#Robbinsville #reclaim #CVC #Valley #Allentown #-
In terms of the title race, the Valley Division of the Colonial Valley Conference looks a lot like last year.
The Robbinsville softball team will go into the season as the favorite, but defending champion Allentown figures to be very much in the picture.
As for the rest of the Valley Division, there have been some major changes.
For one, long-time coach Dan Bernoski is no longer in charge at Ewing and has been replaced by former Rancocas Valley player Katie Schuh.
The other is the Nottingham and Hamilton programs have been combined into one team and will be coached by former Steinert standout Gaby Bennett.
It’s kind of sad when you consider Nottingham and Hamilton were for years two of the premier teams in the county and won state championships, but the merger should make for a much more competitive team for two programs that had fallen on hard times.
ALLENTOWN
Coach: Richard Dawson.
Last year: (14-6), CVC Valley Division champion, No. 11 ranking in the area.
Roster: Sofia Belardino (Jr., 3B/OF); Sara Butera (Sr., 1B/OF); Sophia Centanni (So., C); Larissa Cooper (Sr., 1B/ C); Ashley Elefante (Sr., OF); Kayla Foy (So., C/IF);Nicole Infante (Jr., OF); Maddy Kish (So., OF); Braylie LaFiska (So., P); Taylor Lalla (So., C/IF); Stella Logan (Jr.); OF/ IF); Kelsey Loughlin (Fr., P); Tatum Menzies (So., P); Kyleigh Mihalik (Jr., IF); Angina Minerva (Fr., OF); Holly Muni (Jr., C); Kayla Ordonez (Sr., IF); Kailyn Prekop (Fr., IF); Marci Samayoa (Jr., P).
Strengths: An all-league selection last year, Logan is one of the top players in the area and hit .403 last year. Many of these players saw significant playing and should benefit from a year of experience. A real plus has been the addition of some promising talents. LaFiska and Loughlin are among the new pitchers, and Minerva is left-handed slapper who will add speed to the lineup.
Outlook: This team should certainly continue its winning ways and has a shot at a division title.
EWING
Coach: Katie Schuh.
Last year: (10-14).
Roster: Ameerah Brown-McMullen (Jr., OF); Morgan Dwyer (Fr., P/OF); C, 3B Emily Gamboa Ordini (So., 3B/C); Giuliana Gustino (Fr., 3B); Vienna Latini (Sr., OF); Abigail Mahan (Fr., P/1B/OF); Sydney Mahan (Fr., P/C/SS);OF, 1B Kimberly Nguyen (Fr., 1B/OF); Natalie Santiago Rivera (Sr., C/1B/OF); Abigail Singer (So., P/1B); Julia Smith (Sr., P/2B); Valeria Velez (Jr., IF/OF); Courtney Wentzel (Jr., C/P/3B); Amonnie Wertz Panniel (So., C/SS); Taylor Williams (Fr., OF/1B).
Strengths: The Blue Devils have returned a solid nucleus. Gamboni Ordina collected 41 hits last year and slammed three home runs while batting .621. A competent pitcher along with Singer, Smith (.437) drove in 29 runs and scored 25 runs. McMullen, Santiago Rivera, Singer and Velez all batted at least .300. Wertz Panniel hit .415 and drove in 24 runs. The team has four impact freshmen in Dwyer, Abigail and Syndey Mahan, and Williams. Dwyer and Mahan also pitch, giving Ewing a lot of depth in the circle.
Outlook: The Blue Devils have the talent to finish over .500 and perhaps cause an upset or two.
HAMILTON-NOTTINGHAM
Coach: Gaby Bennett.
Roster: Ava Frascella (Fr., 3B/U); Arianna Acevedo (Sr., IF/OF); Melodie Arzayus Rigelon (Jr., 2B/OF); Yeimmyli Toucet (Sr., 2B/OF); Savannah Chadee (Jr. OF); Rachel Diaz (Jr., 3B/OF); Allyson Fonolloso (Jr., P/IF); Nicola Santoro (Jr., 3B/OF); Kara Weaver (Jr., C/OF); Naomi Blackburn (So., P/U); Summer Howard (So., 2B/OF); Aliana Valdez Williams (So., 2B/OF); Cristal Marte (Jr., 1B/3B); Jaimeson Thornton (Fr., P/2B/OF); Ava Umansky (Fr., 1B/OF); Olivia Williams (Fr., C/1B/3B).
Strengths: A junior pitcher, Fonollosa gives the team a good starting point because she has already shown she can be effective on the varsity level. The speedy Acevedo hit .480 and scored 24 runs. Weaver batted .444 and there are some promising underclassmen.
Outlook: This team has the potential to possibly go .500 or better.
HOPEWELL VALLEY
Coach: Gary Nucera
Last year: (11-9); No. 25 ranking in the area.
Roster: Christina Zelin (Sr., OF/1B/DH); Izabella Cornish-DiDonato (Jr., C); Lydia Hemmer (Jr., OF); Shelby Rossi (Jr., 2B); Jenna Powers (Jr., P/1B); Amber Becker (Jr., OF); Charlotte Barnes (So., OF); Ava Angelini (So., OF); Emma Lissaris (So., C/SS/2B); Jasmine Johann (Fr., SS/C); Eva Giambanco (Fr., OF); Lindsay Giambanco (Fr., OF); Elizabeth Zelin (Fr., P/OF/1B); Maya Brown (Fr., SS/2B/OF); Aniyha Merola (Fr., 2B); Grace Corveleyn (Fr., 3B/OF); Louisa Saindon (Fr., P/1B); Emary Harding (Fr., 3B/C); Mazaiah Gundy (Fr., OF).
Strengths: Cornish-DiDonato batted .356 with a team-high 23 RBIs and is a superior defensive catcher who makes it difficult to run on the Valley Girls. Powers hit .361 a year ago. In addition to some returning team leaders, Hopewell has a large freshman class with a lot of versatile players who can play multiple positions.
Outlook: If Hopewell Valley’s pitching holds up it can again have a winning season.
LAWRENCE
Coach: Dana Williams.
Last year: (11-12), No. 27 ranking in the area.
Roster: Emily Chu (Sr., P/3B); Sienna Cruz (Sr., 3B/OF); Abbie Duncan (Sr.,1B); Emma Quattrochi (Sr., SS); Annie Cino (Jr., 3B/OF); Camille Jones (Jr., C/OF); Katie Mulry (Jr., OF); Alex Murphy (Jr., 2B/OF); Paige Van Hise (Jr., P./OF); Emma Dobkin (So., P/3B); Erin Erdie (So., OF); Peyton Valentino (So., C); Hope Lestician (Fr., P/SS); Grace Tyliczka (Fr., 2B/OF).
Strengths: Dobkin (68 Ks in 44 innings) and Chu (48 Ks in 51 innings, provide solid returning pitching. The team lost some big sticks, but has some proven batters with Chu (.333), Dobkin (.289), Dunkin (.333) and Quattrochi (.276).
Outlook: The Cards played a pretty tough schedule last year and suffered some tough losses. If they can turn a few of those games around, it will add up to a successful winning season.
ROBBINSVILLE
Coach: Christine Levering.
Last year: (15-8), No. 12 ranking in the area.
Roster: Katie Fowler (Sr., 2B); Haley Krebs (Jr., SS); Katie Ziliani (Jr., P/1B); Caroline Walls (Jr., OF); Sorella Gallucci (Jr., 3B); Reagan Robinson (Jr., 1B/C); Hailey Harrison (Jr. 2B); Maddy Manning (Jr. OF); Ariana Tomlinson (So., OF); Abby Veisz (So., C/3B); Tuleen Ali (So., C); Katie Murphy (Fr., OF); Ava Alderelli (Fr., SS); Jordan Grodsky (Fr., 1B); Lexi Lopez (Fr., P).
Strengths: Led by Krebs, who is also a quality shortstop, the Ravens have a lot of speedy left-handed batters at the top of the order. Krebs hit .406 while collecting 26 hits and scoring 29 runs last year. Walls (.434) and Gallucci can also hit. The pitching should be reliable with Zilliani (42 innings) and a promising freshman in Lopez. The defense will also be well above average.
Outlook: Following over a decade of unprecedented success, the Ravens finally flattened out a bit last year. While this team will be hard pressed to equal some of the powerhouse Robbinsville teams of old, it still has plenty of quality players who are capable of winning big games, a division title and challenging for tournament titles.
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