An opportunity presented itself and a Johnson Crusader baseball team on the rise took advantage.
It wasn't the first time Johnson did so under veteran head coach Dave Kennedy.
Both moments just happened to be against the same school, which was one of the best teams in the state at the time and also a rival from the same county and conference.
Situated in different divisions in the Union County Conference, Johnson made the most of its one regular season game this year against Gov. Livingston. There's still a possibility the Union County foes can clash again in the Union County Tournament and Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs. GL is the two-time defending champion in both.
Johnson won its third straight to improve to 6-1 overall, while GL slipped to 6-1. Johnson begins the second full week in April leading the Mountain Division at 4-0 and defending champion GL the Watchung Division at 4-0.
Two Crusader hurlers, junior Vincent Cilento for the first five innings and freshman Vin Donofrio for the final four, limited a GL lineup averaging 12 runs a game to just a single one in nine.
Then in the bottom of the ninth Cilento, with one out, singled home senior Brody Gulbin as his game-winning hit on Saturday, April 11 lifted Johnson to a thrilling, come-from-behind 2-1, extra inning UCC-crossover home victory over GL.
The Highlanders, ranked No. 1 in the state at season's end last year following an historic 28-0 campaign and who were still ranked No. 1 when they played Johnson, were defeated for the first time in two seasons.
GL lost for the first time since May 21, 2024 when host Scotch Plains-Fanwood came back to beat the Highlanders 6-5 in eight innings.
In between, GL won two Central Jersey, Group 2 and two Group 2 championships while also extending its winning streak to 40 in a row this past week. The Highlanders did better than Don Bosco Prep's 38 straight games won in 2008 and 2009; however, the state record remains St. Benedict's 64-game winning streak from 1947-1950, as was first reported by nj.com.
GL had won at Scotch Plains, 12-7, on April 7, and then extended the streak to 40 by holding on to beat Scotch Plains again 9-8 at home last Thursday, April 9.
"I'm very proud of all the players and coaches over the last three baseball seasons," GL head coach Chris Roof said. "We have done something we can all be very proud of."
On May 13, 2017 a 7-7 Johnson team played a 15-0 GL squad at GL in a UCT quarterfinal contest on the hill in Berkeley Heights. The lower-seeded Crusaders came away with a 9-5 upset victory, stunning a GL team that had just been ranked No. 1 in the state for the first time.
Kennedy, at the helm of the Crusaders since 2008, has now guided Johnson to wins over GL twice when the Highlanders were ranked No. 1 in the state.
"Pitching and defense led the way," said Kennedy, who as a senior at Glen Ridge in 1988 helped lead the Ridgers to a 27-1 record which included Glen Ridge capturing the Group 1 state championship and then finish with a No. 2 state ranking behind Group 4 state champion Memorial of West New York.
"All you have to do is run into a hot pitcher," said Kennedy, who as a junior right-hander shut out Irvington 3-0 in the 1987 Greater Newark Tournament championship game. "Baseball is so unique in that regard."
Cilento, a returning varsity player, was first on the mound for Johnson against GL, giving up only one unearned run on three hits in his five innings of work. Throwing 104 pitches total, Cilento, who also plays third base, struck out nine, walked three and hit one batter.
"He had a good fastball, slider and change," Kennedy said.
This was Cilento's second straight start with nine strikeouts in five innings.
"He's not at his best yet," Kennedy said. "There's still a lot of potential."
Donofrio, who also plays first base, allowed two hits in his four scoreless innings, striking out four and walking two in a 63-pitch performance. Donofrio earned the mound victory, his first on varsity, in relief.
GL scored first in the third inning and then Johnson tied the game with its first run in the fourth.
The Crusaders are off to their best start since the 2019 squad was 6-2 en route to a 15-10 winning season that included them reaching the UCT championship game.
"To be able to compete with GL is a good thing," Kennedy said.
Johnson had lost its last five games against the Highlanders, including 13-0 in the regular season and 10-0 in the UCT quarterfinals last year. This was the first time Johnson defeated GL since a 5-1 win at GL on May 3, 2023.
"We need contributions from everyone to be successful," Kennedy said of his senior-laden squad.
Seniors who will continue to play at the next level include Gulbin at William Paterson, outfielder Raphael DaRocha and senior pitcher-second baseman Nick Donofrio at Middlesex County College and senior pitcher-outfielder Quel McBride at Manhattanville. Another standout senior is catcher Justin Zdeb.
"There's still so much ahead of us," Kennedy said.
Johnson is scheduled for consecutive 4 p.m. Mountain Division games at home against Union on Tuesday, April 14 and at Union on Thursday, April 16. The Crusaders then have a game Saturday, April 18 at Watchung Division foe Union Catholic at 11 a.m.
"I would like to think we'll be a tough out from here on in," Kennedy said.
Johnson went 14-8 last year, reaching the UCT quarterfinals and the first round of the CJG2 playoffs.
WHEN JOHNSON DEFEATED GOV. LIVINGSTON
WHEN GL WAS RANKED NO. 1 IN NEW JERSEY:
Saturday, April 11, 2026: Johnson 2, Gov. Livingston 1 (9 inn.) - at Johnson
Crusaders end GL's state-record 40-game winning streak.
GL was 6-0 and Johnson 5-1.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017: Johnson 9, Gov. Livingston 5 - at GL
Crusaders defeat top-seeded and defending champion Highlanders in UCT quarterfinals.
GL was 15-0 and Johnson 7-7.
GL would later win at Johnson 10-0 in a UCC-crossover game en route to a 26-4 season which included the Highlanders winning Central Jersey, Group 2. Johnson finished 11-14.
Follow JR Parachini on 'X' @parachini_jr
