Falcons extend Jarmusz’ career by capturing CJ II baseball crown

BY MATTHEW ROCCO
Correspondent

Monmouth Regional High School head baseball coach Ted Jarmusz announced on May 31 that he will be stepping down at the conclusion of the season. The Falcons weren’t ready to see him leave.

In the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group II title game later that day, Monmouth Regional had a four-run rally in the fourth inning to edge Ewing High School, 4-3, and captured its first sectional championship since 2005.

Senior pitcher Brian Quinn got the call to start the title game, allowing just one earned run, scattering six hits and striking out three to get the win.

He shut the door on Ewing with three consecutive outs in the seventh inning. The game ended on a fly ball to center fielder Jeff Farrah, who made a quick adjustment to jump and snag the final out.

“It was our fourth sectional final in eight years, and we’re very proud of that,” Jarmusz said. “The win was huge for the team, our school and the community.”

Ewing had a rough day in the field, committing three errors during the Falcons’ fourth-inning rally. Monmouth Regional was down, 2-0, when Matt Vincenti, Quinn and Tommy Broyles each hit singles, followed by a Mike Casper infield single and an errant throw to first that put the eighthseed Flacons ahead, 4-2.

The inning was a turning point for Monmouth Regional, which grabbed onto the momentum and didn’t let go. Jarmusz noted that when Farrah beat out a potential double play ball, things finally seemed to be going in Monmouth Regional’s favor.

“Up until that point, it seemed like all the breaks were going in Ewing’s favor,” he said.

Stringing together some timely hits is exactly what the Falcons needed, and something they have done often this season.

“The pressure has never settled on one guy,” Jarmusz said. “If one guy doesn’t come through, he’s confident the next guy will.”

In the fifth, Quinn worked out of a jam with no outs and runners on second and third. He got a groundout to third, a strikeout and then a pop fly to end the threat.

Quinn picked off Ewing pinch runner Tristan Ryan in the sixth inning to hold the seventh seed Blue Devils to just one unearned run after two men reached base with one out. “I can’t say enough about it,” Jarmusz said of Quinn’s effort. “The execution of the pickoff play was a huge play to swing the momentum.”

Jarmusz said he checked with Quinn at multiple points during the game when “adversity was high,” but the pitcher’s “bulldog mentality” came through in a big way. He had no intention of leaving the mound.

“I looked at him and before I could say a word, he looked me straight in the eye and said, ‘Don’t even think about it,’ ” Jarmusz said, recalling one moment late in the game.

Monmouth Regional has benefited from solid pitching performances this season, from both starters and relievers. Broyles, a senior pitcher and first baseman who is 8-0 with an ERA below 1.00, pitched on May 29 in the sectional semifinals against Arthur L. Johnson High School. Monmouth Regional (17-9) won that game, 5-1.

Now Monmouth looks to continue its tournament run and keep Jarmusz in the dugout for a while longer. With the May 31 win, Monmouth was scheduled to face Cinnaminson High School (20-9) on June 4 at The College of New Jersey in the Group II semifinals.

The veteran coach, who is in his 27th season at the helm, said he knew it was time to “investigate new challenges.” The players knew for about three weeks, but they did a good job keeping the news off the radar, Jarmusz said, adding that he wanted to share his decision with his team first.

Jarmusz has 464 wins, fifth-most in the Shore Conference behind Toms River High School South’s Ken Frank (791), Christian Brothers Academy’s Marty Kenney (711), Toms River High School East’s Bill Frank (503) and former St. John Vianney High School head coach Barry Cook (481).

“The players, coaching staff, school, the parents — they’ve all made my dreams come true, and it’s time to step aside and let someone else’s dreams come true,” Jarmusz said.

As for the state playoffs, he said, “You always want to finish on top. Now I know how the seniors feel.”