2012 All-New York City softball team

FIRST TEAM

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

CHERYL LOPEZ
Tottenville, Jr. P

The most dominant pitcher in New York City, Lopez helped guide Tottenville to a second straight PSAL Class A title and eighth in the last nine years. Mixing a lively fastball with a devastating changeup, the junior was 12-0 with a 0.28 earned run average during the season, striking out 138 in 74-2/3 innings and went 4-0 in the playoffs with a 0.48 ERA, allowing just 10 hits in five games.

However, that’s just half of Lopez’s remarkable story. She was an underrated terror at the plate, batting .511 during the season and she belted a three-run home run in a 3-1 win over rival Susan Wagner in the title game.

TORI GOLDBACH
Archbishop Molloy, Sr. P

She entered the season as the co-ace for the defending CHSAA state champions, but when Maria Palmeri went down with an injury, Goldbach took over the role and ran with it. The Catholic University-bound senior ends her career without a Brooklyn/Queens loss and won both games against rival St. Francis Prep to clinch the Stanners fourth B/Q crown.

JACKIE CAUTELA
St. Joseph by the Sea, Jr. P

Sea coach Mike Ponsiglione had a legit pitching rotation, but there was no doubt Cautela was the ace. The junior was brilliant in a 1-0 win against Preston, allowing just four hits and striking out eight to help the Vikings clinch a sixth Archdiocesan crown in eight years. When not in the circle, Cautela was a stellar shortstop and Sea’s No. 3 hitter.

JULIANNA ORRICO
Preston, Fr. P

The future at Preston is extremely bright and Orrico is a huge reason why. The freshman had a 0.37 ERA as one of the city’s top pitchers and was a terror at the plate, batting .529 with 30 RBIs. Orrico tossed a shutout in a 2-0 Archdiocesan semifinal win and allowed just one run on three hits in a 1-0 loss to Sea in the final.

JENNIFER PALASE
Tottenville, Sr. C

A three-year starter for the PSAL champions, the New Haven-bound captain was one of the top leadoff hitters in the city, batting .520 with 26 hits and 26 runs scored, while driving in 15 RBIs. Palase, who belted a triple and a home run in the playoffs, was also one of the top defensive catchers with a gun for an arm.

DANA MOSS
Archbishop Molloy, Sr. 1B

The C.W. Post senior was one of the city’s most dangerous hitters, coming up especially huge in the season’s biggest games. Moss, who also played shortstop when Palmeri was injured or in the circle, had three hits in the Stanners Game 1 win against St. Francis Prep in the Brooklyn/Queens championship series and two more in the CHSAA state semifinal victory over St. Joseph by the Sea.

LIANNA JORDAN
St. Joseph by the Sea, Jr. 2B

Meet Ms. Everything for St. Joseph by the Sea. There’s little the junior didn’t do, and do well, for the Vikings. The No. 2 hitter was adept at small ball as she was at hitting for power, leading the team in runs scored (26) and RBIs (22), while hitting .444 with two doubles, three triples and two home runs.

KATE MILLER
Fieldston, Sr. SS

Miller entered the year as one of the top players in the city and that didn’t change when her high school career ended in the NYSAISAA semifinals. The Princeton-bound senior was the top shortstop in the five boroughs, a tremendous talent at the plate and a self-taught pitcher. Miller helped lead Fieldston to a share of the Ivy League title.

DANIELLE KIBLER
Preston, Fr. 3B

Yet another freshman on a Preston team that returns all but one starter, Kibler filled in seamlessly at third for Laura Montalto. A defensive stalwart at the hot corner, she was one of the Panthers best hitters, batting .500 with 31 RBIs, including driving in a run in an Archdiocesan semifinal win over Moore Catholic.

MEGAN KELLY
Preston, Jr. OF

A versatile junior, Kelly chased down everything in center as one of the city’s best defensive outfielders, she batted .425 with 21 RBIs and, oh yeah, she was one of Preston’s best pitchers. Kelly had 2.00 ERA and her finest moment in the circle came against Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan champions Molloy, striking out eight in a complete-game, one-hitter in the 2-0 victory.

TAYLOR MOSS
Archbishop Molloy, So. OF

Like her older sister Dana, Taylor was one of the city’s most lethal hitters. The sophomore outfielder had the game-winning hit in a come-from-behind victory against rival St. Francis Prep in the opener of the Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan championship series and went 4-for-4 with a walk, two RBIs and two runs scored in the title clincher.

ALEXANDRA PRESCIA
St. Joseph by the Sea, Sr. OF

There was but one run scored in the Archdiocesan final between St. Joseph by the Sea and Preston and it was scored by Prescia, who led off the game with a double and came home on Alannah Dawson’s sacrifice fly. The senior outfielder also came up huge in a non-league win against Molloy, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

SECOND TEAM

MARIA PALMERI
Archbishop Molloy, Sr. P

NICOLE LOMANGINO
St. Francis Prep, Sr. P

TAYLOR SARCONE
Susan Wagner, Sr. P

BRITNEY RODRIGUEZ
Construction, So. P

KITTY LAJQI
Preston, Sr. C

NYLAH RAMIREZ
Tottenville, Fr. 1B

ASHLEY NOTARO
Tottenville, Fr. 2B

GINA GERONE
James Madison, Sr. SS

BIANCA CONCEPCION
Francis Lewis, Sr. SS

TARA O’ROURKE
St. Francis Prep, Jr. OF

VICTORIA SLAVIK
James Madison, Jr. OF

JILL GIUFFRE
Tottenville, Sr. OF

COACH OF THE YEAR
RACHEL MAZZA
Preston

Preston has emerged as a legit contender for the Archdiocesan title, losing to St. Joseph by the Sea, 1-0, in its first championship-game appearance since 2004. Mazza balanced a group that featured one senior and a host of freshmen. A former softball player at Seward Park, Mazza has put Preston on the softball map, a spot it will have for years to come.

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