Softball Opening week: Top storylines for the first few days of the season

Carlee Paez (23) of Mount St. Dominic steals second under the tag of Gabby Gonzalez (20) of St. John Vianney during the NJSIAA Non-Public A softball championship game between St. John Vianney and Mount St. Dominic at Kean University in Union, NJ on 6/9/23. St. John Vianney won 2-0.
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It’s time to kick off the 2024 NJSIAA softball season. .... weather permitting.

Opening Day is Monday and there will be several storylines to look at over the first week of the season.

Below we take a look at few that could play out over the first couple days as we prepare for the marathon that is the softball season.

Who’ll stop the rain?

There is always plenty of buzz around Opening Day and many teams in the state kicking off the season. But the one thing about spring sports is weather can get in the way and that could be the case this week.

There is rain in the forecast for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and that could cause a slew of cancellations. And even if the weather clears on Thursday if there is three days of rain it could be until Friday for the fields to dry out.

Hope the forecast isn’t as dire as it looks so teams can get their season under way.

Catholic Challenge

One of the biggest early-season showcases, Donovan Catholic will host a four-game, eight-team showcase on Saturday. Six of the seven New Jersey teams involved are ranked - and Red Bank Catholic is a dangerous team just outside the rankings - while Moore Catholic (NY) also comes in to participate.

  • Moore Catholic (NY) vs. No. 7 Donovan Catholic, 11
  • No. 11 Morris Catholic vs. No. 2 St. John Vianney, 1
  • No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas vs. No. 4 Mount St. Dominic, 3
  • No. 13 Immaculate Heart vs. Red Bank Catholic, 5

Clayton’s new era

Clayton won two straight Group 1 state titles in 2021 and 2022 and reached the state finals in 2023. All of the players who saw significant time during the back-to-back state championship game runs are gone, so this marks a new era for the Clippers.

The state-championship winning coach, Joe Moore, also retired, and former Kingsway coach Dave Dominik has taken over the reins. Dominik won a sectional title with the Dragons.

Clayton returns four starters from last year’s state finalist so it isn’t devoid of veterans or talent but it’s certainly going to be a new era with so much turnover.

The Clippers begin their 2024 season with a home game against Pennsville Tuesday.

Top teams descending on Hillsborough

Hillsborough’s Singley Park, a four-field complex in the Somerset County town, will be the site of the second annual benefit for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Organized by Immaculata coach Gary Bury, the event grew from nine teams raising $8,100 last year to 23 teams this year with a hope of raising upward of $20,000. Bury said next year he’d like to expand the event to 36 teams.

Some of the state’s best will also be in action at Singley Park, which will host 16 games, while the other six games will be held at Pingry. The games at Singley will be at 9 a.m., 11, 1:30 p.m. and 3:30, with four games in each slot.

At 11 a.m., the games are:

  • No. 12 Steinert vs. Watchung Hills
  • No. 16 Robbinsville vs. Metuchen
  • No. 15 Livingston vs. North Hunterdon
  • No. 19 Columbia vs. Pope John

The marquee 3:30 games are:

  • No. 12 Steinert vs. North Hunterdon
  • No. 15 Livingston vs. Immaculata
  • No. 16 Robbinsville vs Pope John
  • No. 19 Columbia vs. Watchung Hills

Milestone coaching week could be on the horizon

All over the state, coaches could be in for banner weeks and hit major milestones, assuming weather cooperates and every team plays their regularly scheduled games.

In Bayonne, coach Samantha Maggio enters Opening Day with a 97-56 record and the Bees play five games this week, most of which they’re favored in. A good week should push Maggio officially past the 100 career win mark in her eighth season leading her alma mater.

Staying in North Jersey, Cedar Grove coach Nikki Velardi, who guides the No. 3 team in the state, needs four wins this week for 150 in her career, but the Panthers will have their work cut out for them. A home game on Wednesday against No. 4 Mount St. Dominic is always tough and then they travel to West Essex on Friday and Cranford on Saturday, so four wins for Velardi, who is 146-60, isn’t a given.

Here are some other coaches who could hit milestones during opening week.

  • 200 wins: Tony Flego, Red Bank Catholic, 198-117 (three games this week)
  • 250 wins: Sue Benjamin, Fair Lawn, 247-160 (four games this week)
  • 350 wins: Karyn Hennessy, Pompton Lakes, 346-143 (four games this week)

Re-configured Vinick Tournament will be contested on Saturday

The long-standing Ron Vinick Tournament at Millville will be held on Saturday in a different format than the past few years.

The host Thunderbolts - under new coach Stephanie Labas - will host a four-team tournament this year instead of the typical six-team format it has used the last several years after a few teams dropped in the past few weeks.

Highland was recently added to give Millville four teams and the Tartans will play the host Thunderbolts. The other semifinal should be a thriller as No. 9 St. Joseph (Hamm.) takes on up-and-coming Ocean City - a sectional semifinalist a year ago.

The semifinals are scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. with the finals at noon.

Transfers could make an immediate impact

As with every season, 2024 sees some key contributors transfer from one program to another and some, like South Hunterdon’s Danella Silagy who transferred from Hillsborough, have to sit out and miss some time.

But there are two big time North Jersey transfers who will be able to come in and play right away for their teams.

Mount St. Dominic brought in former Gill St. Bernards sophomore first baseman Jillian Cianfrocca, who will be eligible right away according to Mount coach Rob Stern. Cianfrocca gives the Lions a major boost on an offense that lost one of its top RBI producers from last year. Cianfrocca hit .500 with 37 hits, 18 RBI, four homers and 11 stolen bases, so she can do a bit of everything for the state’s No. 4 team.

Also in North Jersey, Becton brought in Nina Buda, who transferred from Bergen Tech and hit .388 for the Knights last year. Joining sister Francesca in the Wildcats lineup, Nina also notched 33 hits, drove in 25 runs and drew 10 walks, giving coach Joe Coffaro another weapon as the team looks to take a step up from last year.

Jake Aferiat can be reached at jaferiat@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @Jake_Aferiat.

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him at @bybillevans.

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