NEWARK, NJ—The 2011 high school seniors who signed National Letters of Intent to continue studying and playing baseball in college at NJIT starting this fall had stellar senior seasons and the postseason honors for these standouts continued to roll in over the weekend.
New Jersey's largest newspaper, The Star-Ledger, announced its 2011 All-State, All-Area, and All-Group baseball teams on Sunday and the future Highlanders were well-represented. Indeed, all seven young men whose NLI signings were announced by NJIT last December received one or more all-star honor in the Star-Ledger's teams announced on June 26.
Ed Charlton, an outfielder/pitcher at St. Augustine Prep of Richland, NJ, the state Non-Public A champion, was selected first-team, all-group, All-State by the Star-Ledger, meaning he was tabbed as one of New Jersey's top 14 high school players for 2011. He batted .465, with 9 home runs and 39 runs batted in out of the leadoff spot in the order. He was also 5-0 on the mound with a 2.39 earned run average.
St. Augustine Prep pitching ace, Matt Rakus, also an NJIT signee, was second-team, all-group All-State in the Star-Ledger, an honor that ranked him among the state's top 10 pitchers according to state's largest paper.
Middle infielder Mike Rampone, a future Highlander out of Randolph High School in Morris County, was named to the Star-Ledger's All-State third team for all groups.
Looking at the other teams named by the Star-Ledger on Sunday, Rampone was first-team All-State in Group 4 and first-team All-Morris. Brian Keane, also a middle infielder, was named second-team All-Morris by the Star-Ledger for his play with Montville High.
Not surprisingly, given his first-team All-State, all groups selection, Charlton was also picked by the Star-Ledger on its All-South Jersey and All-Non-Public first teams, respectively. Rakus was first-team All-South Jersey and first-team All-Non-Public, as well.
Stephan Halibej, a hard-hitting catcher for Seton Hall Prep, who also signed with NJIT, was picked by the Star-Ledger as first-team All-Essex County and as third-team statewide All-Non-Public.
Pitcher Bill VanMeerbeke of Monmouth Regional, was picked as a third-team All-Monmouth County honoree out of the intensely competitive Shore Conference by the Star-Ledger. A week earlier, the Asbury Park Press recognized VanMeerbeke on its All-Shore third team. He was 6-4 with a 1.75 ERA and 69 strikeouts. The Shore coaches voted VanMeerbeke onto their Class B North Division first team.
Another similarly-honored NJIT signee was Mike Liegel of state Non-Public A runner-up Pope John XXIII Regional HS of Sparta. The pitcher/infielder was picked on the All-West Jersey third team by the Star-Ledger. He batted .342, had an on-base percentage close to .500, stole 16 bases and won four games as a pitcher.
The Star-Ledger was not alone among New Jersey newspapers announcing postseason honors over the weekend.
On Saturday, The Daily Journal of Vineland, NJ, announced its all-area teams and Charlton, the St. Augustine Prep star, was named the paper's 2011 High School Baseball Player of the Year. Of course, Charlton was named to the paper's all-star team, as was his teammate, Rakus, who was 9-0 on the mound with a 2.36 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 62.1 innings.
A week earlier, Charlton was announced as the area Player of the Year by The Press of Atlantic City and he and Rakus were first-team All-Area picks by The Press and by the Courier-Post of Camden.
Also on Saturday, the Daily Record of Morristown, NJ, announced its All-Daily Record baseball teams and Rampone of Randolph HS and Keane of Montville HS were both first-team selections. Rampone batted .500 with 5 home runs and 31 RBI, while posting a 2.23 ERA in 11 mound appearances. Keane, batting leadoff, hit at .443 clip and powered 6 home runs and 25 RBI, while striking out just twice all season.
Here are the latest links:
The Star-Ledger Baseball 2011 All-State selections
The Star-Ledger Baseball 2011 All-Group, All-Area and All-Prep selections
Asbury Park Press 2011 All-Shore teams
The Daily Journal of Vineland, NJ, 2011 Baseball Player of the Year and All-Stars
Daily Record of Morristown, NJ, 2011 All-Daily Record baseball teams
