Veteran-led Kittatinny aims for division contention, playoff return

With a great attention to detail, along with a sense of excitement and camaraderie, the Kittatinny Regional High School baseball team is prepared for the 2026 season.

The Cougars are scheduled to host Jefferson on Monday, April 6.

“As a team we want to compete amongst our Division and look to improve each day,’’ Kittatinny head coach B.J. Hough said. “We want to have a strong showing in the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament and qualify for the (NJSIAA) state playoffs.’’

Among the key returning players for the Cougars are Johnny Diani (senior, outfielder), Mason Dube (senior, outfielder), Gage Ingalls (senior, second base and pitcher), Brendan Leahy (senior, third base), Tommy Tosti (senior, pitcher), Aiden Prtorich (senior, catcher, first-team Freedom Division, .375 batting average, three home runs and 19 RBIs in 2025), Tyler Coombs (junior, shortstop and pitcher, honorable mention Freedom Division, 17 runs scored and 13 stolen bases in 2025), Keegan Monahan (junior, outfielder and pitcher, second-team Freedom Division, 21 runs scored, nine doubles and a .329 batting average in 2025), Easton Konar (junior, pitcher and utility player), Zander Dennis (sophomore, utility player and pitcher) and Ricky Lopes (sophomore, second base, shortstop and pitcher).

Promising newcomers include Tobias Pilger (junior, pitcher) and Shane Weiss (junior, first base).

“Most of our roster consists of returning varsity players and most have seen time since their freshman years,’’ Hough said. “We have a group of exceptional seniors. They are outstanding young men who make our school very proud on and off the field. They have a great work ethic and communicate the expectations of the program with our younger players.’’

Last year, Kittatinny won 10 games with three triumphs in the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Freedom Division. The Cougars advanced to the NJSIAA North 1 Group Sectional Tournament as the fourteenth seed and toppled No. 3 Hasbrouck Heights in the first round before being defeated by sixth-seeded Indian Hills in the quarterfinal round in 2025.

“We feel like the Division is up for grabs,’’ Hough said. “Each team has some great coaching and a quality number of players that round out their rosters. We want to stay competitive in all the games we play and hope for the best possible outcome.”