Consider this a revolving-door season in the Open Mike area rankings. After the top four or five, things can, and will likely twist and turn all spring.
North Hunterdon (6-3) has been a lockdown No. 1 thus far, and the Lions enter the fourth annual HWS Tournament as the favorites and the top seed on the Hunterdon-Warren side. Coach Mike Kane's team is raking at the plate and is getting quality pitching. A tough combo to beat.
The tournament kicks off today with a preliminary game between Sussex Tech and Voorhees. Three others follow on Wednesday, with the winners advancing to Saturday's first-round matchups.
Get ready for a wild tourney ride. It's wide open.
On to this week's rankings:
1. North Hunterdon (6-3) -- Lions went . 500 last week, beating Warren Hills (9-2 on Monday) and Westfield (13-3 on Wednesday), before dropping a pair of Skyland Conference Delaware Division games against Watchung Hills (6-2 on Tuesday) and Immaculata (4-2 on Thursday). Life in the Delaware is rough, one of the toughest divisions in New Jersey. Senior outfielder Shane Brown went 2-for-5 against Warren Hills and struck out nine for the win. He also was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI in the win over Westfield. Sophomore catcher Andrew Meiners had a big week at the plate -- 3-for-4 against Warren Hills, 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs against Westfield and 2-for-3 with a double in the loss to Immaculata.
Up next: Phillipsburg at home on Tuesday; Bridgewater-Raritan at home on Thursday; South Hunterdon-Kittatinny winner at home in HWS on Saturday.
2. Sparta (6-3-1) -- Spartans also went 2-2 last week, closing out with two wins in a row against Morris Knolls (2-0 on Thursday) and High Point (7-1 on Friday) to maintain the top spot in the NJAC American Division. Coach Sam Slobodzian's team also dropped decisions against Kinnelon (6-3 on Monday) and Montville (7-3 on Tuesday), the club's first divisional loss. Junior outfielder Matt Chemis homered and plated two runs against Montville, while junior second baseman Austin Unglaub went 3-for-4 with a double. Ace Kevin Foulds (3-0) tossed a three-hitter and fanned eight to beat Morris Hills.
Up next: Mount Olive at home on Monday; at Jefferson on Tuesday; Vernon at home on Thursday; Columbia at home on Friday; Sussex Tech-Voorhees at home in HWS on Saturday.
3. Newton (7-1) -- The Braves, like the Jeffersons, are moving on up. Coach John Selitto's club had a short week -- going 1-1 with a win over Kittatinny (5-3 on Tuesday) before getting its first loss against Hopatcong (9-3 on Thursday). Independent games with Sparta and Whippany Park, slated for Friday and Saturday, were postponed. The Braves didn't particularly play well in either game last week, committing four errors against a gritty Kittatinny squad. Junior third baseman Joey Maker reached base four times, going 3-for-3 with three stolen bases and an RBI, while righty Chris Branham (2-0) fanned five for the win against the Cougars. Senior first baseman Anthony Morro doubled and had two RBIs in the loss to the Chiefs.
Up next: Wallkill Valley at home on Monday; Hackettstown at home on Thursday; West Orange at home on Friday; Hopatcong-Warren Hills winner in HWS at home on Saturday.
4. Hunterdon Central (5-5) -- Here come the Red Devils. After a 2-5 start, coach Mike Raymond's team enters the week riding a three-game win streak. Central defeated Phillipsburg (11-5 on Tuesday), Hillsborough (4-0 on Thursday) and East Brunswick (15-2 on Saturday). Senior outfielder Geggie Russomagno had a great week at the plate -- a double and an RBI against P'burg, 2-for-3 with two doubles and an RBI vs. Hillsborough and 3-for-5 with five RBIs in the win over East Brunswick. Ace Billy Maier (2-0) struck out four to beat H'boro. Second baseman Jeremy Ake (2-for-3, two RBIs) and sophomore Brett McManus (2-for-2, homer) raked against EB.
Up next: Rutgers Prep at home on Monday; at Bridgewater-Raritan on Tuesday; at Watchung Hills on Thursday; at Edison on Friday; Belvidere-High Point winner in HWS at home on Saturday.
5. Pope John (7-6) -- Lions struggling right now, going 1-3 this past week. Coach Vin Bello's team salvaged it with a 10-0 thumping of Warren Hills to snap a three-game skid on Saturday in the Millburn Tournament consolation game. Leadoff man Mike Young doubled and had two RBIs and winning pitcher Ethan Collins (2-1) logged five strikeouts. PJ lost to Morris Knolls (11-4 on Tuesday), Mount Olive (13-7 on Thursday) and Moorestown (10-4 on Saturday). Young, a junior outfielder, was 3-for-3 with two doubles, a home run and two RBIs against Mount Olive.
Up next: High Point at home on Monday; Morris Hills at home on Thursday; Phillipsburg at home in HWS on Saturday.
6. North Warren (6-3) -- Patriots have won three of their last four coming into the week, including a two-game win streak. Coach Jim Haupt's team beat Hopatcong, 19-6, at the Homer Dome on Tuesday and Wallkill Valley, 10-0, on Thursday. Senior outfielder Mike Clothier homered in the Hopatcong win and went 2-for-3 with two RBIs in the NJAC Freedom Division victory over Wallkill in Blairstown. Junior shortstop Alex Hladik is on fire at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs against the Chiefs and 2-for-4 with an RBI against the Rangers. On the mound, Hladik picked up his first victory against Wallkill.
Up next: Jefferson at home on Monday; Lenape Valley at home on Thursday; Vernon at home in HWS on Saturday.
7. Lenape Valley (5-4) -- Patriots looking to get on a roll, following two wins in their last three to close out last week. Coach Bob Klinck's team beat Hackettstown, 8-6, in a key NJAC Freedom Division showdown on Tuesday before a 10-2 loss to Jefferson on Thursday. Junior catcher David DelSontro went 4-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs, while ace Drew Burke (2-2) struck out five in the Pats' 10-0 win over Sussex Tech on Friday. Senior Mike Deerfield (2-0) logged seven K's against Hackettstown.
Up next: Kittatinny at home on Monday; at North Warren on Thursday; Delaware Valley at home in HWS on Saturday.
8. Phillipsburg (3-9) -- Stateliners return to the rankings following after a 7-5 win over archrival Easton (Pa.) on Saturday. Life in the Delaware Division has been tough for coach Dave Hinkle's team, which is 0-6 against the division with No. 1 North Hunterdon left on the first-half slate. P'burg dropped decisions to Hunterdon Central (11-5 on Tuesday) and Bridgewater-Raritan (12-4 on Thursday). Junior second baseman Matt McAnally went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI against B-water, and had a double and an RBI against Central. Rematch of last year's epic HWS quarterfinal at Pope John on Saturday.
Up next: Warren Hills at home on Monday; at North Hunterdon on Tuesday; at Montgomery on Thursday; Hopatcong at home on Friday; at Pope John in HWS on Saturday.
9. Hackettstown (5-5) -- Tigers split four games last week, beating Belvidere (11-3 on Monday) and Kittatinny (5-4 on Thursday), while falling to Lenape Valley (8-6 on Tuesday) and Morris Catholic (5-2 on Friday). Coach Gary Poyer's squad gets a shot at redemption on Saturday with a Hunterdon-Warren-Sussex matchup against Wallkill Valley, which beat Hackettstown, 5-3, on April 10 in an NJAC Freedom Division matchup. Senior outfielder Owen Gavin went 2-for-4 with a double against Lenape, while senior pitcher Matt Lerman struck out seven to beat Kittatinny.
Up next: Hopatcong at home on Monday; at Newton on Thursday; Wallkill Valley in HWS at home on Saturday.
10. Wallkill Valley (3-4) -- Rangers have dropped three in a row following a three-game win streak. Coach Kevin Lukich's team fell to High Point (8-2 on Monday), Jefferson (12-8 on Tuesday) and North Warren (10-0 on Thursday). Giving up 30 runs in three games tends to lead to losses. Junior outfielder Brandon Grabkowski went 3-for-4 with an RBI against the Wildcats and 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI against the Falcons. Also Wallkill's ace, he took the loss against North Warren, dropping to 0-2.
Up next: at Newton on Monday; Kittatinny at home on Thursday; at Hackettstown in HWS on Saturday.
On the bubble: Voorhees (2-6), Delaware Valley (3-7), South Hunterdon (3-6).
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