Jersey baseball season in review: 'Storybook ending' for Holy Cross
It was Holy Cross' version of the "Called Shot." Moments before the last pitch of the last game of the long season, Holy Cross senior shortstop Joey Paolini asked a favor of senior pitcher Steven Bowley.
It was Holy Cross' version of the "Called Shot."
Moments before the last pitch of the last game of the long season, Holy Cross senior shortstop Joey Paolini asked a favor of senior pitcher Steven Bowley.
"Mainly I was just trying to calm him down," Paolini said Sunday. "We had just missed turning a double play. So I said, 'Roll me another one.' "
Bowley got the ground ball. Paolini fielded it and flipped to second baseman James Papeika, who made the pivot and fired to first for the double play that ended Holy Cross' 2-0 victory over St. Mary's (Rutherford) in the Non-Public B state championship at Toms River East High School.
Paolini said it was a "storybook ending."
It also was fitting that Paolini and Papeika teamed up for the last play. The seniors were playing their 110th game together.
Both were starters as freshmen. Both fashioned four-year careers. Both wanted to leave Holy Cross baseball with a state title in the trophy case.
"It really was a special way to end," Paolini said. "Our freshman, sophomore, and junior years, we lost in the first round of the playoffs. We never won a playoff game.
"Coming into this year, we just wanted to win a playoff game. To keep winning and finish with a state title, words can't even describe how good it feels."
Team of the year
Clearview (22-6-1) finishes as the No. 1 team in the final top-25 rankings.
The Pioneers earned the honor by winning the South Jersey Group 4 title as well as the Tri-County Royal Division crown.
Clearview featured five players who have committed to NCAA Division I college programs, including senior twins Ryan and Eric Lauk (Wagner) as well as senior Kenny Mendoza (Campbell), who was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 24th round of the major-league draft on Saturday.
Junior shortstop Tim Dezzi (St. John's) and junior centerfielder Trip McCaffrey (Rhode Island) also are Division I recruits.
"Magical season," Clearview coach Rocco Cornacchia said. "The kids set some goals for themselves, and they followed through. I was so proud of them."
Eastern (22-7) won the Joe Hartmann Diamond Classic title as well as the Olympic American Division crown and earned the No. 2 spot in the rankings.
The Vikings, who also won the Camden County tournament, were led by sophomore centerfielder Jack Herman, a Maryland recruit, and junior third baseman Davis Schneider, a Rutgers recruit.
Ocean City took the No. 3 spot after reaching the Group 3 state final, and St. Augustine finished No. 4 after reaching the Non-Public A state title game.
Coach of the year
West Deptford's John Oehler is the coach of the year in South Jersey baseball after leading the Eagles to the Group 2 state title, the first in the history of the program.
West Deptford went 24-6 and also won the Colonial Conference's Liberty Division title. The Eagles allowed a total of just three runs in winning six Group 2 tournament games.
"When you think of the perfect coach, he has all the characteristics," West Deptford senior pitcher Derek Wakeley said Sunday. "He demands nothing but the best from each player and sees the potential in each guy he coaches, even when we don't see it in ourselves.
"All this can be seen in him becoming the first coach to win a state championship at West Deptford."
Pennsville's double
The Eagles won the South Jersey Group 1 title in football and the Group 1 state title in baseball.
It was the first time the little Salem County school managed that double since 1981.
In addition, baseball coach Matt O'Brien announced after Pennsville's 3-2 victory over Waldwick in the championship game at Toms River East that he was retiring to spend more time with his family.
Senior Jeremy Boucher earned four pitching wins out of the Eagles' six tournament victories. He worked six strong innings on Saturday.
Boucher also was a standout wide receiver and defensive back for the football team that won the South Jersey Group 1 title.
"We'll go down in history forever," Boucher said.
@PhilAnastasia