Big moves on NJ Coaches All-Time Victories List

Bishop Eustace coach Sam Tropiano is primed to leap to No. 4 on the All-Time Victories List

The summer season is coming to an end and the fall travel season beckons, as does the high school football season. So, let’s do a quick update on the New Jersey Baseball Coaches’ All-Time Victories List.

The big news up top had Seton Hall Prep’s Mike Sheppard, Jr. (846 wins) slipping past CBA’s retired Marty Kenny (832) into second place all-time. And Bishop Eustace’s Sam Tropiano (748) positioning himself for a jump from No. 6 all-time to No. 4 early in the 2024 season.

Trop’ is just four wins shy of No. 5, the late Harry Shatel (752) of Morristown, and six behind the late Tony Ferrainolo of Memorial of West New York, who is No. 4 at 754.

All of the active high-flyers are chasing the all-time leader, Kenny Frank of Toms River South. Frank sits at 929-338-3 (.733) after 45 seasons and 1,270 games and still counting.

The 2023 season was a big one for milestones.

Montclair Kimberley’s Ralph Pacifico (510) surged past the 500-win plateau to become the fifth coach from Essex County with at least 500 career wins.

We saw St. Peter’s Prep’s Pat Laguerre (413) and Riverside’s Gary Herron (402) reach the 400-win plateau, Red Bank Catholic’s Buddy Hausmann (303) and John Passero (301) of Hawthorne surpass 300 wins and Cherokee’s Marc Petragnani (209) and Somerville’s Chris Banos (203) eclipse the 200 level.

Hausmann’s 300th win couldn’t have been much more dramatic. His team defeated then No. 1-ranked Ranney, 2-0, in the Shore Conference Tournament championship game. The Caseys would eventually reach the Non-Public A championship game and finish the season at 24-6.

Some more impactful news on this prestigious list had Ridgewood’s Kurt Hommen (595) setting himself up to join a truly select fraternity at 600 wins in 2024. Hommen’s 595th win came in the NJSIAA Group 4 championship game in early June.

Audubon’s affable Rich Horan (592) has also put himself squarely in the 600-win conversation. And one level below but moving up fast off an amazing 26-1 season, Cranford’s Dennis McCaffery (498) will join the 500-club in early April. McCaffery’s Cranford squad has gone 71-9 over the past three seasons.

Delbarton’s Bruce Shatel (396), yes Harry’s son, has made quick work of the 300s as he continues to win at a .723 pace and is surely on his way to win No. 400 in April 2024..

Two coaches with personalities as big as their win totals – Glenn Fredricks of Spotswood and Bloomfield’s Mike Policastro – are coming off strong 2023 seasons that have set them up for a visit to the 300-level on this historical list. Both sit at 293 wins. You’d also have to figure Montclair’s Ron Gavazzi (286), Policastro’s Essex County rival, and Montgomery’s Pete Mueller (285) stepping forward soon to No. 300.

There are a few other victories-ladder climbers to keep an eye on. Old Tappan’s Tim Byron (559) is two seasons or so away from joining the 600 club, Steinert’s Brian Giallella is just 26 wins shy of the 500 club and Roxbury’s Greg Trotter needs just 27 wins to secure career No. 400.

A little bit down the ladder, we’ll watch Edison’s Vinny Abene (282), Hopewell Valley’s Ken Harrison (278) and Rutherford’s Carmen Spina (277) make forays toward the 300 level.

One of the more interesting coaching stories of the season was longtime prominent Mercer County mentor Jim Maher returning to the head coaching ranks with annual also-ran Lawrence and turning the Cardinals into instant winners. Lawrence went 21-7 with Maher pulling the strings and didn’t stop winning until the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group 3 final, where it fell, 10-7, to Middletown North.

That victory total pushes Maher to 450-196 (.697) in a career that includes stops at Florence, Hamilton West and Nottingham. Should Maher remain in the head coaching game a few more years, 500 wins will be directly in his crosshairs.

The All-Time NJ Coaches Victories List is a living breathing document that always needs tweaking, not just for the constant changes that occur each season but for the missing names from this list. For example, a great addition in recent years was Montclair’s multi-sport coaching legend Clary Anderson, who clocks in at 464-154 (.751) despite being remembered by most for his exploits as a football coach. Anderson’s numbers were unearthed with the help of current Montclair mentor Gavazzi.

The career numbers for another Essex County coaching legend, Irvington’s Stan Wnek, have been elusive. Wnek, a tremendous player in his own right, is estimated to have at least 300 wins, but those numbers have yet to be procured. Wnek’s career ended in the early 1980s, so, don’t bother with a Google search.

Diamond Nation.com keeps a list of coaches with 100-plus career wins and has a list of coaches we’d like to include. For example, Piscataway’s 25-plus years coach Bob Giberna has a career wins total that should be in the 300-plus area and Bayonne’s Tom Bukowski is estimated to have won in the 400 neighborhood, but no hard numbers are available for either as of yet.

Our good buddy Kevin Murray of Parsippany Hills and Morris Catholic fame, and Greg Trotter’s right hand man at Roxbury, has never seemed that interested in his own win totals, but we remain interested in getting the numbers compiled on a coach who’s had such a profound effect on so many ball players.

And, for some reason, a good group of coaches from Middlesex County – Mike Lepore, Jr. South River (200-plus), Anthony Guida of South Plainfield, Art Collazo and Dave Marzano of J.P. Stevens and Leo Danik of Metuchen – remain unfulfilled here. And we’ll add Gov. Livingston’s Bill Howard (400+) and Emerson’s Larry Ennis to the under-reported mix.

(As a result of seeing the above paragraph, Mike Lepore, Jr. not only reported his own 288 wins, but the career of South River’s John Fitzpatrick, who went 463-197 while coaching 41 years from 1924 to 1964! That’s a .702 winning percentage). Now we’re getting somewhere. Mike’s dad, Mike, Sr., by the way, not only won 291 games at three Middlesex County stops, he went on to win 350 games at Middlesex County College.

Not long after, longtime Star-Ledger high school sports reporter Sean Reilly unearthed the numbers of Jack Fletcher, who compiled a stunning 522-227 (.697) record from 1960 to 1985 at Columbia High School in Maplewood.

Another recent get is Ewing’s Andy Greener’s numbers. Greener compiled a 561-244-5 record over 34 years, conlcuding in 1993. Greener also won 248 boys soccer games. The only remaining giant to get in Mercer County, was Notre Dame’s legendary Vince Ardery. Current Irish coach Joe Drulis pulled off that get, delivering Ardery’s career record of 421-178 (.703).

Perhaps the newly formed N.J. High School Baseball Coaches Association can assist in this gigantic effort to help us preserve the great history of our New Jersey coaches. We’re not missing many, boys. Let’s go!

Email Bob Behre at bbehre@diamondnation.com if you have career numbers for any coach missing from this list.

Our updated list of career victories leaders is below, as well as a list of the 38 coaches with a .700 or better winning percentage in their remarkable careers.

Mike Sheppard, Jr. is No. 2 in career wins.

NJ High School Baseball Coaches All-Time Victories List

x-Indicates coach is active

900 WINS

x-Ken Frank, Toms River South – 929-338-3 (.733)

800 WINS

x-Mike Sheppard, Jr., West Orange/Seton Hall Prep – 846-232-6 (.785)

Marty Kenny, Christian Brothers Academy – 832-349 (.704)

700 WINS

Tony Ferrainolo, Memorial (WNY) – 754-208 (.784)

Harry Shatel, Morristown – 752-326 (.698)

x-Sam Tropiano, St. Augustine/Bishop Eustace – 748-268-1 (.736)

600 WINS

Rich Bender, Delran – 672-349 (.658)

Lee Ware, Woodstown – 671-414 (.618)

Bob Brewster, Westfield – 655-342-3 (.657)

Ray Korn, Elizabeth – 651-308-1 (.679)

Gordon LeMatty, Union – 641-272-4 (.702)

Norm Hewitt, Bridg. West, Bridgewater, Hillsborough – 631-326 (.659)

Frank Salvano, St. Joseph (Mont.) – 630-184-1 (.774)

Mike Zadroga, Dickinson/NBergen/HCath/CtyPrp – 611-254 (.706)

Russ Spicer, Hadd., Moortwn, Paulsb, Cinn. – 603-287 (.678)

500 WINS

x-Kurt Hommen, Ridgewood – 595-278-1 (.682)

Joe Kasberger, St. Benedict’s Prep – 593-137-3 (.812)

x-Rich Horan, Audubon – 592-231-3 (.726)

x-Tim Byron, Glen Ridge/Montclair/Old Tappan – 559-364-4 (.606)

Joe Urbanovich, St. Peter’s Prep – 580-272 (.681)

Andy Greener, Ewing – 561-244-5 (.697)

John Ponchak, Ramsey – 555-342 (.619)

x-Dennis Barth, Gloucester Catholic – 552-115-1 (.828)

Bob Carcich, Emerson – 539-233 (.698)

Joe Cervino, Paramus – 538-284-2 (.648)

Butch Servideo, Lyndhurst – 524-265-1 (.664)

Tom Gambino, Immaculata – 522-133-1 (.797)

Jack Fletcher, Columbia – 522-227 (.697)

Ralph Cobb, Old Tappan/Rutherford – 522-321 (.619)

Bill Frank, Toms River East – 520-279-2 (.651)

Mike Hogan, St.M(J.C.)/St. Anthony/Marist/Ferris – 519-427 (.549)

Champ Atlee, Lawrenceville – 519

Gary Sarno, Camd. Cath., CH West, Hamm., Paul VI – 512-317 (.618)

John Brunelli, Cliffside Park – 511-239 (.681)

x-Ralph Pacifico, Montclair Kimberley – 510-325-1 (.611)

Lou Calderone, Glen Ridge – 507-199 (1971-’90; 93-98; 00-01) (.718)

Dave Martin, Cherry Hill East – 502-286 (.637)

Kenny Frank of Toms River South is the all-time wins leader.

400 WINS

x-Dennis McCaffery, Cranford – 498-143 (.777)

Barry Cook, St. John Vianney – 481

Mario Diez, Watchung Hills – 476-253 (.653)

x-Brian Giallella, Notre Dame/Steinert – 474-131 (.783)

Jerry Battaglini, Newark Central/East Side/Columbia – 473-310 (.604)

Rob Christ, Gateway/Eastern – 469-203 (.698)

Brian Gibney, Shawnee – 469-210 (.691)

Tom Trotman, Cherry Hill West – 467-234-1 (.666)

John Sheppard, Morristown Beard – 467-261 (.641)

Ted Jarmusz, W.Orange/Monmth Reg – 465-295 (.612)

Clary Anderson, Montclair Acad./Blair/Montclair -464-154 (.751)

John Fitzpatrick, South River – 463-197 (.702)

x-John Sheppard, Morristown Beard – 462

Buddy Matthews, Hoboken – 459-234 (.662)

x-Jim Maher, Florence/Ham.West/Nottingham/Lawrence – 450-196 (.697)

x-Chris Roof, Millburn/Gov. Livingston – 448-179-1 ) (.715)

x-Bill Alvaro, Jr., Williams./Wash. Twp./Kingsway – 445-222-1 (.667)

Phil Baccarella, Bayonne – 440-162 (.731)

x-Tom Carney, Lakewood/St. Jos. Hamm./Delsea/Buena – 430-203 (.679)

Scott Runkel, Bishop Ahr – 430-270-1 (.614)

Joe Policastro, Highland Park – 429

Pete Hall, Ridge – 423-215 (.663)

Vince Ardery, Notre Dame (Law.) 421-178 (.703)

Rick Sabol, Somerville – 420-298 (.585)

x-Pat Laguerre, St. Peter’s Prep – 413-196 (.678)

Pete Crandall, Park Ridge – 408

Larry D’Zio Jr., Jackson Memorial – 407

John Bush, Washington Twp. – 406-191-1 (.680)

Todd Schmitt, Wall – 403-173 (.700)

Bill Haessler, Cherokee – 403-224 (.648)

Marty Flynn, Ham. West – 403

x-Gary Herron, Moorestown Friends/Riverside -402-312 (.563)

Rich Giallella, Steinert – 401-111 (.783)

Bill Lampeter, Livingston – 401

300 WINS

x-Bruce Shatel, Roxbury/Delbarton – 396-152-2 (.723)

x-Vinnie Bello, Marist/Pope John – 389-240-1 (.618)

Brandon Flanagan, River Dell – 385-168 (.696)

Rich Veth, Middletown North, 378-189-2. (.667)

Lou Urbano, JFK-Iselin/St. Jos.(Met.)/Woodbridge – 375

Fred Kampf, Shore Reg. – 374-211-3 (.639)

x-Greg Trotter, Roxbury – 373-254 (.595)

x-Joe Drulis, Notre Dame (Law.) – 371-146-2 (.718)

Scott Illiano, West Essex/Caldwell/Wayne Hills – 365-206-1 (.639)

John Mazzo, North Bergen/Passaic Valley – 365-347-1 (.513)

Frank Malta, Johnson Reg./Jackson – 364-168-1 (.684)

Greg Butler, Demarest/Don Bosco Prep – 361-153 (.702)

Craig Mensinger, Ocean City – 360-345-7 (.511)

x-Brian Anderson, Shawnee – 357-176 (.670)

Mickey Hunt, Ramapo – 357-182 (.662)

Tom Bujnowski, Bayonne – 354-178 (.665)

Al Radano, Gloucester Catholic – 351-101 (.777)

x-Dave Pasquale, Newark Academy, Gill St. Bernards – 347-228 (.603)

Ted Schelmay, Toms River North – 346-181-2 (.657)

Jon Block, Freehold/Point Pleasant Beach: 345-319 (.520)

Bob Bickel, Haddonfield – 341

Joe Lang, Pitman – 340-161 (.679)

Jake Landfried, Manasquan: 338-172 (.663)

Brian Boyce, North Bergen/Manalapan – 337-215 (.611)

x-Jeff Falzarano, Bridg East/WatchHills/Bernards – 336-315-3 (.516)

Mike Raymond, Hunterdon Central – 335-115-1 (.744)

Stan Liptzin, Lakewood – 334-183 (.646)

Joe Konn, Bloomfield – 333-234-3 (.587)

Bernie Goldwater, Sthrn/Freehold/Freehold Township – 331-190 (.635)

Roy Hallenbeck, Millville – 330-194-1 (.630)

Chuck Rooney, Cherokee/Eastern – 329-221 (.598)

x-Larry Santowasso, Rutgers Prep – 327-264-1 (.553)

Joe Yurko, Westwood – 324-235 (.580)

Al Kunzman, Central Regional – 324

Hal Lorme, Rumson-Fair Haven – 323

x-Mike Bylone, St. Augustine – 319-105 (.752)

x-Frank Clark, Midland Park – 319-168-3 (.655)

Bill Chesney, Manchester Reg./Elmwood Park/Ramsey – 312-237 (.568)

Jack Lynch, Cedar Grove – 311-155 (.667)

Walter Serad, Delsea – 310-182 (.630)

Marty Flynn, Hamilton West – 308

Ed Klimek, Teaneck – 307-410 (.428)

Chuck Dougherty, Middle Township – 305-246 (.554)

Buddy Hausmann, Red Bank Catholic – 303-111-1 (.732)

Frank Elias, Morris Knolls – 303-202-7 (.600)

x-John Passero, Hawthorne – 301-213-2 (.586)

Bill Donoghue, Moorestown – 300-201 (.599)

Dennis McCaffery of Cranford is two wins shy of career victory No. 500.

200 WINS

x-DJ Gore, Highland -295

x-Glenn Fredricks, Freehold Borough/Spotswood – 293-179 (.621)

x-Mike Policastro, Bloomfield – 293-269 (.521)

Mike Lepore, Sr., Cedar Ridge/South River – 291

Mike Lepore, Jr., South River – 288-309-2 (.482)

x-Ron Gavazzi, Bayley-Ellard/Montclair – 286-193-4 (.597)

x-Pete Mueller, Montgomery – 285-240 (.543)

Bob Harbison, Nutley – 284-188 (.602)

Rick Doppler, Northern Burlington – 284-192 (.597)

x-Vinnie Abene, Edison – 282-238 (.542)

x-Ken Harrison, Hopewell Valley – 278-168 (.623)

x-Carmen Spina, Rutherford – 277-124-2 (.691)

x-Dan McMaster, Cherry Hill West – 276-140-1 (.663)

Jim Muldowney, Edison – 275-75 (.786)

x-Jeff Hoover, Wayne Valley – 271-173 (.610)

Fred Cole, Old Bridge – 270-210 (.563)

x-Tom Blackwell, Ridge – 267-184 (.592)

x-Brian Chapman, Millburn – 266-82 (.764)

x-Brian Nice, Allentown – 266-142-2 (.652)

Phil Fiore, Lenape – 265-204 (.565)

Tony Surace, Millville – 262-170-4 (.606)

Dan Dalesandro, Pitman – 260-167 (.609)

Mike Novak, Sayreville – 257-241-2 (.516)

Jim Sickinger, Kearny – 256

Ed Rieger, St. James/Pennsville – 253-71 (.781)

Bill Giglio, Ridge – 251-107 (.701)

Frank Tracey, Seton Hall Prep – 251-117 (.682)

Steve Paolini, Holy Cross – 250-132 (.654)

Jerry Smith Sr., JFK-Iselin – 248-119 (.676)

Jim Dietz, Summit – 243-186 (.566)

Jack Mott, Parsippany – 243

x-Joe Smith, Williamstown/Delsea – 239-115-1 (.675)

x-Mike Rooney, Don Bosco Prep – 238-75 (.760)

Fr. Stephen Kilcarr, Seton Hall Prep – 226-112-3 (.668)

x-Mike Carcich, Wood-Ridge – 226-159 (.608)

Brian Fleury, Delbarton – 223-63 (.780)

Joe Hartmann, Eastern – 223-178 (.556)

Del Dal Pra, Henry Hudson/Ocean Twp./Red Bank – 221-103 (.682)

x-Mickey Ennis, Nwk.Acad./Madison/Livingston – 220-168 (.567)

x-Rich Hans, Wildwood – 220-315-3 (.414)

Dennis Hulse, St. Mary (Ruth.) – 212-89 (.704)

Jim Hunt, Englewood/Tenafly – 210-83 (.717)

x-Marc Petragnani, Cherokee – 209-142 (.595)

Chris Hoffman, Sterling – 205-191 (.524)

Mike Carter, Bloomfield – 204-130-1 (.611)

x-Chris Banos, Dunellen/Somerville – 203-105 (.659)

x-Barry Galasso, Camden County Tech – 200-353 (.362)

Coaches with .700 or Better Winning Percentage (Min. 100 wins)

This truly is an incredible listing of coaches who have registered staggering consistency. There are 37 coaches on the list below with a .700 winning percentage or better, topped by the great Dennis Barth of Gloucester Catholic, who has won at a head-scratching .828 pace.

Because we’ve included coaches with a least 100 wins, we also have some young bloods in here, like Hunterdon Central’s Kevin Cuozzi (.787) and Millburn’s Brian Chapman (.764). You may also want to peek at the father-son combo of Rich and Brian Giallella. Rich is retired and Brian is far from done but both have won at the very same .783 pace while combining for a total of 875 wins.

Cool stuff, indeed.