Mahwah T-Birds Defeat Paramus Spartans in JV County Championship

The Mahwah JV T-Birds ended an standout 20-4 season with their first JV county championship on Wednesday. The Tri-Conference JV Invitational featured 16 teams from the Big North, NJAC, and SEC. 

Mahwah defeated Indian Hills, Hackensack, Wayne Valley, and Paramus in order to successfully complete their season. It is the first time a JV team from Mahwah has won 20 games in a season.

Check out the following recap of Wednesday's championship game sent to Mahwah Patch by the proud parents of the Mahwah Baseball Program:

The T-Birds struck first in the first inning when Rob Giannantonio led off with a walk to start the game and starting pitcher Tom Kessler got an RBI infield single, scoring Giannantonio after Michael Yorio laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runner.  It would appear that was all Kessler needed to win the game, as he pitched a no hitter through 4 innings.  The T-Birds broke it open in the top of the 4^th inning when Matt Himpele crushed a triple to left center field, and scored on a over throw at third base that went out of play.  The Spartan pitcher Eddie Ghigliotty struggled with command all day, but held the game to 1 to 0 until Himpele got the game winning RBI.  The T-Birds then went to work scoring 2 more runs when Brian Duffy and Patrick Lee (went 2 for 3) scored on a sacrifice fly to center field by Giannantonio and a RBI single for Michael Yorio to take a commanding lead 4 to 0. 

The Paramus Spartans were determined not to let the T-Birds and Kessler shut them out let alone a no hitter at their own High School.  They finally got their first hit to lead off the 5^th inning on a close play at first base, with the no hitter lost, Paramus went to work by getting a big two out double by Mikey Diaz scoring their first run of the game and placing runners at 2^nd and 3^rd, with a chance to get back into the game.  However, Kessler was able to get a ground out to end the threat in the 5^th inning. 

The T-Birds got that one run back in the top of the 6^th when Rob Giannantonio got a two out hit, stole 2^nd base, and scored on Michael Yorio’s second hit and RBI of the game.  With the score 5 to 1 in the bottom of the 6^th inning, Kessler again got into trouble as Paramus was determined to get back into the game.  They touched Kessler for 2 hits and again had 2^nd and 3^rd with two outs, but again Kessler was able to get a ground out to end the inning and Paramus chances to get back into the game.  In the bottom of the 7^thKessler (75 total pitches) closed the door with a 1-2-3 inning, and sent the Mahwah JV Birds to their first county championship victory.

The impressive item to note in this game was the Mahwah’s Defensive play and pitching, they played flawless defense and had no errors throughout the game.  Thomas Kessler and Chris Smith combined to win 4 games while allowing under 2 runs per game throughout the tournament.  Thomas Kessler was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player by JV Coach Chris Buser who got a Gatorade Shower after the Championship win by the boys. 

Way to go Thunderbirds on a great season.  Head Coach Jeff Remo has much to look forward to in the future.  Mahwah Baseball already started the seasoned rank No. 2 in the county and is playing the State Playoffs (they won the overall State Group 2 championship last year.   Remo’s JV and Freshman team both finished ranked No. 1 this season.  Mahwah baseball will be a force over the next few years under Coach Remo’s and Pitching Coach Doug Cinella’s leadership.