Tottenville’s Jillian Giuffre makes a running catch. (Denis Gostev)
Jillian Guiffre had one of her biggest moments in a Tottenville uniform. The senior left fielder had two hits, including a two-run single in a four-run third inning, and collected a running catch.
But Giuffre was unable to express her feelings about helping her team reach the PSAL Class A softball final.
Tottenville coach Cathy Morano didn’t allow players to speak to the media following the top-seeded Pirates 9-1 win over No. 4 Construction in the PSAL Class A semifinals Saturday at the College of Staten Island.
After completing her own interview, Morano informed a pack of reporters that her players would not be permitted to talk. Morano stood by her decision even after being told it was against Department of Education policy to not make players available for interviews after a game. Ace Cheryl Lopez, who allowed four hits and struck out eight, was called back into the dugout by a Tottenville assistant coach after being approached for an interview prior to Morano’s declaration.
“My players are not going to talk to anyone today,” she said.
When later approached by a Post reporter to ask why, she lashed out regarding a story on NYPost.com about why Tottenville has not played neighborhood rival St. Joseph by the Sea in recent years, for which she declined comment. The reporter was told to “get away.”
“That was bush putting that in the paper,” Morano said of the story. “I’m done with you guys.”
The story stated her lack of relationship with St. Joseph by the Sea coach Mike Ponsiglione that has kept two of the city’s premier softball programs from not playing since 2007. Morano did not return a phone call by The Post the night before the article ran after not wanting to talk about the matter following Tottenville’s regular-season finale against Susan Wagner. In the article, senior catcher Jen Palase was quoted as saying she would love to play St. Joseph by the Sea and that the two coaches do not get along.
Morano’s team advances to the final 6:30 p.m. Wednesday where it meets second-seeded Wagner and attempts to win an eighth title in the last nine years. Tottenville had to deal with some adversity when Construction took a 1-0 lead in the first inning after a Delana Murry leadoff slap single, an error and a Kailan Luciano RBI single.
Construction (19-2), which lost 15-2 to Tottenville in the regular season, was looking for more in the second inning after back-to-back walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs. Lopez watched Palase pick off a runner at third on a slow roller in front of the plate and Tottenville (20-0) turned a 1-3-2 double play to get out of the inning.
“We settled down,” Morano said. “What really was the key was the second inning where we made a couple really nice plays to get them out of it. It could have gotten ugly there.”
Construction coach Marco Migliaccio argued that Daniela Isabella beat the throw home and was safe on the double play. Tottenville then scored four times in the bottom of the frame thanks to Giuffre, a hit batter and a throwing error. The Pirates got three more runs in the fourth, highlighted by a Nicole Fillisetti double deep in the gap in left center to take a 7-1 lead.
Construction ace Britney Rodriguez allowed eight hits, walked six and hit three batters. The Red Hawks, who lose just two seniors, were playing without right fielder Karen Werner, who was on a trip to Puerto Rico with her travel team.
“They came out and they fought today,” Migliaccio said. “A hit here and there and it’s a different game.”
The coach was upset about his club being seeded behind No. 3 James Madison, setting up a semifinal date with Tottenville. Construction run-ruled No. 6 Francis Lewis, which beat Madison during the regular season and then the playoffs. Migliaccio speculated that his lopsided loss to the Pirates was ultimately the deciding factor.
“There is no way that should have happened,” he said. “You can’t judge a season on that one game.”