The Record from Hackensack, New Jersey • 167

JUNE 10, 2001 THE SUNDAY RECORD S-13 CALL (201 646-4740 OR (973) 569-7740 TO REPORT RESULTS RamsiBo takes first State crown Pisarri's 3-run blast boosts Raiders TJyT 4 A. A. By RON FOX Staff Writer TOMS RIVER Raraapo may have set more than one precedent Saturday in winning its first State baseball championship. The Raiders' postgame celebration site may be something for future champions to copy. Instead of sprawling on the pitcher's mound after beating Toms River South, 8-4, for the Group 3 title, the Raiders raced to deep center field to pounce on Chris Scarpelli after he made an over-the-shoulder catch for the game's last out.

"I really wanted that ball, but I didn't want to have to run that far to get it," Scarpelli said with a big grin once he emerged from the pack. Ryan Pisarri's three-run homer over the right field wall at Toms River East in the fourth was the big blow. Pitcher Sean Sosonko's courage and determination also were major factors. "Sean didn't have his best stuff," said first-year coach Mickey Hunt, a Teaneck native and Paramus Catholic graduate. "But he hung tough and threw strikes." Sosonko, a senior left-hander, raised his season record to 11-0, but looked embarrassed about his repertoire.

"My second and third pitches were terrible. My curve was up, and my change I don't know what was wrong with it. I got out of it by spotting my fastball." It appeared that it might be a special pitch with which he was fooling batters, as four of his seven strikeout victims were looking. But Sosonko confided that it was location that kept them off-balance. Sosonko had two of Ramapo's 11 hits.

Ramapo loaded the bases in the first inning without scoring, but tallied in the second on singles by Jeff Coo-perman (2-for-4; two runs scored) and Butler. An error and Scarpelli's double to right made it 2-0 before Frazier's home run cut the lead in half. In the fourth, a dropped pop-up, a hit-and-run single by Tom Grohs, and a walk to Butler loaded the bases. Sosonko's forceout grounder scored one and Pisarri's homer to right brought in three. Winning the title was most meaningful for Pisarri (2-for-4), the junior shortstop, because a severe knee injury and surgery cost him the second half of Ramapo's section-' al-championship football season and the entire basketball campaign.

"They said I wouldn't make it for baseball, but I started baseball from Day One," he said. "And even though they Toms River South are a good team, we've been together since we were 7 and we play 50 games per summer, so we know we can play with anybody." Scarpelli's catch was the last of four terrific defensive plays by the Raiders. Left fielder Brian Butler made two of them a diving stab of a sinking liner in the first inning after Toms River South's first two batters, Jeff Frazier and Brett Hardie, singled; and a reaching backhand catch in the fourth. Second baseman Grohs who also had four assists pulled one in over the shoulder in short right field for the third out in the fifth. Toms River South pitcher Frazier, who has 36 career wins one short of the Shore Conference's all-time record, gave up six runs in 3'3 innings.

Otherwise, he was outstanding, going 3-for-4, including his eighth home run, and scored twice. After shifting to center field, where he is expected to play for Rutgers, Frazier made a running catch near the wall and threw a runner out at the plate. Ramapo ran the bases virtually unimpeded. Three times, with runners at first and third, steals of second were automatic because the Toms River South catcher fired back to the pitcher, hoping to catch the lead runner leaning. It never worked.

Toms River South chipped in two errors in run-scoring innings. 3 ED HILLSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Ramapo's Chris Gilmore takes third on a hit-and-run as Toms River South's Kevin Madjeksi reaches for ball. mm Emerson repeats as champs with victory over Keyport 1 sag pr a imm' i J. a By AL IANNAZZ0NE Staff Writer TOMS RIVER There was nothing flashy about Andrew Whitehouse's day. The Emerson junior had a hit, drove in a run and scored one, and made some catches in right field Saturday.

When you consider that Whitehouse's RBI tied the game, his run put the Cavos ahead, and his final putout secured a second straight championship season for Emerson, it proved to be a pretty special day. "It couldn't be any better," Whitehouse said after the Cavos edged Keyport, 2-1, to capture the Group 1 State championship at Toms River East "To be able to contribute that much to a game and a win feels great." Whitehouse was beaming with pride as he and his teammates donned white T-shirts with red lettering that boasted "Back-to-Back State Champs 2000-2001." "To come back here and do it all over again, it's so much fun and it gives us great memories," he said. "It's unbelievable." This seemed to be the feeling for everyone. The players piled on each other on the mound after Whitehouse squeezed the final out. Parents and friends, some filming every moment, hugged each other and their favorite players.

And after coach Bob Car-cich was handed the championship trophy, he was showered with two water buckets. "I am so happy for the kids," said Car-cich, who has led Emerson to three State championships in his 14 years at the helm. "I feel such relief, I need a cigar and a beer." As the score would attest, this wasn't an easy win for the Cavos. They got a great effort from senior ace Justin Delia Volpe, who also won last year's one-run championship game against Pitman. Delia Volpe went the distance on a three-hitter, improving to 13-1 this season, 26-2 overall, and 6-0 in the State tournament Delia Volpe got in trouble in the third, allowing a leadoff single by Chris Flynn.

After Flynn moved to second on a sacrifice, Delia Volpe made a bad pickoff throw. Flynn scored on Greg Lambrecht's double off the glove of third baseman Chris Som-merhalter. Delia Volpe redeemed himself in the fifth inning. With Keyport runners on second and third, Delia Volpe picked off as Lambrecht leaned off third to end the inning. "We pick off more people in Bergen County than anybody in the world.

We sometimes don't get the out, but we put it in their mind," Carcich said. "It burned us See CAVOS Page S-14 is ED HILLSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Emerson players and coaches celebrating their second consecutive baseball State title after beating Keyport on Saturday. At bottom, the Group 1 champs taking in the action as Cavos girls fall in the Group 1 Softball final. See Story, Page S-14. tmm Devoted fans go far for the Cavos IP Hills (1987-88) and Don Bosco Prep (1988-89).

Making its championship debut at 12:30 p.m., Emerson's Softball team dropped an 11-4 decision that enabled Gloucester City to retain its crown. Bob Carcich, Emerson's baseball coach and athletic director, said of competing for State baseball and Softball titles on adjoining fields: "Win or lose, is a win-win for the town." Emerson Little League games were postponed so dozens of pre-teens had the opportunity to make the 90-mile trip south. More than a dozen teachers and administrators also attended, including Bob Men-ditto, the town's mayor and high school vice principal. Eight Emerson baseball and Softball players, including Mazzo and Mondadori, showed their commitment by making early exits from Friday night's senior prom. "Everybody on the baseball team said they were in bed by midnight" Carcich said.

By GREG MATTURA Staff Writer TOMS RIVER Anthony Mazzo, Emerson's All-County baseball player, stood on the steps outside the Softball field and offered encouragement to Leah Mon-dadori and her teammates as they trudged by with bowed heads. Mazzo would gently take a step toward a sullen Lady Cavo, she would look up, he would offer a handshake or hug and a kind word in a soft voice, and she would respond with a "Thank you." "He told me, 'Congratulations, you had a great Mondadori said. Emerson's baseball and Softball teams had stellar seasons that ended Saturday with trips to the State Group 1 finals at Toms River East The two teams and more than 400 fans vowed their support, win or lose. "Great coaches, great people, great fans," Mazzo said. "There's such a camaraderie." Emerson's baseball team successfully defended its title by winning its 11 a.m.

battle over Keyport, 2-1. The Cavos are the third Bergen baseball team to capture back-to-back New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association titles, joining Pascack 1 1 Tv -Ml 9. See FANS Page S-14.