Team of the Year

Whippany Park

It was a very difficult year to sort out the top baseball teams in the Jersey Sports Now area. Passaic County baseball was especially confusing, with West Milford posting the best record, Wayne Valley winning the county tournament, and Lakeland grabbing a surprising sectional title. Meanwhile, two local Morris County teams won division titles but none lasted too long in the county tournament.

In the end, we decided to go with Whippany Park, the only local team to earn two titles this spring. The Wildcats captured the NJAC Liberty Division crown, then made an exciting run through the state tournament, grabbing a sectional title and reaching the state Group I final before falling to Pitman.

The Wildcats had an unusually strong one-two punch on the mound for a small school, with Pasquale LaBracio and Matt Mantione. Both were also key cogs in an offense that scored nine runs per game as Whippany went 20-4.

While none of the Passaic County schools stood out from the crowd, Pequannock could legitimately stake a claim to this honor. The Panthers went 19-4 and won the NJAC Independence Division title, but fell in their second-round games in both the county and state tournaments. Pequannock beat Whippany Park when the teams met in a non-league game, but the contest was played midweek during the state tournament, and the Wildcats didn't start either of their aces. We feel Whippany's other achievements outweigh that game, and therefore the Wildcats are our JSN Baseball Team of the Year.

Player of the Year

Jordan Tabakman, Pequannock

He led his team to a state title as a junior, and in his senior year the right-hander put up more great numbers for the Panthers. Tabakman went 9-1 with an ERA just over 2.00 and 77 strikeouts, while also batting .450 and driving in 24 runs.

Pequannock would surely have loved to pitch Tabakman in every game if it could. The Panthers were unbeaten when he took the mound until a tough 3-2 loss to Ramsey in the state tournament. Tabakman will head to North Carolina to pitch next year for the Tar Heels, and don't be surprised to hear his name called in the MLB draft a few years from now.

Tabakman edges out Pompton Lakes lefty Alex Ott for this award, another top pitcher who also put up good numbers at the plate. Ott will play college baseball at the University of Pennsylvania.

His senior season didn't have the dream ending that he experienced his junior year, but Jordan Tabakman is still our JSN Baseball Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year

Jeff Hoover, Wayne Valley

The season did not start well for Hoover and his Indians. Facing a tough early schedule, Wayne Valley struggled to a 4-7 start. The team started to turn it around, but were still just 9-9 as of May 7th, hardly the record of a squad that would challenge for two championships.

But that's just what the Indians did. They didn't post the biggest numbers offensively, but the pitching staff was tremendous, never allowing more than four runs in any seven-inning game. Wayne Valley upset West Milford in the sectional tournament quarterfinals, then beat Lakeland the next day in the Passaic County quarterfinals.

A heartbreaking, nine-inning loss to Northern Highlands knocked the Indians out of the sectionals, ending their unlikely bid for a double. But it allowed them to focus on the Passaic County title, and the Indians finished the job in dramatic fashion, first pulling another upset of West Milford (winning 1-0 on a one-hitter), then rallying from four runs down to beat Passaic Valley 5-4 in the final.

For keeping his team together during a rough start, and then guiding them to a banner finish, Jeff Hoover is our JSN Baseball Coach of the Year.

-- Paul Mencher