Delsea Regional High School Secures Group 3 Crown
The Crusaders erupted in an 8-4 victory over Mainland to capture the South Jersey Group 3 baseball championship, with Ryan Looby’s three‑run homer providing the decisive blow.
The win propels Delsea into the state semifinal where they will meet Brick Memorial, a team that rolled past Northern Burlington 7-0 in the Central Jersey Group 3 final.
Looby, who began the season on the sidelines after wrist surgery and made his debut on April 28, delivered the clutch hit that sparked the offense.
Dom Montana, Milo Gebhard and Andrew Weir added key hits, while Connor Harrison shut down the opposition with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief.
Mainland finished the year at 18-9 under interim head coach Billy Kern, who took over the program mid‑season.
Northern Burlington, despite a 24-4 record, endured its first shutout loss since 2024, ending their campaign.
Other Sectional Finals in Action
Kingsway captured the South Jersey Group 4 title with a 12-2 win over Eastern, thanks to offensive sparks from Austin Schmidt and Brayden Thorp.
Haddon Heights secured its sixth sectional championship, defeating Haddonfield 8-1, while Woodstown claimed the Group 1 crown with a 2-0 shutout of Maple Shade.
Woodstown now prepares for a state semifinal showdown against Point Pleasant Beach.
Longtime regional sports editor Tom McGurk has covered South Jersey athletics for more than three decades, chronicling the rise of these emerging powers.