St. Joseph by the Sea’s Gordon Rugg is The Post’s All-Staten Island Coach of the Year. (Damion Reid)
What a year it was on Staten Island.
Led by Jon Silva, Zach Granite, Kevin Krause and a seemingly endless cast of characters, Tottenville won the PSAL Class A title, its 11th championship, while St Joseph by the Sea, buyoed by Nick Pavia, Chris Ramanauskas, Vin Garcia and company, captured its first CHSAA Class A title. Both Huguenot schools beat a No. 8 seed to earn their respective crowns.
All-Staten Island baseball Player of the Year: P Nick Pavia, St. Joseph by the Sea
“Big Game Nicky” isn’t just a cool nickname for Nick Pavia; it’s based on reality. He tossed a two-hitter in a playoff game as a sophomore, two more as a junior and all he did this spring was lead St. Joseph by the Sea to the CHSAA Class A intersectional title.
Sure, Pavia came up on the losing end of a classic nine-inning duel with Xavier’s Rob Maguire despite striking out 12 in a complete-game four-hitter. But the Vikings wouldn’t have lifted the trophy if not for the Wagner College-bound Pavia, who also came up with clutch hits throughout the season.
All-Staten Island baseball Coach of the Year: Gordon Rugg, St. Joseph by the Sea
His team had never won the title game, only once playing in the championship, but Gordon Rugg spoke about his team playing in the final even in the preseason, instilling a quiet confidence in the group. That carried through in the regular season, where the Vikings were the most consistent team in the CHSAA. And in the postseason, Rugg made all the right moves, whether it was bringing Rob Crocitto or Rob Messina in as a pinch-hitter or having Frank Stavola pitch the title-clinching game.
All-Staten Island first team
3B Gary Boardman, Monsignor Farrell
Farrell coach Bob Mulligan said he thinks Boardman is the best third baseman in the city. We’ll certainly give him Staten Island. The heady senior led the Lions in so many ways — in the field, at the plate and even on the mound, where he had a 0.86 ERA as a reliever. His crowning moment came in a playoff win against All Hallows when he allowed just an infield single in 3-2/3 innings of impeccable relief.
RF Will DiFede, Tottenville
If there was a most improved player award, DiFede, a two-sport star in football and baseball, would win it by a landslide. One year after picking up just two hits in spot duty, he led the PSAL with 36 RBIs, scored 25 runs, and batted .532. Adding to those lofty numbers, DiFede is also a cancer survivor and spends his free time doing extracurricular activities, whether it’s student government or fundraising walks.
2B Brendan Farr, Tottenville
Small in stature, but large in every other way. Farr took advantage of the opportunity to start his senior year by batting a robust .458, blasting two home runs, and scoring 27 runs. He also formed a smooth middle infield combo with shortstop Tim Gonzalez.
P Joe Fiori, Monsignor Farrell
If not for Pavia, the Island’s top CHSAA pitcher would have called Monsignor Farrell home. The senior right-hander befuddled batters with a devastating curveball. If only he could have gotten some run support. He lost to Pavia, 2-0, in a memorable pitchers’ duel on April 23 and was brilliant in a 2-1 loss to All Hallows in the postseason.
CF Zach Granite, Tottenville
Let’s pick the ways the Seton Hall-bound outfielder changes a game. There are the plays he makes in center field, cutting off extra-base hits. He is a terror on the base paths, his speed creating runs, 32 of them this season. He is also impressive with the bat, as his .583 postseason batting average would indicate. Also, let’s not forget his left arm, which beat powerhouse George Washington twice, including the opener of the best-of-three semifinal series, on the mound. Yes, Seton Hall is thrilled to have him in the fold.
C Kevin Krause, Tottenville
The Pirates’ rock behind the plate and their productive cleanup hitter, Krause emerged as one of the city’s top power hitters his junior year. His .465 batting average, 24 RBIs, 12 extra-base hits, and 33 runs scored are just the tip of the iceberg for the ever-improving catcher. He was at his best in the two-game semifinal sweep of George Washington, driving in seven runs.
P Ryan Mannello, McKee/Staten Island Tech
The junior right-hander doesn’t throw especially hard. His off-speed stuff won’t keep opposing hitters up late at night. He just wins, as his 7-1 mark during the regular season suggests, and 17-5 career record at MSIT proves.
SS Chris Ramanauskas, St. Joseph by the Sea
A No. 3-type hitter at the top of the lineup, the shortstop enjoyed a solid regular season, but went on a tear in the playoffs, helping lead the Vikings to their first-ever title. The unsigned senior, who has drawn interest from Pace, batted .390 with 23 hits and had a rifle for an arm.
P Jon Silva, Tottenville
On the loaded PSAL champion, there wasn’t a more important piece than the hard-throwing Silva, a left-hander that matured from the season’s outset until its end. He got over his control problems and gained command of his breaking ball. He was at his best in the season’s biggest moments, no-hitting McKee/Staten Island the last week of the regular season and tossing 10 brilliant shutout innings while striking out 10 in the classic 1-0 city final victory over Lehman.
C Joe Trezza, McKee/Staten Island Tech
Co-aces Ryan Mannello and Matt Abramowitz swear by Trezza, who handles pitches well and calls a great game behind the plate. It’s no coincidence the Sea Gulls have been one of the best pitching teams in the city . But he’s more than a solid backstop; the intelligent Queens College-bound senior, an honor roll student, was also MSIT’s most consistent bat, hitting .419 with 11 runs scored, nine RBIs, and seven doubles.
HONORABLE MENTION
P Matt Abramowitz, McKee/Staten Island Tech
CF Chris Ahearn, Moore Catholic
1B Matt Ayers, Port Richmond
P/1B John Baggs, Moore Catholic
P Chris Barrett, New Dorp
CF Cliff Brantley, Port Richmond
P Neil Connelly, Moore Catholic
SS Nick Del Prete, Monsignor Farrell
SS John Duffy, McKee/Staten Island Tech
OF Vin Garcia, St. Joseph by the Sea
1B Thomas Kain, Tottenville
DH George Kantzian, Tottenville
P Chris Mione, Monsignor Farrell
C Joe Stabach, St. Joseph by the Sea
OF Mike Viegas, Monsignor Farrell