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Sports

Harrison Softball Preview

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 The Top Spot:

Harrison's powerhouse softball program has built a name for itself in Section I, but a section title has eluded the Huskies throughout their recent run of success.

Coach Dean Marino hopes to change all that this year and, coming off an impressive 18-4 season, the Huskies are poised to make a run at a championship.

Find out what's happening in Harrisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patch recently caught up with Marino to discuss this year’s team.

Harrison Patch: What were some of the weaknesses your team had last year that you hope to improve upon this season?

Find out what's happening in Harrisonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Coach Dean Marino: I really did not think we had a weakness last year, just some inexperience at third base.

Harrison Patch: Who are some of your returning players coming back who you see being big contributors?

Coach Marino: First base Alijah Webb, second base Ally Brabant, catcher Amanda Evangelista, centerfielder and right field Alyx Scapperotti. All five girls made at least all-league and four made at least honorable mention or all-section… The returning starters are some of the best hitters I have ever had here, defensively we have to replace , who was there for 5 years, with Dominique Loguidice a freshman who we have very high hopes for; a power-hitting shortstop.

Harrison Patch: Who are some of your new players you are expecting to thrust into a larger role on the team?

Coach Marino: We are taking three pitchers to Florida and we will know when we get back which one is ready to pitch for us, as we are playing a tough schedule down there. They are sophomore Jenna Vaccaro, freshman Taylor Day and eighth grader Cristina DeCarlo.

Harrison Patch: How has the team been preparing in the off-season?

Coach Marino: Most of the girls play fall ball and we have been going during the week with our hitting and pitchers and catchers.

Harrison Patch: What are your goals for the season as a team?

Coach Marino: Our goals are always the same; we want to win the Section I championship. The day that changes I will not be the coach.

Harrison Patch: Are there one or two games circled on the schedule this season?

Coach Marino: Three games are circled: Pearl River, Tappan Zee and Eastchester.

Harrison Patch: What are you personally looking forward to this season?

Coach Marino: I am looking for what I always look for, to get better as the year goes on and be playing our best in late May. Our pitcher will be young and have no varsity experience no matter which one it is, we will most likely have to out-hit some teams.

College Sports Notebook:

Cousins Makes Pick Sooner Rather then Later

Section 1’s Mr. Basketball, Isaiah Cousins of Mount Vernon made his decision and next year he will be joining Lon Kruger and the Oklahoma Sooners.

Cousins was also looking at big name programs like Connecticut, Xavier and Virginia Tech as well as smaller schools like Rhode Island and Dayton.

The Mount Vernon shooting guard is the fifth incoming freshman to sign on to play for Oklahoma next year.

Mortarboard musings

  • The Pace University baseball team has changed its lineup, as Wednesday’s game at New Haven was rescheduled for today at 3:30 p.m., which then forced postponement of a scheduled game against Dominican College. Chris Roemer of Ardsley leads the Setters in hitting with a .390 batting average, while Charlie Galasso of West Harrison is batting .304. Pitcher Eddie Byrne of Yonkers, a Stepinac graduate, is 2-1 on the hill. The Chargers, based in Orangeburg, visit Concordia College in Bronxville today at 3 p.m., visit Felician (NJ) College on Friday at 7 p.m., and then play at Queens on Saturday at noon. Junior Andrew Camardella of Pelham leads Dominican in hitting with a .356 batting average, and his 14 RBI ties him for the team lead. Peter Martinez of White Plains is second in batting average at .300.

Weekly Sports Poll:

With March in its final week, this week’s sports poll deals with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four in New Orleans.

Kentucky and Louisville will play the early game on Saturday night, followed by Ohio State and Kansas. Now the only question left in the NCAA Basketball season, is

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