West Milford baseball captures second straight division title, builds for future

It was a memorable 2026 season for the West Milford High School baseball program.

Certain games really stand out for West Milford head coach Tyler Pevny.

“The first contest that comes to mind is the league clinching win against Wayne Hills,’’ Pevny said. “We won that game to clinch the league for the second consecutive season. This win stood out because we came off a really tough loss against Pompton Lakes in the County Tournament quarterfinals but we were able to answer back in a huge game in a huge way. We beat Wayne Hills 8-1 to win the league in back to back seasons for the first time since 1977 and 1978.’’

The class of 2026 provided ample leadership for the Highlanders this year.

“Our seniors emerged as unbelievable leaders,’’ Pevny said. “This class was the first class I had for four years as a head coach. They transformed into unbelievable young men who played the game hard and with pride. They represented this school the right way and I couldn’t have asked for a better group to spend four years with.

“Jack Lizza, Charlie Kling, Kyle Schwarzlow, Conner Thompson, Justin Burke, Johnny DelVecchio, Chase Tyburczy and Dane Wells etched their names into the WMHS baseball history books with their performance and dedication to this school and sport.’’

Several student athletes on the team impressed the coaches with their steady improvements on a constant basis this spring.

“Our sophomores stepped up in a huge way this year,’’ Pevny said. “Blake Tyburczy, Mason LaNeve and Danny Sangis really showed a ton of growth and ability to perform all year long. They were sophomores who were thrown right into the varsity lineup and had to fill big shoes from the previous season, they did it very well.

“Blake and Mason earned first team All-League honors. Danny led the team in walks and proved to be a tough out all year long.’’

The Highlanders posted 16 overall victories with a mark of 7-3 in the Big North Conference Independence Division. They advanced to the NJSIAA North 1 Group 2 Sectional Tournament and were defeated by Pascack Hills.

“Our underclassmen including our JV and freshman teams had amazing years and we look forward to see what they could bring to the table next year,’’ Pevny said. “We graduate a ton of seniors who have had a bunch of varsity experience and the underclassmen are the next ones up.

“Chase Tyburczy is the second player in WMHS baseball history to reach 100 hits. He reached 100 hits in his final game against Pascack Hills in the state playoffs. He was back-to-back first team all-county the last two seasons. He was also selected to play in the New Jersey Senior All-Star Game and will be continuing his baseball career at Division 1 Wagner next year.’’