6/13/2011 - What A Ride For Sparta
Rick Poots had tickets for the Yankees game last Saturday and was planning a family gathering as well for the weekend.
By now, Sparta softball fans know that the Spartans’ coach had other pressing matters to take care of instead of watching A-Rod, Derek Jeter and company beat the Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium.
Instead, Poots watched with complete satisfaction and enjoyment at Toms River East High School his own version of the Bombers post an impressive 6-2 victory over Middletown South in the Group 3 championship game to capture their first-ever state title.
Poots told me after Sparta’s dramatic 2-1, extra-inning win over Chatham in the state semifinals that the Yankee game and the gathering would have to wait. There would be plenty of chances to get Yankees tickets, he said, and he was right.
What a victory for the Spartans (22-3) who have worked toward this goal since this group of talented seniors joined the program as wide-eyed freshmen.
All-State pitcher Sam Greiner, who is bringing her talents (sorry, LeBron) to the University of South Florida next year, was the leader of this special group of seniors.
As I have stated before, Greiner and former Jefferson star and current Falcons coach Dawn Gilchrist, are the two best players I have seen in all my years of covering softball in the area.
Hands down, no arguments. The only other player close to them was former Newton star Liz Sisca, who unfortunately played on losing teams with the Braves.
Greiner was a four-year starter, and for those of you who don’t remember, she was the best catcher in the Mugs Media area before she became the team’s No. 1 pitcher as a junior.
Greiner just had a sense of self confidence in the circle and a determination to win that was second to none. She was also the most feared hitter in the area and rarely saw a good pitch to hit after bursting onto the scene as a freshman.
But she always found a way to get it done. She always knew the Spartans would be state champs and she basically told the team to get on her back and she would lead them to the Promised Land and she delivered.
Her home run to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the seventh against Chatham is the stuff legends are made off and it wasn’t even the biggest homer of the game.
That distinction belonged to Mary Kociencki who clubbed a walk-off dinger to win the game in the bottom of the ninth, her second game-winner in two games. She hit a history-making three-run job in the top of the seventh against West Milford to help the Spartans win the North 1, Group 3 title with a thrilling 5-2 victory.
I will never forget the image of Kociencki pumping her fist like Kirk Gibson as she rounded the bases after both shots.
Kociencki, who would have been the No. 1 pitcher on most other teams, did what she had to do to help the Spartans win. She played first, left and was 5-2 as a pitcher but it was her cool demeanor in pressure situations which impressed me the most.
She never got rattled and she seemed to always come up with a big hit when Sparta needed it. Her lighting-quick swing was no match for opposing fastballs as she could turn on the hardest pitch that came her way.
Sparta’s outfield had two of the best around in seniors Casey Cresbaugh in center and Sam Casey in right. Both seniors were vital cogs in the Spartans machine. Casey was the catalyst at the top of the order and could slap or swing her way on.
Cresbaugh, a tremendous athlete, could do it all. She could bunt or swing away and Sparta fans will remember her big RBI triple to knock off top-seeded Paramus 1-0 in the section semifinals.
Then there was old reliable Courtney Noone at second base. She did the little things that every team needs, like being a top-notch bunter in the No. 2 slot in the order while playing a flawless second base.
The final senior saved her best for last. Lauren Krulikowski played stellar defense in the Chatham win and she was huge in the state final going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
This senior group has set the bar very high for all the classes that will come after them, including the Spartans who are coming back next season in outstanding catcher Meg Casey, Nicole Decker, Jackie Perez, Colleen Burdsall, Kelsey O’Connor and Gianna Gerardiello.
They learned how to win watching the upperclassmen and I’m sure they learned their lessons well.
This brings us to Poots. What this man has gone through the past year has been incredible and it seems like it was destiny that given a second chance at life after serious heart issues that the veteran mentor would finally win that elusive state title.
Poots is a friend to Mugs Media and we couldn’t have been happier for him.
It has been quite a ride for Sparta fans. Winning a softball title is no easy feat considering only Lenape Valley (1990-91) and Jefferson (2003-2004) are the only teams in the area to do so.
So let’s hope that trend continues of area teams repeating as champs and if that opportunity arises next season for the Spartans, I’m sure Poots will be more than happy to get rid of any Yankee tickets yet again.
TOUGH LOSS---Pope John’s baseball team had a great run this season and it came up just short of state title when the Lions lost to St. Augustine of South Jersey 8-7 in extra innings in the Non-Public A final at Toms River South.
I had the chance to see many of the Lions big wins this season and let me tell you they were a lot of fun to watch. From Brendan Mayers pitching to the home runs down at Diamond Nation in its miracle comeback against Delbarton, this team was one for the ages.
With five D-I players, it is probably the most talented group the area has ever seen. Yes, Newton fans, I know Eric Pederson, Mike Bell and the boys won the area’s only state title in 1985, and Bell made the bigs.
And those Newton teams of Charlie Munroe, Billy Sisca and Josh Noviskey were terrific. But for my money, this PJ team is the best, talent-wise.
ONE FINAL THOUGHT--- As some of you might know, Mugs Media does side work for MSG Varsity and I covered the Group 4 final between Westfield and Manalapan for the channel.
I was excited to see the Gatorade New Jersey Player of the Year in Westfield catcher A.J. Murray and Notre Dame-bound Manalapan pitcher Kyle Rubbinaccio go at it.
What I got to see was a debacle and a perfect illustration that high school baseball needs to go to wooden bats.
Manalapan posted a 29-14 win, that’s right, 29-14 in a game that had a combined 46 hits (32 for Manalapan, including 10 doubles and five homers).
Ugh.
I’m sorry. That is not baseball. Maybe in this age of computer-games that seems like a lot of fun, it wasn’t. The game took over three hours and mind you these were two of the top teams in the state going at it.
The game left a sour taste in my mouth and I know in these tough economic times wood bats might not be feasible, but something has to be done.
The average score of a state final game last weekend was 13-6 and a total of 113 runs were scored in six games. Those are football numbers, not baseball.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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