As teams put a wrap on the 2026 high school baseball season the Super Essex Conference coaches released their division-by-division all-conference teams.
Leading the way on the SEC’s first-team All-American Division were three members for Essex County’s No. 1 team and the now 3-time defending Greater Newark Tournament champion Seton Hall Prep Pirates (23-6 overall, 9-1 in winning the SEC-American Division title)
Heading the list is the conference’s top hitter, senior West Virginia University-bound first baseman Jordan Burwell, who batted .488 this spring with a slugging % of .893 while scoring 34 runs, banging out 41 hits and driving in 42 runs, while also stroking 7 home runs and delivering 13 doubles.
His senior teammate, right fielder Devin Aiken (.342 BA, 25 runs, 26 RBI) also made the All-SEC American Division first team along with the county’s top pitcher this season, Boston College-bound senior JJ Drennan (6-1, 1.19 ERA, 19 BB, 66 K’s in 41 1/3 IP with only 19 hits allowed).
Second-place West Essex (21-8, 7-2) has five first-team All-SEC American Division selections in senior pitcher Jackson Lodgek, junior shortstop Rocco Pontrella, senior center fielder Caden Lozito (Ramap College), senior catcher Colin Fogg (Ursinus) and junior pitcher Daniel Gorab.
Representing the SEC-Liberty Division all-stars from that division’s regular season champion Caldwell Chiefs (23-5, 9-1) are junior pitcher Daniel Vybihal and sophomore center fielder Dante Placenti.
The SEC coaches’ All-Division selections are based only on performances in games played within the particular division.
Here are the first- and second- team selections for all five SEC divisions as selected by that particular division’s coaches.
Coaches All-SEC, American Division:
First Team: JJ Drennan, Seton Hall Prep; Jackson Lodgek, West Essex; Jordan Burwell, Seton Hall Prep; Patrick Van Note, Montclair; Joey Kerner, Columbia; Rocco Pontrella, West Essex; Devin Aiken, Seton Hall Prep, Caden Lozito, West Essex; Eli Angelou, Columbia; Colin Fogg, West Essex; Asher Holland, Millburn, Will Iozzi, Columbia, Daniel Gorab, West Essex.
Second Team: Joey Maiella, Seton Hall Prep; Will Black, Montclair; Angel Salcedo, Seton Hall Prep; Jake Bonardi, Livingston; Benji Josefberg, Columbia; Clyve Hodart, Montclair; Thomas Drechsel, West Essex; Gary Buccino, West Essex; Lochlan Touhy, Columbia, Nick Millin, Livingston, Sawyer Stein, Millburn, Jeshua Osorio, Montclair.
Coaches All-SEC, Liberty Division:
First Team: Daniel Vybihal, Caldwell; Sean Fealey, Nutley, Gabe Rodriguez, Nutley; Connor Zimany, Verona; Sheppard Stevenson, West Orange; Jeremy Mercado, St. Benedict’s; Dante Placenti, Caldwell; Liam Ramos, West Orange, Jay Stevenson, West Orange; Justin Jimenez, St. Benedict’s, Dom Kennedy, Verona, Lucas Barbetta, MKA.
Second Team: Jack Pimm, West Orange; Kennan Bilotta, Nutley; Mike Locurto, Verona; Alex Alfonso, West Orange; Angel Estevez, St. Benedict’s; Eugene Roman, Nutley; Santino Russo, Caldwell; Drew Aromando, Verona; John Machtemes, Nutley; Stefano Rizio, MKA; Josh Loudon, Verona; Chris Carollo, Caldwell.
Coaches All-SEC, Colonial Division:
First Team: Sean Walsh, Belleville; Shane Sampson, Newark Academy, Jace Loeb, Glen Ridge; Avery Sampson, Newark Academy, Allan Felipe, Barringer; Gabe Carter, Glen Ridge; Braeden Weber, Bloomfield; Melvin Alavarez, Barringer; Fred Guerrero, Barringer; Breylin Hidalgo, Barringer; Crismel DeLeon, Belleville; Jake Scirica, Cedar Grove.
Second Team: Conor Ennis, Bloomfield; Xavier Andujar, Cedar Grove; Joey Payne, Bloomfield; Miles Jimenez, Bloomfield; Noah Attas, Bloomfield; Marcos Atehortua, Belleville; Joseph Lebron, Barringer; Chris Halbert, Cedar Grove; Noah Andrews, Newark Academy; Abraham Lantigua, Barringer; Jack Velonas, Cedar Grove; Devin Murray, Glen Ridge.
Coaches All-SEC, Independence:
First Team: Juan Jimenez, Newark Tech; Alan DeLeon, Central; Matan Greenman, Golda Och, Julian Sanchez, Newark Tech; Angel Torres, Newark Tech; Jaycee Tapia, Technology; Edwin David Luna Encarnacion, Central; Edwin Fajardo, East Side; Alex Testa, Newark Tech; Ethan Carrasquillo, Technology; Siamel Rodriguez, Payne Tech; Chris Morales, Technology
Second Team: Shea Qiules, Newark Tech; Manny Polanco, East Side; Alex Tapia, Technology, Joel Cochrane, Newark Tech, Jordan Cabrera, Payne Tech; Omar Polanco, East Side, Ronny Colon, Central; Chance Crespo, Payne Tech, Amor Lassiter, East Side; Yadan Silverio, Payne Tech; Paul Raskin, Golda Och; Angel Gomez, Newark Tech
Coaches All-SEC, Freedom:
First Team: Kendry Aracena, Shabazz; Eddy Vasquez, Shabazz; Jean Vasquez, Shabazz; Sean Gunby, Shabazz; Aaron Nova, Orange; Arazi Cruz, Orange; Arazi Cruz, Orange; Yadiel Ramirez, Orange; Marcial Encarnacion, North Star Academy; Jasur Tillery, North Star Academy; Joangel Peralta-Diaz, North Star Academy; Tiger Disla, East Orange Campus; Jean Martinez, East Orange Campus
Second Team: Miguel Segura, Shabazz; Yeuris Espinal, Shabazz; Darvin Alvarez-Sime, Orange; Arian Pena, Orange; Lucas Laurore, Orange; Henry Almonte, North Star Academy; Abel Mejia, North Star Academy; Janncel Batista-Veras, North Star Academy, Adrian Guevara, East Orange Campus; Jeremy Perez, East Orange Campus; Michael Reuben, Weequahic; Zyon Lewis, Weequahic
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