Hillsdale Hawks Win Mid-Atlantic Championship

HILLSDALE, NJ – It’s been a banner year for the Hillsdale Hawks baseball team.

The 10-year-old boys’ team recently won the 10U Little League District Championship, a historic feat for the Hawks, according to head coach Chris Kirkby.

“Hillsdale has never made it this year,” he said. “Besides this group, only one other team has won a district title in 2004. No Hillsdale team has ever won a state title, much less participate in a regional tournament.”

After defeating Tom's River East in Manchester to win the state championship, the Hawks moved onto Rhode Island, where the Eastern Regional Tournament was being held. Hillsdale went on to defeat teams from New York, Maryland and Delaware. On Aug. 7, the Hawks beat the New England regional champion, Rhode Island, 3-0 to win the Eastern Regional title.

This past season the team scored a few titles: Section 1 Little League, NJ State Championship, Mid-Atlantic Regional, Eastern Regional and District 4 Little League, for the second year in a row.

The Hawks’ overall record this year was 24-2, he said. The team consists of Thomas Eichner, Evan Gallucci, Frankie Gravina, Drew Kirkby, Justin Morgan, Ethan Rettew, Max Stalb, Sam Stalb, Jason Wormer, and Brady Zurbuch. The Hawks are coached by Kirkby, along with Eric Wormer, Chris Zurbuch Greg Stalb, Frank Gravina and Joe Gallucci.

Kirkby said, "My favorite part about this team is that we are a small town team. All the kids go to school together. Within the state and regionals, we were playing against teams that combined numerous towns, had much larger populations, and could choose from a much wider array of players. We are very lucky to be able to work with a great group of kids who are both talented and motivated. In addition, on two separate occasions, we were on the verge of losing and down to our last strike, and, in both cases, our kids battled back and wound up winning in extra innings."

Hillsdale Mayor John Rucco congratulated the team on behalf of the mayor and council and said the borough "is beginning plans to celebrate" the Hawks' historic achievement, which will most likely be a parade down Hillsdale Avenue to a ceremony at Beechwood Park during the Sept. 14 fall festival. Details will be announced once plans are finalized, he said.