The Kearny High School softball squad suffered through an uncharacteristic season in 2019, posting a 9-15 record. The Kardinals lost their first five games of the campaign and never really recovered.
But veteran Kardinals head coach Jimmy Pickel believes that it was a one-year blip on the radar.
“I think we’re going to be pretty good,” Pickel said. “Our freshman class is outstanding. We have five freshmen and all five will probably start. They have that kind of ability.”
Pickel was asked if he had ever enjoyed having such a talented incoming freshman class.
“No, not like this,” Pickel said. “Not to this extent. This group is something else.”
Pickel said that the team was hitting its stride, despite the youth, when the extended break began due to the outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic.
“The day before we stopped, we had our best practice,” Pickel said. “I was amazed that day with the way they were all practicing. I thought we had the makings of a good team.”
Senior Olivia Montanino, the soccer and bowling star, is set to return for her final campaign as a Kearny athlete. Montanino was the top Kardinals’ pitcher a year ago.
But there are two freshmen that could step in this season and pitch considerable innings in soccer/basketball standout Maci Covello and Tianna Antunes. All three Kearny hurlers are right handed.
“Tianna played a lot of travel ball, so she’s experienced,” Pickel said. “I was looking forward to seeing the freshman perform in scrimmages, but we never got that chance.”
Pickel said that the scrimmages would have decided who would have received the bulk of the work on the mound this season. He had faith in all three pitchers.
Sophomore Mikalah Franchino started most of last season as the Kardinals’ catcher, but she was being pushed by two more freshmen, namely Alex Colon and Julia Sanchez. All three are respected backstops.
At first base is senior Caitlyn Natosi. The three-year starter led the Kardinals in RBI last year.
“I was looking forward to seeing Caitlyn play this year,” Pickel said. “She dedicated her time to playing this season. She was set to have a big season for us.”
Caitlyn’s younger sister Carley, a sophomore, was the Kardinals’ starter at second base.
“She’s a good fielder who is getting better at the plate,” Pickel said of the younger Natosi.
The shortstop is freshman Jaeda Figueroa, who is the genuine article.
“This girl is something else,” Pickel said. “She has smooth hands and a great arm. She has very good work ethic. She’s a very nice player.”
Senior Jordy Liranzo is the returnee at third base, but a host of others were expected to see time there, including freshmen Colon, Sanchez and Antunes.
“We would move Tianna around to wherever we needed her,” Pickel said. “She’s that versatile as a player.”
The left fielder is senior Phoenix Jackson.
“She started the last two seasons,” Pickel said.
But Jackson was being pushed by senior Alex Cruz, who played sparingly last season.
“She’s taken to the position well,” Pickel said of Cruz.
The centerfielder is freshman Covello, who is just a very talented athlete, coming off her fabulous freshman campaigns on the soccer pitch and the basketball hardwood.
“She’s definitely a hard worker,” Pickel said of Covello. “I tell her to do something and she does it right away. I don’t have to wait for anything.”
The right field duties are being shared by junior Yanni Rosario, who saw some time with the varsity last year, and senior Aliyssa Rios, who joined the softball team for the first time this spring.
Senior Kristina Yaya and sophomore Natalie Vieira will also field key roles during the course of the now-truncated season. Yaya played some at shortstop last year and Vieira is a centerfielder/shortstop.
Needless to say, if and when the high school season begins, the Kardinals will be ready and will certainly be much improved over a year ago.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Pickel said. “We haven’t given up the thought of having a season. If you give up, then the girls will give up.”
Pickel is taking a page from his former coach and mentor at Queen of Peace, namely the late Ed Abromaitis, who died suddenly last fall.
“Abro used to always say that the scrimmages will tell who gets to play,” Pickel said. “But we didn’t have any scrimmages this year. When we get back, we’ll have to just play games right away. I also set up a really competitive schedule for this year, because I thought we were going to be pretty good. We just have to wait and see.”
Like the rest of the state does as we try to recover from the devastation of the coronavirus pandemic.
CAPTIONS
Senior first baseman Caitlyn Natosi was expected to have a solid season for the Kearny softball team. Natosi is a three-year starter in softball. Photo by Jim Hague
Senior Jordy Liranzo returns at third base for the Kearny softball team. Photo by Jim Hague
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”