Announcement

author

GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES

Posted by Glenn Fredricks on May 05 2006 at 05:00PM PDT
Home News Tribune Online 05/6/06 GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES RED DIVISION: Take your pick. Seven of the eight coaches have done a fantastic job with their clubs (the eighth coach's team was simply decimated by graduation). While South Brunswick and St. Joseph were favored to win the division, Vin Abene has shined at Edison, putting the Eagles in position to garner the top seed for the GMCT. Bob Giberna has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround in Piscataway, where the hitting-rich but pitching-challenged Chiefs got off to a 1-5 start. Piscataway rebounded to win six of its next nine including back-to-back upsets of St. Joseph and Old Bridge. The Knights, led by Ken Fischer, were projected as a middle-of-the-pack Red Division team but have impressed with upsets of St. Joseph and South Brunswick. Perth Amboy coach Steve Rubin, whose Panthers went 0-14 in the Red Division last year, stunned everyone but themselves with a 4-1 upset of South Brunswick. J.P. Stevens coach Dave Marzano, whose Hawks are 5-3 in one-run games, have had the most thrilling season in the GMC. Depending on how the post season pans out, Abene and Marzano may be the front-runners of this group. WHITE DIVISION: North Brunswick, which finished the 2005 campaign 0-19 under rookie head coach Ryan Lillis, won seven of its first 12 division games and took a .500 record into yesterday's action. The former Rutgers University star deserves to be the division's Coach of the Year. BLUE DIVISION: Undaunted by the loss of 10 seniors to graduation, Spotswood coach Glenn Fredricks led the Chargers to their fourth straight division crown. The detail-oriented Fredricks is one of the best young coaches in the state. GOLD DIVISION: First-year coach Denis Bourgeau inherited a talent-rich side at South Amboy, the defending division champion. Cardinal McCarrick's Frank Notaro lost virtually his entire starting lineup and still got his team off to a 9-2 start in the division. Dunellen's Kevin Byelick rallied his charges from an 0-5 start as the Destroyers reeled off eighth straight wins, including a 6-2 upset of South Amboy. All three are excellent candidates, but at this juncture Byelick has the edge.

Comments

There are no comments for this announcement.