CALDWELL- The excitement will be in the air all over Ivy Hill Park on Wednesday afternoon and that could be a couple of hours before the Non-Public A state final actually begins.
Then, after the two teams get set for the 5 p.m. start the first pitch will provide a terrific intro as the state’s top pitcher, St. John Vianney’s Madison McDougall, delivers to the state’s top position player, Mount St. Dominic leadoff batter Jill Cianfrocca.
Let the fun begin!
No. 1 ranked St. John Vianney (29-0), seeking to finish unbeaten, faces the No. 2 ranked Mount (29-2), which is the defending state champion and reigning No. 1 ranked team in the state in what on paper at least has all the ingredients of an absolute classic.
It’s one 7-inning game, which means despite the greatness of both Vianney’s ace pitcher and the Mount’s own star in the circle, junior Ava Kelshaw, the approximate two hours of action could easily be decided by a mistake or two by either team or a clutch hit by someone you weren’t even thinking too much about making something happen.
“Our kids are excited for another big game, that’s for sure,” said Mount coach Rob Stern whose Lions defeated familiar rival Immaculate Heart, 7-3, in this past Friday’s Non-Public, North A state sectional final. “The state allows you an ‘x’ number of games and as a coach or a player you want to be able to be there on the final day of the season.
“We feel blessed to do this one more time together, and while we can say it’s a free game after already winning a North state sectional championship, whoever walks out of there on Wednesday night is going to be the No. 1 team in the state.”
The Mount, which has most of its everyday lineup back from last year’s state champs who edged Donovan Catholic, 4-3, on the final day of the season for the 2025 Non-Public A state title, know that it will be going up against arguably one of the best teams it will ever face.
St. John Vianney, which cruised past Donovan Catholic, 11-1, in the Non-Public, South A final, has outscored its three state tourney opponents - Immaculata, Red Bank Catholic and Donovan Catholic – by a combined score of 40-3.
Leading the way is the irrepressible McDougall, the Monmouth University-bound senior who is the daughter of the head coach, Kim Lombardi-McDougall, a former Red Bank Catholic star, and has put together a fabulous senior season both in the circle (158 1/3 IP, 54 HA, 7 ER, 16 BB, 23 HBP, 302 K’s, 0.31 ERA) and at the plate (.619 BA, 16 home runs, 71 RBI).
And, there are plenty of other immense talents for Vianney including standout senior shortstop Gabby Gonzalez (.510 BA, 34 runs, 11 HR, 39 RBI) and Madison’s younger sister, freshman outfielder Peyton McDougall (.438 BA, 36 runs).
“They are as advertised and are the best team we will face this year plus one of the best -top to bottom- we have seen in a real long time,” said Stern. ”I have seen them ‘live’ five times this season and it’s tough to see any weaknesses.
“Kim, who I was fortunate to coach (with NJ Pride) many years ago, coaches them hard and their program has some great history.”
The Mount is certainly no slouch and has the most recent experience of playing in a state final with last year’s clutch victory over Donovan Catholic as Cianfrocca had a huge home run to win the contest.
The Lions’ Villanova-bound senior led off last Friday’s North A final vs. iHA with a home run, which was a fitting huge hit to help jet-start the Mount in her final home game at the Caldwell-based Catholic school home field.
The Lions build a 3-0 first inning lead and junior catcher Brooke Mundy added a big 2-run double for insurance runs in the sectional state championship contest.
“I was thinking as Jill hit that first-inning home run that if that was her only hit it would be terrific to have her get such a big hit for us in her final home game,” said Stern. “She has had such a tremendous career for us and continues to produce like the Player of the Year-type performer she was last season and is today.”
