“Not many people expected us to be here now.”
The Citizen file photo
Cato-Meridian's Amy Thomas is thrown out as Southern Cayuga first baseman Lindsey Doeing stretches for the throw in a game this season. The Blue Devils and Chiefs will have home playoff games this week.
Cato-Meridian's Amy Thomas is thrown out as Southern Cayuga first baseman Lindsey Doeing stretches for the throw in a game this season. The Blue Devils and Chiefs will have home playoff games this week.
It might be a simple observation by Auburn assistant baseball coach Tom Napoli on the surprising, first-place Maroons this season, but it's one that many local baseball and softball teams can make.
Several squads have risen above expectations to earn winning records, sectional spots and for two teams - state rankings.
Before the season began, Southern Cayuga softball coach Dave Hewitt had a general idea on a successful recipe for his team's success.
“With strong pitching, we should be competitive throughout the season,” he said.
The 2007 Chiefs made a strong run, but graduated a talented infield. With an inexperienced team to start the year, there was some doubt over whether or not Southern Cayuga could even put together a winning season.
Seventeen wins later and, at regular season's end, the highest state ranking in the school's history (15), the Chiefs have bulldozed through opponents to earn a No. 3 seed in the Section IV, Class C playoffs. On June 3, Southern Cayuga will host the winner of No. 6 Groton and 11th-seeded Spencer-Van Etten.
Also in the Class C playoff picture is Union Springs, who has been consistently good all season. The Wolves, who earned an eight seed, have stood tough behind the arm of Jillian Thomas to finish with a 12-8 record. They will host No. 9 Harpursville Friday.
In Section III, Cato-Meridian has earned its second playoff appearance in a row. The Blue Devils have won nine games during the regular season for the first time in nearly 20 years. Under the guidance of first year head coach Matt Tehonica and behind sister standouts, Ashley and Amy Thomas, Cato-Meridian has shown that it could venture far in the Class C-1 playoffs. They host No. 10 Tully Tuesday.
“It feels fantastic to be going again, it's great for the program,” Tehonica said. “Its open sectionals for softball, but I set the criteria for if we went or not. I feel they should earn it to get there, it gives them something to work for. The girls that I have from last year have matured this season and know more about the game and how to play it. They are playing fundamentally more sound.”
Port Byron, who finished with one win last year, will also be playing in sectionals for the first time in a couple years. The Panthers have tallied five wins this season, but could have easily had several more. With a ninth seed, they will head to play No. 8 Cooperstown Thursday.
“I feel like we could have had a better season, we had the talent,” Panthers coach Brianna Jeffords said. “We planned on being an underdog and we kind of were. We did surprise a lot of people.”
In Class B-1, Skaneateles and Jordan-Elbridge will both look to make a splash. Last season, the Lakers took a handful of wins and a low seed into the playoffs and turned into a one-team wrecking crew, upsetting three teams in a row until losing to Solvay, 1-0, in the semifinals. With a No. 10 seed, the Lakers look to start gaining momentum in Marcellus Tuesday.
Without the arm of Colleen Ryan, who graduated last June, the Eagles have turned what could have been a tough season into one that may have also surprised some. Jordan-Elbridge's young team has earned an eight seed and will host No. 9 Holland Patent Tuesday.
In Class AA, Auburn may not have surprised anyone this year. The Maroons have exploded with some giant wins this season as the team is loaded with experience and talent. With a .500 league record and a better-than-average overall record, the Maroons have earned a No. 6 spot and will host Nottingham at Clifford Field Thursday.
While high school baseball seedings coming out later today, the writing is already on the wall for some.
State-ranked for most of the final month of the season, Auburn will host its first playoff game in quite some time. They earned a top seed in the Class AA playoff picture with a huge win over Fayetteville-Manlius last week. A league winner for the first time in 17 years, the Maroons ended their regular season in spectacular fashion, but head coach TJ Gamba insists that the team has yet to peak.
Auburn will receive a first-round bye and will likely host a low-seeded squad Thursday.
Another local division winner has seen low points this season, but has consistently refused to give up. Moravia graduated powers Jake Wood, Dustin LeFave and Greg Langtry in '07 and has fielded one of the youngest teams in Section IV, Class C, but earned a division title with its bats and young arms.
Two Section III squads in Port Byron and Weedsport have not fielded a playoff team in a handful of years but will also make up part of the Class C postseason picture. Both with just four wins last season, the Panthers and Warriors will likely travel for the first round of sectionals, but getting to the playoffs in itself is a victory.
Weedsport has spent all season on the road due to construction on its own field, but has propelled an incredible first game of the season - a no-hitter tossed by Josh Fatcheric - into a playoff appearance for the first time in four seasons under second-year head coach Nick Wilson.
Third-year Panthers coach Felix Mucedola has also led his team to their first playoff appearance in his tenure.
“This is just the culmination of our hard work in the offseason,” he said. “I'm exciting about us making it here, we've become much more competitive this season.”
Mucedola isn't concerned about taking his Panthers on the road for their big game.
“We'll probably be playing a high seed,” Mucedola said. “But I don't care if we're playing the Yankees - we're just happy to be going.”
Several squads have risen above expectations to earn winning records, sectional spots and for two teams - state rankings.
Before the season began, Southern Cayuga softball coach Dave Hewitt had a general idea on a successful recipe for his team's success.
“With strong pitching, we should be competitive throughout the season,” he said.
The 2007 Chiefs made a strong run, but graduated a talented infield. With an inexperienced team to start the year, there was some doubt over whether or not Southern Cayuga could even put together a winning season.
Seventeen wins later and, at regular season's end, the highest state ranking in the school's history (15), the Chiefs have bulldozed through opponents to earn a No. 3 seed in the Section IV, Class C playoffs. On June 3, Southern Cayuga will host the winner of No. 6 Groton and 11th-seeded Spencer-Van Etten.
Also in the Class C playoff picture is Union Springs, who has been consistently good all season. The Wolves, who earned an eight seed, have stood tough behind the arm of Jillian Thomas to finish with a 12-8 record. They will host No. 9 Harpursville Friday.
In Section III, Cato-Meridian has earned its second playoff appearance in a row. The Blue Devils have won nine games during the regular season for the first time in nearly 20 years. Under the guidance of first year head coach Matt Tehonica and behind sister standouts, Ashley and Amy Thomas, Cato-Meridian has shown that it could venture far in the Class C-1 playoffs. They host No. 10 Tully Tuesday.
“It feels fantastic to be going again, it's great for the program,” Tehonica said. “Its open sectionals for softball, but I set the criteria for if we went or not. I feel they should earn it to get there, it gives them something to work for. The girls that I have from last year have matured this season and know more about the game and how to play it. They are playing fundamentally more sound.”
Port Byron, who finished with one win last year, will also be playing in sectionals for the first time in a couple years. The Panthers have tallied five wins this season, but could have easily had several more. With a ninth seed, they will head to play No. 8 Cooperstown Thursday.
“I feel like we could have had a better season, we had the talent,” Panthers coach Brianna Jeffords said. “We planned on being an underdog and we kind of were. We did surprise a lot of people.”
In Class B-1, Skaneateles and Jordan-Elbridge will both look to make a splash. Last season, the Lakers took a handful of wins and a low seed into the playoffs and turned into a one-team wrecking crew, upsetting three teams in a row until losing to Solvay, 1-0, in the semifinals. With a No. 10 seed, the Lakers look to start gaining momentum in Marcellus Tuesday.
Without the arm of Colleen Ryan, who graduated last June, the Eagles have turned what could have been a tough season into one that may have also surprised some. Jordan-Elbridge's young team has earned an eight seed and will host No. 9 Holland Patent Tuesday.
In Class AA, Auburn may not have surprised anyone this year. The Maroons have exploded with some giant wins this season as the team is loaded with experience and talent. With a .500 league record and a better-than-average overall record, the Maroons have earned a No. 6 spot and will host Nottingham at Clifford Field Thursday.
While high school baseball seedings coming out later today, the writing is already on the wall for some.
State-ranked for most of the final month of the season, Auburn will host its first playoff game in quite some time. They earned a top seed in the Class AA playoff picture with a huge win over Fayetteville-Manlius last week. A league winner for the first time in 17 years, the Maroons ended their regular season in spectacular fashion, but head coach TJ Gamba insists that the team has yet to peak.
Auburn will receive a first-round bye and will likely host a low-seeded squad Thursday.
Another local division winner has seen low points this season, but has consistently refused to give up. Moravia graduated powers Jake Wood, Dustin LeFave and Greg Langtry in '07 and has fielded one of the youngest teams in Section IV, Class C, but earned a division title with its bats and young arms.
Two Section III squads in Port Byron and Weedsport have not fielded a playoff team in a handful of years but will also make up part of the Class C postseason picture. Both with just four wins last season, the Panthers and Warriors will likely travel for the first round of sectionals, but getting to the playoffs in itself is a victory.
Weedsport has spent all season on the road due to construction on its own field, but has propelled an incredible first game of the season - a no-hitter tossed by Josh Fatcheric - into a playoff appearance for the first time in four seasons under second-year head coach Nick Wilson.
Third-year Panthers coach Felix Mucedola has also led his team to their first playoff appearance in his tenure.
“This is just the culmination of our hard work in the offseason,” he said. “I'm exciting about us making it here, we've become much more competitive this season.”
Mucedola isn't concerned about taking his Panthers on the road for their big game.
“We'll probably be playing a high seed,” Mucedola said. “But I don't care if we're playing the Yankees - we're just happy to be going.”
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