“Xavier has over 60 innings on the mound this season and what he does for us playing center field and pitching every fifth day plus getting huge hits means so much to this team,” said Cordasco. “I talked to John (Reer) before the game and told him to be ready to go and he came in and had probably the best performance of his career today with the way he located his fast ball and threw his breaking ball for strikes.”

Hanover Park, under the guidance of veteran coach Doug Wear, had a terrific state tourney run, but just didn’t have an answer for slowing down the Cedar Grove offense.

The Hornets’ biggest hit came in the third inning on cleanup batter Rocco Zirpolio’s long 3-run home run which sailed over the left field fence to cut the Panthers lead to 5-4.

Zirpoli walked in the fifth and scored what was the tying run at the time on a fielder’s choice; however, the 5-5 score didn’t remain for long with Andujar delivering his huge 2-run home run in the bottom of the fifth and Reer then quieted things down with superb relief pitching to seal the deal and allow the celebration to begin.

“We had won 19 games for three seasons in a row, lost in the sectional final when our seniors were freshmen, and then made it to the semifinals the next two years,” said Cordasco. “Now to finally win a state sectional title for the first time since 2003 is the best way for that 20th win to happen, and now it’s going to be great to keep playing as these players have earned everything they’ve achieved in this state tournament, and hopefully there are still more wins to come.”

NORTH 2, GROUP 1 FINAL, FRIDAY, JUNE 5:
(3) HANOVER PARK (18-9)      013  010  0     - 5 R 6 H 2 E
(2) CEDAR GROVE (20-9)         230  024  X    -11 R 10 H 0 E
2B- CG- Jack Velones 3B- CG- Xavier Andujar HR- HP- Rocco Zirpoli (3-run shot in 3rd inn.) CG- Andjuar (2-run shot in 5th)
WP- John Deer LP- Vincent Prizzi                                

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