AZTECS are DIVISION III STATE CHAMPIONS in 2013
Div. 3 softball final: Assabet Valley 5, St. Mary's 2
June, 16, 2013
By John McGuirk
ESPNBoston.com
WORCESTER, Mass. -- After losing to Turners Falls in
last year's Division 3 state semifinal round, Assabet Valley returned this
season with one sole purpose. The bitterness of that one run loss the Indians a
year ago remained with the Aztecs throughout the off-season and they would use
it as ammunition coming into this year's campaign.
Following Saturday's 5-2 victory over St. Mary's of Lynn in the Division 3 finals at Rockwood Field,
Assabet can now wipe the Turners Falls game away from its memory banks and
replace it with the joy of claiming its first state championship.
The Aztecs (21-4) broke this game open with a four run third inning. Tied 1-1 at the
time, Assabet began the decisive frame with Jocelyn Orangio beating out an
infield single. Brittney Lutz then laid down a bunt to the left side. Spartan
third baseman Kaleigh Finigan, after fielding the ball, attempted to throw out
Orangio at second. The throw beat the sophomore but shortstop Molly Doyle was
unable to handle the throw thus putting runners on first and second. Mogran
Parmeter followed by lining a single off the glove of Doyle into left field,
scoring Orangio to make it 2-1. After a Jen Casavant single loaded the bases,
the Aztecs proceeded to bounce into two force outs at the plate.
With an opportunity to escape a serious jam with only one run allowed, St. Mary's
pitcher Brooke L'Abbe walked Nicole Cormier to force in Assabet's third run. The
Aztecs didn't stop there. They scored two more runs on Deanna Hnilica's infield
single and ensuing throwing error by Finigan to grab a 5-1 lead.
"What a great year," Assabet head coach Mike O'Brien said. "Nobody thought we could do
this or even win a district championship. We've won two district championships
and now we've won a state so I'm very proud of these girls. Our goal was to keep
them under two runs and we gave up two. We felt two runs or less we would have a
real good chance to win this.
"They made a couple of mistakes and we capitalized. That's how we've won all year. After losing in the state semis last
year this team fought all year knowing they wanted to get back there and even a
bit further. We were able to get back to the state semis (beating Mount Everett
in extra innings) and today was just the pinnacle of all of that."
The Aztecs got on the board first in their half of the second on back-to-back
doubles by Casavant and Madison Parmeter. The Spartans (19-6) would tie it in
the third. Alex Fisher singled, took second on a SAC bunt and scored after Aztec
pitcher Madison Parmeter threw the ball into right field after fielding Victoria
Viger's bunt.
Following the four-run inning bestowed upon by Assabet, L'Abbe, a senior, was lifted. The combination of sophomore Jordan D'Orsi and
eighth-grader Mia Nowicki kept the Aztecs hit less the rest of the way. With
D'Orsi and Nowicki doing their job, the St. Mary's offense failed in comparison
as Parmeter (CG, 5 hits, 3 Ks) held the Spartans in check in their quest to jump
back into this one.
"I was watching their feet and if they crowded the plate I would throw it inside on them," said Parmeter, a sophomore. I don't
think a lot of batters expect that but I have a lot of spin on my pitches and
was able to keep them off-balanced for much of this game."
In the seventh, St. Mary's attempted a comeback by scoring a solo run. Cassandra
Lafauci doubled to left and came around to score on a throwing error by first
baseman Casavant. But that would be the only rallying cry put forth by the
Spartans as Parmeter recorded the final out giving Assabet the triumph.
"It's tough," said Spartans coach Colleen Newbury, who was looking to
claim her team's third state title having won it in 2009 and 2010. "It is
especially tough for our seniors who don't get to play another game. That team
played great and made the plays where we didn't. They played great defense
against us. We have some good kids coming back so I think it will be a bright
future for us."
Div. 3 softball final: Assabet Valley 5, St. Mary's 2
June, 16, 2013
By John McGuirk
ESPNBoston.com
WORCESTER, Mass. -- After losing to Turners Falls in
last year's Division 3 state semifinal round, Assabet Valley returned this
season with one sole purpose. The bitterness of that one run loss the Indians a
year ago remained with the Aztecs throughout the off-season and they would use
it as ammunition coming into this year's campaign.
Following Saturday's 5-2 victory over St. Mary's of Lynn in the Division 3 finals at Rockwood Field,
Assabet can now wipe the Turners Falls game away from its memory banks and
replace it with the joy of claiming its first state championship.
The Aztecs (21-4) broke this game open with a four run third inning. Tied 1-1 at the
time, Assabet began the decisive frame with Jocelyn Orangio beating out an
infield single. Brittney Lutz then laid down a bunt to the left side. Spartan
third baseman Kaleigh Finigan, after fielding the ball, attempted to throw out
Orangio at second. The throw beat the sophomore but shortstop Molly Doyle was
unable to handle the throw thus putting runners on first and second. Mogran
Parmeter followed by lining a single off the glove of Doyle into left field,
scoring Orangio to make it 2-1. After a Jen Casavant single loaded the bases,
the Aztecs proceeded to bounce into two force outs at the plate.
With an opportunity to escape a serious jam with only one run allowed, St. Mary's
pitcher Brooke L'Abbe walked Nicole Cormier to force in Assabet's third run. The
Aztecs didn't stop there. They scored two more runs on Deanna Hnilica's infield
single and ensuing throwing error by Finigan to grab a 5-1 lead.
"What a great year," Assabet head coach Mike O'Brien said. "Nobody thought we could do
this or even win a district championship. We've won two district championships
and now we've won a state so I'm very proud of these girls. Our goal was to keep
them under two runs and we gave up two. We felt two runs or less we would have a
real good chance to win this.
"They made a couple of mistakes and we capitalized. That's how we've won all year. After losing in the state semis last
year this team fought all year knowing they wanted to get back there and even a
bit further. We were able to get back to the state semis (beating Mount Everett
in extra innings) and today was just the pinnacle of all of that."
The Aztecs got on the board first in their half of the second on back-to-back
doubles by Casavant and Madison Parmeter. The Spartans (19-6) would tie it in
the third. Alex Fisher singled, took second on a SAC bunt and scored after Aztec
pitcher Madison Parmeter threw the ball into right field after fielding Victoria
Viger's bunt.
Following the four-run inning bestowed upon by Assabet, L'Abbe, a senior, was lifted. The combination of sophomore Jordan D'Orsi and
eighth-grader Mia Nowicki kept the Aztecs hit less the rest of the way. With
D'Orsi and Nowicki doing their job, the St. Mary's offense failed in comparison
as Parmeter (CG, 5 hits, 3 Ks) held the Spartans in check in their quest to jump
back into this one.
"I was watching their feet and if they crowded the plate I would throw it inside on them," said Parmeter, a sophomore. I don't
think a lot of batters expect that but I have a lot of spin on my pitches and
was able to keep them off-balanced for much of this game."
In the seventh, St. Mary's attempted a comeback by scoring a solo run. Cassandra
Lafauci doubled to left and came around to score on a throwing error by first
baseman Casavant. But that would be the only rallying cry put forth by the
Spartans as Parmeter recorded the final out giving Assabet the triumph.
"It's tough," said Spartans coach Colleen Newbury, who was looking to
claim her team's third state title having won it in 2009 and 2010. "It is
especially tough for our seniors who don't get to play another game. That team
played great and made the plays where we didn't. They played great defense
against us. We have some good kids coming back so I think it will be a bright
future for us."
A Year to Remember in 2012
The Aztec Softball team enjoyed the most successful season in school history winning 3 Championships before falling in the state-semi finals. Assabet Valley's overall record of 22-2 shattered the previous win mark of 18 from 2011. Assabet won 19 consecutive games during the season. The season included the following:
- District 3 Central Mass Championship
- Large Schools State Vocational Championship
- Colonial Athletic League Champion
- Jackie Orangio Super Team Telegram and Gazette
- 5 consecutive shut outs vs opponent
- Led Central Mass in scoring average per game
- 3rd in Central Mass in Runs allowed per game
- Had 5 players of All Star nominations
- Returning 6 starters for 2013 season