BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ — What can the Governor Livingston High School baseball team do for an encore, just five games into the 2026 season?
Should the two-time defending Group 2 state champions and the No. 1 team in the state to end 2025 win their first five games, then the Highlanders would set the state record for the longest winning streak.
The present record of 38 is owned by Don Bosco Preparatory High School, which included a 33-0 record in 2008, when the Ironmen captured the Non-Public, A state championship en route to a season-ending No. 1 classification.
Governor Livingston enters its 2026 campaign with a school-record 34-game winning streak that dates back to May 2024. After losing, 6-5, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School on May 21, 2024, in Union County Conference–Watchung Division play, the Highlanders then edged Holmdel High School, 7-6, at home on May 23, 2024, in the first round of the Central Jersey, Group 2 playoffs to begin the streak.
Governor Livingston went 28-5 in 2024 to tie the school record for wins which was first established in 2015 when the Group 2 state champion Highlanders finished 28-6 that season. Governor Livingston’s 2011 Group 2 state championship team came in at 27-6.
Last year, Governor Livingston became the first team in New Jersey to finish undefeated since Don Bosco Prep in 2008. The Highlanders also became the first public school team to go undefeated since Pennsville won the Group 2 state championship in 1981 with a 25-0 mark.
According to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association baseball website, official practice for the 2026 season commenced Monday, March 9.
Governor Livingston is scheduled to open at home against New Providence High School on Saturday, March 28, at 11 a.m., and will also be home for its next game against Oratory Preparatory School of Summit on Tuesday, March 31, at 4 p.m.
Governor Livingston is then scheduled to play at Oratory Prep on Thursday, April 2, at 4 p.m., before returning home for a game against Lyndhurst High School on Saturday, April 4, at 11 a.m.
The Highlanders are then scheduled to play at Scotch Plains–Fanwood on Tuesday, April 7, at 4 p.m.
The Union County Conference designed the schedule this year for games against division opponents to be back-to-back on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Watchung Division for 2026 consists of defending champion Governor Livingston, Oratory Prep, Scotch Plains–Fanwood, Cranford, Summit, Westfield and Union Catholic high schools.
Governor Livingston is scheduled to play Oratory Prep on Tuesday, March 31, and Thursday, April 2; Scotch Plains–Fanwood on Tuesday, April 7, and Thursday, April 9; Cranford on Tuesday, April 14, and Thursday, April 16; Summit on Tuesday, April 21, and Thursday, April 23; Westfield on Tuesday, April 28, and Thursday, April 30; and Union Catholic on Tuesday, May 12, and Thursday, May 14.
Six of Governor Livingston’s seniors signed their letters-of-intent on Monday, March 2, at Governor Livingston, including Keith Mann and Reid Bazydlo, to Felician University; Zach Geertsma, to Mississippi State University; Michael Basile, to Lehigh University; Michael Novotny, to the University of Massachusetts; and Jaiden Fernandez to Fairleigh Dickinson University–Florham Park. All but Fernandez are scholarship players.
With Governor Livingston trailing visiting Raritan High School, 2-0, and down to its last strike in last year’s Central Jersey, Group 2 semifinal at Governor Livingston, it was Novotny first and then Basile second that came through in the clutch for the Highlanders to keep their season alive. Novotny, down 1-2 in the count, produced an RBI-single up the middle – his only hit of the game – to pull Governor Livingston to within 2-1. Basile then drilled an RBI-double to left-center that tied the game at 2-2.
Teammate Ryan Pappas, who earlier in the game was thrown out at the plate, followed with an RBI-single to center to give Governor Livingston a highly dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind triumph that sent the Highlanders to the sectional final, which they won again.
“My approach in that at-bat was simply, ‘I didn’t want to be the guy to make the last out,’” Novotny said.
“We still felt like we were going to win the game,” Basile said. “Our confidence comes from our preparation.”
To be able to repeat as county, sectional and state champions for the first time in program history, in addition to winning a division crown and going undefeated, takes a bit more than just talent, when talking about the game of baseball.
“Coach said we weren’t going undefeated; not to expect to,” Basile said.
“I thought we were going to go undefeated last year,” Geertsma said. “It was more than just baseball for us. We had a teammate whose father passed away. There was a real team closeness that allowed us to rally when we had to.”
“With Mountainside and Berkeley Heights, we have strong community backing,” Basile said. “That and a little luck goes a long way.”
Right after Governor Livingston defeated West Morris Regional High School, 6-1, in last year’s Group 2 final in Wood-Ridge, Morris Knolls High School took the same field, seeking a Group 3 three-peat against Northern Burlington County Regional High School. The Golden Eagles from Denville fell short, 6-0.
“We know what the feeling of winning is and we want to win again,” Basile said. “Why not go for a three-peat?”
“We’re like a shark in the water,” Novotny said. “We want to go for everything once again.”
Last two undefeated baseball teams in New Jersey
2025: Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-0) Group 2 state champions
2008: Don Bosco Prep Ironmen (33-0) Non-Public, A state champions
Last two undefeated public school baseball teams in New Jersey
2025: Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-0) Group 2 state champions
1981: Pennsville Eagles (25-0) Group 2 state champions
Photo Courtesy of Chris Roof
