DIGITALSPORTS PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

PITCHER OF THE WEEK (TIE)
MIKE GYNN, SR., RHP, POINT BORO
Gynn struck out three and walked three in throwing his first career no-hitter in a 2-0 win over Lakewood on April 14. He then combined with Wes Waterman to strike out seven and allow only one run in a 6-1 win over Pinelands on Friday.



PAT LIGHT, JR., RHP, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS ACADEMY
One way to draw notice to your ability is to outduel Colts Neck ace Anthony DeSclafani amidst a crowd of big-league scouts. Light did just that on April 14, pitching a complete-game two-hitter in a key 2-0 win over the Cougars in Class A North. Light improved to 3-0 with the win and allowed only one run in his first 18 1/3 innings of work.

POSITION PLAYER OF THE WEEK
KEVIN NEEDHAM, JR., 1B, JACKSON
Needham's stat line seems like something out of a video game, but as opposing pitchers know, it's real. In four games last week and Monday's win over Brick Memorial, Needham went 11-for-16 with 11 RBIs, two doubles, two homers and one stolen base. He is hitting a scorching .609 for the season while playing in one of the Shore's toughest divisions, Class A South. It's also no coincidence that the Jaguars have won four of five. By the way, Needham is also Jackson's No. 1 pitcher, and he went 1-1 last week.

DIVISIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Class A North (besides Light)
Ashton Jackson, Sr., OF, Colts Neck
Jackson went 2-for-3 with four RBIs in a 13-3 win over Howell, followed by a 3-for-3 showing with three runs scored in a 10-0 win over Middletown South, and then went 2-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs in a 10-0 win over Marlboro last week.

Honorable mention
Matt Cadigan, Jr., RHP, Freehold Twp.
Cadigan threw a one-hitter with eight strikeouts and six walks in a 5-1 win over Manalapan.

Class A Central
Kevin MacLachlan, Jr., RHP, St. John Vianney
MacLachlan, who has received interest from ACC and Big East schools among others, was impressive in his first two starts of the season. He pitched a complete-game three-hitter in a 7-2 win over Raritan and followed that with a complete-game two-hitter with eight strikeouts against previously undefeated Rumson-Fair Haven, which came in averaging 11.8 runs per game, in a 9-2 win for the Lancers on Saturday.

Honorable mention
John Lembeck, Sr., OF, Rumson-FH
Lembeck went 3-for-3 with three RBIs in a 13-3 win over Red Bank, followed by three hits and an RBI in a 12-6 win over Red Bank Catholic and he also hit a two-run double in a 12-4 win over St. John Vianney.

Class A South (besides Needham)
Drew Holt, Sr., RHP, Toms River South
Holt struck out eight and only allowed three hits in a complete-game shutout, his second in a row, in a 5-0 win over Jackson. He also did not allow an earned run in 3 1/3 innings of relief, striking out four, in a hard-luck loss to Toms River North.

Class B North
Jamie Rosenkranz, Sr., SS, Ocean
The Spartans threw a monkey wrench into the Class B North race with wins over Matawan and Wall last week. Rosenkranz, a Monmouth University recruit, hit a key two-run double in a 6-4 win over the Huskies, and followed that by going 4-for-4 with three RBIs in a 13-4 win over Wall.

Honorable mention
J.D. Melendez, Sr., P/SS, Matawan
Melendez struck out eight in a complete-game three-hitter in a 6-1 win over Freehold and then had the game-winning RBI single as well as 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief in a key 2-1 win over Monmouth on Saturday.

Class B Central
(tie) Brian Derechailo, Sr., C, and Eric Devlin, Sr., P/SS, both from Keyport
The Red Raiders have surged to a 7-2 start after winning six games all of last season. Last week,  Devlin went 6-for-10 with seven RBIs, five runs scored, three stolen bases, two homers and a triple as well as picking up a win on the mound. Derechailo went 5-for-9 with nine RBIs, five runs scored, two doubles and a homer.

Honorable mention
George Stephens, So., P, Asbury Park
Stephens helped the Blue Bishops win their first divisional game in 17 years, a 10-5 triumph over Point Beach, by allowing three earned runs and striking out four while also going 2-for-3 with a home run in the win. He also had three hits in a 13-12 loss to Monmouth Academy.

Class B South (besides Gynn)
Matt McNeal, Sr., P/2B, Barnegat
McNeal hit a pair of RBI doubles in an 8-1 win over Central that put the Bengals in sole control of first place in the division. He followed that by going 2-for-2 with a triple and two runs scored in a 10-2 win over Pinelands, and then picked up his first win of the season on the mound  striking out eight in a five-inning, 10-0 win over Manchester.

E-mail: stump@digitalsports.com