Matawan attracted enough interest this summer to field two Junior Legion teams, which were sponsored by American Legion Post 23 in Keyport.
The younger of the two teams filled a roster with players in grades 8 through 11, leaving the team at a slight disadvantage from the start of the season. But Matawan (9-1-1) exceeded expectations and made it to the District tournament semifinals in Bordentown last weekend.
Matawan’s pitching helped bring the team into the playoffs, but the Huskies could not contain Mount Holly’s offense in the semifinal match-up. Matawan fell to Mount Holly, 8-3, putting an end to the Huskies’ playoff run this summer.
The loss to Mount Holly will not take anything away from Matawan’s season, in which the Huskies proved to be competitors against older teams with more experienced players.
“These kids have so much promise, and they love to play the game,” said Rich Vitaliano, the manager of the younger Matawan Junior Legion team. “The best part is, I can’t wait until the next baseball season starts.”
Vitaliano, who is also an assistant coach for the Matawan High School varsity team, explained that the summer team’s strong pitching performances came as a surprise.
“I had the opportunity to give a few kids a chance to pitch, and they are doing a great job,” Vitaliano said, adding that some of the players approached him and said they could pitch.
The American Legion baseball season gave both Vitaliano and John Kaye, head coach of the high school’s varsity team, a chance to see next year’s roster take shape not long after the 2011 season concluded. Vitaliano’s team demonstrated a level of play that grabbed the attention of Kaye, who coached the elder Matawan team that lost two out of the three games it played against the second Matawan team.
“Unless they play fall ball or Legion ball, we really don’t get to see the players that much before the season,”
Vitaliano said.
“With Legion ball, we see the kids two or three times each week, and they get some decent competition,” he explained. “Seeing the kids play that much definitely helps the coaches. We get to see who haswhat, andwhowill play varsity, junior varsity and freshman.”
And considering how well the Huskies played against Junior Legion competition, Vitaliano expects Matawan to attract the attention of area teams.
“The way the kids played this summer, it’s encouraging. People are starting to wonder who we are, and I think it’s about time,” he said.