4/22/2012 - Wildcats Eye Tourney Title
High Point’s softball team is off to one of its best starts in history and the Wildcats hope to parlay the good start into something special.
The Wildcats are 9-1 overall and 6-0 in the American Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, a start worthy of being selected the top seed from Sussex for the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex tournament.
The tourney seeds were released the other day, and in fact, No. 9 Sussex Tech has already toppled No. 8 Hackettstown of H/W region 7-3 in a play-in game to advance to play the top-seeded Wildcats this weekend in the first round.
The rest of the play-in games will be played Wednesday, April 25. The tourney resumes on Saturday, April 28 and will run every Saturday at the home of the higher seed until the final May 19 at 7 p.m. at Diamond Nation in Flemington.
The baseball tournament also starts this week and runs on the same days including the final at Diamond Nation at 7 p.m. For a baseball preview keep tabs on Mike Weilamann’s blog—Open Mike.
But back to softball. Here is a preview of the opening and first-round games.
(10) South Hunterdon at (7) Vernon—Vernon is currently 2-6 and 1-5 in the American Division, but the Vikings are playing better than their record of late. The Vikings own a win over a solid Morris Hills team and played Sparta and High Point tough in recent losses.
Emma DeLuca swings a big bat and the Vikes also look to Jess Lambert and pitcher Melissa D’Aluria. South Hunterdon (4-3) has a veteran pitcher in Jazz Assad, but I think the long trip from West Amwell (think a little north of Trenton) to Vernon will take its toll and the Vikes advance to face No. 2 Delaware Valley (9-1).
Then it gets very tough for the Vikes as the Terriers’ only loss is to Hillsborough. Del Val also has one of the top players in the state in Danielle Novotony as well as Shannon Croasdale and Kasey Kieswetter. Look for the Terriers to advance to the quarterfinals.
(10) Newton at (7) Phillipsburg—Newton (1-10, 0-5 Freedom) is having a tough season, just two years removed from advancing to the H/W/S final where it lost to Hunterdon Central.
The Braves will look to Amie DeFeo, Jen Diener, and Sam Hoffman to try to pull off the upset, but the Stateliners (7-4), who just won the Ranger Tournament at Wallkill Valley, will be a tough out. Pitcher Zoe Heinke, who can also hit, as well as Kate Snyder, Kelly Maguire and Emily Bissonette will lead P-Burg to the next round to face No. 2 Lenape Valley (11-2).
The Pats are 5-0 in the Freedom outscoring their opponents 62-6. Their only losses are to Roxbury and Cedar Grove. Pitcher Caitlin Zaleski is terrific in the circle and can hit, too. The Pats’ “Murderer’s Row” can hurt you 1-through-9.
Marissa Quaglia, Jenna Tambasco, Deanna Utter, Maria Lacatena, Kaela Romano, Rachel Bruenninger, Erika Gowe and Brianna Simko can produce runs at an alarming rate which will lead the Pats to the quarterfinals.
(9) North Warren at (8) WallkillValley---This is an intriguing matchup and a preview of next year when North Warren (4-4) joins the Freedom Division.
Wallkill Valley (3-8, 2-3 Freedom) has been very scrappy this year and it can hit. The Rangers just need consistent pitching from Kayla Brown and let Ryann Eaton, Justine Cieslik and Andreanna Nordland lead the way.
North counts on the very talented Marissa Jones, pitchers Bridget Winay and Jamie Stefani, Sarah Hanelt and Brittany Lee. This is truly a toss-up, so I will go with the home team in the Rangers.
The Rangers then get to make that long trip down to see No. 1 Hunterdon Central (7-4) and its venerable and class coach Pete Fick, who owns over 700 wins, last year’s Group 4 title and 15 H/W-H/W/S crowns including 11 of the last 12.
But the Red Devils are little vulnerable this year and recently lost to Jefferson in their Red Devil Classic. But that doesn’t mean they are ripe for an upset in this round, no way. HC has too much talent in returning players Alyssa Bauer Caitlin Lake, Emily Zengel and Kim Englehardt.
Fick has used two pitchers this season in Jessie Dreswick and Kaitlyn Cegieslki, and if things break right, HC could see Sparta, which it beat 2-1 in last year’s final and last weekend at the Red Devil, in the quarterfinals.
(9) Sussex Tech at (1) High Point---What a great win for the Mustangs (7-2) to advance. All Tech coach Ed Paiva does is win and the Mustangs have some nice players in pitcher Katie Jukubowski, Jen Prendergast and Miranda Hynda.
But the Mustangs’ run comes to an end against High Point and its supremely talented lineup. Pitcher Ally Frei is having a magical season, but don’t be surprised to see Chelsea Eckert, who plays first, pitch in this game.
Eckert is an outstanding hurler and gives the Wildcats two aces. They also can hit as Carly Satter sets the table up top. Megan O’Leary, Justine Hall, Jamie Christensen, Collette LeDuc and Brittany McKay are all terrific players for coach Barb Fasano.
(5) Hopatcong at (4) Warren Hills---Hopatcong (6-3, 4-1 Freedom) is having a very nice bounce-back season for coach Gary Widdoes and the young Chiefs are very capable of traveling to Washington Township and coming away with a victory.
Pitcher Hannah Biebeault has been solid and the Chiefs count on Crystal Masteroni, Julie Brennan and Courtney Stone to lead the way.
Warren Hills (8-2) is also off to a good start and will look to pitcher Amanda Berenzny along with Abby Jefferies and Angie Ryden. In a good one, look for Warren Hills to advance.
(6) Belvidere at (3) Pope John--- Pope John (9-4, 4-2 American) has played one of the toughest schedules around so the Lions will be battled tested against the County Seaters (7-4) who have a fine softball tradition for a Group 1 school.
Pope John counts on the Powers sisters, pitcher Brooke and her freshman sibling Caylee. Ashley May, Christina Marinaro, Toni Santonastaso and Ally Bolger are all dangerous and provide the Lions a very good chance to win the whole tourney if they get hot.
Belvidere is paced by Jessie Sharr, Kasey Keenan and pitcher Amanda Garris, but the Seaters struggled with Sussex Tech the other day so look for Pope John to move on easily.
(6) Kittatinny at (3) North Hunterdon---North Hunterdon (7-4), in my view, is a very vulnerable No. 3 seed having lost big to Pope John and Lenape Valley this season.
Kittatinny (3-5, 2-3 Freedom) made a nice run last year to the tourney semis before losing a tough one to Sparta. Karley Bussow pitched that game last year and is back in the circle for the Cougars. Bussow pitched great in a 2-0 loss to High Point and is capable of knocking any team off.
Coach Heather Mate is a great big-game coach and the Cougars have some nice players in Eryn Morlock, Liz Shaffer, Michaela Virga, Krystal Carrides and the Calascibetta sisters, Megan and Melissa. I’m going with the upset here with the Cougars.
(5) Voorhees at (4) Sparta---Sparta’s season has been one of runs. The Spartans (8-6, 3-3 American) started slow, and then won eight in a row before losing their last three to Jefferson, Howell and Hunterdon Central.
The defending Group 3 champs have two fine young pitchers in sophomores Kim Puccio and Meghan Jannuzzi. Veterans Jackie Perez, Kelsey O’Connor, Colleen Burdsall and Meg Casey lead the way, while Anna Scott and Rachel Lynch have been important as well for coach Rick Poots.
Voorhees (7-2) has an excellent tradition and is a very good club. The Vikings look to pitchers Zara Jakubas and Hayley Fedak as well as Ashley Robbins, Steph Martino and Kaitlyn Vafiades.
Again, another toss-up, but I will go with the Spartans.
So who will win it all? Well, it is time for Sussex to finally win this tourney and look for the High Point Wildcats to raise the trophy down at Diamond Nation.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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