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Clark twins: Seton's dynamic duo
   Tuesday, May 13, 2003      BY BOB BEHRE   for  the Star-Ledger
Twin brothers Rob and Ryan Clark of Seton Hall Prep are the rare keystone partners, seemingly able to read each other's mind.
   The seniors have proved to be quite a duo in the middle of the infield. Rob is a slick shortstop and Ryan has shown incredible range at second base, completing the 4-1 putout twice this season.
   "They've been really nice to watch," 18th-year Seton Hall coach Mike Sheppard Jr. said. "It's not a stretch for me to say that since I've been here, they are the best double-play combination I've coached."
   The Clarks have that rare combination of soft hands, excellent eye-hand coordination, which put them in position to make the great play and strong throwing arms. Both players, in their first full varsity season and leaning toward playing at Rutgers Newark next year, have also drawn interested looks from pro scouts watching future draft pick Eric Duncan.
   "They've turned the heads of the scouts," Sheppard Jr., an All-State shortstop in 1977, said. "They view them as kids they need to keep their eyes on (as they develop)."
   The Clarks helped develop a couple rallies during a 12-2 victory over Millburn in the Greater Newark Tournament semifinals on Saturday, combining for seven hits and five RBI in eight at-bats.
   Ryan, the lead-off hitter, is batting .322 with 16 RBI, 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts and a .444 on-base average. Rob, the No. 5 hitter, is batting .479 with 11 RBI, 10 stolen bases in 13 attempts and a .627 on-base average.
  
 

Seton's Duncan picked for All-American game
   Tuesday, May 13, 2003      BY BOB BEHRE   for  the Star-Ledger
Seton Hall Prep third baseman Eric Duncan has been selected by SportsLink Inc. to compete with 29 other high school baseball players from around the country in an All-American all-star game to be held at 7 p.m., June 9, at Yogi Berra Stadium on the campus of Montclair State University.
   The top 30 prep baseball players in the nation have been invited to play in SportsLink Inc.'s inaugural game that organization says it's modeling after the annual McDonalds All-American high school basketball game. Duncan is the only player invited from New Jersey.
   Duncan, who had already amassed impressive career numbers since earning a starting role for Seton Hall Prep as a freshman in 2000, has taken another giant step his senior season.
   After a 9-for-11 week, Duncan has 32 hits, 17 for extra bases including a Seton Hall record nine home runs and a torrid 43 RBI in 19 games. He has stolen 15 bases in 16 attempts, is batting .552, has reached base at a .623 clip and boasts a slugging percentage of 1.172.
   The 6-2, 205-pounder has committed to Division 1 power LSU but is likely to hook on with a Major League Baseball franchise if he is selected, as projected, in the first three rounds of the First-Year Players Draft in June.
   "Going into the season I was concerned the pitchers wouldn't challenge him and he wouldn't get an opportunity to swing the bat," Seton Hall Prep coach Mike Sheppard Jr. said. "He's had good seasons on good teams against stiff competition, but this season he's stepped it up a bit."

Nutley, Seton Hall reach GNT final
Sunday, May 11, 2003    BY STEVE NOLFI  for  the Star-Ledger

The typically potent Nutley offense, which averages nearly eight runs a game, had been held scoreless on just two hits through the first five innings of yesterday's Greater Newark Tournament semifinal against Belleville.
    Belleville junior left-hander Javier Cruz certainly had something to do with shutting down the defending GNT champion, but an uncharacteristic lack of aggressiveness was also partly to blame.
   "We just weren't being aggressive enough at the plate -- it was a mental thing," Nutley coach Mike Christadore said. "We weren't taking a hitters approach. We were taking too many pitches."
    Christadore's prodding finally paid off in the sixth inning when cleanup hitter Joe DiVincenzo jumped on a first-pitch fastball and lined a single to right field to score Robert Longo and cap a two-run rally that gave Nutley a 2-1 victory before 600 at Doc Goeltz Field in Verona.
    In the first game of the GNT semifinal doubleheader, twins Ryan and Rob Clark combined for seven hits and five RBI and slugging third baseman Eric Duncan had a triple and record-setting home run to lead Seton Hall Prep, No. 4 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, to a 12-2 victory over Millburn in six innings.
    The victory gives Seton Hall a chance to avenge losses to Nutley in the last two GNT title games. The 71st championship of the state's oldest tournament will be contested next Sunday at noon at Bears and Eagles Riverfront Park in Newark.
    It is the seventh-straight GNT title appearance for top-seeded Seton Hall (19-1), which won four straight before the back-to-back losses to Nutley.
    Belleville (14-7), a young team looking to reach the GNT final for the first time since 1995, was limited to three hits by Nutley right-hander Steve Armstrong (3-1), who also struck out four and walked two.
    Armstrong and Cruz were locked in a scoreless duel until the fifth when a walk to Dan Russomano, a stolen base, and a run-scoring single by Mike Perinotti gave Belleville a 1-0 lead.
    Cruz, a transfer from Bishop Francis who was making only his second start of the season, used his off-speed stuff to help chalk up three strikeouts while limiting Nutley to three hits and three walks.
    It was the last base on balls, however, a four-pitch leadoff walk to Jeffrey Martin in the sixth, that proved Cruz's undoing.
    After Martin advanced on a groundout to second by John Mariano, Robert Longo sent a grounder that couldn't be corraled by first baseman Don Zarfino. Martin scored to tie the game at 1-1 and Longo made it to second on the throw to the plate. A ground out by Vincent Sangemino advanced Longo to third and DiVincenzo followed with the key go-ahead RBI single.
    Armstrong retired the side in the seventh to seal the victory.
    "It was a heart-breaking loss to a great team," said Belleville coach Alan Frank. "Cruz pitched a great game but I think Nutley's experience was the difference."
    Seton Hall's Duncan, who committed with national-power LSU and is regarded as a potential high pick in next month's pro draft, hit a two-run homer to cap a four-run rally in the fifth-inning that extended his team's lead to 9-2 over Millburn.
    The home run was Duncan's ninth of the season, which set a school single-season record. The previous record of eight was held by five players including Duncan, who achieved the feat last year.
    It was Duncan and the Clark twins -- second baseman Ryan and shortstop Rob -- who powered a 12-hit attack to help Javier Martinez improve to 6-0 on a day when he didn't have his best stuff.
    The senior right-hander had trouble with his curve but still managed to strike out nine while allowing four hits and three walks. He also hit three batsman and had a wild pitch that accounted for the lone earned run -- the first he has surrendered in 31 innings this season.
    But Martinez had a lot of support as Ryan Clark had three singles and scored two runs and Rob Clark was 4-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored.
    Back-to-back opposite-field doubles by Joe Russo and Rob Clark drove in three runs in the first inning to stake Seton Hall to the early lead and Duncan tripled in a run and scored in the second to open a 5-1 advantage.
    Millburn (13-10) got two hits from Ben Seeley while John Martinez had a double and scored a run.

Photos by RCM

Callender, Burke, McGhee, Taylor lead Seton Prep to championship
Friday, May 09, 2003        BY CHRIS KOWALCZYK
for  the Star-Ledger

It didn't matter if All-State sprinter Andre Callender wasn't 100 percent, because Seton Hall Prep showed it is more than a one-person team.
    The West Orange school received standout performances from numerous individuals to win the Iron Hills Conference-Iron Division title for the second straight year yesterday in Randolph. It totaled 124 points, while runner-up Randolph had 84.
    Callender was nursing a sore right hamstring and still managed to score 24 points for his team. But it was the performances of guys like Keith Burke, Jeffery McGhee and Rayon Taylor that sealed the deal.
    "Before, we were just a sprint team," Callender said. "Now we're coming around really well in the distances and in the field. We really try to motivate each other."
    Burke and McGhee led a Seton Hall sweep in the 400-meter hurdles, tying for first in 57.55. Teammate Jason Lea-Jones was third in 57.69.
    "We just wanted to go out and stay together," Burke said. "We worked to be with each other at the 200 mark."
    The sweep gave Seton Hall 24 points and a decisive lead at the time.
    "We really wanted to do that, just put the meet away right there," Burke said.
    Burke also was fourth in the 110 hurdles in 15.52. Taylor won the long jump, leaping 21-6 to beat out Nick Syzonenko (20-8) of Randolph.
    Taylor, who was fifth heading into the final, was able to refocus in time for the victory.
    "I was having trouble getting my steps down in the prelims," Taylor said. "In between, I just sat down with my coach and he told me that this is the last time we're going to have a chance for a team championship and he really wanted me to pull through for the team."
    Callender, the 2002 champion in the 100, finished second in that race in 11.43, while Lee Clayton of East Orange Campus won in 11.09. In the 200, Callender ran 23.08 but settled for third behind East Orange Campus' Lance Wigfall (22.10) and Clayton (22.18).
    Callender regrouped in the 110 hurdles, winning big in 14.7. Keron Wilson of Morristown was second in 15.14.

Boys lacrosse notebook
Seton's McCabe displays leadership
Wednesday, May 07, 2003   BY MIKE KINNEY
for  the Star-Ledger

Andrew DeCicco was an All-Stater at Columbia High and All-America at Rutgers. He was respected as a recruiter and coach at Drew, Rutgers and Lafayette.
    Along the way, the first-year Seton Hall Prep coach has met some reputable captains. But as this season goes on, the list of those who match the leadership qualities of current Seton Hall captain Leo McCabe is quickly shrinking in DeCicco's mind.
    "I've had some real good captains. He's already right up there with the best I've ever had or seen," DeCicco said. "Anything I ask of the team is done fully because of his leadership. If a problem comes up, I go to Leo and he takes care of it."
    The senior defenseman's balance of order, diplomacy and, of course, on-field talent has helped Seton Hall (7-3) win five straight and six of its last seven.
    "I'm not easy to play for. I have strict rules, and I don't mess around with them," DeCicco said. "But Leo has made the season go smoothly because of the way he takes charge and how he interacts with me. The practices get fierce, but the kids all respect one another and want to back each other."
    The McCabe-led defense, which includes Chris O'Dougherty and Micah Smith and goalie Kevin Moriarity, has averaged only 4.2 goals against since a 10-5 loss to Summit on April 19. Rory Murray, Brendan Ryan and Nick Silvestri lead an offense that averages 10 goals a game.
    "A lot of the things we're doing right go back to Leo," DeCicco said. "He's one of those kids who understands. He gets it. The only bad thing is that I'll only have this season to coach him. That's my loss."
    McCabe will continue his career at Lafayette.

Seton defeats Randolph, 9-3
Tuesday, May 06, 2003    BY BOB BEHRE
for  the Star-Ledger

A baseball player minimizes his ability to succeed when he becomes too hyped up, emotional or tense.
    Seton Hall Prep, No. 4 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, knew this going into its game against No. 3 Randolph yesterday, but reining in what their coach Mike Sheppard Jr. calls "the rah-rah approach" wasn't going to be easy.
    Randolph had given Seton Hall Prep its only loss of the season -- via the 10-run mercy rule -- just four days earlier in Randolph and Sheppard's charges weren't happy about it.
    "I told the guys before the game that I didn't believe in the rah-rah, get them back approach," Sheppard said. "If you get too wrapped up in that it'll work against you."
    Seton Hall (17-1) unleashed its fury in a methodical and coldly efficient fashion on the way to a 9-3 victory, handing Randolph (14-1) its first setback at Anthony J. Verducci Field in West Orange.
    Right-hander Steve Brennan (5-0) battled gamely against one of the top hitting teams in the state, scattering nine hits, striking out three and walking three.
    The 6-5, 200-pound Brennan benefited from his team's typically solid defense and three-run homers by junior John Jediny and senior Eric Duncan that accounted for a six-run fourth inning and put Seton Hall in front, 8-2.
    "I felt I had good stuff and the nine runs certainly gave me breathing room," said Brennan, who came into the game with a 1.62 ERA.
    That breathing room came courtesy of Jediny and Duncan.
    Sheppard inserted Jediny as a pinch-hitter after Steve Fordyce drew a leadoff walk and No. 8 hitter Matt Halligan followed with a single.
    "John's been crushing the ball in batting practice," Sheppard said. "With the lefty (Nick Recchia) throwing I thought it was a good match-up."
    Jediny said he moved up in the box out of respect for Recchia's curveball and change-up, but he got a fastball on a 3-2 offering and pulled it high and just long enough over the netting in left-center field for a home run and a 5-2 lead for Seton Hall.
    "That felt pretty good," Jediny said.
    Duncan (2-for-3) got his opportunity next, after back-to-back singles by Ryan Clark and Rich Goulian, and it was even more impressive.
    The lefty-hitting Duncan, who has amassed an incredible 39 RBI in Seton Hall Prep's 18 games, sat on a first-pitch curveball and sent a long rainbow of a shot just to the left of straight-away center field and for another three-run home run. All six runs in the rally scored with none out.
    Duncan's bomb glanced off of a branch near the top of one of the many trees that dot the top of the high wall in left-center.
    "We felt it was important for us to regain the momentum that inning," Duncan said. "He was making a lot of good pitches but he just left that one up to me."
    Joe Russo, recently moved from clean-up to fifth in the Seton Hall Prep lineup, came through with three singles and a walk.
    Recchia (4-1) permitted eight runs on 11 hits in four innings of work. At the plate he came up with a single and a double and scored a run. Andrew Vicaro and Mark Nigro each doubled home a run in a two-run third that tied the game at 2-2 for Randolph and Scott Lineback, the No. 9 hitter, had two singles.

photos—
1-23•  SHP over Roxbury. This win keeps the Pirates in the hunt for the Conference Title.
[photos by RCM]

Chisholm, SHP win Essex County Tournament
Tuesday, May 06, 2003 •  courtesy of  the Star-Ledger

Scott Chisholm won the Essex County Championship for the third year in a row and helped Seton Hall Prep to its third consecutive team title with a 2-over-par 74 yesterday at the East Orange Golf Course in Short Hills.
    Armond Russo of Bloomfield was the runner-up with a 75 on the 6,120-yard course and Mark Farewell of Nutley placed third with a 77 on a match of cards over Livingstons Josh Rosen.
   Seton Hall Prep posted a 320 to finish four strokes ahead of Millburn. Caldwell was third at 339.
    "I struggled off the tee and had an up-and-down round,"  Chisholm, who had four birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey, said.
    He was three over after five holes, parred the sixth and birdied the seventh and eighth.
   " Those two birdies really turned things around," he said. "I started to concentrate better. I putted well, making a few five- and six-footers."

ESSEX COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS: 1-Seton Hall Prep 320. 2-Millburn 324. 3-Caldwell 339. 4-Nutley 340. 5-Verona 342. 6-Livingston 343. 7-Bloomfield 345. 8-Montclair Kimberley Academy 349. 9-Newark Academy 359. 10-West Essex 360.
INDIVIDUALS: 1-Scott Chisholm, Seton Hall Prep, 37-37-74. 2-Armond Russo, Bloomfield, 38-37-75. 3-Mark Farewell, Nutley, 40-37-77. 4-Josh Rosen, Livingston, 40-37-77. 5-Rex Riley, Millburn, 37-41-78. 6-Dan Hoehn, Seton Hall Prep, 40-39-79. 7-Matt William, Newark Academy, 42-37-79. 8-Tim Dudar, West Essex, 42-38-80. 9-Stephen Salantrie, Millburn, 40-40-80. 10-Doug Britton, Millburn, 38-42-80.

photos—
1-14 vs Motown  [April 28, SHP 8  Motown 2]
15-30 vs Hanover Park [April 29, SHP 2  HP 1]
31-48 vs E. Orange  [April 30]
[photos by RCM]

photos—
1-22 vs Summit
23-48 vs Roxbury
[photos by RCM]