WOOD-RIDGE, NJ — Two weeks ago Governor Livingston High School was one strike away from seeing a dream season come to a nightmare close.
It was Michael Novotny who saved an already highly-memorable 2025 campaign by, with two strikes and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, producing an RBI-single up the middle to keep Governor Livingston’s final at-bat rally alive.
Three batters later, it was Ryan Pappas hitting an RBI-single in the same spot through to center field for the game-winning hit that kept the Highlander train going.
So it was only fitting that Pappas, once again, provided the game-winning hit and that the game’s final out on Monday, June 16, landed in Novotny’s glove at first base.
A dream season, indeed, became reality Monday afternoon, June 16, in Bergen County of all places, as the Governor Livingston Highlanders did something no team in New Jersey has accomplished in 17 years. Governor Livingston became the first squad to win a state championship undefeated.
Governor Livingston, the Central Jersey, Group 2 sectional state champion, defeated West Morris Central High School, the North 2, Group 2 sectional state champion, 6-1 in the Monday, June 16, Group 2 state championship game played at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex on 30 Kennedy Lane.
With the bases loaded and nobody out in the bottom of the fourth, Pappas drove in the game’s first two runs on a two-run single to left to break a scoreless deadlock and give Governor Livingston a 2-0 lead. A ground ball to second baseman Reid Bazydlo was fielded cleanly by Bazydlo and thrown to Novotny at first for the game’s final out.
Governor Livingston finished 28-0 and will close as the No. 1 team in New Jersey for the first time in program history. The Highlanders tied their single-season win record of 28, which was also attained in 2015 at 28-6 and 2024 at 28-5. Those Governor Livingston teams also captured Group 2 state championships.
Governor Livingston became the first team to finish No. 1 in New Jersey undefeated since Don Bosco Preparatory High School achieved the feat in 2008 at 33-0. Greg Butler, the head coach of that team, was on hand in person Monday, June 16, to see Governor Livingston finish undefeated, as he was part of the crew running the final three state championship games that were moved from Veterans Park in Hamilton.
“Because we were undefeated and had that pressure on us, we felt that we were the most prepared team,” Pappas said. “Pressure makes diamonds.”
Governor Livingston also accomplished this feat without having senior right-hander Matty Diskin available to pitch down the stretch. Diskin continued to make his contribution as Governor Livingston’s designated hitter and came through again Monday, June 16, with a two-run single hit in the same spot to left field where Pappas hit his to make the score 4-0.
“It’s really unbelievable that we were able to get through this without Matty on the mound,” standout junior catcher Michael Basile said. “We made history because of all of our hard work.”
“I’m so proud of these kids,” said Governor Livingston head coach Chris Roof, who just guided the Highlanders to a fourth state championship and the program’s fifth overall. Roof, a 1992 Governor Livingston grad, was head coach Bill Howard’s assistant coach in 1999, when Governor Livingston captured its first Group 2 state title.
“I’m on cloud nine right now,” Roof said. “This is the pinnacle. To be able to do the best you could possibly do is just incredible.”
Governor Livingston scored all six of its runs in the bottom of the fourth, with the fifth run scoring on an error and the sixth on an RBI-single to left by leadoff batter Zach Geertsma.
Governor Livingston also won games against Union Catholic High School and Raritan High School by scoring all of their runs in just one inning: against Union Catholic, it was all five in the bottom of the first in a 5-0 UCT final win at Kean and vs. Raritan it was all three in the bottom of the seventh in a 3-2 home win.
Junior right-hander Keith Mann gave up only one run on five hits in six complete innings, striking out four and walking just one. He pitched perfect second and sixth innings and retired the final five batters he faced. Mann threw a total of 92 pitches.
“Keith was unbelievable,” Basile said. “The middle of their order hit the ball better than we thought, but Keith did a great job.”
West Morris had runners on first and second with two outs in the third, but Mann ended the threat with his third strikeout. The Highlanders also had runners on first and second, but with only one out in the fourth before Mann retired the next two batters on a fly ball to left and a pop up to first.
Senior righty Anthony DeNora pitched a scoreless seventh inning for Governor Livingston, which included a well-executed 4-6-3 double play for the frame’s first two outs.
Alex Adornato, Governor Livingston’s No. 6 batter in the lineup and right fielder, was two-for-two with two singles and was also hit by a pitch, as he reached base all three times up.
Alex, a senior, and his younger brother Addison, a freshman on the team, lost their father earlier during the season.
“This is for Alex and Addison; we did it for them,” Roof said.
When Pappas was up with the bases loaded in the fourth, he fouled off three straight pitches and had the game’s longest at-bat up until that point of eight pitches before he came through in the clutch with his two-run single.
“There’s no better feeling,” Pappas said.
“There isn’t a nicer, young man,” Roof said. “Everyone on the team works hard, but Ryan really works hard.”
Governor Livingston repeated as Union County Tournament; Central Jersey, Group 2; and Group 2 state champions for the first time. The Highlanders also captured the Union County Conference’s Watchung Division title at 11-0. Governor Livingston won a division title, a UCT crown, a sectional state championship and a group title all in the same season for the first time.
The division title was the only championship this year Governor Livingston did not win for a second straight season. Scotch Plains–Fanwood High School won the Watchung Division last year at 9-3, while Governor Livingston tied Summit High School for second place, each with 8-4 division records.
The last time Governor Livingston lost was on May 21, 2024, at Scotch Plains–Fanwood, 6-5, in eight innings in Watchung Division play.
The Highlanders will begin their 2026 season with a 34-game winning streak that dates back to their 2024 campaign.
“What pitchers, such as Michael Liloia and Aidan Feldman, did on the mound for us this year was also a big part of our success,” Roof said.
A good cast is worth repeating
Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-0)
23-Zach Geertstma, junior, shortstop
10-Michael Novotny, junior, first baseman
17-Michael Basile, junior, catcher
28-Anthony DeNora, senior, third baseman
20-Ryan Pappas, junior, left fielder
12-Alex Adornato, senior, right fielder
8-Matty Diskin, senior, designated hitter
4-Reid Bazydlo, junior, second baseman
25-Dom Labisi, junior, center fielder
6-Keith Mann, junior, pitcher
2025 Group 2 State Championship Baseball
At Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex
N2 West Morris (20-11) 000 010 0 – 1 6 1
CJ Governor Livingston (28-0) 000 600 x – 6 8 2
WP: Keith Mann (10-0). LP: Nick Rotundo.
Singles: West Morris – Donovan Veletto, Jake Novello, Kelly Morgan. Governor Livingston – Michael Basile, Alex Adornato (2), Michael Novotny, Ryan Pappas, Matty Diskin, Zach Geertsma, Dom Labisi.
Doubles: West Morris – Cooper North (2), Jake Novello.
Governor Livingston in the Group 2 state championship game
2025 (28-0): Governor Livingston 6, West Morris 1 – at Wood-Ridge Athletic Complex
Head coach: Chris Roof, who now has 505 career wins, fifth most of any Union County coach
2024 (28-5): Governor Livingston 3, Pascack Valley 0 – at Veterans Park, Hamilton
Head coach: Chris Roof
2015 (28-6): Governor Livingston 10, Bernards 4 – at Toms River South
Head coach: Chris Roof
2011 (26-6): Governor Livingston 8, West Essex 2 – at Toms River North
Head coach: Chris Roof
2006 (17-9): Hanover Park 8, Governor Livingston 0 – at Toms River South
Head coach: Chris Roof
1999: Governor Livingston 4, Gateway 2 – at East Brunswick Tech
Head coach: Bill Howard. Assistant: Chris Roof.
Union County baseball teams that finished No. 1 in NJ this century
2025: Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-0) – Group 2 state champions
2013: Cranford Cougars (25-1) – Group 3 state champions
2002: Union Farmers (26-3) – Group 4 state champions
Governor Livingston is first Union County school to repeat as state champs
since Cranford did so in Group 3 in 2012 and 2013.
2025: Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-0) – Group 2
2024: Governor Livingston Highlanders (28-5) – Group 2
2013: Cranford Cougars (25-1) – Group 3
2012: Cranford Cougars (22-4) – Group 3
Photos by JR Parachini