off a 59 yard run for Knolls a few plays later, setting up the Golden Eagles in the red zone.  free a few runs, they were left with a fourth and two and had to go for it.

It was time for another Ramapo stop, and they got it. By inches.  One kneel and the game was over.

The chain gang shows Morris Knolls is short on 4th down with under a minute to go. Ramapo took over and took a knee to run out the clock in a 35-28 win in the North 1 Group 4 four title game.  (Photo: Mike Pavlichko)

This one was tight in the first half, with each team trading touchdowns.  Casey Grusser hit Salvatore Livoti from 11 yards out for the Raiders, but the Golden Knights came back with a five-yard TD run with 2:40 to go in the quarter to deadlock the game at seven.

But the scoring blew up in the next 12 minutes.  Liam Hayward ran in a two-yard score to put Ramapo up 14-7, but a 50-yard run by Chris Kaiser for Knolls tied it up with 4:28 to go before the half.

The Raiders took the lead right backol on a long drive capped by a five-yard TD run by Dylan Rosano, but Morris Knolls tied it again, this time on a 51-yard scamper by Kaiser.

Then, Rosano got his second score of the afternoon from a yard out with :35 to go before the half, making it 28-21 Ramapo at the break.

Things were not as busy in the second half, with a lot of back and forth. Morris Knolls opened the half with a seven-minute drive to tie things at 28 on a four-yard run by Kaiser.

Ramapo answered back with 1:17 left in the third on another one-yard run by Rosano, then held on by inches for the win. 

Click below for postgame reaction from Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko with Ramapo head coach Nick Guttuso:

by Mike Pavlichko

Randolph is hungry as Rams visit North Hunterdon in North 2, Group 4 title game

Admittedly a young team with a lot of junior starters, they came in as a four-seed, and would host 5th-seed Colonia in the opening round. But the Patriots – mostly on the fleet feet of dual-threat quarterback Josh Uluremi – rolled up over 300 yards on the ground, en route to a 32-21 win.

And just like that, the 7-2 season became a disappointing 7-3 campaign for the Rams.

Head coach Will Nahan, when asked about it in the 2022 preseason, told Morris Sussex Sports, “It was a good year, but did we reach our ultimate goal?”

That answer being no, this year’s team is hungry.

Saturday afternoon, 2nd seed Randolph (9-1) will visit top-seed North Hunterdon (10-1) for the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 title, and Central Jersey Sports Radio will have all the coverage live from Singley Field in Annandale, NJ. Kickoff is at 12 noon, pregame at approximately 11:40 am. Click here to listen to the broadcast.

The game was moved from its original 7 pm start time Friday due to heavy rain, gusty winds and thunderstorms in the forecast from the remnants of Hurricane Nicole.

Randolph’s lone loss this season came October 15th to West Morris, one of the two teams they lost to last year, and the 2021 North Group 4 regional champ. The Wolfpack also have won 16 straight dating back to last season.

Other than that, it’s been a near flawless 2022, with much of the same cast of characters.

Senor quarterback Sean Clark has thrown for 2,004 yards and 23 touchdowns, and he distributes the ball through the air well, finding seven different receivers for no fewer than 6 catches and 101 yards, with the top two targets being Jesse Wilfong (28 for 517 yards and four TDs) and James Fusco (28 for 464 yards and 5 TDs).

On the ground, Stephen Petruzziello has 918 yards rushing and ten touchdowns, plus 11 catches for 180 yards and two scores.

That aerial attack could be grounded a bit, though, Friday night, with weather expected to be rainy – possibly heavy at times – with winds from side to side across the football field at 10-15 mph with higher wind gusts possible, thanks to the remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Randolph head coach Will Nahan:

by Mike Pavlichko

INSTANT REPLAY: North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 Semifinals: (1) North Hunterdon 25, (5) Morris Knolls 14

Despite falling behind 14-0 late in the first quarter on touchdowns less than two minutes apart, top-seed North Hunterdon scored four unanswered touchdowns and the game’s next 25 points en route to a 25-14 win over visiting 5th-seed Morris Knolls in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 semifinals, heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear all the live play-by-play from Singley Field in Annandale, with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe on the call:

1st Half
2nd Half
by Mike Pavlichko

Highlight Reel! Listen back to the key plays from North Hunterdon’s North 2, Group 4 comeback win over Morris Knolls

Top-seed North Hunterdon will be in the North 2, Group 4 title game at home next Friday night, as the Lions beat 5th-seed Morris Knolls 25-14 in Annandale, in a game heard on Central Jersey Sports Radio.

Click below to hear all the game highlights with Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe calling all the play-by-play!

by Mike Pavlichko

Lions roar as North Hunterdon scores 25 unanswered to come from behind, beat Morris Knolls, and secure bid in North 2, Group 4 final

After trading three-and-outs to start the game, by the end of the first quarter things weren’t looking good for North Hunterdon.

The top-seeded Lions were down 14-0 after Morris Knolls opened the scoring with a 17-play drive, then scored quickly again after recovering an onside kick that took North by surprise.

Penalties and a fumble didn’t help the cause either, and things were in danger of getting late early in Annandale.

That is until head coach Kevin Kley called “The Timeout.” It followed a fumble by Alex Uryniak, then a big first down gain of 35 yards by Dom DellaMonache. Kley decided it was time to click Reboot.

And reboot, they did.

DellaMonache had 90 yards on 13 carries at that point, but only had 42 the rest of the way as the Lions’ defense hunkered down, kept the Golden Eagles off the scorebaord, and let Luke Martini and Derek Vaddis do their thing.

The pair hooked up for touchdowns of 46 yards and 63 yards in the second quarter – with 5:59 and 2:41 to go – but the Lions still trailed 14-12 going into the locker room, after having the extra point blocked on the first TD, and the two-point conversion fail on the second.

In the third quarter, after several momentum swings but no other scores, quarterback Luke Martini ran one in from 15 yards with 8:17 left to put North up 18-12, again missing on the two-point try. Then, with under two minutes to go, the icing on the cake: Kente Edwards – who had missed two games and was limited in two others after a suffering a lower body injury against Colonia – capped the game with a three-yard touchdown run.

The win puts North Hunterdon (9-1) in the North 2, Group 4 Championship game at home next week against second-seed Randolph, which beat third-seed Wayne Valley 31-28 Friday night. The game will be in Annandale Friday night at 7:00.

It’s North’s first trip to the finals since they won the North 2, Group 4 title in 2017, beating Phillipsburg 21-20 at MetLife Stadium after losing to the Stateliners in the regular season. That team finished 11-1, and this one will as well, if they win the title next week.

Click below to for postgame reaction with Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko:

QB Luke Martini and WR Derek Vaddis
Head Coach Kevin Kley
by Mike Pavlichko

North Hunterdon looking to turn tables on Morris Knolls in bid for first finals trip since ’17

One more win.

Well, two really.

One more win is all North Hunterdon needs to reach a sectional final for the first time since 2017.

That season, the Lions went all the way, winning the North 2, Group 4 championship, beating Phillipsburg 21-20 at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands for the program’s first title since 1975, just the second year of the current playoff system’s existence.

Two more wins, and they’ll have a title, but first things first.

The top-seeded Lions (9-1) will have to get by Morris Knolls (7-2) Friday night in a North 2, Group 4 semifinal game to be broadcast live by Central Jersey Sports Radio on the “Big Central Game of the Week.”

You can hear the game for free by clicking here, with pregame set for 6:45 pm, and Mike Pavlichko and Justin Sontupe calling all the play-by-play with kickoff set for 7:00.

Both teams have been great all year. Their three losses have been to Phillipsburg (North Hunterdon), Randolph and West Morris (Morris Knolls), teams with a combined record of 27-1. Randolph is 8-1, the only team with a loss. The Stateliners are 9-0, the Wolfpack 10-0 and the defending North Jersey Group 3 Regional Champions.

North Hunterdon has been averaging 30.9 points per game, and has scored no fewer than 21 points in a contest all season.

They’re led on offense by quarterback Luke Martini (1,505 passing yards and 5 TDs), receiver Derek Vaddis (33 catches, 649 yards, 7 TDs), and the dual-threat of runningbacks Kente Edwards (1,035 yards and 11 TDs) and Alex Uryniak (900 yards and 12 TDs).

Edwards has been banged up for a few weeks and seen limited playing time over the past month. With Uryniak handling the bulk of the carries in that timespan with ease, Edwards hasn’t necessarily been needed.

Not yet, anyway.

But he very well could be needed against a Golden Eagles’ squad that runs the the Houston veer option to the tune of over 2,600 yards and 27 touchdowns on the season, averaging 24 points a game. When held to no more than two touchdowns, Morris Knolls is 1-2.

So it may be that defense is the key. The schools have very little history, only meeting two times, but those have come in the last two years, and both wins by Morris Knolls: 35-21 in last year’s season opener, and 35-14 in the 2020 season-opener, a “COVID” game picked up with just one day’s notice after a last-minute pandemic-related cancellation.

Click below to hear Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Mike Pavlichko preview the game with North Hunterdon head coach Kevin Kley: