SCOREBOARD, Beteta looks for new shot as Ferris head baseball coach

Ferris sophomore P/1B Denny Furcal

Ferris senior OF/P Robert Estrada

Ferris senior OF/P Jafari Williams

By Jim Hague

Josh Beteta spent a good portion of his adult life as a dutiful and highly respected assistant high school baseball coach at a host of different spots.

The 36-year-old Beteta, a former standout during his playing days at Lincoln High School, bided his time and waited for the right opportunity to be a head coach.

So four years ago, Beteta got that chance, taking the head coaching responsibilities at Marist High School in Bayonne. Beteta thought he was going to have the opportunity to build a program at one of the most historic baseball programs in Hudson County, a place that had captured four NJSIAA Parochial (Non-Public) state championships with three different coaches.

It was a perfect spot for a hard-working Beteta, the chance to be his own man, build a program that worked all year for success in the spring.

That chance lasted for just one season. Beteta was unceremoniously removed from the job after just one year because a new administrative regime took over and that administration wanted to make a big splash with a big-time coaching name.

Beteta was making plans for the upcoming season and was overseeing off-season weight training sessions when he received word he was no longer wanted. The timing of his release was also wrong, considering he was let go in January and the season began in earnest with the first practices just seven weeks later.

“It was tough,” Beteta said. “There wasn’t any time to find anything else. It took a little toll on me. I didn’t know if I wanted to coach again. I really didn’t know what I was going to do. I thought that was it.”

All those days of volunteering to coach summer league teams and travel teams and serving as an assistant all came to a crashing halt with a simple e-mail. Beteta didn’t even receive a phone call or have a meeting to discuss his status. It was just an e-mail, thanks, but no thanks. Even the Mets treated their managers with more respect.

Last year, Beteta was asked by his former high school coach, Marco Mejia, to help him out as Mejia was asked to serve as the interim head coach at Ferris. The former head coach at Ferris, the legendary Hudson County Hall of Famer Mike Hogan, had an off-the-field altercation that eventually led to Hogan’s retirement. Mejia needed help running and organizing one of Hudson County’s best programs at Ferris and turned to his former player who had extensive coaching experience.

“I was happy to be a volunteer assistant for Marco,” Beteta said. “He was my coach at Lincoln and we have a good relationship.”

But after one season, a year where Mejia guided the Bulldogs to a 15-9 record in the highly competitive Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic League-Red Division, Mejia wasn’t comfortable being the head coach any longer.

“He said that he would be fine as an assistant if I was the head coach,” Beteta said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I’d love to work for you.’ He vouched for me.”

With that, the two men reversed their roles and Beteta is once again getting the chance to be a head coach, this time with an established and talented team.

The Bulldogs welcome back a series of talented players from a year ago, including three standouts who earned All-Area honors from this writer last spring. Beteta knows he has inherited a good squad that will be primed for action if and when the 2020 season begins after the coronavirus outbreak.

“I told the team in the first meeting that I’ve driven some nice cars as a coach,” Beteta said. “I drove a nice Honda and perhaps a nice Camry. But this time, I’m driving a Porsche.”

The Bulldogs have a nice pitching staff, highlighted by sophomore left-hander Denny Furcal, who posted an undefeated 6-0 record on the hill last year and made two different post-season All-Star teams on the field and earned Jim Hague Sports All-Area honors last season as a pitcher.

“He’s so much of a leader that we named him a captain even though he’s only a sophomore,” Beteta said of Furcal, who also batted .430 at the plate and is an excellent first baseman when not pitching. “He commands the respect of everyone. I want him to be the captain for the next three years. He’s our pitching ace.”

Junior Marcus Monroe is also a fine pitcher and will be one of the Bulldogs’ top hurlers this spring.

“He’s my anchor,” Beteta said of the righty Monroe, who was one of the Bulldogs; top pitchers last season. “He’s been a three-year starter and knows what it takes to win.”

Senior Robert Estrada, who has been selected to the Jim Hague Sports All-Area team in each of the last two seasons, is also a fine pitcher when he’s not manning right field. In the outfield, Estrada has no peers, especially with his cannon of an arm.

“He definitely has a live arm,” Beteta said of Estrada, who hit .450 last season. “He can fly. He’s a veteran out there and he hits the ball hard. He’s even stronger this year than last year.”

Jafari Williams, another senior, is a solid pitcher and an even better centerfielder. Williams was the third member of the Bulldogs to collect All-Area honors last season in the utility slot. Williams hit .360 with 19 RBI and pitched to a 4-2 record on the mound.

“He’s a freak of an athlete,” Beteta said of Williams. “He’s another leader on this team.”

The team’s main catcher is returnee Jerome Banks, who is a fantastic defensive backstop.

“We’re looking for Jerome to have a really good year this year,” Beteta said. “He’s a very good defensive catcher who throws well.”

Banks just needs to improve his offensive production.

Sophomore Christopher Gonzalez is another catcher that Beteta can count on.

Furcal is the main first baseman. Sophomore Jaiden Garcia returns at second base.

“He has the best hands on the infield,” Beteta said of Garcia.

Look for fabulous freshman DeAngelo Ponce to get some playing time at second base or shortstop or somewhere. Ponce is the team’s resident jack-of-all-trades.

“He’s like my Joe McEwing,” Beteta said, recalling the former New York Mets’ utility player. “He plays everywhere and plays everywhere well.”

The starting shortstop will be freshman Justin Hernandez, who is the absolute real deal. Hernandez’s father is a big-time influence, a former coach who has worked wonders with his son.

“I think he’s going to be the best shortstop in Hudson County,” Beteta said of Hernandez. “He is so sure-handed. He can also switch hit and hits pretty well from both sides. I’m really excited about him.”

The third baseman is Monroe, but freshman Jacob Ruiz is getting some time at third.

In left field, Ponce will get a shot there, but junior Yaraldi Amparo will also see time. Amparo just transferred to Ferris from his native Dominican Republic – and everyone knows how baseball players from the DR do when they arrive in the United States.

Jafari Williams is the centerfielder and Estrada is in right field, but considering both are pitchers, freshman Jonathan Correa will see a lot of playing time, as will Ruiz in the outfield.

So Beteta has waited his entire life for a chance to coach a talented team like Ferris – and now, with the delay of the season due to the coronavirus outbreak, Beteta has to wait some more.

“It’s very frustrating,” Beteta said. “I feel really bad for the seniors, because they put so much work in during the off-season. I know we all want to be out there, but everyone’s health comes first. I’m remaining optimistic that we’ll be out there playing. The optimist in me says we’re ready to go and the realist in me says that we’re a very young team that needs some jelling. Those kids from last year aren’t freshmen anymore. I think we’ll be ready when we get word we can play.”

We can only hope so.