St. John Villa’s John Curatolo is The Post’s All-Staten Island softball Coach of the Year. (Joseph Stazewski)
Staten Island continues to be New York City’s softball oasis – even in a supposed down year. Every senior except one on our first team will be playing the sport in college, most of them on scholarships.
Tottenville got revenge on James Madison and returned to its rightful place as PSAL Class A city champion in an incredible 1-0, 10-inning epic. The Pirates have now won seven of the last eight championships. McKee/Staten Island Tech and Susan Wagner were both in the quarterfinals as well.
In the CHSAA, St. Joseph by the Sea won a fourth straight Staten Island title, but St. John Villa shocked the Vikings in the Archdiocesan semifinals and Moore Catholic ended up with its first crown since 2007. The Mavericks ended up falling the CHSAA state semifinals.
All-Staten Island softball Player of the Year: Victoria McFarland, Tottenville
There was simply no better all-around player in New York City this year than the Albany-bound senior center fielder. McFarland is a true five-tool talent with the ability to do just about anything asked of her on the softball field. In Tottenville’s thrilling 1-0 PSAL Class A city championship win over James Madison, the senior got three hits off Knights ace Kayla Hill, including the flare to right field that led to Samantha Mattsson scoring the winning run from first.
“What can you say about Vicky that hasn’t been said?” Pirates coach Cathy Morano said. “She’s probably the best center fielder and athlete that I’ve seen.”
McFarland hit a PSAL-leading .761 during the regular season and had six RBIs in five playoff games in leading Tottenville to its seventh championship in eight years. She was highly motivated to get the Pirates back on top after falling to Madison last year and just wouldn’t let her team lose.
All-Staten Island softball Coach of the Year: John Curatolo, St. John Villa
Two years ago Curatolo made the decision that this team was going to rely on a bunt, slap and steal philosophy in order to compete with Staten Island’s best mashers. The decision never paid off more than this season. Villa finished third in CHSAA Staten Island, beat Moore Catholic and pulled a stunning upset of St. Joseph by the Sea in the Archdiocesan semifinals.
“I don’t think they’ll ever forget beating Sea,” Curatolo said.
His no-nonsense and aggressive approach got the most out of the talent he had and made the Bears one of the most difficult teams to play against and defend. They were going to take the extra base and put pressure on the defense until it hopefully led to a big inning.
“Our speed is our greatest asset,” senior Brittany Smith said.
FIRST TEAM
SS Taylor Baggs, Moore Catholic
The Moore Catholic senior ended her softball career in style by helping the school earn its first CHSAA Archdiocesan title since 2007. Baggs was the Mavericks’ soft-spoken leader both in the field and at the plate. She hit .364 with 19 RBIs, 21 runs and homered four times. There wasn’t a play at short she didn’t try to make even if it meant throwing from her stomach.
P Jackie Cautela, St. Joseph by the Sea
There was no sophomore slump for the St. Joseph by the Sea ace. In the regular season she was a 7-0 with a 0.40 ERA and had 44 strikeouts in 35 innings, helping the Vikings to non-league wins over Archbishop Molloy and Kellenberg. At the plate she hit .457 with 15 RBIs and collected four triples. She is a big part of the Vikings’ future.
3B Jackie Kelly, St. Joseph by the Sea
The Hartford-bound senior was a fixture among the best players in New York City during her career and this year was no different. Kelly batted .543 with 15 RBIs, 12 runs and six extra-base hits. The sure-handed third baseman will be missed at the hot corner as she could shutdown an opponent’s attempt at small ball.
CF Danielle Locke, Susan Wagner
With just her speed on the base paths and beating out infield hits, her excellent defense in center and line-drive swing, Locke would have been in this spot among Staten Island’s best. But the Western Connecticut-bound senior’s greatest contribution had little to do with her play on the field. Locke was one of the city’s best leaders and the Falcons followed her to a berth in the PSAL Class A quarterfinals.
P Cheryl Lopez, Tottenville
Lopez had a very strong regular season, but her playoffs were a thing of legend. The sophomore transfer from Notre Dame Academy pitched three straight days, including a no-hitter against Francis Lewis in the semifinals, to get Tottenville back to the PSAL Class A city title game. And there Lopez pitched the best game of her career, a 10-inning, three-hit gem in a 1-0 victory over James Madison.
3B Samantha Mattsson, Tottenville
The Queens College-bound senior came back early from a broken thumb she suffered during basketball season and found her midseason form in the postseason. Mattsson crushed a long home run in the PSAL Class A semifinals against Francis Lewis and scored the winning run in the championship game against James Madison to give Tottenville its seventh city title in eight years.
C Jennifer Palase, Tottenville
The New Haven-bound junior played two different roles for the city’s best team. In the field, Palase was the general behind the plate, calling excellent games and throwing out runners trying to steal. At the plate, she was one of the best leadoff hitters in the city, able to get on by bunting and slapping and also able to turn around and bat right-handed with pop.
SS Nicole Palase, Tottenville
One of the best athletes in the city, Palase was a vacuum at shortstop and a feared hitter in the middle of the Big Apple’s best lineup. The St. Joseph’s University-bound senior was Tottenville’s ace last year and earlier this season, but deferred to Cheryl Lopez late in the season to strengthen the Pirates’ defense up the middle. It all added up to a seventh PSAL city title in eight years.
CF Maria Scopellito, St. Joseph by the Sea
The Kean University-bound senior thrived in two of the most important roles on a softball team as Sea’s leadoff hitter and centerfielder. She batted .472 with 17 runs scored and six RBIs and made numerous running catches in the outfield to save runs. Scopellito helped lead the Vikings to their fourth straight CHSAA Staten Island crown.
P Brittany Smith, St. John Villa
No player may have a bigger effect on the Staten Island softball landscape. Smith inspired Villa’s small-ball style and almost single-handedly orchestrated a semifinal upset of St. Joseph by Sea with her speed and smarts. She hit .667 with 19 runs, 19 RBI and 12 stolen bases during the regular season and was the Bears’ ace in the circle.
HONORABLE MENTION
SS Alanna Bergstrom, Notre Dame Academy
LF Melanie Boland, St. John Villa
P Gianna DeCesare, Moore Catholic
P Jackie DiBello, Petrides
CF Amanda DiPaolo, St. Joseph Hill
P Kelly Graham, Moore Catholic
P Blayse Halvorsen, McKee/Staten Island Tech
SS Kristina Mazzarisi, St. Joseph by the Sea
C Sophia Palumbo, McKee/Staten Island Tech
P Victoria Procopio, St. Joseph Hill
CF Krissa Sagona, Moore Catholic
P Taylor Sarcone, Susan Wagner
2B Meghan Seaman, St. Joseph by the Sea
C Alissa Setteducato, St. John Villa
P Caitlin Shields, Port Richmond