CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK

The Daily Journal www.thedailyjournal.com/sports SPORTS Friday, April 10, 2009 – C5

★ ★ ★ An inside look at high school baseball throughout the South Jersey area ★ ★ ★

David King Vineland 1B

Sharing the stage
STANDINGS
Question: What made you start

Q A
CAPE-ATLANTIC LEAGUE
American Conference I
a
Div. Conf. Overall playing baseball? n
Millville 1-0 2-0 3-0 Answer: My dad (Timmy) got me d
Vineland 1-0 1-1 1-1
EHT 1-1 1-1 1-1 into the sport. Ever since tee-ball,
Atlantic City 0-1 0-1 0-1 once he put that bat in my hand, I
Absegami 0-1 0-2 0-2
American Conference II couldn’t stop playing. Once spring-
Div. Conf. Overall
Hammonton 2-0 2-0 2-0
time comes, I know it’s time to start
Oakcrest 1-0 1-0 1-0 playing.
Mainland 0-1 1-1 1-1
St. Augustine 0-1 1-1 1-1 Q: Who is the most influential
Ocean City 0-1 0-2 0-2 person in your life?
National Conference I
Div. Conf. Overall A: I’d probably have to say my dad.
Holy Spirit 2-0 4-0 4-0 He’s always been there to keep my King
Buena 1-0 3-0 4-0
Middle Twp 0-0 0-1 0-1 going. He’s a motivator. He always
L. Cape May 0-1 0-2 0-2 wanted my brother and me to get into sports. If we
Bridgeton 0-2 0-2 1-2
National Conference II weren’t playing sports, he just wanted us doing
Div. Conf. Overall
Sacred Heart 1-0 2-0 2-0 something to keep active, not sitting around. He and
St. Joseph 0-0 1-1 1-2 my mom (Stacy) make sure I keep my grades up.
Wild. Cath. 0-0 0-2 0-2
Cape May T. 0-1 0-2 0-3 Q: What’s you favorite subject in school?
TRI-COUNTY CONFERENCE
Classic Division
A: Gym.
Div. Overall Q: What do you like to do when you’re not
Pitman 5-0 5-0 playing baseball?
Glou. City 2-0 2-1
Salem 1-1 2-1 A: Hand around Rita’s, especially when it’s the rainy
Schalick 1-2 1-2
Clayton 0-2 0-3 day special—buy one, get one free. It’s the hidden
Wildwood 0-4 2-4 secret. Nobody knows that. If there’s a rainout,
Diamond Division
Div. Overall that’s where I’m at. Me and my friends, whoever we
Glou. Catholic 4-0 4-0 Staff photo/Craig Matthews can get together, we go over there and socialize.
Penns Grove 1-1 2-1 Daron Moore, a sophomore outfielder, is one of several talented hitters Millville has in its lineup to
GCIT 1-1 1-2 complement slugger Mike Trout. Q: What’s the craziest thing coach Tim Jess ever
Glassboro 1-2 2-2 said to you in the dugout?
Pennsville 0-1 0-2
A: My shoulder’s been hurting, and a few weeks ago
Woodstown
Royal Division
0-2

Div.
1-2

Overall
While MikeTrout is the main attraction, his Millville he asked if I was good to go. He asked if I had any
Cumberland
Highland
2-0
1-0
2-0
1-0
teammates hope to grab some attention, too pain, and I said, ‘Only when I swing and miss.’ He
said, ‘Then don’t swing and miss.’
Deptford 1-1 2-1
Williamstown 1-1 1-1
ogging the lime- Q: Who would win in a home run derby, you or
Kingsway
Clearview
Delsea
OLYMPIC CONFERENCE
American Division
1-2
0-0
0-2
1-2
1-0
0-2 H light? Far from it.
Mike Trout has
brought a wealth of atten-
‘‘ We look at it as an opportunity to get
seen. Everyone’s out here to see him,
hopefully one of them will see us, too.
Joel Rodriguez?
A: Joel would take me. He’s got some amazing
strength. He puts it out in centerfield farther than I
Div. Overall tion to Millville, and his
Wash. Twp. 1-0 2-1 teammates could end up We’ve got a great team, up and down the do. He’s hitting the parking lot. I’m barely clearing
Lenape 1-1 1-1 reaping the benefits. lineup.” the fence
Cherry Hill E. 0-0 3-0 Already, there is a
Cherokee 0-0 1-0 Daron Moore — Ben Watanabe
Eastern 0-1 2-2 noticeable influx of spec- Millville outfielder
Patriot Division tators at Thunderbolts (on Major League scouts attending Millville games to get
Div. Overall games. A solid crowd a look at professional prospect Mike Trout
Shawnee 3-0 3-1 turned out to watch Mil-
Winslow Twp 1-0 3-1
Cherry Hill West 0-1 1-2 lville play Cherry Hill
Triton 0-1 0-1-1 West for the opening game
Pennsauken 0-2 1-3 of the Grand Slam Classic
National Division lville coach Roy Hallen-
Div. Overall
at Washington Township beck addressed the matter
High School, then thinned
Seneca
Timber Creek
1-0
1-0
1-1
1-1-1 out before the second Ben with his team. All the
players need to do is
Bishop Eustace 0-0
Camden Catholic 0-1
2-0
0-1
game began. Heck, close to
20 Major League scouts
Watanabe glance behind the back-
Paul VI 0-1 0-1 stop and in the bleachers
COLONIAL CONFERENCE showed up for a scrim- to notice they suddenly
Conf. Overall mage, when Gloucester have a larger flock of fol-
Haddonfield 3-0 3-0 Catholic and its star baseman Jon McMahon
Sterling 3-0 3-0 lowers.
shortstop, Steve Bruno, and O’Neill are all seniors “The only thing you
Gateway 1-0 1-0
visited in the preseason. looking for somewhere to
Audubon 2-1 2-1 can do is put a positive
Haddon Heights 1-1 2-1 Mixed among the play next year. They’re spin on it and make them
Lindenwold 1-2 1-2 crowd are lower-level col- good enough. All they realize what an opportu-
Haddon Twp 0-0 2-1 need is a chance.
West Deptford 0-1 1-1 lege coaches with no nity they have,” Hallen-
Woodbury 0-1 0-2 chance of landing Trout. Even underclassmen beck said. “It’s nothing to
Overbrook 0-1 0-3 They’re just out to get a like Daron Moore, who be nervous about or to be
Collingswood 0-2 0-3 firsthand look at the play- earned All-Cape-Atlantic
Paulsboro 0-2 0-3 afraid of. Scouting’s a
er they’ve heard so much League honors as a fresh-
BURLINGTON COUNTY CONFERENCE pretty boring job. I’ve done
Liberty Division about. If another Mil- man, hope to inspire some- it. To look at a kid, you’re
Div. Overall lville player catches their one in the crowd to take a there three hours, he gets
Rancocas Valley 1-0 3-1 second look.
Moorestown 0-0 2-0 eye, all the better. three or four at-bats, and
Willingboro 0-0 1-1 “They’re all out here “We look at it as an maybe the ball doesn’t
Westhampton T. 0-0 1-1 because of Mike, but we opportunity to get seen,” even go to him in the field.
N. Burlington 0-0 1-2 all get an opportunity to Moore said. “Everyone’s
Pemberton 0-1 1-2 You’re always watching
get looked at because of out here to see him, hope-
Patriot Division other players. I tell these
Div. Overall Mike,” Millville pitcher fully one of them will see guys what an opportunity
Cinnaminson 2-0 3-3 Josh O’Neill said. “It helps us, too. We’ve got a great they have to know they’re
Bordentown 1-1 2-1 us out in a way.” team, up and down the going to be seen on a regu-
Holy Cross 1-1 2-1 lineup.”
Delran 0-0 2-0 Third baseman Efren lar basis, and to look for-
Burlington Twp 0-0 1-2 Fernandez, pitcher/first Anticipating a mad- ward to that challenge.”
Medford Tech 0-2 0-3 house of attention, Mil-
Freedom Division Photo/J.D. Griffin
Div. Overall Vineland shortstop Anthony Parker leaps for an errant throw as
Maple Shade 2-0 2-2 St. Augustine’s Steve Dombrowski slides into second base during
New Egypt 1-0 1-1 the Hermits’ victory over the Fighting Clan in the season opener.
Florence 1-1 1-1
Palmyra 0-0 0-0
Burlington City 0-0 0-0
Riverside
Trenton Catholic 0-2
0-1 1-2
0-2
PLAYER TO WATCH The Daily Journal player poll
Through April 8 THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

The Daily Journal’s

SJ Mean 15
1. Bishop Eustace (2-0)
2. Millville (3-0)
3. Cherokee (1-0)
4. Buena (5-0)
5. Washington Twp. (2-1)
6. Gloucester Catholic (4-0)
7. Shawnee (3-1)
8. Cherry Hill East (3-0)
9. Lenape (1-1)
10. Cumberland Reg. (2-0)
11. Pitman (5-0)
12. Timber Creek (1-1)
13. Holy Spirit (4-0)
14. Haddon Twp. (2-1)
15. Sacred Heart (2-0)
*Rankings are set by Ben Watan-
abe and based on records report-
ed to area newspapers through
Wednesday.
Ah, the beauty of early-April baseball.
Shawnee and Cherokee, two of the bet-
ter teams in South Jersey, engaged in a
20-16 slugfest on opening day. Eric Sel-
lito put together a decent weeks-worth
of stats with three home runs and eight
runs batted in. Meanwhile, Dan
Koneshusky of Rancocas Valley pitched
a no-hitter against Winslow. … Rainouts
April 3 and 6, coupled with the Grand
Slam Classic being abbreviated April 4,
scrambled many teams’ well-laid pitch-
ing plans not only for the weekend but
later in the season, when rescheduled
games will make for a tighter schedule.
… Speaking of inclement weather,
March came in like a lion, but it certainly
BLOGS.THEDAILYJOURNAL.COM/INTHEDIRT
Rob Cressman Will the Phillies
didn’t go out like a lamb. … Washington
Township pitchers have to feel comfort- Pitman win the World
able with Chris Fanty patrolling center Series this year?*
Senior
field. … Bishop Eustace looks as good
as advertised. Every batter pounded the
cover off the ball in the Crusaders’ open-
er, and pitcher Kevin Casey struck out
eight. St. Rose of Belmar might be the
P NO
15 votes
YES
30 votes
Right-handed fourth-year starter
Crusaders’ biggest competition in Non- utilizes a solid four-pitch reper-
Public B South. … Speaking of Non- toire (fastball, curveball, change-
up, splitter). Went 8-2 last year for
Public B, Sacred Heart pitcher Allen Group I South finalist Panthers, *Based on responses from
45 local baseball players
Rivera credited his curveball and slider culminating his season with a Staff graphic/Joe Moore
with a sharp outing against Middle Carpenter Cup selection. Cress-
Township. Rivera throws a four-seam man is 1-0 on the mound this
fastball, two-seam fastball and splitter, season.
Upcoming games:
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too. Saturday vs. WEB EXTRA .com
— Ben Watanabe Sacred Heart, Noon ● Check out photo gal-
➤ Tuesday at Penns Grove, 4 p.m. leries all season at our
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