Baseball players tip their caps to local heroes

They hit, they ran, they fielded and they said “thank you” to those that made it all possible.

The inaugural Thank You Classic was held April 30 through May 2 across several South Jersey baseball fields, giving high school kids a chance to show appreciation to front line workers by smashing home runs and making big plays in their honor.

Created by Gloucester Catholic High School assistant baseball coach Bill Gore, the showcase included 54 high school teams and provided some entertaining baseball as numerous venues across South Jersey hosted slates of games throughout the weekend. Hundreds of high school baseball players tipped their caps to the local heroes of the pandemic.

“We’re just glad to finally be out here for an actual season and to participate in things like this,” said Holy Spirit senior shortstop Steven Petrosh. “It’s a great cause saying ‘thank you’ to our first responders and teachers who are front line workers, out there during COVID.”

Holy Spirit chose to honor three teachers who also serve as assistant coaches on the baseball team. The Spartans selected religion teacher John Clement, Business Department chairperson and senior class moderator Martin Cortellessa and as English teacher Scott Higbee, who is the longest tenured coach on the staff.

Cortellessa (1987) and Higbee (1970) are also Holy Spirit graduates.

“They wanted to honor those associated with the pandemic, and teachers were number one for us,” said Holy Spirit coach Steve Normane. “I have three teachers that coach with me. They all work at Holy Spirit and have all been in school five days a week from September on, so we thought it was very appropriate for them to be our honorees. They are here volunteering a lot of their time.”

The Spartans showed their appreciation in a big way by pounding Saint Mary, Rutherford, 23-1. Pitcher David Hagaman threw four innings without allowing a hit and Vince Spina provided the big blow, by crushing a three-run homer at Walt Nicgorski Field in Pennsauken. By the end of the game, every Holy Spirit player had seen some playing time and made contributions.

“It was awesome,” Petrosh said. “We were in the dugout cheering for everyone and it’s awesome for those kids, and they were hitting the heck out of that ball too.”

Holy Spirit wasn’t alone in making memories.Saint Augustine blanked Paul VI, 6-0, behind a strong performance on the mound by Andrew Gaines. Gloucester Catholic defeated Ocean City, 9-5, in eight innings behind the strong arm of Tanner Nolan.

In perhaps the marquee matchup of the weekend, Bishop Eustace’s Anthony Solometo threw a no-hitter against Don Bosco Prep in a battle of top-five ranked teams in the state.

Each team honored their own sets of heroes while baseball served as the background. Gore said the showcase started with expectations of about 16 teams participating but spots filled up quickly and others wanted in — badly.

“As soon as we started reaching out to people, it was insane,” Gore said. “Everyone was so supportive of it and they thought it was an awesome idea. I’ve been around for a little while and I knew the baseball community was tight, but this stretched quick.”

Paul VI had three honorees including athletics director and math teacher Donna Comardo, school nurse Cele Walter and longtime firefighter Thomas Kenny, who currently serves Gloucester Township Fire District 6.

Bishop Eustace honored freshman baseball coach and physical education teacher Jason Crews and baseball bench coach Ron “Moose” Camuso, who is a registered nurse.

Gloucester Catholic honored former football and softball coach Tom Flynn as well as retired police chief Sean McKenna of the West Deptford Police Department, who is a Rams’ alum.

While some nominees were police officers, firefighters and nurses, many others were those familiar faces around school that go above and beyond their normal roles So many of them double as volunteer coaches, who made it possible for a baseball season to happen this year after the 2020 season didn’t.

“They’re putting in a lot of time for us. And that was a hard time during COVID last year when everything was virtual,” Petrosh said. “Even this year we had a couple scares in our school and a couple outbreaks. But it’s great being out here again and talking to our teachers and coaches again on the field later that day. We can’t thank them enough.”