Sports

CHSAA Staten Island softball preview: Hill sees playoffs as ‘must’

St. Joseph Hill was one of the late-season surprises in CHSAA Staten Island. The young Hilltoppers came on strong and beat Notre Dame Academy in a tibreaker game for the final Archdiocesan playoff spot. With the strong junior core returning they are hoping to build off their fourth-place finish behind St. Joseph by the Sea, Moore Catholic and St. John Villa.

“You just want to get to that next step, to that next goal,” Hill coach Joe Wuensch said. “The bar is set. Playoffs are a must now.”

His squad returns both of its pitchers in senior Maggie Sarlo and junior Victoria Procopio, who have contrasting styles. Procopio, who has an excellent rise ball, pitched her team into the playoffs against NDA and the more breaking ball reliant Sarlo nearly helped them beat Bronx power Preston in the quarterfinals. Whichever one is not in the circle will play left field.

Junior Gabrielle D’Anna will be back behind the plate and speedy classmate Katie Scarangello is at shortstop. Wuensch feels a key addition could be junior Samantha Wysokowski . She played as a freshman, but focused on soccer last season. Wysokowski will play second base and give the Hilltoppers a solid bat.

“She is a good contact hitter,” Wuensch said of Wysokowski. “She can run. She plays just a nice, pretty game.”

He recruited volleyball players Nicole Gundacker, who has a good arm and glove, to play right and Amanda DiPaola will be in center field. Wuensch said he is still figuring out his linep.

“I’m really, really stressing pitching and defense,” she said. “That’s the old formula. The hitting will come.”

Pitching is something Notre Dame Academy lacked a season ago, but it will be one of its strengths with the addition of freshman windmiller Cheryl Lopez. While other coaches have lauded Lopez, NDA head man Tony Curatolo knows he has a special talent who has speed, movement and can throw strikes. But he still wants to see her at the varsity level.

“She is pretty good,” Curatolo said. “She pitches against 14-year-olds not 18 [year-olds]. It’s a big difference.”

Lopez will be aided by senior catcher Amanda Lovoro, who will give the Gators speed at the top of the order. Their outfield play will be one of their biggest strengths. Seniors Meghan O’Keefe, one of the team’s middle-of-the-order bats, Christine Whelan and Megan Thrapp will be in center, right and left, respectively. Notre Dame still has question marks up the middle in the infield. Breanne Gasser and Amanda Imperato are in the running at first base and Elizabeth Ratcliffe will be at third.

“Last year was the first year in quite awhile we didn’t make the playoffs,” Curatolo said. “This year I think we have a shot to get in there somewhere.”

As the Gators look to return to the playoffs, St. Peter’s, after a winless league season, is looking to become more competitive. It does have reinforcements who know how to win. Eagles basketball stars Catherine Lewis and Victoria Jones, both seniors, and junior Christine Kline join fellow roundball starter Jamie O’Hare on the diamond.

“Their athleticism and what they brought to the basketball team is definitely going to be nothing but good for softball,” St. Peter’s coach Steve Fayer said.

O’Hare, who played as a freshman, is the team’s ace and is backed by classmate Jillian Cancel. Lewis will find herself starting at third base and hitting in the middle of the order. She could likely be throwing to Jones at first or another basketball player in Kelly Otchet, a junior. Kline is competing with freshman Erin Otchet, Kelly’s sister, for the second base job. Three-year varsity player Kelly McGarrigle will be the center fielder for a team of mostly sophomores.

“The girls are tremendously optimistic,” Fayer said. “I think the losing from last year, it fades quickly.”

St. John Villa loses key pieces from a team that finished third in the division last year in Regina Nikosey, Jennifer Chiofolo, Megan Fitzgerald and Emily Acosta. The Bears though bring back a strong core from an improving squad. Coach John Curatolo’s top hurler is back in junior Brittany Smith, who shined late in the year. One thing the Bears did consistently last year was hit. Seniors Christine Ferrante, Nicole Corderoshould make for a potent lineup.