Celebrating their win in the New Jersey American Legion championship on July 28 were players and coaches on the Cherry Hill team, including Luis Sanchez III, Andrew Bechtel, Grant Fournier, Matt Korbich, Mason Kelleher, Aiden Ryder, Brian Martello, Brett Chiesa, Noah Harvey, Jordan Henriquez, Josh Litsky, Ricky Orlandini, Aiden Emrich, Brett Gabel, Chris Ahrens, Jack Barletta, Zach Smith and Anthony Alessandroni and coaches Bo Gray, Kyle Bordner, Ron Krowiak and John Gray.
Just as David knocked out Goliath in dramatic fashion, the Cherry Hill Post 172 baseball team won the New Jersey American Legion Championship with a walk-off single against perennial powerhouse Brooklawn on July 28 at the Wood-Ridge Athletic Center.
“All I can remember is seeing their third baseman dive for the ball and it rolling into left field,” third baseman Brett Chiesa recalled. “We all came sprinting out of the dugout and dogpiled on top of Anthony Alessandroni in celebration. It was a memorable moment for sure.”
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, tournament MVP (Most Valuable Player) Anthony Alessandroni of Cinnaminson High laced a single to score Luis Sanchez III of Cherry Hill West for a 6-5 win and the team’s first state championship.
“It was fantastic,” Chiesa said. “The whole reason to play summer ball against skilled opponents is to make you a better player. Winning against a very good Brooklawn team makes the win even better.”
Brooklawn Legion Post 72 has won 32 state titles and the national American Legion World Series four times.
Major keys to the success of the Cherry Hill team this season have been its excellent defense, quality pitching and timely hitting.
“Our defense has been spectacular all year,” Chiesa noted. “We focus on doing the little things right, hitting the cutoffs, back-picking runners and making all the routine plays. We’ve had guys play out of position at times, but all of them have had the ‘next man up’ attitude and have been great.”
Chiesa will play baseball next year at Rowan University, after helping Cherokee High win the NJSIAA Group 4 State Championship in June. Joining him there will be legion players Jake Bartletta of Rancocas Valley and Aiden Ryder of West High.
“It’s been a special season,” Chiesa related. “To win both the Group 4 and American Legion state titles has made it a memorable last six weeks. Leadership and accountability are two big qualities players have in both of these programs.
“We play the game with intensity and for each other,” he added. “Being able to do the little things correctly – such as moving runners over with sac bunts – has allowed us to get insurance runs that led to victories. Preparation is another big one. Knowing what to do in different situations allows us to play the game stress-free.
“Lastly, pitching and defense are the backbones to winning. Throwing strikes and making routine plays has been a key to success all year.”
In the title game against Brooklawn, Cherry Hill scored five runs in the first inning when Chris Ahrens of Shawnee and Noah Harvey of Cinnaminson both singled. Chiesa knocked in the first run on a fielder’s choice, and then his Cherokee teammate, Mason Keleher, knocked in the second run with a double.
Sanchez knocked him in with a double, and with two runners on base, Brian Martello of West blasted a big, two-run double. Brooklawn clawed back, tying the game in a fourth inning that featured a three-run home run by Mason Myers of Paul VI. The game remained tied until Alessandroni’s walk-off single.
The Cherry Hill Legion state championship team players are: Luis Sanchez III, Andrew Bechtel, Grant Fournier, Matt Korbich, Mason Kelleher, Aiden Ryder, Brian Martello, Brett Chiesa, Noah Harvey, Jordan Henriquez, Josh Litsky, Ricky Orlandini, Aiden Emrich, Brett Gabel, Chris Ahrens, Jack Barletta, Zach Smith and Anthony Alessandroni.
The coaches are Bo Gray, Kyle Bordner, Ron Krowiak and John Gray.
“Congratulations to our Cherry Hill American Legion Post 372 youth baseball team for becoming the 2025 New Jersey state champions,” post officers stated on the website. “This outstanding achievement is a testament to the hard work, dedication and talent of each member of the team.
“We are incredibly proud of our tournament MVP, Anthony Alessandroni, whose remarkable performance propelled us to this victory,” they continued. “As we gear up for regionals in Maryland, a huge round of applause to Bo Gray, our amazing coaches, and the entire team for their unwavering commitment to success. Job well done, young men.
“Let’s keep the winning spirit alive.”
If Cherry Hill does well at the regionals in Ridge, Maryland – which continue through Saturday – the team will advance to the American Legion World Series beginning Aug. 14 in Shelby, North Carolina, featuring the best teams in the country.
Post 372’s director of American Legion baseball Bo Gray was a legendary player for the amazing Cherry Hill West baseball team that won four consecutive state championships from 1989 to 1992. During those years, Gray was perfect on the mound, with a 30-0 record.
