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ESSEX COUNTY HONORS
BY JIM HAGUE For the Star-Ledger
Player of the year:
Seton Hall Prep's
Javier Martinez basically took the 71st Greater Newark Tournament in the palm of his right hand and -- as far as the rest of Essex County was concerned -- squeezed the life out of it.
Martinez
(9-0, 0.88 ERA) pitched a five-inning two-hitter in an 11-0 first-round victory over Bishop Francis, limited Bloomfield to three hits and struck out 16 in a 3-0 victory in the quarterfinals before placing his team in
the finals for the sixth straight season with a four-hit, 12-2, victory over Millburn.
Martinez, a senior bound for Fordham, then threw his third GNT shutout in a tidy three-hitter that propelled
Seton Hall Prep to a 3-0 championship victory over Nutley.
Like so many of the seniors for Seton Hall Prep this spring, Martinez seemed to take three giant steps in terms of confidence, ability
and results.
Martinez surrendered just eight earned runs, struck out 84 and walked 21 in 63 2/3 innings. He had nine complete games.
"Winning the GNT was something I
really wanted going into the season," Martinez said. "It was actually three things; the GNT, Parochial A North and the state championship."
Martinez took care of the GNT in
dominating fashion, permitting two runs, one earned, on 12 hits, striking out 40 and walking eight in four games.
"Beating Nutley was the icing on the cake for us," Martinez said.
Martinez topped that when he outdueled 2002 Star-Ledger Pitcher of the Year Ryan Lobban of St. Joseph (Mont.), 7-3, in a driving rain during the NJSIAA Parochial A North final.
"I knew everyone was going to be looking at Lobban," Martinez said. "I wanted to show people that maybe there are people better than him out there. There was a lot of fight in me in that game."
Team of the year:
Seton Hall Prep finally got over the hump in the Greater Newark Tournament against Nutley, winning 3-0 at Bears-Eagles Riverfront Stadium in Newark
on May 17 to soften the blow from losing to its county rival in the previous two championship games.
Right-hander Javier Martinez (9-0), who surrendered just two runs, one earned, in his four GNT
victories, limited Nutley to three hits to give Seton Hall Prep its fourth county title in six years.
The signature for this team certainly was pitching, defense and timely hitting, but it also
stepped up in all of its big games. In Seton Hall Prep's final seven games, only a 3-2 regular season nail-biting victory over Caldwell on May 19 did not represent a do-or-die scenario.
It then
ran to the Parochial A North championship with victories over Bergen Catholic, 4-2, Pingry, 11-0, and St. Joseph (Mont.), 7-3, defeated Morris Knolls, 10-0, to clinch a tie with Randolph for the Iron Hills Conference
title and capped the season five days later with its thrilling 6-5, 11-inning victory over Christian Brothers in the Parochial A final. |
Duncan is New Jersey's Player of the Year
Sunday, June 22, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE For the Star-Ledger
A stat line with such mind-numbing numbers as a .536
batting average, 52 hits, 12 home runs and 60 RBI may give a person the feeling he is about to see a reincarnated 18-year-old Mickey Mantle stride onto the field.
What you actually get in Seton
Hall Prep's Eric Duncan is simply an even-keeled kid having a ball with his buddies.
Whether the Yankees' first-round draft pick ever reaches the Major Leagues is not yet known, but it is clear
the organization is going to love his attitude.
Duncan was drafted 27th overall for his lightning-quick bat, his power to all fields, an ability to hit any type of pitch, his athleticism at third
base and what the Yankees Senior VP of Baseball Operations Gordon Blakeley calls, "a great makeup."
Talent alone is not enough to make it in the merciless world of professional baseball,
but many talent evaluators believe Duncan has that single-mindedness so rare among 18-year-olds.
"Eric is such a hard worker and a tough-minded person," Seton Hall Prep coach Mike
Sheppard Jr. said. "He has a rare focus on what he wants to achieve."Duncan seems light years ahead of where he was a little over 12 months ago. He had waved harmlessly at a curveball from Delbarton's Tim
Denning to strand three runners in the top of the sixth inning of a 2-1 loss in the 2002 Parochial A North final. It would be Duncan's final at-bat of the 2002 season.
"I think to be
successful you have to be able to handle the highs and lows and that was a pretty deep low," Duncan said. "I actually thought about that going into my last few at-bats against CBA. But I was able to put it
behind me."
Accumulating 60 RBI leaves very little room for failure and Duncan had no intention of failing this time.
The 6-2, 205-pound third baseman's last four
at-bats of his career consisted of two hard singles, an intentional walk and a game-winning double. The double came in the bottom of the 11th inning and brought home Rich Goulian seemingly with the NJSIAA/First Union
Parochial A championship trophy nestled under one arm and The Star-Ledger Top 20 Trophy tucked snuggly under the other.
"When I rounded first and saw the right fielder bobble the ball, I knew
Rich was going to score. I just went numb," Duncan said.
On draft day, Duncan hit a 420-foot moon shot for a three-run home run off lefty Ryan Lobban of St. Joseph (Mont.) to lift Seton Hall
to a 7-3 victory and the Parochial A North title. Two days later, he hit a grand slam and drove in five runs to spark a 10-0 victory over Morris Knolls that clinched the Iron Hills Conference, Iron Division title.
In the Greater Newark Tournament final on May 17, Duncan supported Javier Martinez's three-hitter with a double, a triple, an RBI and a run scored during a 3-0 victory over Nutley for the GNT
championship.
Duncan even managed to gain a bit of satisfaction in an April 19 regular-season game against Delbarton when he hit two home runs to spur Seton Hall to an 8-2 victory.Typically,
Duncan would rather talk about the incredible experience he had with his baseball buddies at Seton Hall Prep.
"The win against CBA really meant everything," he said. "It was four
years coming to a head, all the hard work with your best friends and your coaches, the morning and Sunday practices and double sessions. It was a testament to how hard we all worked." DUNCAN THRILLED
First-round draft pick visits Yankee Stadium
By Mark Feinsand / MLB.com
NEW YORK -- As he stood on the Yankee Stadium grass, just 10 feet from the home team's dugout, Eric Duncan was experiencing
the greatest thrill of his life. With the New York press corps circled around him, the 18-year-old first-round draft pick was holding the first press conference of his professional career.
"This is pretty cool," said Duncan, the 27th overall pick in the draft. "You see the big guys doing it after games, and now that I'm standing where they stand, it's pretty cool."
Duncan, who repeatedly referred to reporters as "sir," called Wednesday the greatest day of his life. In the span of a few hours, he sat in George Steinbrenner's suite and signed his first
pro contract, met the media, talked with several Yankees players and met his all-time favorite Yankee, Paul O'Neill.
"It's been a dream my whole life, and now it's coming true. I can't ask
for anything more," Duncan said. "I wasn't real big on having a long, drawn-out type of thing that would take the whole summer. I wanted to get out there, prove that I was worth where I was drafted and get
this thing going."
Duncan's contract includes a $1.25 million signing bonus, and he will report to Tampa on Friday, where he will begin playing rookie ball in the Gulf Coast League on June
19. Duncan said that his decision to sign rather than attend Louisiana State University was an easy one, especially after being drafted by the Yankees.
"I've always wanted to be a
professional baseball player my whole life. Being drafted by a great organization like this one made it that much easier to sign so quickly," he said. "It might have been a hard decision if it was another
team, but with the Yankees, I knew it would get done as soon as it happened."
"He said right from the get-go that he was signing," said Gordon Blakeley, the Yankees' senior vice
president of baseball operations. "We weren't worried about that, we were more worried about someone else taking him."
Duncan grew up in Orange County, CA, but his family moved to New
Jersey when he was in fifth grade. Playing for Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J., Duncan hit .535 with 10 home runs and 52 RBIs in 28 games this season. Seton Hall Prep won the state championship on Tuesday, as
Duncan had three hits, including the game-winning double.
"Eric's got such great character, he's such a great kid and the natural ability is there," said Jim Lindell, who represents
Duncan. "He's going to be good enough to play in the big leagues, and he's got the character, make-up and work ethic to get there and play for a long time."
Blakeley said that the
Yankees have signed 14 of their draftees, including third-round pick Timothy Battle and fifth-rounder Cory Stuart. Second-round pick Estee Harris, who hails from Long Island, N.Y., can't sign with the Yankees until his
high school year is done at the end of June, but Blakeley said he has no concerns about signing the outfielder.
New York signed 45th rounder Andre Randolph, the son of third-base coach Willie
Randolph. According to Blakeley, Taylor Mattingly, the 42nd-round pick whose father is former Yankees captain Don Mattingly, is planning to attend the University of Louisville and will not sign.
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Seton Hall tops CBA in 11-inning thriller, 6-5 Wednesday, June 11, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE
For the Star-Ledger
The heroes were aplenty for Seton Hall Prep but the team left it to its superstar Eric Duncan to steal the glass slipper from
Christian Brothers and deliver a fairy tale ending of its own in the NJSIAA/First Union Parochial A championship game yesterday at Toms River South.
Duncan, the first-round pick of the Yankees,
drilled a 2-1 fastball to deep right field for a double that scored Rich Goulian from first in the bottom of the 11th inning and capped a wildly entertaining 6-5 come-from-behind victory.
It was
Seton Hall Prep's second state title in three years, both coming over Christian Brothers.
Goulian (3-for-4, one RBI), the No. 2 hitter, drew a five-pitch leadoff walk off reliever Kevin Lillis
(7-2) in the 11th to bring Duncan to the plate.
"My job was to get on in front of Eric," Goulian said. "Once I get on and he comes up, magic happens."
The come-from behind victory ensures Seton Hall Prep (30-1), No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, of its second Star-Ledger Top 20 Trophy in three years.
Christian Brothers (21-7) was on its fairy
tale ride after it had earned an unexpected berth in the final. That spot in the final came when No. 12 St. Augustine had to forfeit its 8-3 victory in the South Jersey, Parochial A title game last week over CBA after
it was determined that it had broke an NJSIAA rule by playing too many regular-season games.
And Christian Brothers carried a shocking 5-2 lead into the seventh inning.
Bolstered by an outstanding performance by starting pitcher Chris Urbano and the impressive bat of Rob Parks (3-for-3, HR, two RBI), Christian Brothers seemed ready for the major upset with its three-run lead entering
the bottom of the seventh.
But Seton Hall Prep came out fighting.
Matt Halligan, the No. 8 hitter, drew a leadoff walk off Urbano, who was pitching with a 101-degree fever.
Urbano had held Seton Hall Prep hitless until Steve Fordyce led off the fifth with a bad-hop infield single.
Sophomore Nick Christiani then gave Seton Hall a jolt of life when he rocked a 1-1
fastball onto the roof of Toms River South high school beyond the center field fence for a two-run home run.
"I was a little anxious in that situation," Christiani said. "It was a
little up and I just put a good swing on it."
The deficit was reduced to 5-4 and the Seton Hall players were climbing the walls of their dugout.
Reliever Bob Kyle came
in and walked Ryan Clark on four pitches and was immediately lifted for Lillis. Goulian and Duncan hit back-to-back singles to load the bases with none out. Rob Clark bounced out to short for an out but that brought his
twin, Ryan Clark, home to tie the game at 5-5.
Lillis then struck out the next two batters to send the game into extra innings.
Lillis wiggled out of trouble again in the
ninth when leadoff batter Goulian doubled off the center field wall. But he was thrown out at home by right fielder Frank Lombardi as he attempted to score the winning run on a no-out single by Rob Clark.
In the 11th, Goulian would have no trouble scoring when Duncan (3-for-5) ripped a blast over Lombardi's head and the right fielder briefly bobbled the ball when he retrieved it on the warning track.
"Winning this game is incredible," Duncan said in the flush of victory. "I have my best friends on this team. I couldn't ask for anything more."
He
hardly could have done more, concluding his senior season with a .536 average, collecting 52 hits, 12 HRs and 60 RBI.
Among the long list of heroes for Seton Hall Prep was 6-5 senior righty Steve
Brennan, who saved the game in relief of starter Javier Martinez. Brennan shut down Christian Brothers on two hits over the final 4¥innings, struck out eight and walked two.
"I owe Steve
dinner or something," Martinez said. "He's was incredible. This team was incredible all season the way we battled.
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photos by RCM |
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St. Augustine forfeits place in state final
Thursday, June 05, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE For the Star-Ledger St. Augustine baseball coach Tony Iaconelli had to tell his players the unthinkable yesterday, when the team was disqualified from the
NJSIAA tournament because of an administrative error by Iaconelli, who is also the school's athletic director.
St. Augustine (25-7-1), No. 12 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, had been set to play No. 1
Seton Hall Prep in the Parochial A final on Saturday, after advancing with an 8-3 semifinal victory over No. 18 Christian Brothers on Tuesday.
That was until Iaconelli discovered the team had
played two games more than NJSIAA regulations allow. Christian Brothers will take St. Augustine's place in the title game.
"A number of reporters brought it to our attention at the sectional
final on Tuesday," Iaconelli said. "We went back and checked (yesterday), got an interpretation from the state and discovered the mistake."
St. Augustine's error resulted from the
team playing 27 regular-season games in addition to six tournament games. The NJSIAA rules limit teams to 25 regular-season games, not counting county or state tournament games.
St. Augustine
played in an early-season three-game tournament in North Carolina, then was invited to compete in the Diamond Classic in May, playing three games in the event that determines the South Jersey championship.
The team played 24 games prior to the state tournament cutoff, three more regular-season games, three in the Diamond Classic and three more in the state tournament for a total of 33, putting St.
Augustine beyond its overall limit of 31 games -- 25 regular-season games plus six tournament games.
"I misconstrued the rule," Iaconelli said. "I mistakenly thought the (three)
games in the Diamond Classic would not count against our total. It's a screw-up on my part and, unfortunately, my players are the ones who have to pay for it."
Steve Timko, NJSIAA assistant
director, confirmed that St. Augustine had been disqualified.
"It's true," Timko said. "They played too many games. They're out of the tournament."
Iaconelli said he offered to assume the full brunt of the penalty to shield his team from disqualification.
"I told the NJSIAA to penalize me and to do whatever they wanted," Iaconelli
said. "I even offered to step down just so this wouldn't hurt my kids. But they wouldn't agree to that."
Christian Brothers (21-5) thus receives a forfeit victory and advances to the
Parochial A final for a third straight year.
"When my athletic director called me and said Boyd Sands from the NJSIAA had to get a hold of me and it was urgent, I was wondering what we did
wrong," Christian Brothers coach Marty Kenney said. "We were shocked. This is something very rare. It's not the way you want to get to the final."
Christian Brothers left-hander Kris Urbano was stunned at the news.
"I'm in shock," Urbano said. "I feel bad for them. They played a great game against us and
really are a good team. That's a shame."
Seton Hall Prep right-hander Javier Martinez was surprised, too, by the disqualification of St. Augustine.
Martinez (9-0) was
set to start against St. Augustine in the final, but will have to adjust his thoughts on CBA instead.
"What? Are you kidding me?" Martinez asked. "I can't believe that. That's
terrible for St. Augustine."
Whether CBA's hitters can match the stacked St. Augustine lineup and overcome Seton Hall Prep is to be determined.
"I hope CBA
wins," Iaconelli said. "and they bring it home for South Jersey." |
Seton Hall's Martinez is fired up for final
Thursday, June 05, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE For the Star-Ledger
[photo- RCM]  You know the fire is burning underneath, but you don't always get to see it.
That Javier Martinez has harnessed that
fire is indicative of how much he has grown since his junior season. He now manages the fire instead of letting it melt him down.
But he did unleash the beast when he
struck out Tim Klein with a slider for the second out of the seventh inning on the way to Seton Hall Prep's 7-3 victory over St. Joseph of Montvale in the NJSIAA/First Union Parochial A, North Jersey final on Tuesday.
Klein had rocked Martinez for a double in his previous at-bat in the fifth when St. Joseph, No. 2 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, cut its deficit to 4-3 against No. 1 Seton Hall.
"It was one of those things," said Martinez, a senior right-hander. "I just had to let it out. He got me for that double and their bench was riding me all game."
A year earlier, a year less experience and a year less mature, Martinez may have set the rage afire in the fifth and blown himself out of the game.
Not this year.
Martinez was otherwise a vision of tranquility during a hard-fought battle in a steady downpour against a rugged St. Joseph team. But Martinez and his teammates had earned their No. 1 ranking on gutsy
play of their own.
Martinez (9-0, 0.49 ERA), who is bound for Fordham, outdueled All-State left-hander Ryan Lobban (10-1) in the contest to thrust himself among the elite pitchers in the state.
Nothing was more unsure than a Martinez start in 2002, when the South Orange resident seemed to loose the plate all at once suddenly walking and plunking batters.
"Javy would utterly dominate a team last year, then come apart off at once," Seton Hall Prep pitching coach Frank Gately said. "I'm amazed at how he's turned it around.
Martinez has struck out 80 batters and walked 19 in 57 innings while pitching with determined efficiency.
"I think I just had to get the experience," Martinez said. "I just started pitching my freshman year and really didn't throw that much that season."
Gately concurs:
"He tends to wind him self up emotionally," Gately says. "But this year he's been very relaxed. He's not over thinking things."
That maturity on the mound has been a bonus for a team that came into the season with high hopes.
Martinez has reached the biggest stage. His team meets No. 18
Christian Brothers Academy (21-5) in the Parochial A state final at 2 p.m. Saturday at East Brunswick Tech. On the line for Seton Hall Prep is its second Parochial A crown and second Star-Ledger Top 20 Trophy in
the past three years.
He was a sophomore on the JV team in 2001 when his older brother, Joe Martinez, who is now pitching at Boston College, helped Seton Hall
win Parochial A and claim the Top 20 Trophy as the No. 1 team in the state.
"I think everyone on this team is die hard, just to win," Martinez said.
"I believe the pressure is there, but it's good pressure. We know what everyone thinks of us, but, more importantly, we know that we believe in each other."
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No. 1 Seton Hall Prep ousts St. Joseph, 7-3
Wednesday, June 04, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE For the Star-Ledger
[photos- RCM] If Eric Duncan had wished for a day like yesterday, even the most
ambitious of genies might have disappeared back into the bottle.
As it turned out, the Seton Hall Prep standout didn't need any help in realizing the type of day dreams are made of.
Three and a half hours after being selected by his favorite team, the Yankees, in the first round of the Major League Baseball First Year Players Draft, Duncan hit a titanic two-run home run off the state's top
pitcher to propel Seton Hall Prep to a 7-3 victory over St. Joseph of Montvale in a steady rain at Harter Road Field in Morristown.
The victory gave Seton Hall Prep, No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, the NJSIAA/First Union North Jersey, Parochial A championship and a
berth opposite South Jersey champion St. Augustine in the Parochial A final Saturday at 2 p.m. at East Brunswick Tech.
"This is my most memorable game," Duncan said. "And hopefully we can bring it home on Saturday."
About four hours earlier, Duncan had called it "the greatest day of my life."
It got even better when he connected on his homer in the bottom of
the fifth inning against Ryan Lobban, who equaled what is believed  to be a state record with 21 strikeouts in a seven-inning game this season and is expected to be taken in the draft.
Duncan's performance did not overshadow a
gutty performance by senior right-hander Javier Martinez (9-0), who turned in a 137-pitch four-hitter, struck out nine -- three more than Lobban -- walked three and hit a batter. Martinez permitted two earned
runs, doubling his total for the season.
He fully embraced his role as the other pitcher in the game.
"I tell you what, I liked it," Martinez said. "Everyone came into the game talking about Lobban and Eric, and I just brought my game and
let them do their thing. Let the whole world watch them."
Martinez got four of the last six outs on strikeouts, battling back after
surrendering two runs in the fifth to St. Joseph (24-4). The inning included a leadoff home run by No. 8 hitter Tim Klein.
That rally drew St. Joseph within 4-3, and the Bergen County school
appeared to be stealing the momentum. Seton Hall had taken a 4-1 lead in the fourth when Steve Fordyce reached on an infield single, was bunted to second by Matt Halligan, stole third and came home on a wild pitch.
But the Seton Hall fans, among 1,100 or so, who suffered through the horrible weather to see the state's best hitter face the top pitcher would not leave disappointed.
Duncan would recapture the momentum for Seton Hall (28-1) with one mighty swing in the bottom of the fifth, after No. 2 hitter Rich Goulian drew a leadoff walk and Lobban got ahead of Duncan, 0-2.
"It was a hard slider that he left out over the plate a little," Duncan said. "It had a tight break to it, but he left it about belt high."
And up it went.
The lefty-hitting Duncan sent a soaring shot that first cleared the fence in left field 365 feet away, then cleared the outfield fence of the
adjacent softball field for a two-run homer that put Seton Hall ahead, 6-3. The ball carried an estimated 420 feet, but Seton Hall's spirits were lifted immeasurably.
"It was an unbelievable feeling watching it go out," Duncan said. "To know we were taking a big lead on a great pitcher like that with Javy
on the mound was great. When we've gotten a lead for Javy this year he's been lights out."
Left fielder Joe Russo helped Martinez with fine running catches of
shots by Terry Hanneman, in the first, and Steve Caseres, in the third. The lefty-hitting Russo also contributed an RBI single in the third to put
Seton Hall ahead, 3-1, and his bunt single in the fifth led to the team's seventh run.
"I was pretty confident," Russo, whose team lost to Delbarton in the
sectional final on the same field a year ago, said. "I knew it was a big game and we'd pick each other up. It meant a lot to us after losing to Delbarton on this field last year."
Another lefty hitter, Chris Cancro, got Seton Hall off on the right foot against Lobban. Cancro's two-out, two-run single to center gave Seton Hall a 2-0 lead in the first.
Duncan gets the best of Lobban with long HR
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
BY MIKE G. MORREALE for the
Star-Ledger
When Ryan Lobban of St. Joseph of Montvale failed to hit his mark
against Seton Hall Prep's Eric Duncan, the left-handed pitcher knew the consequences.
"I knew it was gone when he made contact," Lobban, the 2002
Star-Ledger Pitcher of the Year, said. "Duncan is the hardest hitter I've ever had to read because he's a player who capitalizes on mistakes.
"That's the reason why he was the 27th overall pick in the Major League draft and that's the reason why he's a Yankee."
Lobban (10-1), who entered yesterday's NJSIAA/First Union North Jersey, Parochial A final against No. 1 Seton Hall Prep (28-1) with a
sub-1.00 ERA and a state-leading 136 strikeouts, was anticipating the showdown against Duncan, who was selected earlier yesterday in the draft by the Yankees.
He also realized he couldn't make a mistake against the 6-2, 205-pound slugger. That's precisely what happened, however, when Lobban's 0-2 slider to Duncan in the bottom of the fifth came in waist
high.
"While I was throwing that pitch, my landing foot slipped on the mound, which forced my hand to go up and caused the ball to hang
there and stay on his waist," Lobban said. "He hit that mistake as far as you can hit it, but that's what you're supposed to do when you're the man."
The first homer allowed by Lobban this season, a two-run skyrocket that went over the fence in right field and traveled an estimated 410 feet
put the exclamation point on Seton Hall Prep's 7-3 victory over No. 2 St. Joseph before 1,100 at Harter Road Field in Morristown.
Lobban, whose fastball has been clocked between 86 and 89 miles per hour, will rely on his upcoming collegiate career at James Madison to improve his game.
"I'm going to college," said Lobban, who could be a late-round pick today when the draft continues. "I need to work on getting more
miles-per-hour on my fastball so I can be more draftable in college."
Duncan felt Lobban, who had six strikeouts and six walks in his 110-pitch performance, is a true competitor.
"He's a great pitcher and any good competitor will go after any hitter, whether he is the No. 3 or No. 9 batter," said Duncan, who also lined to
second, struck out and was intentionally walked. "He's right up there with every ace pitcher we've faced this season. He's got amazing off-speed stuff and his fastball hits the spots.
"He struck me out on a great low pitch (in the third), but I think he was able to give me something that I could hit (in the fifth). I was just
fortunate to get the good part of the bat on the ball. I think Ryan has a great future."
Lobban hopes that future could one day bring he and Duncan together.
"I'm just hoping he's my teammate if I make it because I don't want to pitch against him again," Lobban said. Yanks pick Jersey star
By JULIAN GARCIA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER
It didn't take long for Eric Duncan to become a Yankee fan after he moved to New Jersey from Southern California in 1995. And it didn't take long for the Yankees to select the hard-hitting third baseman in
baseball's amateur draft yesterday.
The Yankees selected Duncan, of Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, N.J., in the first round, the 27th selection overall. He is the first third
baseman the Yankees have taken in the first round. They selected Andy Fox early in the second round in 1989.
"It's just unbelievable," Duncan said last night, after going 1-for-3
with a home run in Prep's win over St. Joseph's of Montvale in the State Parochial final. "I would have been thrilled to get drafted by any team, but the fact that it's the Yankees makes it extra special."
Duncan, who was born in Agoura, Calif., impressed scouts with his fielding and ability to hit for average and power. This season, he batted
.535 with 10 homers and 52 RBI is 28 games, helping his team to a 27-1 record. He has been compared to Chipper Jones.
Duncan's stock also got a big lift from some post-game batting
sessions with scouts, where he showed off his ability to hit with wooden bats.
Many believe the 18-year-old Duncan - who is 6-2, 205 pounds - already has a major league body.
"He looks like a professional ballplayer," one scout said about him recently. "And he carries himself like one, from the way he takes infield
practice to the way he wears his uniform."
Duncan has signed a letter of intent with Louisiana State University, but he said he would most likely bypass college for the chance to play in
the Yankees organization.
"It's always been my dream to play professional baseball so I doubt that I would pass that chance up now," he said.
Duncan has chosen Jim Lindell as his adviser. After Duncan plays his final high school game on Saturday, Lindell will officially become his agent and he will then begin negotiating a contract.
It is extremely rare for a position player from this area, especially one in high school, to be chosen so early in the draft. But the Yankees felt
Duncan was better than most of the college players available.
"He has a great chance to be a great player," Yankee owner George
Steinbrenner said. "When you get guys you don't think will be there when you pick, that's tremendous."
Duncan is scheduled to play in an All-American game at Yogi Berra
Stadium in Little Falls, N.J., on Monday. He will be the only player from New Jersey on the East team.
The Yankees also took two other local players yesterday. With their
second pick, they selected Central Islip High's Estee Harris, a speedy center fielder. With the 454th overall pick, the Yankees grabbed Elvys Quezada, a righthanded pitcher at Seton Hall University. |
Seton Hall Prep's Wrestling Coach John Allen
announces retirement from coaching; passes the baton to
Assistant and former Team Captain, Dino DeBellonia [5/28/03] John Allen, Seton Hall Prep's Wrestling Coach since 1989, announced his
retirement from coaching today. The well known and well respected coach has been involved in wrestling, football and baseball, at the high school and collegiate levels, since 1955. In concluding his
remarks to the team today, he also announced that his long-time Assistant Coach and former Prep wrestler Dino DeBellonia would take over the reins
Allen's coaching career has touched the
lives of thousands of athletes over the past 47 years, at Seton Hall Prep, Essex Catholic HS, St. Benedict's Prep, Vailsburg HS, Summit HS, Weehawken HS, Kean College and Seton Hall
University. He has produced numerous national, state and region individual champions, as well as national, state prep, disctrict, and county team championships. At a recent post-season wrestling dinner, a
Prep wrestler remarked, "John Allen doesn't just teach you about wrestling, John Allen teaches you about life." Seton Hall Prep Athletic Director Joseph Walsh added, "He epitomizes what a coach can do for
our youth through high school athletics."
Allen was a three-sport athlete at St. Benedict's Prep. Following graduation he went to Seton Hall University on a baseball scholarship. He
is a member of the NJ Sports Hall of Fame Committee, NJSIAA Wrestling Committee, Chair of the NJ Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Selection Committee.
"This is the end of my 47th
year in coaching Wrestling, the end of 90-plus seasons when you throw in baseball and football," he told the team Wednesday afternoon. "It's that time in my world to begin to put
things aside. It has been my purpose and pleasure these years to serve kids and their families."
He began his wrestling coaching career as Head Coach at St.
Benedict's Prep in 1955. During his ten years there, his wrestlers won eight National Prep Championships and 43 State Prep Championships. The team's 40-match win streak over all-comers [1959-62] brought the
Grey Bees to national prominence. During much of the time at the helm of the wrestling program, Allen served as Baseball and Football Assistant to Benedict's legendary Joe Kasberger.
Allen moved on in 1965 and part-way through a five-year stint as Head Football Coach at Vailsburg HS, during which time the school took the
Newark City Championship, he became Head Wrestling Coach at Seton Hall University, a post he held between 1968 and 1974.
In 1974 he moved over to Essex Catholic Boys High School to lead their
wrestling program. While there he coached 28 Disctict Champions, 10 Regional champions and 16 Essex County champs. He was the Herald News Region 2 Wrestling Coach of the Year [1976 and '85], Worrall
Publications Wrestling Coach of the Year [1985-6] and inducted into the St. Benedict's Hall of Fame as a charter member [1977] and the NJ Coaches Association Hall of Fame [1984]. Not satisfied with coaching in
just one season, between 1978 and 1982 he was head coach of wrestling, football and baseball at Essex Catholic.
In 1987 he moved on to the Head Wrestling post at Summit HS where
he coached until 1989. In that period he coached seven disctict, 5 regional and 5 Union County champions.
Allen has been at the helm of a resurgent Seton Hall Prep team since
1989. Eleven of his wrestlers at the West Orange school have been District Champions, and two have taken Essex County and Regional titles and been recipients of the Regional Outstanding Wrestler Award. Coach
Allen was selected to the City of Newark Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and received the National Federation of High Schools NJ Wrestling Coach of the Year in 1996. Between 1988 and 1994, he also coached the Prep's
Football Team.
Dino DeBellonia, Assistant to Allen since 1993, was Team Captain in 1988 for Allen's predecessor at Seton Hall Prep, Al Calcagno. He has been
a member of the Prep Faculty since 1998, where he teaches Italian and History. His appreciation of taking over for Allen was evident when he remarked, "Words can't express the gratitude I have for John Allen. I
have learned so much from him in the areas of coaching, teaching and life in general. He is a special human being, who has had a positive impact on hundreds of students and athletes. I look forward to taking
over the program and keeping its strong tradition alive."
In passing the reins to DeBellonia, Allen reminded the team, "You're
all familiar with how Coach-D's work and personality have been a part of our scene here, a large part of what good things have happened here in the last couple of years. Dino loves the coaching scene. This program is
left in good hands."
John Allen, a life-long Newark resident, will continue in his post in the Prep's Mathematics Department.
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Diamond in rough
Just 18, but high school slugger has scouts singing praises
By JULIAN GARCIA DAILY NEWS SPORTS WRITER Seton Hall Prep's Eric Duncan. Marc Cuseta knows talent when he sees it,
but forgivehim if he gets a little carried away when it comes to Seton Hall Prep's standout third baseman Eric Duncan.
"Barring injury," says the coach of the Bayside
Yankees,one of the best summer league teams in the country, "I think he's got a 100% chance to play in the bigleagues."
That's a strong endorsement, especially from a man who'scoached the likes
of Yankee reliever Steve Karsay and White Sox closer Billy Koch in his 23 years at the helm.But scouts agree that Duncan has the best  chance to reach the big leagues of any local
prospect. Duncan, a 6-3, 205-pound high school senior, is projected as a first-round pick in baseball's First-YearPlayer Draft on June 3. Most scouts feel it is virtually impossible
for the 18-year-old to go any later than thesecond round.
Baseball America, which lists Duncan as one of the top high school players in the country, says his stock has increased dramatically of
late, mostly because of the potential scouts see in his sweet lefthanded swing. In 21 games for Seton Hall Prep this season, Duncan has already hit a school-record nine home runs
and driven in46 runs while batting .552. As impressive as thosenumbers are, scouts are even more drawn to the way Duncan carries himself on
and off the field. "He's legit, no question about it," says one scout who watched Duncan play recently. "What's impressive are his actions, his
work ethic, his approach to the game."
Duncan started playing baseball in Agoura, Calif., where he lived until his father moved his software business to New Jersey in 1995. After
Duncan's brother Aaron graduated from high school in 1999, the family debated between moving back to more baseball friendly Southern California or staying here, where unpredictable spring temperatures can
wreak havoc on a batter's hands. But after visiting Seton Hall Prep, a private school in West Orange, Duncan was confident his career could ourish in the Garden State. Last week, he became the only player from
New Jersey to be selected for anAll-American game to be played at Yogi Berra Stadium inMontclair on June 9.
"It's a great honor," says Duncan. "It's great to represent New Jersey."
Earlier this season, Seton Hall prep coach Mike SheppardJr. was afraid the attention would work against Duncan and opponents would opt to
pitch around the slugger. But Duncan has made the adjustments and is a better hitterfor it. Rather than sitting on fastballs, Duncan hasdone his damage against a steady diet of offspeedpitches.
"That's helped me out a lot this year," says Duncan, who has signed a letter of intent with LSU, which has wonfive of the past 12 College World
Series. "I'm being forced to stay back and go the other way." Because of his swing, the position he plays and hisphysical appearance, Duncan is already drawing comparisons to Chipper Jones of the Atlanta
Braves.Duncan counts Jones and St. Louis Cardinal Jim Edmonds as the players he tries to emulate.
One scout who saw the Cardinals' Scott Rolen play inhigh school says
Duncan is more advanced than Rolen wasat the same point in his career.
Perhaps what impresses Sheppard most is that Duncan has not let the
lofty expectations and high praise affecthis play. Duncan has performed in front of 10 to 15scouts every day. Several general managers have evencome to watch him in person, and Duncan has never shown signs of cracking.
"He's handled it terrifically," Sheppard says. "He hasn't missed a beat."
Though the weeks prior to the draft can be nerve-wracking for some
players, Duncan says he is"having the time of my life."
"If it doesn't work out, I'll go to LSU," he says."That's a great thing to fall back on."
The way Duncan is playing this season, few expect that to happen.
"I'd say he's got one of the top bats in the country,"says Cuseta. "He's
got big power and I think he's going to hit 30 homers in the major leagues one day." |
Seton Hall Prep's Duncan
could go in first round of next month's draft
Monday, May 26, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE for the Star-Ledger It has been a whirlwind of a
spring for New Jersey's finest player, Eric Duncan. And the Seton Hall Prep third baseman has embraced every bit of it.
"It's been a great experience," said the lefty-hitting Duncan, who has
been shadowed by dozens of pro scouts for two months. "If I end up going to LSU, I wouldn't mind going through it again in three years."
Duncan signed a letter of intent with LSU in November,
but if the latest projection by Baseball America comes true, he will be a professional soon. Simpson is now projected to be chosen in the first round of the Major League Baseball First-Year Players Draft on June 3.
"Duncan is the best New Jersey high school hitter to come along in years," Baseball America draft expert Allan Simpson said. "He has a mature approach to hitting and a very quick, polished
stroke with above-average power potential."
Duncan's coach, Mike Sheppard Jr., was selected to coach the East team at the inaugural SportsLink, Inc. All-America High School All-Star Game on June 9
at 7 p.m. at Yogi Berra Stadium in Little Falls. Duncan is the lone New Jersey representative in the game.
Duncan's fabulous senior season -- he is batting .538 and has amassed 51 RBI -- has elevated
his stock in the draft. Before the season, Baseball America had him ranked as the No. 35 high school player in the country. Now the publication has him ranked No. 21 overall, which includes scholastic and collegiate
players.
That recent elevation has most likely ended his plans to attend LSU. Duncan's stock took another healthy spike when he flew out to Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park on Thursday for a
workout before Reds officials. Sheppard said Duncan hit six balls into the seats beyond the outfield wall.
Simpson predicts the Reds will select Duncan with 14th selection in the draft.
"I've tried not to follow it too closely," Duncan said. "I heard my stock has gone up but I don't want to build it up and set myself up to be disappointed."
Even if Cincinnati
doesn't select Duncan, Simpson predicts that Duncan could go to the Minnesota Twins at 21 or the Yankees at 27. Duncan is a lifelong Yankees fan. Duncan said that Cleveland, with picks at 11 and 18, and Montreal, at 20,
have also been in touch with him.
"I've always thought about playing for a team I love," Duncan said. "My dad (Hal) is a big Mickey Mantle fan. But my true love is baseball. It really
doesn't matter as long someone gives me a shot."
Duncan's impressive spring also includes nine home runs and 23 extra-base hits. The 6-2, 205-pounder also has shown great improvement defensively
and flashed impressive speed, stealing 16 bases in 17 attempts.
Sheppard Jr., 377-142-3 in his career and The Star-Ledger 1995 Coach of the Year, has guided Seton Hall (25-1) to the
No. 1 ranking in The Star-Ledger Top 20 to this point in the season.
Selected to assist Sheppard, Jr. in the national all-star game is Gov. Livingston coach Bill Howard and Millburn coach Chris Roof.
Sheppard has won two NJSIAA Parochial A championships (1995 and 2001) and six Greater Newark Tournament titles in his 18-year career.
"It's a nice honor," Sheppard said.
"It's nice, too, that Eric is a member of the team. They have a lot of nice things planned for the players."
The two 16-player teams will stay at the Marriott Marquis in Manhattan, take in a
Mets game, visit Mickey Mantle's Restaurant and Ground Zero and participate in a home run derby at the Brooklyn Cyclones' Stadium. The three-day event wraps up on June 9 with the finals of the home run derby at Yogi
Berra Stadium and the all-star game that evening. |
[photos by RCM]
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GNT Preview: Nutley, Seton Meet Again
Saturday, May 17, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE for the Star-Ledger
For the third straight year, an unranked Nutley team will meet a
highly-ranked Seton Hall Prep squad for the Greater Newark Tournament championship.
And after stunning Seton Hall Prep in the final the past two years,
dont expect Nutley to be overly impressed with Seton Hall Preps No. 1 ranking in The Star Ledger Top 20 team when they vie for the championship of the 71st GNT at noon today at Bears & Eagles Riverfront
Stadium in Newark.
Seton Hall Prep (23-1) was ranked No. 1 in 2001 when Nutley pulled off an improbable 5-3 upset. Last year, Seton Hall came in ranked No. 10,
and unranked Nutley did it again, shocking the West Orange school, 6-2.
Nutley (17-6) is probably an even bigger underdog today than the past
two years because this Seton Hall Prep team may be the schools most complete unit -- pitching, hitting and defense -- in a decade. But that's fine with Nutley, because the bigger the fish, the bigger the trophy.
Seton Hall is the class of the county, Nutley coach Mike Christadore said."We,re looking forward to playing them again."
"It's a great opportunity to play Seton Hall Prep," Nutley's John Mariano, who's hitting .462 with six home runs and 25 RBI out of the
leadoff spot, said. "We really don't care about the Top 20. We don't need a paper to judge us."
As good as Seton Hall Prep has been, it doesn't figure to mis-judge
Nutley again. Nutley comes into the game batting .391 as a team with 27 home runs and averaging eight runs per game. It will have a steep challenge in Seton Hall right-hander Javier Martinez (6-0, 0.19 ERA), who
surrendered his first earned run during his teams 12-2 victory over Millburn in the semifinals.
Martinez is the younger brother of Boston College pitcher Joe
Martinez, who took the loss for Seton Hall Prep against Nutley in the 2001 final.
Playing in its seventh consecutive GNT final, Seton Hall Prep boasts a
potent lineup anchored by LSU-bound third baseman Eric Duncan, who's hitting .533, with nine homers and 50 RBI in a tremendous senior season.
"Were very happy it's Nutley again, Duncan said. "We have a lot of seniors focused on getting the trophy back to our place."
The heavy chore of negotiating a Seton Hall Prep lineup which is batting .399 and averaging 10.7 runs per game falls to right-hander Steve Armstrong (3-1), who limited Belleville to three hits in the
semifinals. |
Martinez propels Seton to title
Sunday, May 18, 2003 BY BOB BEHRE for the Star-Ledger Seton Hall Prep couldn't
solve Nutley for two seasons but finally come up with a winning formula yesterday in the 71st Greater Newark Tournament final.
All Seton Hall Prep, No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, needed against
unranked but an always tenacious Nutley team was a great performance from its ace and a couple doses of superstar Eric Duncan.
Undefeated right-hander Joe Martinez silenced the potent Nutley lineup
on three hits, struck out six and walked just one in an economical 76-pitch effort on the way to a 3-0 victory and Seton Hall Prep's fifth GNT championship in the past seven years. It was the senior's seventh triumph.
Nutley (17-7) had defeated Seton Hall (24-1) in the GNT final the past two seasons -- 5-3 in 2001 and 6-2 last year. Seton Hall also came into the 2001 final ranked No. 1.
The crowd of about 1,500 at Bears-Eagles Riverfront Stadium was treated to a one hour, 38-minute gem of a duel between Martinez and Nutley right-hander Steve Armstrong that has been the signature of the state's oldest
tournament.
"It helped that I had two pitches working for me," Martinez said. "My fastball and curveball were really getting in there. With our great defense I just wanted to make
them put it in play and let our guys take care of it."
Armstrong (3-2) surrendered seven hits, struck out five, walked none and hit two batters. The junior helped himself greatly by picking
off four Seton Hall runners at first base.
"Steve had a little extra giddy-up on his fastball, which he also cuts, and a decent curveball," Nutley coach Mike Christadore said. "He
was really hitting some good spots."
Seton Hall's defense shined again. Joe Russo (2-for-3) made a fine diving catch for the third out of the second, Duncan ranged far to his left to record
the first out of the fourth and Fordyce's nice sliding grab for the final in the seventh set off the customary celebratory scrum on the mound.
Duncan, committed to LSU and an expected high pro
draft pick in June, was in the middle of Seton Hall's two-run rally in the third inning that would produce all the support Martinez required.
Armstrong got No. 9 hitter Matt Halligan on a
change-up leading off the third for his third straight strike out, but leadoff batter Ryan Clark pulled an inside fastball into left-center field for a rally-igniting single.
Rich Goulian reached
when his hard grounder to shortstop was smothered but Bobby LaStella's throw pulled Joe Divincenzo off the bag. The lefty-hitting Duncan then ripped a shot down the line in right for a double that scored Clark for a 1-0
Seton Hall lead. Clark's twin brother, Rob, then brought Goulian home with a sacrifice fly to right for a 2-0 advantage.
Duncan, who has played in four GNT finals, winning two, was relieved to
finally get past Nutley.
"It's unbelievable to get one against Nutley. We just wanted this one so bad," Duncan said. And he had kinds words for Armstrong. "He threw his curveball
very effectively and he had a hard slider. That made his fastball look that much faster."
Steve Fordyce helped Seton Hall manufacture a run in the fourth. The senior right fielder poked a
leadoff single to right, stole second, advanced to third when the catcher's throw got away and scored on Nick Christiani's sacrifice fly to right.
John Mariano gave Nutley its best scoring
opportunity in the first when he laced Martinez's second pitch, a fastball, up the middle for a single. He reached second when Martinez's pick-off attempt got away and moved to third on a fielder's choice. But he was
stranded there as Martinez recorded a strikeout.
Nutley would not get another runner past first base as Martinez permitted just two hits and four baserunners after the first inning. Vin Sangemino
singled in the fifth and DiVincenzo led off the seventh with an infield single for Nutley. |
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The shock of it all: Seton surprised by its margin of victory
Sunday, May 18, 2003 BY JIM LAMBERT for the Star-Ledger
Andre Callender was shocked. Not about his Seton
Hall Prep team winning its second straight title, but the ease in which it happened.
What appeared to be a close battle on paper between in-town rivals Seton Hall and West Orange turned into a
rout as Seton Hall Prep received victories from Callender, John Seniszyn and Keith Burke to easily secure its second straight boys title and fourth in the past five years at Woodman Field yesterday in Montclair.
With one event remaining -- the pole vault will be completed Wednesday at Millburn -- Seton Hall Prep (91 points) is well ahead of East Orange Campus (49) and West Orange (48).
"We knew we could win, but not by this much," Callender said. "But everyone just competed at the highest level possible."
Seton Hall got off to a great start on Friday, when
Seniszyn unloaded a 160-9 on his final throw -- a personal best by eight feet -- to rally to win the javelin and Burke took the long jump with a 21-11.
The yesterday, Seton Hall Prep put the meet
away by scoring 20 points in the 110 hurdles and 18 in the 400 hurdles to build an insurmountable lead lead. Callender, a two-time All-State running back who is headed to Boston College on a football scholarship, took
the 110 hurdles winner in 14.25 and finished third in the 100 dash (11.10).
Jeff McGhee was third and Burke fourth behind Callender in the 110 hurdles. In the 400 hurdles, Jason Lea-Jones was
second with a personal best of 55.26, Burke third in 56.75 and McGhee fourth in 56.96. LaeJon Brooks of West Orange won the event in 54.5. [photos by RCM, more to come] |
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