https://www.newstimes.com/highschool/article/SWC-SOFTBALL-PREVIEW-Familiar-face-takes-the-12785810.php
SWC SOFTBALL PREVIEW: Familiar face takes the helm in Newtown
Published 5:28 pm, Tuesday, March 27, 2018
The one-time student is now the new teacher for the Newtown High School softball team.
Joanna Closs, a 2008 Newtown High graduate known as Joanna Barry during her playing days for the Nighthawks, has taken over the team’s head coaching duties and hopes to pick up where her former coach, longtime skipper Bob Guerrera, left off.
“This is what I’ve always wanted to do,” Closs said. “I’ve always wanted to be a head coach. It’s awesome because, with the caliber of players I have, all of them have such good attitudes, and they’re excited to be there. So being able to design practices with all these different drills, and really being able to do things my way, has been working out so great.”
Closs, who teaches Math at Newtown High, served as a coach on Guerrera’s staff the last three seasons, two seasons as the freshman coach and one as a varsity assistant. Closs learned a lot from Guerrera when she was a player, and perhaps even more when she coached alongside him.
“I absolutely loved playing for him,” Closs said. “He had a great way of motivating me, and I had such a positive experience with him as my coach. It was awesome being able to come back into a familiar situation and sit with a familiar face on the bench, a guy I already knew and I already trusted.”
The Nighthawks hope to contend in both the SWC and in the state Class LL. Here’s a look at how the SWC is shaping up this spring:
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
SAMANTHA SCHIEBE, Masuk, junior, pitcher: Batted .440 and pitched to a 1.36 earned-run average last year, and tossed a complete-game victory in the SWC final to help lead Masuk to its first SWC title since 2013.
KAITLYN FLOOD, Pomperaug, junior, catcher: Batted .517 with 53 runs batted in to help lead the Panthers to their second straight SWC championship game appearance last year and the Class L state semifinals.
LUCY GRANT, Notre Dame-Fairfield, senior, shortstop: A CHSCA All-State selection in Class S last year, she batted .571 with seven home runs and 50 runs batted in.
SARA KENNEDY, Newtown, senior, pitcher: She was an All-State selection as a sophomore two years ago when she helped lead the Nighthawks to their second straight SWC crown, but she missed last season with an injury.
CLAIRE McCANN, Barlow, sophomore, infielder/pitcher: She came up big at the plate last year, batting .337 with four homers and 32 runs batted in; as well as in the circle, pitching to a 9-4 record with a 2.31 erarned-run average and 112 strikeouts.
FIVE TEAMS TO WATCH
MASUK: The reigning SWC champs graduated only one player from last year. They return a bevy of sluggers and two experienced pitchers — all the key ingredients for building a powerhouse. Senior Alexa Bacoulis (.424 BA, .505 OBP, 4 HR, 37 RBI) will move from second base to shortstop to take over for Jenna Hall, last year’s aforementioned lone graduate. Senior catcher Erica Pullen (.473 BA, .529 OBP) will be back behind the plate for junior pitcher Samantha Schiebe (.440 BA, .458 OBP, 36 RBI; 1.36 ERA) and sophomore pitcher Madison Procyk (.483 BA, .545 OBP, 5 HR, 32 RBI; 1.26 ERA). Also keep an eye on junior outfielder Megan McFarland (.419 BA, .433 OBP). “We plan to be contenders again in our conference, and we’re looking to be competitive in the state tournament,” coach Leigh Barone said. And speaking of the state tournament, the Panthers won their last state title in 2013. They lost in the Class L quarterfinals last year after falling in the Class L final in 2016.
POMPERAUG: The Panthers have the dubious distinction of having claimed runner-up honors the last two seasons in the SWC, as well as a Class L state semifinalist last year. Pomperaug once again expects to be a serious contender for the conference and state titles — it won its only conference crown in 1994 in the old Western Connecticut Conference, and its only state championship in 1975 in Class S. Key players include seniors Samantha Wisnefsky (.386 BA, 19 RBI), Hailey Latta and Caley Ruggiero (.368 BA, 39 RBI), junior Kaitlyn Flood (.517 BA, 53 RBI), and sophomores Rachael Ushka (.370 BA, 20 RBI) and Christiana Stiber (.476 BA, 17 RBI, 36 runs). Among the Panthers’ graduation losses was right-handed pitcher Ashley Antonazzo, a two-time All-State selection who is already seeing action at Central Connecticut State. Hailey Latta and Ruggiero will shoulder much of the pitching load this year for the Panthers. “Our offense has the potential to be explosive and has the versatility to play both the long and short game,” Pomperaug coach Paul Masotto said. “The team also possess excellent speed to run the bases and keep pressure on the opposing team’s defense.”
BARLOW: The Falcons graduated two of the best players in the state last year in All-State outfielder Kristen Acocella (Dickenson College) and All-State shortstop Briana Marcelino (UConn). Marcelino batted .605 with 12 homers and 42 runs batted in last year, while Acocella batted .402 with five homers and 16 RBI. That’s not to say, however, that Barlow’s cupboard is bare. Far from it, actually. The Falcons return a solid group of players from the team that brought home the Class L state title last year — the school’s first state softball title — and made it to the semifinals in a powerhouse SWC tournament. Leading the way this year will be senior infielder Taylor Macchia (.337 BA, 36 RBI, 24 runs); senior pitcher Caitlin Colangelo (11-3, 4 saves, 1.69 ERA, 92 K); junior infielder and outfielder Sabrina Lalor (.290 BA, 16 RBI, 19 runs); and sophomore pitcher and infielder Claire McCann (.337 BA, 32 RBI, 4 HR; 9-4, 2 saves, 2.31 ERA, 112 K). Pitching will be a strong suit, with Colangelo and McCann.
NOTRE DAME-FAIRFIELD: The Lancers return the top six batters in the lineup from last year’s team, which lost in the first round of the SWC tournament, and was upset in the second round of the Class S state tournament as the fifth seed. Leading the way will be senior All-State and All-SWC shortstop Lucy Grant (.571 BA, 7 HR, 50 RBI), along with fellow seniors Jill Howe at second base (.485 BA, 3 HR, 18 RBI, 23 SB, All-Patriot Division), Michaela Luk at catcher (.424 BA, 3 HR, 24 RBI, All-SWC), and pitcher and infielder Tiff Diao (.379 BA, 18 RBI, 15 SB; 5-1), along with sophomore pitcher and infielder Breanna Brown (.441 BA, 1 HR, 24 RBI; 13-5, 112 K, 89 IP). The Lancers will have to fill the holes left behind by graduates Dayniera Artis at third base (.448 BA, 17 RBI), Shelby Nolan at short (.363) and Arianna DeNitto in center field (.359). “If we hit and pitch like we are supposed to, it will be a good year,” coach Jeffrey Bevino said.
NEWTOWN: Good news for the Nighthawks: Sara Kennedy is back. The pitching ace, who earned All-State recognition as a sophomore two years ago and missed last season with an injury, is back for her senior season before she heads off to Villanova. As a sophomore in 2016, Kennedy helped lead the Nighthawks to their second consecutive SWC title and a trip to the Class LL state quarterfinals. Also leading the way this year will be senior catcher and infielder Tess Mubarek and junior infielder Jackie Moccio. The Nighthawks graduated a handful of key players, including three who are playing in college: Kamdynn Moroney (Eastern Connecticut State), Megan Goyda (Springfield College) and Mackenzie Macchiarulo (St. Joseph’s). “We have a program filled with a lot of talent at all three levels and are one of the few teams with three teams — varsity, JV, freshman — showing the depth we have in the program,” first-year head coach Joanna Closs said.
FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
POMPERAUG AT MASUK, April 11, 4:15 p.m.: A rematch of last year’s SWC final, although this one is a non-conference game. The two teams are scheduled to play a conference game April 25 at Pomperaug.
BETHEL AT NEWTOWN, April 18, 4:15 p.m.: The SWC opener — and a good early-season test — for both teams.
BROOKFIELD AT WESTON, May 15, 4:15 p.m.: The final regular-season game for two teams who both hope to be in the playoff mix this year.
NEW FAIRFIELD AT NEW MILFORD, May 15, 4:15 p.m.: Ditto.
BARLOW AT NOTRE DAME, May 15, 4:15 p.m.: Senior Day for the Lancers and the regular-season finale for both teams, this one will be dripping with playoff implications.
rgregory@newstimes.com; Twitter @DanburySports
