Mike Carcich, Wood-Ridge
Wood-Ridge did not win a North 1, Group 1 title. That was just about the only thing the Blue Devils didn’t do in one of the most successful season’s in program history.
Mike Carcich capped his sixth season at the helm by leading the Blue Devils to a team-best 23-7 record. They won the NJIC Meadowlands Division, their first division crown since 1987.
Then Wood-Ridge reached the North 1, Group 1 final for the first time since 1968, but fell to Waldwick, 5-2.
That’s why Carcich is The Record Baseball Coach of the Year.
“I’ve very proud of how our kids were coachable and how they played and battled this entire season,” said Carcich, who also picked up his 100th win at Wood-Ridge. “It was the best team I ever had, and it’s due mostly to a core group of five seniors that played together growing up, were great leaders on and off the field and had great camaraderie with each other and the rest of the team.”
The Blue Devils were an exciting team that specialized in come-from-behind wins early to set the tone for the season. Carcich had a nice balance between offense and pitching, led by senior Joe Batcho, who became Carcich’s first All-Bergen player at Wood-Ridge.
“Coming into the season, we had a checklist of things we’ve never accomplished as a program in the six years I’ve been here,” Carcich said. “Beating Emerson, Ridgefield, and Waldwick, three Group 1 power houses. Getting 20 wins, which we had never done in six years, either. Winning a league and state sectional final.
“We accomplished most of the goals except beating Waldwick in the state sectional final. That will be something for next year’s team to be the first to accomplish.”
– Mark J. Czerwinski /Record Sports Department
