Can Madison and Kayla Hill defend their title? (Christina Santucci)
NYPost.com PSAL softball beat writer Marc Raimondi takes an in-depth look at the Class A playoffs, which begin Tuesday with the second round.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, May 17
3:30 p.m. – No. 19 Port Richmond vs. No. 14 LaGuardia @ TBA
3:30 p.m. – No. 30 Curtis vs. No. 3 Construction @ Smokey Oval Park
3:30 p.m. – No. 26 New Dorp vs. No. 7 Environmental Studies @ TBA
3:30 p.m. – No. 24 Lehman @ No. 9 Bryant
3:30 p.m. – No. 23 George Washington vs. No. 10 InTech Academy @ Harris Park
4 p.m. – No. 32 Bronx Science @ No. 1 Tottenville
4 p.m. – No. 31 CSI/McCown @ No. 2 James Madison
4 p.m. – No. 29 Midwood @ No. 4 Francis Lewis
4 p.m. – No. 28 Lincoln vs. No. 5 Susan Wagner @ Great Kills LL
4 p.m. – No. 27 Hunter College HS @ No. 6 Clinton
4 p.m. – No. 25 Richmond Hill @ No. 8 McKee/Staten Island Tech
4 p.m. – No. 22 Fort Hamilton @ No. 11 Cardozo
4 p.m. – No. 21 Stevenson @ No. 12 Bayside
4 p.m. – No. 20 Riverdale/Kingsbridge @ No. 13 Newtown
4 p.m. – No. 18 Manhattan Center @ No. 15 Petrides
4 p.m. – No. 17 Stuyvesant @ No. 16 Bushwick
Friday, May 20
Second round @ home site of higher seed
Monday, May 23
Quarterfinals @ home site of higher seed
Wednesday, May 25
Semifinals @ neutral site
Saturday, May 28
Championship game @ St. John’s
FAVORITES
No. 1 Tottenville
This is not a secret: Tottenville is the overwhelming choice to win a seventh PSAL city title in eight years. The Pirates are the most talented team in the city and also happen to be playing with a chip on their shoulder after losing in last year’s championship game to James Madison. New Haven-bound Jen Palase is a problem at the top of the order and sluggers like Albany-bound Victoria McFarland, St. Joseph’s-bound Nicole Palase and Queens College-bound Samantha Mattsson in the middle of the lineup make pitching Tottenville very difficult. In the circle, it’s pick your poison with two of the best pitchers in the city in Nicole Palase and Cheryl Lopez and the Pirates don’t make mistakes on defense.
No. 2 James Madison
Tottenville won the only meeting between these two teams in the regular season, 7-2. But you can throw that result out the window, because Madison coach Jeff Meltzer did not start ace Kayla Hill, who tossed a gem against the Pirates in a championship game victory for the Knights last year. Having the Pace-bound windmiller, arguably the best pitcher in the city, gives Madison an advantage over just about anyone. The team’s hitting was a question mark in the beginning of the season, but it has picked up. Gina Gerone and Samantha Rodriguez can slug in the middle of the order and Hill and leadoff hitter Becky Ganley are excellent table setters. The Knights can also still field with the best teams in the city.
CONTENDERS
No. 3 Construction
It’s hard to believe a program that has only been around for four seasons is on this list, but coach Marco Migliaccio has built a budding powerhouse in Ozone Park, Queens. The Red Hawks will go into the postseason with the best freshman in the city in the circle – Britney Rodriguez – and a potent lineup featuring Alicia Gonzalez, Ashley Burke and Kailan Luciano. Construction’s lone question mark? Defense. If it can close that hole in its game, the young team can find itself as far as the PSAL city title game.
No. 4 Francis Lewis
Lewis kills teams softly; the Patriots don’t typically blow you out. But after seven innings, Priscilla Lallave will have twirled a gem, Samantha Lallave will have scored on aggressive baserunning plays and Lewis will have played air-tight defense in a 4-2 victory. That’s the ideal for coach Bryan Brown’s team. The Patriots are not going to slug, but they need to pressure the defense and not make mistakes in the field. Priscilla Lallave remains the constant – not many teams will hit her hard.
No. 5 Susan Wagner
In the revolving-door world of high-school sports, Wagner has been Ms. Consistent over the past few seasons. The Falcons are right back in the thick of things despite an inexperienced team with seven new faces. Coach Marco Altieri will likely lean on his veterans in the postseason. Junior ace Taylor Sarcone has been through all the wars, pitching her team to the semifinals the past two seasons. Senior center fielder Danielle Locke is one of the best leadoff hitters in the city and very dangerous on the bases.
SLEEPERS
No. 6 Clinton
The Governors live and die with ace Tayna Pena and she has been simply fantastic since a shaky beginning of the season. Marigold Yin and Ambar Caba provide pop in the lineup for Clinton, which owns a non-league victory over Lewis and has now won seven of the last eight Bronx titles.
No. 7 Environmental Studies
A few ugly losses didn’t end up hurting Environmental Studies in the seeding. The Eagles have a steady pitcher in Jocelyn Jimenez, who relies on what is usually an air-tight defense. Emily Malave has been an absolute revelation in her first season and Amanda McLean and Chasity Velez can both mash.
No. 10 InTech Academy
Before a disastrous stretch run, InTech could have made an argument for a top-five seed. The Panthers still have the talent on paper to do big things, led by cerebral pitcher Yariel Acevedo. The Bronx squad plays great defense and will need its bats, like Heidy Cabral and Chayne Dauo, to come alive.
No. 15 Petrides
With a win over McKee/Staten Island Tech and a fourth-place finish in Staten Island, the city’s best borough, Petrides probably should have gotten a better seed. But the Panthers, led by ace Jackie DiBello, will try to duplicate last year’s Cinderella run to the quarterfinals with a young team.
No. 20 Riverdale/Kingsbridge
If a few bounces go their way, the Tigers would have went at least 9-4 and had victories over Cardozo and InTech Academy. As it is, RKA has a victory over Bryant on its résumé and Zanovia Pierce is one of the best pitchers in the city no one talks about. Bob Finz’s club will not be an easy out in the playoffs.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Nicole Palase, Tottenville
The St. Joseph’s-bound senior’s value to her team cannot be overstated. The athletic Palase is not only one of the city’s best pitchers, she’s a slugger in the middle of the order and plays a tremendous shortstop.
Kayla Hill, James Madison
The Pace-bound Hill is capable of shutting down any lineup in the city – and there aren’t many pitchers you can say that about. She’s also an excellent No. 2 hitter with some pop in her bat.
Alicia Gonzalez, Construction
The sophomore has emerged as one of the best young players in the city. Since moving to the leadoff spot, Gonzalez has been on fire and she also plays a near-flawless second base.
Blayse Halvorsen, McKee/Staten Island Tech
Keep this name in mind in the next few years. Halvorsen has had one heck of a freshman season, leading McKee/Staten Island Tech back to its rightful place as one of Staten Island’s top teams.
Krystle Roldan, Cardozo
The sophomore’s big bat has eased some of the pain for Cardozo, which lost almost all its starters to graduation from last year’s semifinal team. With Roldan, a solid shortstop, the Judges could begin a new era of success.
