Team of the Year

Montville

A big hitting team that reached double-digits in runs in more than half of its games, Montville went 22-5 and spent part of the season in the state Top 20. Led by slugging third baseman Ryan Karl, who will be playing at Louisville next season, the Mustangs were never out of a game.

Montville won its first 14 games of the season before falling in the Morris County tournament semifinals by a single run to eventual champ Roxbury. The Mustangs beat a number of quality teams, including Pope John (ranked in the state's top ten) and Morris Knolls (sectional champion). They also pulled off an amazing comeback from nine runs down in the sixth inning to defeat Mendham.

Montville claimed one banner as the champion of the NJAC American Division, beating out Pope John for that honor. The Mustangs reached the final of the North 1, Group III sectionals but suffered a tough loss to Paramus to end their season.

The only other team that could stake a claim to this award would be Wayne Valley, which dealt Montville one of its five defeats. But the Indians were too inconsistent overall and did not win any titles outright.

A squad that featured 13 seniors and ended up with one of the best baseball seasons in school history, Montville is our Jersey Sports Now Baseball Team of the Year.

Players of the Year

Andrew Furber, Wayne Valley

The senior right-hander put up some astounding numbers for the Indians this season. Furber posted a 6-1 record and a 1.32 ERA with 51 strikeouts in 53 innings. Even more impressive, he allowed just 16 hits all season long.

Furber opened the season with a no-hitter against Wayne Hills and later fired another no-no in the county tournament. He also had two one-hitters. With a fastball approaching 90 miles per hour and a wicked curve, Furber simply dominated with the exception of a couple of starts in the middle of the season.

Headed to Gloucester County College (junior-college national champs in 2010) and hoping for a shot at pro ball in the future, Andrew Furber is our JSN Baseball Player of the Year.

Coach of the Year

Joe Lennon, DePaul

DePaul got off to a rough start this season; after three weeks the Spartans were 3-6 with four losses by seven runs or more. To make matters worse, the Spartans lost one of their key players, pitcher Dillon Chorba, to a broken wrist.

But Lennon, the athletic director at DePaul and longtime coach of the baseball squad, kept his team focused. The Spartans started to play better, although they weren't getting the results. A couple of tough one-run losses and a competitive defeat against nationally-ranked Don Bosco left DePaul at 6-10 on the eve of the Passaic County tournament.

Many teams would be unable to rebound from such adversity. But under Lennon's guidance, the Spartans instead suddenly found the road to success. DePaul ran off eight straight wins, and pulled off the amazing feat of winning the county tournament as a #11 seed. And in the county final, it was none other than Dillon Chorba who returned to pitch a great game as the Spartans beat Wayne Valley.

For keeping his team on track during the tough times, then finding the winning formula, Joe Lennon is our JSN Baseball Coach of the Year.

Baseball Notes

SURPRISING COLTS: Rivaling DePaul's county title for the most unexpected championship in the Jersey Sports Now area had to be the league crown claimed by Kinnelon. One year removed from an 8-14 season and a fifth-place finish in the NJAC Liberty Division, the Colts captured the division title with an 8-2 league record and went 13-7-1 overall. Kinnelon also pulled out a remarkable comeback win in the first round of the states before falling in the sectional quarterfinals.

COUNTY CONUNDRUM: The timing of the Passaic County tournament appeared to seriously hurt county teams in the state tournament. The final four teams in the PCT (DePaul, Wayne Valley, Wayne Hills and Passaic Valley) all saved their best pitchers for the county tournament; as a result, it wasn't a major surprise that all four lost early in the states. In fact, the only Passaic County school to win a baseball sectional title in recent years was Lakeland in 2010. The Memorial Day weekend county final four is a great event, but unfortunately it comes with a definite downside for Passaic teams.

-- Paul Mencher for Jersey Sports Now