The end of the 2015 high school baseball season didn’t end well for Ron Hayward. The veteran Marist baseball coach and athletic director, who guided the Royal Knights to the NJSIAA Non-Public B state championship in 2012, decided to leave his alma mater after nine years as a coach and administrator, but after a lifetime of dedication.
“It felt weird,” Hayward said. “I mean, I’m not representing the school that I went to and played for and coached. It was different.”
Hayward left his alma mater for St. Anthony High School to help rebuild the baseball program there.
“Things happen,” Hayward said. “I’ll miss my high school, but it was time to move on. I’m happy working with Coach [Bob] Hurley. Things happen for a reason and I think this was the best thing that could have happened to me, to get the chance to work with Coach Hurley [who now serves as the president of the school]. He’s helped me a lot.”
Hayward also has another fine baseball mind at St. Anthony in former long-time Hoboken coach Buddy Matthews, who also now works at St. Anthony.
“Buddy has also helped me get through some of my health struggles,” said Hayward, who suffers from kidney disease and has to spend three hours a day at home, strapped to a dialysis machine. “Having Buddy was like basically having another athletic director there. He helped me with my stress level, because I had to remain calm to get better. I feel like I’m alive again. Doctors tell me that I’m doing well.”
Hayward is also doing fine because he’s coaching a talented baseball team, filled with fabulous freshmen.
“I don’t know if it’s tough coaching a young team,” Hayward said. “I do know that it’s fun. I just have to get them mentally focused.”
Hayward likes the way his young bunch of Friars has developed.
“You couldn’t tell that they were freshmen,” Hayward said. “They know my coaching style and know what’s expected of them. Off the field, they may be 14 years old, but on the field, age is only a number. I just have to keep teaching them and they’ll be fine. Age doesn’t matter.”
One of the freshmen has a very familiar last name – like the same one as the head coach.
Elliott Hayward is the team’s centerfielder. He’s also the coach’s son.
From a reporter’s standpoint, it’s almost mind blowing that someone who was first discovered roaming the outfield for the Jersey City Stars of Tomorrow team before having a great career at Marist and in college at William Paterson, eventually getting drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, could now actually have a son old enough to play high school baseball.
But a reminder has to be made that it is 25 years ago this weekend that the demise of the old Hudson Dispatch newspaper took place, so time sure enough does fly. There are so many people who probably don’t even know that the Dispatch even existed.
Anyway, the elder Hayward is happy to be coaching his son.
“Sometimes, it’s touching,” the elder Hayward said. “But he’s worked so hard to put himself in this position. It’s hard to fathom he’s my son, because I work so hard with the others that I feel like I have nine other sons. I think overall, he’s a better hitter than I was. He’s more patient than me. He also has more maturity. He’s only 14, but he’s seen it all already. As long as he keeps working hard, he should do fine.”
The Friars have a young, but talented pitching staff, led by freshman (what else?) right-hander Bernard Shivers, who gave his coach a slice of redemption by defeating Marist Tuesday, allowing just one run in six innings, striking out seven.
“He’s going to be great,” Hayward said. “He’s just a very good all-around baseball player.”
Justin Ramirez is another talented right-handed freshman with a huge upside.
“The two of them grew up together,” Hayward said of Shivers and Ramirez. “Justin is strong and powerful.”
Senior Jamir Carson, the football standout, is another member of the Friars’ pitching staff.
“He’s learning how to be a leader and getting comfortable in that role,” Hayward said.
Junior Thomas Petrosino is another fine right-hander who is waiting word about his eligibility from the NJSIAA, because Petrosino left Marist almost at the same time that Hayward did.
Freshman Jeramiah Deanta is another talented member of the Friars’ pitching staff.
Junior Leo Colon, Jr., the son of the former Hoboken standout catcher, plays the same role with the Friars as their backstop.
Senior Elvin Sandoval and freshman Dante Duarte share the first base duties. Duarte is also a pitcher. Sophomore Josh Roberts and Deanta are second basemen, with Carson at shortstop and Ramirez and senior Jonathan Cullen at third.
Shivers is the left fielder when not pitching, with Hayward in center and freshman Isaiah Ortiz and junior Oneal Truche in right.
“I think we’re real good,” Hayward said. “These kids have been around a lot of good players in their lives. They know the game and they know how to act and react. Sure, they’re young and they’ll have their moments, but I’m not worried. I think we’ll be ready to make a big statement come state playoff time.”
We’ll see how the Friars develop down the road. –Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.