By Warren Rappleyea
Anthony Sjolund’s leadership — on and off the field — was one of the major reasons South Brunswick High School’s baseball team reached the finals of the NJSIAA Central Jersey, Group IV tournament.
In 2015, a youthful Vikings squad struggled to a 7-17 mark, but there was good reason for optimism. The team was more competitive than its record might indicate and Sjolund, then a junior, turned in a 3-3 record on the mound.
South Brunswick’s first-year coach, C. J. Hendricks, who previously had been a Vikings assistant, told his returning players that more would be expected of them as seniors. Sjolund took the message to heart. He helped organize offseason workouts, worked hard himself and spent time with the team’s other pitches.
“I’ve had Anthony in the program since he was a freshman, so I know what kind of kid he is,” Hendricks said. “He really stepped up. His work ethic and leadership rubbed off on the others guys. He came into the preseason, and he was just as ready. There was no doubt he was going to start on opening day.”
Sjolund and his teammates quickly served notice that things would be different in 2016. The Vikings battered highly regarded J.P. Stevens High School, 11-1, in the season opener, as Sjolund allowed just two hits over five innings. That helped set the tone for what turned out to be a 20-win season for the Vikings.
For Sjolund it was the first of eight wins during the course of the campaign. Overall, the right-hander pitched 49.1 innings, struck out 45 opposing hitters and turned in a 1.70 ERA. In the span of six days, he tossed 12 shutout innings against Sayreville War Memorial High School. On April 30, Sjolund combined with Troy Sweeney for a 1-0 win over the Bombers. Sjolund then out-dueled Sayreville ace Pete Soporowski May 6 in a 2-0 South Brunswick victory.
“My pitching philosophy is to keep the ball low and paint the corners,” Sjolund said. “I never threw the hardest and never blew it by kids. So I had to embrace being a pitcher and try to outwit my opponents.”
The Vikings’ star would often work with catcher Tom Leavy to pitch “backward,” throwing fastballs in off-speed counts and throwing curves or changeups in fastball counts.
“I was fortunate to have great fielders behind me so I could pitch to contact,” he said. “I knew my teammates would pick me up when I needed them.”
Sjolund’s most memorable game came against fourth-seeded Montgomery High School in the quarterfinals of the Central Jersey, Group IV tournament. On a hot, humid day, Sjolund tossed a four-hitter to help the 12th-seeded Vikings score a 4-1 upset.
“It was a tough day, and Anthony didn’t seem to be at his best,” Hendricks said. “We were going to take him out after the fourth but decided give him another inning. Then Anthony had a short sixth, and he told me he was going to finish. He really did a great job. He knew we had guys warming up, but he handled the pressure and did the job.”
After teammate Garret Byrnes gave the Vikings the lead with a two-run double in the top of the sixth inning, Sjolund knew in his mind that he would finish the game.
“When you know that your coach and teammates trust you as much as mine did this year, it was easy to mentally grind it out,” he said.
A member of the National Honor Society with a 3.8 grade-point average and South Brunswick’s scholar-athlete, he had attracted interest from several colleges. After careful consideration, he decided to forego the opportunity to continue his baseball career and plans to study either electrical or computer engineering at the University of Maryland.
The youngest of three children, Sjolund said he has always had plenty of support from his sisters, Kelsey and Carly, as well as his parents, Pete and Paula.
Sjolund said the decision to concentrate on his studies was a tough one, but he may consider playing club baseball in college.
