Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Schilling guides Jay to surprising success

Coach lifts Patriots to state title contest

By Sean T. McMann
Poughkeepsie Journal
This spring wasn't like most seasons for the John Jay High School softball team.

There was no state ranking during the regular season. No all-but-ensured trip to the state tournament. No automatic hotel reservations for Cicero, home of the state Final Four.

"We didn't necessarily have a big superstar," said head coach Bonnie Schilling, who guided Wiccopee's Patriots to the 2001 state title. "Instead, at every game, we had someone else who stepped up with the big hit."

It was that unpredictability — not relying on one standout, but instead waiting to see who'd win this game, this time — that made this season different than others.

And oh, yes, so much fun to watch from the Patriots' dugout.

Entering the Section One, Class AA tournament as the No. 12 seed, Schilling led her Patriots' into four sectional playoff games against higher seeds. John Jay won them all, winning the sectional crown.

From there, the Patriots won a pair of state regional games, sending them to Cicero. Once in Onondaga, John Jay won its state semifinal game — its seventh straight playoff game — before eventually falling in the state title tilt.

How many teams with a 17-10 overall record finish the year second-best in the state?

For beating the odds — not to mention those other seven playoff teams — guiding her Patriots to the state Class AA runner-up position, Schilling has been named the Poughkeepsie Journal's Coach of the Year for the second straight year.

"We got to see the kids emerge and grow and develop and reach the goals we set for them earlier in the season," said Schilling, who just wrapped up her 10th season on the Patriots' bench. "We were able to reach those team goals, and along the way, reach individual goals with them."

Schilling spoke with the Journal earlier this week to discuss this past season, her previous success and her pride in her players:

What will you remember most about this season's team?

How there was no selfishness. Everyone came together. They weren't afraid to leave it all out on the field.

How will this season rank with some of your more memorable playoff runs at John Jay?

I told the kids this is probably one of the most rewarding seasons we've had. There were no expectations of going past sectionals. We could tell all the Doubting Thomases that we were there to play. (Assistant coaches) Frank and Tara (DiMaggio) and I knew we had something special. It was just a matter of them believing it and feeling it and doing it.

Being a No. 12 seed heading into sectional play, how did you and your team approach the playoffs?

I told them, "All we can do is do your best on that day. If it was enough to win, great. If not, you gave your all that day. There was nothing to hold back for. Just go all out. Enjoy yourselves, soak it all in and try to win."

You've had so much success coaching at John Jay over the years, to what do you attribute your success?

A good feeder system for the area. A responsible group of parents and players who give the coaches whatever we're asking for ... and then some. Frank DiMaggio and Tara this year just made it more enjoyable.

Seeing where your team began the playoffs, let alone the season, and where it ended up, what does it say about your players?

I wouldn't trade them for any other team you've got in the area. They were always putting the team first and not themselves. We don't have selfish players. We're a team that thinks about the overall picture, and not whose picture gets in the newspaper.

Softball aside, what do you hope your players learn from having you as a coach?

That it's only a game. But that you can learn about life by playing the game and playing by the rules and learning how to push yourself to reach what you thought you couldn't attain. Never let someone else say you can't do something. That goes for life, too.

Years from now, what do you want people to remember about the teams you coached at John Jay?

That they were young women who possessed a lot of class and dignity, and will be good role models in the future.

 

 

Sunday, June 5, 2005

John Jay's improbable run ends with setback in finale

By Perry L. Novak
For the Poughkeepsie Journal
CICERO —The John Jay High School softball team was not going to let one bad inning ruin one amazing run.

After Saturday night's 7-0 state Class AA championship loss to Bay Shore, there were plenty of laughs and smiles for the Patriots softball team despite the obvious disappointment.

The loss ended an improbable run and John Jay's season at 17-10. It was a year where John Jay finished the regular season at 11-9 to earn a 12th seed for the Section One tourney, forcing the Patriots to win four road games to claim a sectional title and two more to grab a state regional crown.

"We're sad but we were such an underdog, so what are you going to do," said Patriots right field Nicole Oliva. "It's just the way things happen. We did the best we can."

Timely hits

What helped vault John Jay into the title game was what Bay Shore used to win it. The Patriots bunched the few hits they had for a 2-0 semifinal win against Kenmore West of the Buffalo region.

But Suffolk County champ Bay Shore did that in the critical second inning of the state Class AA title game, scoring seven runs.

Kristina Demeo opened the inning with an infield single to shortstop and Nicki Massoni followed with a clean single between third and short. Ashley Gosk followed with an RBI single, a chopper over the head of John Jay pitcher Maggie Barbera to break the ice.

A bizarre play plated the second run and delayed the game for a few minutes. On a first and third steal, Barbera could not field the throw from John Jay catcher Lauren Weingart. The throw glanced off Barbera's head, allowing the second run to score.

After being checked out by medical personnel and getting clearance to continue, the Patriots freshman pitcher gave a gritty performance, but was victimized by another chopper RBI hit, a walk, a bloop single to left, an RBI groundout and an RBI single and an error on a bloop hit.

Second baseman Devon March stopped the bleeding with a spectacular diving catch of a line drive up the middle to end the inning.

But the 7-0 deficit proved to be too much against Hope Zino. The sophomore, at one time the No. 3 pitcher for the Marauders, never allowed more than two baserunners in an inning and wound up with a five-hitter that included eight strikeouts, just one walk and no wild pitches.

Coach Jim McGowan's team also played errorless defense behind Zino to help clinch the second dominating performance in one day. Bay Shore reached the title game by defeating Shenendehowa of the Albany region, 9-1, in its semifinal.

"Hope is a good pitcher. She's got a good screwball, a good curve. ... She pitched very well. Aside from that one inning, it was a scoreless game," John Jay coach Bonnie Schilling said.

In the win over Kenmore West, John Jay scored single runs in the third and fifth innings. March and Oliva opened the third inning with singles, and Weingart lofted a sacrifice fly to give her team a 1-0 lead.

John Jay bunched their other two hits in the fifth inning for their other run against the school that defeated them in the 2002 state semifinals. A two-out double by Oliva was followed by an RBI single to left by Jessica Medina.

From there, Barbera pitched well and took advantage of great defense to put the finishing touches on the victory. A double play by center fielder Jen Flynn was the highlight of the sixth inning. The senior snared a line drive and doubled up a runner at first base. In the seventh, Barbera gave up a two-out single to Danielle Frye but knocked down a hard grounder by Dana Levy and recovered in time to throw out at first to wrap up the win.

"They're a great program," Kenmore West coach Matt Chimara said. "They do the right type of things."

Barbera finished with four strikeouts and one walk in her three-hit victory. Oliva was 2-for-3 with a run scored for the Patriots, who fell a win shy of winning their first state title since 2001.

"It was a great season," Schilling said. "I'm gonna miss the seniors. They're four wonderful seniors and for the rest of them, the sky is the limit next year."

 

 

May 27, 2005

John Jay earns semifinal win

CARMEL - The No. 12-seeded John Jay High School girls softball team downed top-seeded Carmel, 8-2, on Thursday in a Section One, Class AA semifinal contest.

John Jay (14-9) will face John Jay (Cross River) on Saturday at North Rockland High School at 2 p.m. for the sectional title. "We still have one big game on Saturday to look forward to and get ready for," said John Jay softball coach Bonnie Schilling. "It's nice to have a home game, but at this point of the year, it doesn't matter where you play, as long as you play the best ball you can on that day on that field."

John Jay zoomed out to an early 6-1 lead after three innings against their opponent.

Nicole Oliva and Maggie Barbera sparked the effort with three hits apiece. Oliva scored three runs.

Barbera was the winning pitcher, tossing a four-hitter, striking out four. Dana DiMeglio and Jillian Serraro chipped in with two hits apiece for the Patriots.

Lauren Weingart and Jen Flynn had two RBIs apiece. "We've, I guess, decided to put it all on the field for everyone to see. There is no holding back now and they came out swinging today," said Schilling.