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FINAL STAR LEDGER RANKINGS FOR 2005

Posted by Glenn Fredricks on Jun 18 2005 at 05:00PM PDT
6/19/05 1-Seton Hall Prep (30-2) The West Orange school has won state Non-Public A titles and The Star-Ledger Top 20 Trophy in 2001, '03 and this season and is 138-15 over that five-year span. This year the staff's ERA was 1.17, the team averaged 1.3 errors per game and batted .410. 2-Hillsborough (21-5) The team won the Somerset County Tournament, Central Jersey, Group 4 and state Group 4 titles led by outfielder Tim Fedroff (.534 batting average, 1.096 slugging percentage) and pitcher Drew Campbell (10-2, 1.46 ERA). 3-Rutherford (26-3) With basically a new roster except for two-time All-State pitcher Vin Mazzaro, it captured its second straight Group 2 state title. Jeff Bayse, the No. 2 pitcher, won nine games and Joe Espinosa drove in 31 runs. 4-Monmouth Regional (23-6) Monmouth incorporated a little of everything in its charge to the program's first Group 3 state championship. The reliable pitching combo of Keith Cantwell (10-2) and Bobby Wyrwa (10-2) was backed by the sure-handed defense of shortstop Rudy Dambrisi and a offense keyed by Mike Daly and Mo Williams. 5-Pennsville (27-4) The Group 1 champion defeated No. 7 Gloucester Catholic in the Diamond Classic championship game and earned its third NJSIAA title in the past five seasons when Justin Trudell pitched a two-hitter and drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh in a 3-2 state final victory over Whippany Park. 6-Christian Brothers (27-4) For the fourth time in five years, it won the South Jersey, Non-Public A title. It rode the senior pitching of Sean Driscoll (10-1) and Kevin Lillis (10-1). Joe Durso, Pete Delleani and Vin Avella were vital cogs in the offense. 7-Gloucester Catholic (27-5) The arms of righty Dan Feldman and lefty Zach Braddock, each selected in Major League Baseball's First-Year Players Draft, and the bats of first baseman Dave Randolph, third baseman Nick D'Alessandro and center fielder Chris Plum sparkled for the Non-Public A South runner-up. 8-Seneca (29-4) The first-year varsity program and its all-underclassman roster quickly became the story of the year as it raced to the semifinals of South Jersey's Diamond Classic and then to the NJSIAA Group 2 final where it bowed, 3-1, to Rutherford. Junior lefty Ryan Brecko and junior righty Ryan Doolittle were leaders. 9-Wallkill Valley (27-5) Greatest season ever in the 22-year history of the school. It claimed title in the first Sussex County Tournament while it advanced to the Group 2 state semifinal behind pitcher Bobby Gagg and catcher Cody Herbert. 10-Watchung Hills (23-7) The Somerset County school gained its second straight Carl Riccio Tournament title and state sectional crown in North Jersey, Section 2, Group 4 behind the pitching of Matt Giannini (9-1, 0.90 ERA) and Adam Rivera (9-2, 1.93 ERA). 11-St. Joseph (Mont.) (27-4) Although veteran coach Frank Salvano didn't win another state title, his team won the Bergen County Tournament crown. Shortstop Brent Weiss and pitchers Jason Koziol and Justin Figart were standouts. 12-Pequannock (23-6) Right-hander Dan VandeVrede and lefty Ryan Slootmaker pitched the team to the Morris County Tournament championship and into the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 2 final, where it dropped a 1-0 decision to Wallkill Valley. 13-Holy Cross (26-3) Pitcher/first baseman John Meadus, pitcher Ron Krankowksi and shortstop Marc Zucconi keyed the Delran school which opened with a 21-0 record. 14-Roselle Catholic (24-8) Led by Nick Nolan (9-1, 0.75 ERA), it enjoyed its most successful season in 25 years, won its first UCT crown since 1971 and gained a berth in the Non-Public A North final. Hector Perez (.381) and Bobby Tretola (8-2, 1.67) played key roles. 15-Toms River North (22-7) The veteran club fashioned a .347 average and won its first Shore Conference Tournament behind David West (.410), Chris Fontenelli (.413), Chad Sloboda (.404) and Frank Vicendese (1.83 ERA). 16-Westwood (24-4) It was a memorable season for this group of sluggers who banged out 34 homers led by Chris Psihoules (8), Dylan Cacciola (7) and Cody Kritzer (6) and a pitching staff headed by Dan Colucci (10-0). 17-Old Tappan (23-7) Coach Tim Byron was able to work wonders with a pitching staff featuring left-handers Eric Katzman and Nick Vallillo and a lineup that featured catcher Angelo Ponte, outfielder Nick Pulsonetti and infielder Rob Segedin. 18-Toms River East (19-9) Won at least a share of its fifth straight A Division South, Shore Conference title and its sixth Ocean County Tournament crown behind the pitching and hitting of junior righty Casey Gaynor, who raised his career record to 22-3 with a 9-1 mark this season when he posted a sparkling 0.29 ERA. 19-Ramapo (23-9) All-State pitcher Shooter Hunt led Ramapo to the Group 3 final before falling to Monmouth Regional, after having won the state sectional as a No. 7 seed. Third baseman Mike Lauricella and first baseman Kevin Ascolese drove in key runs down the stretch. 20-St. Peter's Prep (24-3) Hudson County's best team featured All-State catcher Nick Criaris, who batted .473 and drove in 35 runs; lefty Chuck Comprelli, who was 8-1 and had a 1.84 ERA, and shortstop Gabe Torres, who batted a team-high .523.

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