The first Group 4 state baseball tournament championship in the history of Bridgewater-Raritan High School was achieved this past spring.
The man behind the controls of a program that produced the greatest season in school history is head coach Max Newill.
Coach Newill, who just completed his 17th season, was named the Baseball Coach of the Year by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) for the 2023-2024 school year.
He was one of a total of 27 coaches from New Jersey who were honored in their sports by the NJSIAA.
Coach Newill earlier this year was selected as the New Jersey State Baseball Coach of the Year by NJ.com after he guided his Group 4 state championship team to a school record for victories with a 30-3 finish, the first Somerset County Tournament title since 1996 and the final No. 2 ranking in the state.
Of course, Coach Newill, who now owns a 251-186 career record at Bridgewater-Raritan, shared the credit for his NJSIAA recognition.
“It is a great honor to have been named NJISAA State Baseball Coach of the Year,” Coach Newill claimed.”That said, this award is mainly due to the efforts and success of my players. They supported each other from the start, worked hard all season, and were determined to reach their ultimate goal of winning a state championship.”
He also thanked his loyal staff.
“I’m proud to share this award with my incredible coaching staff, Coaches (Evan) Seavey, (Mike) Trapani, (Matt) Perlman and (Jake) Olson played a huge role in our success this season, and I greatly appreciate their commitment to our student athletes.”
Coach Newill, a Business Education Teacher at Bridgewater-Raritan High School, will forever cherish the magical spring of 2024.
“Our 2024 season was one for the record books and something our players can be proud of for the rest of their lives.”
The 27 NJSIAA State Coaches of the Year will be recognized at the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association Hall of Fame/Awards Luncheon on January 12, 2025.
Here are the award winners.
New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association
Coaches of the Year for 2023-2024 School Year
Boys Sports
Baseball Coach- Max Newill Bridgewater Raritan
Basketball Coach -Ben DiBaise Freehold Boro
Cross-Country Coach - Christopher Tafelski, Westfield
Football (11-Player) Coach-Sal Marchese Delsea
Golf Coach)-Mike Butler Ranney
Soccer Coach- Piotr Sala Garfield
Swimming & Diving Coach- Breanna Brennan Holmdel
Tennis Coach- Dave Burchell Hopewell Valley
Track & Field (Outdoor) Coach- Mike Barrett Toms River North
Wrestling Coach)-Greg Sawyer Delsea
Lacrosse Coach-David Brothers Bernards
Volleyball Coach- Scott Arnauer Cherry Hill West
Fencing CoachPatrick Curran Academy of the Holy Angels
Bowling Coach- Jim Soules Kinnelon
Ice Hockey Coach- Matt Inzerillo Manalapan
Girls Sports
Basketball Coach-Scott Benson Mainland
Cross-Country Coach- Steve Opremcak, Ridgewood
Golf Coach-Sean McAnally Pingry
Lacrosse Coach- Beth Larkin Glen Ridge
Soccer Coach-Chris Petit Princeton Day School
Softball Coach- Megan Mason Gloucester City
Swimming & Diving Coach- Lia Kunnapas Immaculate heart
Tennis Coach- Chad Griffiths Ridge
Track & Field (Outdoor) Coach- Shawnika Brown Winslow
Volleyball Coach- Patty Manhart Princeton
Wrestling Coach-Joe Lemke Jackson Memorial
Field Hockey Coach- Courtney Stetson West Deptford