GREATER MIDDLESEX CONFERENCE
Red Division
METUCHEN
Coach: Michelle Huff, second season
Last season: 11-11
Top letterwinners lost: Leslie Flaherty (C), Mary McGrath (3B), MaryKate Cummings (Inf.).
Roster: Mary Jones (Sr., SS), Ava Barach (Sr., 1B/P), Mary Jones (Sr., SS), Hannah Mindler (Sr., OF), Eva Szap (Sr., OF/2B/P), Alicia Montalbano (Jr., 2B/1B/P), Kathryn Morano, (Jr., SS/3B), Adrianna Siedenburg (Jr., OF), Leah Dagan (Jr., OF/C), Olivia Miller (Jr., OF), Eva Fernandez (So., Inf./OF), Anna Knehans (So., Inf./OF), Sarah Lindeman, (So., C/Inf./OF), Claire Polakowski (So., Inf./OF), Sarah Gonzalez (Fr., Inf./OF/P).
Outlook: The Bulldogs lose a lot from last year but have enough coming to back to threaten for the division title. Seniors Eva Szap (3 HR), Ava Barasch (.458) and Hannah Mindler (47 hits) will serve as co-captains and will provide leadership on and off the field. Junior Kathryn Morano (.327, 643 slugging) had a breakout sophomore season and will be looked to for even more this spring. Perhaps the biggest reason to be optimistic, however, is her classmate, Alicia Montalbano, one of the better returning pitchers in the GMC with 120 strikeouts and a 1.68 ERA in 91 2/3 innings a year ago.
MONROE
Coach: Marissa Vogtman, second season
Last season: 6-14
Top letterwinners lost: Ava Kwitkoski (SS).
Roster: Bianna Bukowczyk (So., P/SS), Isabella Rubino (So., OF), Brielle Zarsky (Sr., C), Monica Bukowczyk (Sr., P/1B), Brianna Lavan (Sr,. 2B), Kaitlyn Ventura (So., 3B/SS), Isabella LaGrasso (Fr., OF), Ava Lucadamo (So., OF), Alyssa Mustillo (Sr., OF), Lily Holeman (Jr., 1B/ P/ DP), Madeline Totten (Fr., Inf.), Natalia Andrade (So., 3B).
Outlook: The good news for the Falcons is they only graduated one senior in shortstop Ava Kwitkoski. The bad news is they must once again compete in a loaded division where wins are hard to come by and finishing anywhere above last would be a major accomplishment. Coach Marissa Vogtman begins her second campaign with a better feeling for her roster and the competition. She is counting on a quartet of seniors, Brianna Lavan, Monica Bukowczyk, Brielle Zarsky and Alyssa Mustillo to anchor what is otherwise a young team. Zarsky was second on the team in batting (.416) and slugging (.516) last season to Kwitkoski, who belted all four of the team’s home runs. All three pitchers return in ace Monica Bukowczyk, Brianna Bukowczyk and junior Lily Holeman. Vogtman is looking for contributions from newcomers Isabella LaGrasso and Madeline Totten, freshmen, and sophomores Ava Lucadamo and Natalia Andrade.
OLD BRIDGE
Coach: Angela D’Amico, ninth season
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