HOME OF THE CHARGERS

2007 CHARGERS LOOK TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF
BY THE PROF
SPOTSWOOD, NJ -

If anyone needed to know just how bad this year's Charger baseball squad wants this season to start, all they would have to do is walk by the baseball office located in the Spotswood Athletic Center.  There, on the office window, one can read all about how last year's upstart, overachieving ball clubs' season came to a screeching halt.  On top of that, the article from the Berkley Heights local newspaper (the Independent Press which is one notch below our Sentinel) threw some low blows at the SHS staff after the Central Jersey Group II final last season.  Instead of enjoying the title, they took time away from their kids achievements on the field to take pot shots at the team they just defeated. 

Wow!  You talk about motivation for 2007.

It has been on the coach's mind since June 2nd, 2006.  Minutes after the Governor Livingston loss, 2007 began.  Days, months, football, hoops have all now passed and it's here.  The 2007 season will begin on Friday, March 2 and it can't come soon enough.  Expectations are high, but that comes with the territory of having a championship program.

One would not blame the Chargers for wanting to coast through this season.  After all, they have 15 wins coming back from Rutgers-bound Will Beard, Mike Hohman (Kean University) and junior TJ Snook.  You could not blame this year's team for scheduling like a certain North Edison Parochial does; 16 regular season games, 2 tournaments, 15-6 record, #6 in the Home News Rankings and everyone's happy, Babe Ruth league style.  The goals are so much greater for this year's team and everyone knows it.

There are many features to this year's schedule.  Spotswood will host it's own showcase on April 14.  It will be a double header featuring Franklin (Skylands Conference) HS, and 2 New Jersey State Sectional Champions from 2006.  South Amboy (Central I Champ) will play Point Pleasant Boro (Central II Champ) in the other 1st round game.  For Game 2, the winners will meet on the varsity diamond, and the losing teams will play at Appleby Field.

The Chargers will head down to Toms River East for a Shore Challenge matchup with Manchester Twp from the Shore Conference.  There is a date with North Hunderton Regional in May in Annandale.  April 21, they will make the annual trip to Trenton Thunder Stadium to play rival East Brunswick. 

Spotswood will also play a day/night double header on April 28th.  In the morning game, SHS will battle nationally ranked Don Bosco Prep at home and finish with South River under the lights at Michelin Field, as Charger Baseball makes it's home debut at night in Milltown.

It's been a long fall and winter for these players.  They have invested many hours on the field in the offseason, and that will show in the very near future.  The Chargers will lose 4 players from last year, but return 7 starting position players including 5 All GMC Blue Division picks from 2006.  Mike Hohman (All County 1st Team), Will Beard, Anthony Addone, John Berner and Joey Petosa all come back this season.

See you April 2nd at Ewing