A week after winning the Ed Ford Memorial Hudson County Baseball Tournament, the Marist Royal Knights are now the last local baseball or softball team still alive in the NJSIAA state playoffs.
One by one, the mighty fell in the state tournament. It’s a one-and-done mentality in the state playoffs. Lose and you go home for the summer.
Some were sent packing in the first round. It is almost mind boggling that North Bergen’s baseball season ended with losses in the county and state playoffs in the matter of days. The Bruins’ softball county champs were upset in the opening round of the states by Fair Lawn.
The great high school baseball career of Hoboken’s Kenny Roder ended last Tuesday in the North 2, Group I sectional semifinals. After the Red Wings won their first two games, they fell to top-seeded Dunellen by a score of 1-0. Roder allowed one run and that was it. Roder ends his days in Hoboken as one of the greatest pitchers in Hudson County history, if not the very best.
St. Peter’s Prep had a golden chance to pull off an upset of state-ranked St. Joseph of Montvale in the Non-Public A North quarterfinals, but the Marauders lost via a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning.
After knocking off Hoboken in the North 2, Group I quarterfinals, the Secaucus softball team had a chance to move on to the sectional finals, managing to get a home game against New Providence in the semis, but the Patriots dropped a tough 3-0 decision, ending their season.
So the lone team left standing is Marist, courtesy of the Royal Knights’ thrilling 1-0 victory over St. Joseph of Hammonton in the opening round of the Non-Public B South bracket.
Yes, Marist is in the south for some reason. The school is not even in southern Bayonne, but in the eyes of the NJSIAA, Marist is a southern school.
It doesn’t seem right that Marist has been placed in the Non-Public B South, but head coach Ron Hayward isn’t complaining.
That’s because the 22-5 Royal Knights are the top seed in the bracket and all these southern New Jersey schools have to take the long bus ride to Bayonne for the state playoff action.
For example, Mater Dei of New Monmouth will make the journey for the sectional semifinal.
“They all play tough competition in the southern part of the state,” Hayward said. “They face some really good teams. Our bonus is the top seed. We got lucky to have those teams come here. It’s been perfect.”
So has the recent pitching of sophomore right-hander Matt Littrell, who fired a one-hitter against St. Joseph of Hammonton, striking out seven. It means that Littrell has allowed just one hit in his last 10 innings of work.
“He’s just a very good pitcher,” Hayward said of Littrell, who will probably take a backseat to senior Mark Peralta in the sectional semifinal. Peralta only threw a no-hitter in his last outing in the county semifinals against Bayonne.
“Mark Littrell is such a good kid that I sometimes have to remind him of his talents,” Hayward said. “He’s still growing up. If he stays healthy and continues to get stronger, the sky’s the limit for him.”
Hayward knows that an overall state title isn’t out of the question. After all, it’s happened at the school three previous times, in 1989 (with a team led by future major leaguer Joe Borowski), in 1992 and in 1994.
“I don’t know if it helps, but it’s definitely in our minds,” Hayward said. “It’s still hard to get, but there are reminders. I look at the banners every day in the gym, so it can be done. I’m not surprised we’re the last team still playing, because we have two great pitchers and some good relievers. It does feel good that we are.” …
Other than Morgan Spann, this week’s Athlete of the Week, there were other impressive track and field performances locally over the last two weeks.
At the Hudson County Track Coaches Association championships, St. Dominic Academy won the girls’ team title, 108-101 over McNair Academic, while Memorial captured the boys’ title, 122-96 over runner-up North Bergen.
Individually, Sarah Sisk won two gold medals for the Blue Devils, winning the 1,600-meter and high jump gold medals, while finishing second in the 800-meter run and third in the 3,200-meter run.
Secaucus’ Kathleen Mercado had a great meet, winning the long jump and the triple jump, finishing second in the 100-meter dash and third in the 200-meter dash.
On the boys’ side, Orel Thompson of North Bergen, the younger brother of former Bruin standout Kevin Thompson, won the high jump and long jump gold medals, was second in the 200-meter dash and was third in the 400-meter run.
Travis Gallardo of Bayonne won both the shot put and the discus.
At the state sectional meets, Timoy Malcolm of Snyder stood out, winning the North Jersey Section 2, Group II gold medal in the 100-meter dash, second in the 200 and third in the 400.
Yerlin Hernandez of North Bergen earned three medals at North 1, Group IV, finishing second in the long jump and fourth in both the high jump and triple jump.
Kevin Ratigan of McNair Academic won the North 2, Group I 3,200-meter run in 9:49.57.
Cecelia Sabbers of St. Dominic Academy was fourth in both the 400 and 800 and teammate Julie Lipyanka was third in the javelin in Non-Public A North…
Rich Glover, the College Football Hall of Famer and Outland Trophy winner at the University of Nebraska, who went on to play in the NFL with the Giants and eventually returned home to Jersey City to be the head coach at Dickinson and Ferris, will hold his 10th annual Rich Glover Football Camp from July 5-7 at Caven Point Cochrane Field.
The camp, for boys ages 9-14, is free of charge. For more information about registration, call the Rich Glover All Access for Life Foundation at (201) 423-9961…
Hudson Reporter H.S. Baseball Top Five: 1. Marist (22-5). 2. St. Peter’s Prep (18-12). 3. Bayonne (21-7). 4. Weehawken (15-12). 5. North Bergen (16-8)…
Hudson Reporter H.S. Softball Top Five: 1. North Bergen (20-5). 2. Secaucus (17-8). 3. Hoboken (22-4). 4. McNair Academic (21-6). 5. Hudson Catholic (15-8)…–Jim Hague.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.