For the first time since the NYSPHSAA championship was inaugurated in 1985, Section V will send five teams to the NYS Semifinals. One squad is making its first appearance in 14 years. Another looks to avenge a defeat in last year’s championship game. Two will appear in the state semifinal for the first time in program history. One team looks to reach the NYS final after falling in last year’s semifinal. Martha Avenue Recreation Park in Bellport, New York is the setting this weekend for the NYSPHSAA Softball championships. Here’s the breakdown of each classification:
CLASS AAA
FAIRPORT RED RAIDERS (13-9 / Monroe County I)
vs.
SACHEM EAST (20-4 / Section XI AA-1)
Friday, Martha Avenue Recreation Park, 1:30 p.m.
How they arrived here: Fairport defeated reigning AA champion Rush-Henrietta 9-2 and Greece 16-2 to win the Section V AAA title. The Red Raiders then defeated Lancaster 9-6 to advance to the NYS Semifinal. Sachem East beat Sachem North (1-0), North Babylon (3-1) and Riverhead (6-0) to reach the Section XI title game. Sachem East then beat North Babylon (1-0) and Oceanside (2-0) to advance to the NYS Semifinal.
Tempo and trends: Fairport averages 8.18 runs scored per game and 4.82 runs allowed per game. Sachem East scores 5.42 runs per game and allows 2.5. The Red Raiders have won three straight after dropping the final four regular season games, while Sachem East has won six straight.
Players to watch for Fairport: Nicole Allen Sr. OF .426 AVG, 11 XBH, 15 RBI, 28 R; Juliana Catalano Sr. 2B .391 AVG, eight XBH, 22 RBI, 17 R; Isi Hurlbut Sr. OF .415 AVG, seven XBH, 13 RBI, 17 R, 12 SB; Lauryn Smith Sr. SS .375 AVG, 12 RBI, 14 R; Millie Reed Sr. 1B .360 AVG, 11 RBI, nine R; Kailey Gardner Sr. P 7-6 W-L, 3.45 ERA, 36 K.
Sachem East: Madison Fischer 8th .384 AVG, six XBH, one HR, 23 RBI, 12 R; Olivia DeRose Sr. 17-2 W-L, 1.17 ERA, 17 CG, five shutouts, 131.2 IP, 176 K, .333 AVG, one 3B, one HR, eight RBI, 12 R; Cameron Buckstein Fr. .381 AVG, 11 RBI, 11 R; Sam Madigan Jr. .362 AVG, seven XBH, two 3B, one HR, 14 RBI, 19 R; Gianna Montes Sr. .356 AVG, six XBH, one HR, seven RBI, 10 R; Xiomere Llerena So. .329 AVG, five XBH, one HR, 13 RBI, 20 R.
Coaches: Curt Johnson (Fairport), Amanda Stallone (Sachem East)
History 101: Fairport is making its first NYS Semifinal appearance since 2009. That year, the Red Raiders reached the Class AA title game, but fell to Brentwood (XI) 4-1. Sachem East is entering the NYS Semifinal for the first time in program history. The Sachem program reached the NYS title game in 1990, falling to Union-Endicott (IV) 8-6.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class AAA NYS Final against the winner of Saratoga Springs (II) and Corning-Painted Post (IV).
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JOHN NORRIS HERE.
CLASS A
PITTSFORD SUTHERLAND KNIGHTS (19-4 / Monroe County IV)
vs.
MILLER PLACE PANTHERS (17-4 / Section XI A-6)
Friday, Martha Avenue Recreation Park, 9 a.m.
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Pittsford Sutherland defeated Wayne (7-2) and Mercy (11-1) to reach the Class A Section V title game. The Knights beat Honeoye Falls-Lima 2-1 to hoist the sectional block and then downed Iroquois (4-1) to reach the Class A Semifinal. Miller Place took down Kings Park (4-3), Harborfields (13-1), Islip (2-0) and Sayville (9-1) to win the Section XI title. The Panthers then beat Seaford (7-4) to advance to the state semifinal.
Tempo and trends: Pittsford Sutherland averages 7.35 runs scored per game and 4.09 runs allowed per game. Miller Place scores 8.10 runs per game and allows 2.0. The Knights are riding an eight-game win streak, while the Panthers have won five-straight.
Players to watch for Pittsford Sutherland: Gabrielle Lyons So. .442 AVG, 18 XBH, four HR, one 3B, 26 RBI, 30 R; Alex Sippel Jr. .293 AVG, 13 RBI; Petra Hunt Fr. 136 IP, 17-3 W-L, 108 K, 1.44 ERA, .324 AVG, 11 XBH, one 3B, two HR, 14 RBI, 24 R; Mandy Myers Fr. .340 AVG, five XBH, one 3B, 11 RBI, 18 R; Cara Orlando 8th .294 AVG, six XBH, three HR, one 3B, 21 RBI, 19 R.
Miller Place: Emily Lopez Jr.; Breya Kesler Fr.; Ava Zicchinelli Jr.
Coaches: Mike Scialo (Pittsford Sutherland), Justine Scutaro (Miller Place)
History 101: Pittsford Sutherland enters the NYS Semifinal for the first time in program history. The Knights last captured the Section V title in 2022, but fell in the Far West Regional Qualifer to the eventual NYS champion, Webster Schroeder. Miller Place is looking to become the first Section XI Class A team to reach the NYS championship since Sayville in 2014.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class A NYS Final against either Ichabod Crane (II) or Marlboro (IX).
CLASS B
WELLSVILLE LIONS (21-1 / Independent)
vs.
MARCELLUS MUSTANGS (19-3 / Section III Liberty II)
Friday, Martha Avenue Recreation Park, 6 p.m.
How they arrived here: Wellsville took down Marcus Whitman (23-0), Wayland-Cohocton (18-1) and Midlakes (6-3) en route to the title game. The Lions then toppled top-seeded Haverling (4-0) to win the Section V Class B championship and went on to beat Fredonia in the Far West Regional 5-0. Marcellus defeated Canastota (10-0), Sherburne-Earlville (9-0), Cazenovia (10-2), Notre Dame (2-1) and Susquehanna Valley (5-3) to reach the NYS Semifinal.
Tempo and trends: Wellsville scores 9.23 runs per game and allows 1.05. Marcellus averages 9.05 runs scored per game and 2.82 runs allowed per game. The Lions have won 21 straight and have posted 10 shutouts, while the Mustangs are riding an eight-game win streak and have two shutouts this postseason.
Players to watch for Wellsville: Makenzie Cowburn Sr. P .446 AVG, two HR, 23 RBI, nine R, 12-1 W-L, 166 K, 0.64 ERA, 89.0 IP; Brazen Beckwith Sr. C/3B .510 AVG, 24 RBI, four XBH; Makenna Dunbar Jr. LF/P .491 AVG, 12 XBH, four HR, 22 RBI, 18 R, 1.45 ERA, 6-0 W-L, 67 K, 34.0 IP; Marissa Ordway Sr. 1B/P .477 AVG, 10 XBH, four HR, 20 RBI, 21 R; Averee Palmatier Jr. RF .396 AVG, five XBH, one HR, 12 RBI, 14 R; Natalie Adams Jr. 2B .308 AVG, five XBH, one HR, 17 RBI, 17 R; Lindsay Stuck Jr. C/3B .420 AVG, six XBH, three HR, 15 RBI, 20 R; Sawyer Burke Sr. CF .444 AVG, nine RBI, 28 R.
Marcellus: Annabella Mondello Sr. 16-2 W-L, 1.05 ERA, five shutouts, one no-hitter, 113 IP, 198 K, .507 AVG, 19 XBH, five HR, four 3B, 38 RBI, 33 R; Jillian O’Connor Sr. .373 AVG, six XBH, one HR, 19 RBI, 22 R; Millie Novitsky So. .350 AVG, nine XBH, one 3B, 19 RBI, 32 R; Hannah Fagan Sr. .315 AVG, eight RBI, 12 R; Chloe Kuttruff Jr. .299 AVG, seven XBH, 16 RBI, 18 R; Janzen Long Jr. .292 AVG, seven RBI, 11 R.
Coaches: Shelley Chaffee, Jaime McLaughlin (Wellsville)
History 101: Wellsville is making a second-straight appearance in the NYS Semifinal and is looking to reach the state final for the first time in program history. Last year, the Lions fell to Marlboro (IX) by a 3-2 score. Marcellus is making its first state semifinal appearance in program history. The Mustangs downed Susquehanna Valley (IV) in regionals to reach the Class B Semifinal.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class B Final against the winner of Albertus Magnus (I) and Schuylerville (II).
CLASS C
BLOOMFIELD BOMBERS (19-2 / Independent)
vs.
PINE PLAINS BOMBERS (11-6 / Mid Hudson Athletic)
Friday, Martha Avenue Recreation Park, 7:30 p.m.
How they arrived here: Bloomfield defeated Campbell-Savona (13-0) in the quarterfinals and knocked off Oakfield-Alabama in the semifinals to punch a ticket to the championship. The Bombers then beat Letchworth 5-0 to win their first sectional title in program history and defeated Dundee/Bradford 3-0 in the Far West Regional qualifier. Bloomfield then took down Westfield 2-0 to reach the NYS Semifinal. Pine Plains beat Tri-Valley (15-2) and Tuckahoe (1-0) to appear in the Class B Semifinal.
Tempo and trends: Bloomfield scores 7.33 runs per game while allowing 0.86. Pine Plains averages 9.47 runs scored per game and 7.18 runs allowed per game. Bloomfield has won 13 of its last 14, while Pine Plains has won two straight.
Players to watch for Bloomfield: Ashlyn Wright Jr. P/UTIL 137 IP, 0.56 ERA, 279 K, .113 BAA, .467 AVG, 17 R, 24 RBI, two HR, 12 XBH, 0.00 ERA during the postseason; Calla McCombs So. C .597 AVG, .640 OBP, .970 SLG 39 R, 36 RBI, two HR, 14 XBH, 13 SB, thrown 100 percent of stolen-base attempts during the postseason and is hitting .800 since the regular season; Syd Falsone 8th OF .351 AVG, 29 R, nine RBI, three XBH, nine SB; Brianna Leitten Jr. OF/3B .464 AVG, 19 R, 29 RBI, six XBH; Cece Falsone Jr. 1B .273 AVG, 16 R, 12 RBI; Add Falsone 8th C/2B .358 AVG, 14 R, seven RBI, .400 AVG. in the postseason with a 1.000 fielding percentage.
Pine Plains: Talia Durant 8th P; Abby Mayes; Eliza Baden; Brooke Sikula; Emily Rusin.
Coaches: Mark Jacobs (Bloomfield), Lester Funk (Pine Plains)
History 101: Bloomfield is looking to continue a program-best season and reach the NYS Final for the first time in program history. Pine Plains is appearing in the NYS Semifinal for the first time since 2019. Pine Plains appeared in the state final in back-to-back years in 2017 and 2018 but fell short both times.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class C Final against the winner of Berne-Knox-Westerlo (II) and Union Springs (IV).
CLASS D
FRIENDSHIP-SCIO GOLDEN EAGLES (17-3 / Allegany County)
vs.
DEPOSIT-HANCOCK EAGLES (20-2 / Section IV MAC)
Friday, Martha Avenue Recreation Park, Noon
How they arrived here: Friendship/Scio defeated Lima Christian (8-1), Fillmore (10-0) and Batavia Notre Dame (2-0) on its way to a second straight sectional title appearance. The Golden Eagles then beat Keshequa to capture the Class D Section V title and Ellicottville to reach the NYS Class D Semifinal. Deposit-Hancock took down Cherry Valley-Springfield (11-0), Windham-Ashland-Jewett (16-1), Richfield Springs (7-0) and Chapel Field Christian (5-0) to reach the state semifinal.
Tempo and trends: Friendship-Scio scores 6.65 runs per game while allowing 0.77. Deposit-Hancock averages 9.77 runs scored per game and one run allowed per game. The Golden Eagles are riding a nine-game win streak and have posted shutouts in 11 of their 17 wins. Deposit-Hancock also has 11 shutouts this season.
Players to watch for Friendship-Scio: Neveah Ross Sr. P .500 AVG, 22 XBH, eight 3B, four HR, 16 RBI, 33 R, 23 SB, 0.14 ERA, 339 K, 10 shutouts, two perfect games; Morghyn Ross So. C .500 AVG, 13 XBH, two 3B, one HR, 32 RBI, 24 R; Nora Thompson Sr. IF; Avery Lamberson So. IF.
Deposit-Hancock: Addison Makowski Jr. 11-2 W-L, 0.57 ERA, 85.1 IP, 179 K, .431 AVG, 12 XBH, four 3B, four HR, 19 RBI, 17 R; Sarah Gross Jr. .486 AVG, 12 XBH, three 3B, one HR, 22 RBI, 31 R; Olivia Johnston Fr. .449 AVG, 11 XBH, two 3B, two HR, 22 RBI, 30 R; Abby Russell Sr. .421 AVG, one HR, 21 RBI, 20 R; Haley Begeal Fr. .379 AVG, three 2B, 22 RBI; Aubrey Smith So. 9-0 W-L, 1.28 ERA, 54.2 IP, 77 K.
Coaches: Deb Warner (Friendship-Scio), Dan Briggs (Deposit-Hancock)
History 101: For the third year in a row, Friendship-Scio and Deposit-Hancock match up in the postseason, this time in the NYS Class D Semifinal. Last year, the two teams met in the NYS Class D Championship game, with Deposit-Hancock coming out on top 5-3 in the 13th inning. The year before, the Eagles came out victorious again. The Golden Eagles are making their third state semifinal appearance since the two programs combined and are looking to avenge those two prior defeats. Deposit-Hancock enters the state semifinal as the two-time defending state champions. Before the two programs merged, Deposit captured the Class D state title in four of five years spanning from 2015 to 2019.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class D Final against either Salem (II) or Chateaugay (X).
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