By GIUSEPPE UNGARO Managing Editor LINWOOD — Mainland High School coach Billy Kern refused to call his team the defending champions until the Mustangs advanced to today’s sectional final. Now he can call them two-time champions. The second-seeded Mustangs topped No. 5 Delsea Regional, 6-3, Friday in Linwood to capture their second consecutive South Jersey Group 3 championship. Despite being crowned sectional and state champions in 2014, and winning the most games in program history this year, Mainland players still believed they needed to win Friday to prove critics wrong. “There was a lot of people doubting us this year,” said senior Nick Droboniku, who recorded the win on the mound, improving to 7-0. “They thought last year was just a fluke. We really proved a lot of people wrong. Winning this game really does mean a lot for this team.” Starting pitcher Nick Droboniku hugs assistant coach Mike DeCicco after the Mustangs' championship win. Starting pitcher Nick Droboniku hugs assistant coach Mike DeCicco after the Mustangs’ championship win. “It’s so surreal. I have been in big games, but I don’t think anything tops this,” Droboniku said. “It’s my senior year and I wanted to come out and try to win this game as much as I possibly could. I know I have a great defense behind me, so I was just trying to throw strikes and get balls in play.” He added: “That leadoff hitter, that No. 3 (Avis) was killing me all game. I was trying my best to pitch around him, but I ended up walking him. But just getting that last out was crazy.” The Mustangs took the lead for good in the fourth inning, as Matt McLaughlin squeezed home pinch runner Nick Nutile for the team’s third run, and Jack Loefflad drove in Rob Wood for what proved to be the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Mainland added two more runs in the fifth inning, as Thomas added a sacrifice fly, scoring Nick Trifiletti, who ended up on third after Delsea misplayed a fly ball into a triple. Dean Deveney, a junior who recently returned to the lineup after starting the season injured, capped Mainland’s scoring with a home run over the right-field fence. “I’ve been slumping lately, so I came up with an approach to get out of the slump, it went my way, and the ball went over the fence,” Deveney said. “Off the bat I felt it.” The Mustangs opened the scoring and chased Delsea starter Brad Dobzanski from the game in the first inning. After Gerace singled, the Delsea starter walked Trifiletti and plunked Thomas to load the bases. Tyler Wray then walked to force home Gerace from third. Gerace also scored in the third inning on an RBI single by Thomas. “Everybody just plays together and we all know our roles,” Thomas said. “It’s a good group of kids, and we all like each other. We know how to play together, and are happy to be a team.” They are also happy to repeat as champions. “We have so much expectations and so many doubters saying we were not going to win anything, so getting this first championship out of the way is huge,” Deveney said. Contact Giuseppe Ungaro: gungaro@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDgisepu [adsense]