March
28, 2002
March 21,
WEST MILFORD - The West Milford baseball team has a home field advantage like not too many other high school baseball teams. With short outfield fences, the Highlanders used their of-fensive prowess to reach the Passaic County finals, earn the No. 3 seed in the North 1, Group 4 state playoffs and post a 17-10 record in the team's second season under head coach Joe Trentacosta.
And with Bill Ziegenbalg, a first team All-Conference and second team All-League selection last season, now graduated from the top of the pitching rotation, it will likely be the offense that carries the Highlanders early in this season, at least until some of their young pitchers can get some varsity innings.
"We have a lot of decent pitchers with good arms, but not a lot of varsity experience," said Trentacosta, on his preview sheet for the upcoming season.
Senior Mike Werner, an honorable mention All-NHC Skyline pick after last season, is one of the returning hurlers who will be counted upon this year, along with senior Chris Collis and junior Scott Hamilton.
Werner will play the outfield, he hit .338 last season with 18 RBI, when not on the mound. Dennis O'Rourke, a senior, may also help eat up some innings. On the offensive side, there are some holes to fill, but also help on the way.
Gone from last year's team are first team All-Conference and All-County first baseman Steve Meigh, (.419, 5 HR, 45 RBI), and Dan Lupo (.506, 4 HR, 44 RBI) and honorable mention All-Conference outfielder Mike Cacciapuoti (.333, 15 RBI), a pest to opposing pitchers who was a solid team player.
"We lost three key seniors who provided a combined 100 RBI last season, so our run production will be tough to match," said Trentacosta, a 1991 graduate of Lakeland High School. "However, we have Kevin Rutan, Casey Hines, Mike Wirth, and Mike Werner who all hit well in the past, as well as some key new players who hit well on JV."
Rutan's return is a big plus for the Highlanders. Rutan, a senior who tore a ligament in his knee during the 2000-2001 basketball season and missed all of last season, is healthy and ready to retake the first base spot, from where he earned second team All-Conference honors as a sophomore.
Rutan's absence last season was somewhat lessened by Meigh's stellar job at first, but this season Rutan's bat will be essential to the Highlanders' success.
Hines, a junior, is back for his third varsity season as the starting shortstop. He was first team All-Conference and second team All-County last season when he hit .415 with a home run and 23 RBI. His defense will also be key as he will anchor the double play combination, which will likely include incoming second baseman Kyle Sanchez, a junior who will take over the position held by Justin Conklin last season.
Wirth will play third or in the outfield. He was second team All-Conference last season when he hit a home run and drove in 20.
The rest of the team is up from the JV and a few of them will likely get some looks on the mound. Junior Justin Maconi is can throw and fits into the 3B/OF mix, Matt Connolly, another junior, can pitch and play first base, and seniors Bill Scholts and Paul Wroblewski can both play the outfield and might also get some innings on the mound.
Who the pitching staff will throw to is still up in the air with juniors Jarod Crum and Dan La-bita, who both saw varsity action last season in the mix along with Wroblewski.
West Milford's offense should keep the Highlanders in the race in the NHC-Skyline, a league packed with quality teams, but the pitching and defense are the keys to the Highlanders making their way toward the top of the division.
"We must improve our defensive play in order to be competitive and win games," said Trenta-costa, who has a combine record of 36-19 in his first two seasons as the Highlanders' skipper. "Last year our offense was incredible and was the reason for our success, but our defense hurt us a bit."
West Milford opens the season on Monday with the first of three straight out of league road games. The Highlanders will play Montville, Vernon and St. Mary's in its first three games before opening their Skyline Division schedule at home on April 5 against two-time defending league champion Delbarton.
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