MONTCLAIR- Back in 2005 as a young coach at Bayley-Ellard Ron Gavazzi was busy guiding a Bishops team in its final season, including in its last game vs. Montclair Kimberley Academy before the Madison-based Catholic school closed its doors for good due to financial constraints.
Now, 21 years later a seasoned Gavazzi enters his 18th overall season at Montclair where he has guided his teams to a pair of Greater Newark Tournament titles in 2012 and 2019, and has had very competitive diamond squads in most seasons, including in 2024 when the Mounties lost a 4-3 heartbreaker at Livingston in the North 1, Group 4 state sectional final.
Last spring was an uncharacteristic struggle as Montclair finished 10-17 overall and just 1-9 in the rigorous Super Essex Conference-American Division. The 2025 campaign ended with an 8-0 loss at Livingston in the N1G4 quarters.
The 45-year-old Gavazzi (318-218-5 for his career entering 2026) maintains a patient and persistent approach to molding his Mountie baseball teams and despite a definite youth quotient having to blend in with a few talented veteran varsity performers, the veteran coach is showing optimism about where his 2026 team can perhaps get to in and out of the SEC.
"We will be a young team again at many key spots,” he said. “We are very confident in our younger players to contribute and improve as the season progresses.
“Our returning players have shown a much better understanding on how we are trying to play the game, and their fundamentals are way better than last year. We are clearly a sharper group. Our effort has been good, and our focus is improving daily. We also have more depth and flexibility within our program."
Among the key players looking to lead the way are 4-year starting infielder Patrick Van Note (Bryant University) and 3-year varsity performer David Aishton (pitcher and outfield) who is headed to Ithaca College in the fall.
“Patrick has had a good March and is practicing very hard as usual,” said Gavazzi. “David has trained hard and has had a good approach in all areas.”
Others to watch include seniors Jackson Price (second base-pitcher) and Casey Blau (outfield), juniors Asher Seawell (pitcher-first base), Kody Nesbitt (first base-3B) and Nate Stern (first base) and sophomore Nate Van Note (Patrick’s brother), who is another outfielder the Mounties can turn to.
While Montclair is focused on the day-to-day regimen of looking to improve with each game, the quest ahead in the SEC will be a major focus, beginning with scheduled back-to-back games against county juggernaut Seton Hall Prep on Tuesday (March 31) at Porcello Field in West Orange and then Thursday (April 2) at the Fuzzy Furlong complex in Montclair.
Both the SEC and Union County Conference have adopted a schedule format this spring which involves back-to-back schedule home-and-home contests with in-division opponents. Part of the idea is to make sure a team cannot throw its No. 1 starter in both conference games against a team.
