Marlboro’s Jason Faigin is making his way through the New York Yankees organization, earning a role as closer with the Greensboro Bats.
The Marlboro Little League Junior League (ages 13-14) All-Star will be looking to shake things up again when Marlboro hosts the Little League Eastern Regional for the third straight year.
Twelve teams, including Marlboro, will vie for the regional title and a trip to the Junior League World Series in Taylor, Mich. The regional will run from Saturday through Aug. 10. The Eastern Regional comprises the 11 states from Maryland to Maine, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire.
Last year it was New Jersey state champion South Vineland that won the Eastern Regional and went to represent the region at the World Series.
Marlboro coach Ron Javorsky said the motto of the 2001 Marlboro juniors is "Anything is possible."
Last year, Marlboro’s stars sent shock waves through the tournament when they won two games (Georgetown, Del., 8-4 and Swampscott, Mass., 7-5) to reach the final four.
The hosts of regional tournaments are supposed to be mere fodder for the more decorated teams who come to the tournament as state champions.
However, Marlboro proved to be anything but that last year when they threw a scare into everyone threatening to win the whole thing.
They have two holdovers from that team, catcher Chris Hecht and pitcher/shortstop Mat Manochio, to remind this year’s squad that anything is indeed possible.
"Our pitching is pretty strong," noted Javorsky. "The kids have been working very hard for the last two weeks. We’re really working on the fundamentals.
"We know that we’re going to be taken lightly by the other teams because they are state champions," he added. "I know that our heart is there. We won’t be lacking in intensity, heart and hustle."
Marlboro’s all-stars are Hecht, Manochio, first baseman/pitcher Joe Speechio, infielder/pitcher Craig Friedland, pitcher/infielder Jason Fernandez, outfielder/infielder Adam Javorsky, outfielder Ryan Broderick, pitcher/infielder Russell Matmon, outfielder Doug Feller, infielder Ryan Buttacovolli, outfielder Brandon Zimerman and outfielder Andrew Brito. Dan Manochio is the manager, and Javorsky is the coach.
The tournament starts on Saturday, but Marlboro will make its debut at 2 p.m. Sunday. On the first three days of the region, four games will be played each day at the Marlboro Little League Complex, with games starting at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.
There was big news for Marlboro Little League president Cliff Radisch, who has been an umpire for 25 years. Radisch has been selected to umpire the Junior League World Series in Taylor. It takes him one step closer to perhaps being an umpire at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

