Offensively, the Chiefs have some very capable weapons including exciting sophomore center fielder Dante Placenti, who is frequently on base, junior run producer Michael Arvanites and steady senior Ryan Keenan.

West Essex (15-6), presently third in the power point standings behind both Caldwell and 2-West Morris, has put together a very respectable (7-2) showing this season in the SEC’s top division, the American, including an early season win at conference champion SHP.

The Knights’ first-year coach Anthony Genchi has blended in seamlessly with the historically-strong Wessex diamond program, one which produced the No. 1 team in the state and won both GNT and overall Group 2 titles in 2010 under longtime coach Scott Illiano, and reached another state final the next year when it was runner-up to one of Chris Roof’s superb Governor Livingston squads.

Genchi has worked in a number of young first-year players with the team’s only three returning starters in ace hurler Jackson Lodgek, talented catcher Colin Fogg (Ursinus) and veteran center fielder Caden Lozito.

Looking at other potential contenders in other sections, state-ranked SHP (18-4) is fourth in that always-tough Non-Public, North A section where a strong Delbarton team (23-3) is No. 1 followed by Don Bosco Prep and DePaul, which knocked off the Pirates in last year’s state sectional semifinals.

It all gets underway in less than two weeks and dominoes fall quickly as the rapid-fire series of contests get going and any public school state champion has to go 6-0 to cap a state championship season.                    

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