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West Essex's junior second baseman Max Garcia, who is a superb all-around athlete, also shines as a cornerback (No. 28) for the Knights' football team as he's seen making one of his two interceptions against Summit in N2G3 playoff semifinals. In bottom photo he is seen with another junior for Knights, Jack Epstein (23) after recent victory. For his efforts as the table setter at top of the lineup for West Essex Garcia is the Parisi Fairfield Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week. (Sideline Chatter photo and also by Gene Nann and John Haddad)
NORTH CALDWELL- Max Garcia enjoys all the different seasons which encompass being a 3-sport standout for West Essex with his school year capped by another springtime baseball campaign. And, he appreciates the differences, and even the nuances of each season in the course of a school year. “Football is probably the most intense season, but also incredibly enjoyable with all the success we had last fall winning a state sectional playoff title and reaching a Group 3 state final,” said the Knights’ junior second baseman and consummate leadoff batter for one of the better diamond squads in Essex County. “Basketball is probably the most relaxing season of the three, but I enjoy the great competition we see in Essex County and we have great coaches as well. “Baseball is a lot of fun, but there is also the daily realization that you have to focus on each at bat and it’s always important to maintain the attitude that we are indeed a really good team and we have to keep playing at a high level to keep it going as strong as we’re going right now.” Coming off a solid week in which he went 8-for-14 scoring 7 runs and stealing 5 bases over a 4-game stretch, West Essex’s Garcia is the Parisi Fairfield/Sideline Chatter Athlete of the Week. ‘Max is a terrific leadoff batter who helps set the table for us,” said West Essex second-year coach Joe Cardinale. “When he goes, we go! “We have a deep lineup, but when Max is getting on base like he’s been doing for us, he helps ignite what we’re trying to do offensively.” In a 5-0 win at Glen Ridge on April 8 Garcia went 2-for-4 with 2 runs and a stolen base. He then had a key triple to spark a sixth inning rally in an 8-5 homestanding win vs. Montclair Kimberley Academy on April 10, which was followed by going 3-for-3 with 3 runs scored an RBI and stolen base in a 15-3 win at Bloomfield on April 11. He closed out the busy week being 2-for-3 at the plate with a run, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base in a 10-0 victory at Verona on April 12. Entering this week he was batting .360 with 9 runs and 3 stolen bases in the first six games for the Knights (8-1 overall, 7-0 in the Super Essex Conference-Liberty Division. Last spring he was named Sideline Chatter’s Essex County ‘Newcomer of the Year’ following a rookie varsity campaign as a sophomore in which he batted .478 with 33 runs, 43 hits and 30 stolen bases for the 16-9-1 Knights. He also made the move from second base to shortstop over the final few weeks of the campaign when the team’s fine starting shortstop Joe Panazrino suffered a fractured hip. Garcia, Panzarino, ace right-hander Chris Murano and hard-hitting leftfielder Jack Epstein are back this season to lead a strong junior class while veteran seniors such as power-hitting first baseman Shaun Bertonaschi, centerfielder Devin Fogg, and starting pitcher Drew Feuerstein are veteran seniors on the team, while sophomores Colin Fogg (starting catcher), Caden Lozito (starting rightfielder and pitcher) and Jackson Lodgek (pitcher) help spearhead a promising sophomore class. “Outside of a couple of senior starters who graduated we are basically the same team and everyone back has the advantage of a year of varsity baseball under their belts,” said Garcia. “One through 9 we hit the ball very well and even though we’re still a young club most of us have that important experience factor which definitely helps.” And, having all-around talents like the West Essex junior infielder simply enhances the continued quest for some big accomplishments for the Knights, who figure to be strongly considered for a high seed when the Greater Newark Tournament seeds its field next Monday night (April 22). “It (the GNT seeding) is what it is,” said Cardinale. “We’re just looking to take it one day at a time and focus on our next game. “Having great athletes like Max is a big plus for us, no doubt about that!” NOTES- Garcia comes from a talented athletic family. His older brother Rocco, who excelled in hockey and lacrosse at West Essex, is a sophomore at Penn State…Their dad, Jason, who is an orthopedic surgeon, was all-county and Region champion wrestler at Garfield High School…Max had also been selected as a Parisi Fairfield/SC AOW last fall during West Essex’s championship football season when he had an outstanding performance against Summit in the Knights’ 27-17 upset of the top-seeded Hilltoppers in the N2G3 semifinals when he had six tackles and two interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown, to spark the big Wessex playoff victory…While he hasn’t decided as of yet whether or not he will play in college, Max did attend a baseball showcase at Lehigh University last year when he did meet with the Mountain Hawk coaches. Follow Steve Tober on 'X' (Twitter) @Chattermeister *** Parisi Speed School has been empowering athletes for over 30 years, since 1992. As the industry leader in youth performance training in the country, they have successfully trained over 1,000,000 athletes to include schools, teams, youth organizations and individual athletes from 7 years of age to the Pros in MLB, NFL, MLS, NBA and WNBA. Parents and coaches are invited to visit their website for additional information at www.parisifairfield.com or contact their Director, John Cirilo at 973 227-0199.
Max Garcia makes the plays in the field and also shines at the plate for coach Joe Cardinale's West Essex Knights. He also was a key performer for the Wessex football team and is seen holding North 2, Group 3 trophy along with teammate Anthony Drago (7) after last fall's win vs. Passaic Valley in 2023 N2G3 final. (Photos by Gene Nann and Kevin Meacham) copyright 2005 Sideline Chatter - to comment contact the webmaster
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