SOFTBALL

Metuchen's Micak is the HNT Softball Coach of the Year

Lauren Knego
Courier News and Home News Tribune

Metuchen High School's George Micak picked just the right time to come out of retirement. 

Micak, who took over as head coach of the Metuchen softball team last season, previously had stepped away from the game after coaching for 25 years at Perth Amboy in order to watch his son play baseball in college. 

"I think it’s always difficult with a new coach coming in, you don’t know what you’re going to get," Metuchen's Julie Pirro said. "But he came in and I think he clicked with all of us, and we’re really happy with him."

READ: S. PLAINFIELD'S HUGHES IS HNT SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

RELATED: HNT ALL-AREA SOFTBALL TEAMS

The three-sport coach, who started as a JV softball coach at St. Pius X in Piscataway in the late '70s, has been coaching softball for more than 35 years, football for more  than 40 and basketball for 25. In his first year as head softball coach at Metuchen, he could tell he had something special with the young Bulldogs. 

George Micak (far right) helped to lead Metuchen to its first Group I final in program history this season.

"The fact that last year we had no seniors and had almost everyone returning, and they did well last year," Micak said. "The work they put in during the season, and I would say that my son, who was the volunteer assistant coach, had a big part in helping us this season."  

Metuchen had an influx of youth last year, and Micak had to replace five graduated starters. He also moved a few players around and managed to find the right fit for everyone, which created the base for what the team was able to accomplish this year.

"He’s pushed me to be a leader and step up as a captain at shortstop," Metuchen's Brooke Bandola said. "He moved my position from center field to shortstop because he saw me as more of a leader and he needed someone there." 

This year, everyone returned from last season's 12-9 team, and that experience paid off. Metuchen went 18-8, finished second in the GMC Blue Division at 9-3, advanced to the GMC Tournament quarterfinals as the No. 13 seed, won its first Central Group I title in 19 years and advanced to the first Group I final in program history.

For his efforts, Micak is the 2017 Home News Tribune Softball Coach of the Year. 

"The last week of the season was just fantastic in the fact that we were playing state games," Micak said. "Winning the Central Group I title and turning around the next day to go down to south Jersey and play Buena (in the Group I semifinals) and a day later to play in the state final at Kean, that was quite a week."

Metuchen's season came to an end in the Group I final against Cedar Grove and sophomore phenom Mia Faieta, who pitched a perfect game. Despite the loss, the Bulldogs were proud of their accomplishments and know that the future is bright. 

"I think it really helped that we were the same team as last year, it was just round two for us coming back and improving on what we did last year," Pirro said. "I’m looking forward to the legacy we left and to see if we can do that again and maybe beat it."

"I believe that they have high expectations now, and they can live up to them," Bandola said.

FINAL GMC SOFTBALL TOP 10

1. South Brunswick (18-2)

2.South Plainfield (27-5)

3. Metuchen (18-8)

4. Sayreville (18-5)

5. J.P. Stevens (17-6)

6. Old Bridge (18-8)

7.Monroe (10-10)

8. Bishop Ahr (16-8)

9. Carteret (17-6)

10. South River (21-5)

Staff Writer Lauren Knego: lknego@gannettnj.com; on Twitter: @laurenknego