UNION COUNTY, NJ — The four softball division champions in the Union County Conference for the 2023 season all enjoyed dominating stretches en route to the league titles they captured.
Watchung Division repeat champion Cranford High School, which finished 26-5 after also winning a third straight Union County Tournament championship for the second time in program history, and captured the North 2, Group 3 sectional state title for the second time in three years, went 9-1 in division play.
Cranford’s only blemish was a 7-5 loss at home to Governor Livingston High School on May 10. Earlier on April 18, in Berkeley Heights, Cranford topped the host Highlanders 3-2.
Then, on May 19, the Cougars defeated Governor Livingston by one run again, this time by the score of 2-1 in the UCT final at Kean University’s Cougar Field in Union.
Cranford had two 10-game winning streaks, starting the season with its first and then its second was ended by Morris Knolls High School 12-11 at home in the Group 3 semifinals.
Governor Livingston had a solid season, finishing second in the Watchung Division at 6-3 and 19-7 overall.
Jonathan Dayton High School produced the third most victories of any Union County squad this year and Governor Livingston was second with 19, by finishing 18-10 overall. The Bulldogs won the Mountain Division title undefeated at 8-0.
Jonathan Dayton, which won 12-of-16 following a 4-3 start, also reached the semifinal round of the UCT and the North 2, Group 2 state playoffs.
Union Catholic High School, which began a fine season at 10-1 through its first 11 contests and ultimately finished 15-8, edged New Providence High School by one game for the Valley Division crown. The Vikings came in at 7-1 and the Pioneers, who finished 14-8 overall, at 6-2. Oak Knoll High School, third in the division at 4-4, produced an overall record of 16-8 which included a victory against Union Catholic in division play.
Kent Place School won the Sky Division undefeated at 7-0 and finished 10-12 overall. After a 1-3 start included a three-game losing streak, the Dragons reeled off eight wins in their next 11 contests.
Following a state tournament loss at Paramus Catholic High School, Kent Place concluded its season two days later with a 13-3 triumph at Valley Division squad Rahway High School in a UCC-crossover clash. Rahway finished 11-12 overall.
Players such as junior Sophia DeMarco at Cranford, freshman Lila Carroll at Jonathan Dayton, junior Cameron Kelly at Union Catholic, and freshman Quinn Sartorius at Kent Place helped spark their teams to division crowns.
Below are the UCC All-Division selections for 2023 as voted on by league coaches:
Union County Conference
All-Division Softball Teams for 2023
Watchung Division
First Team
Sophia DeMarco, Cranford, junior, P-1B
Maddy DeLong, Cranford, junior, CF
Avery Toddings, Cranford, senior, P
Sabrina Prata, Cranford, senior, C
Giulia Olear, Cranford, senior, 2B
Elise Faxon, Governor Livingston, senior, C
Chelsea Kiesewetter, Governor Livingston, sophomore, SS
Kelly Hanratty, Governor Livingston, senior, OF
Anna Popola, Governor Livingston, senior, OF
Maria Dante, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, P-1B
Krista LaBianca, Arthur L. Johnson, junior, P-1B
Elizabeth Fitzharris, Arthur L. Johnson, freshman, OF
Destiny Medina, Elizabeth, senior, C
Gabby Duran, Elizabeth, junior, P
Makayla Lecky, Elizabeth, junior, 3B
Erin Doherty, Westfield, junior, 3B
Alex Lagua, Westfield, sophomore, SS
Colleen Hannon, David Brearley, senior, 3B
Honorable mention
Gianna Scuderi, David Brearley, senior, P-2B
Rosa Cascarano, David Brearley, senior, C
Madison Pierce, David Brearley, senior, C
Catherine Heflin, Westfield, junior, 1B
Gianna Puglisi, Westfield, junior, C
Bella Scipioni, Westfield, junior, P
Alyssa Davis, Elizabeth, sophomore, 1B
Adriana Severino, Elizabeth, senior, OF
Brianna Borga, Elizabeth, junior, CF
Katie DeBello, Governor Livingston, senior, P
Emma McElroy, Governor Livingston, junior, OF
Gianna Basile, Governor Livingston, junior, 1B
Lily Sandholm, Governor Livingston, freshman, 3B
Kate Granelli, Governor Livingston, senior, 2B
Katie Bendert, Cranford, senior, GL
Madi Jones, Cranford, senior, OF
Emma Grace Pachkowski, Cranford, senior, SS
Gianna Frino, Arthur L. Johnson, senior, SS
Elizabeth Yanni, Arthur L. Johnson, freshman, C
Madden Puerari, Arthur L. Johnson, junior, #B
Lacey Vill, Arthur L. Johnson, junior, OF
Mountain Division
First Team
Lila Carroll, Jonathan Dayton, freshman, P-OF
Kate Buckley, Jonathan Dayton, junior, C
Alyssa Santangelo, Jonathan Dayton, junior, 2B-OF
Natalie Mignone, Jonathan Dayton, junior, P
Colleen Downey, Roselle Park, senior, OF
Sarah Wenskoski, Roselle Park, senior, C
Brooke Gallo, Roselle Park, sophomore, P-SS
Sairah Llano, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, junior, P-1B
Sam Friscia, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, sophomore, C-SS
Emily Roof, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, freshman, P-SS
Anabella Farinha, Union, senior, P-SS
Alexa Liquori, Union, senior, P-SS
Juliana Alicea, Summit, sophomore, SS
Caroline Putman, Summit, sophomore, C
Honorable mention
Angelina Valente, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, sophomore, 1B-3B
Alessandra Silvestre, Union, freshman, C-OF
Sophia Calas, Roselle Park, sophomore, 2B
Madison Gallo, Roselle Park, senior, 1B
Deanna DuBois, Jonathan Dayton, senior, OF
Ashley Weber, Jonathan Dayton, sophomore, 3B-OF
Olivia Douglas, Jonathan Dayton, sophomore, OF
Jenna Campos, Jonathan Dayton, junior, 1B
Valley Division
First Team
Cameron Kelly, Union Catholic, junior, P-2B
Jessica Sot, Union Catholic, senior, SS
Caroline Parker, Union Catholic, senior, OF
Deyalyn Sosa, Union Catholic, senior, 3B
Cate Conover, New Providence, junior, 1B
Annie Conover, New Providence, freshman, C
Cassidy Mishkind, New Providence, junior, 3B
Amber Maher, Rahway, senior, C
Jenna Maher, Rahway, junior, OF
Danielle Maher, Rahway, freshman, SS
Abigail Flood, Oak Knoll, junior, 2B-SS
Abigail Han, Oak Knoll, freshman, C
Kaitlin Wincko, Oak Knoll, freshman, P-OF
Lisa Frias, Roselle, junior, P
Montana Dixon, Roselle, senior, C
Honorable mention
Julianna Hart, Union Catholic, junior, 2B-OF
Hannah Buniak, Union Catholic, freshman, 1B
Caroline Apicella, New Providence, junior, P
Haley Kessler, New Providence, freshman, SS
Olivia Mulqueen, New Providence, senior, OF
Kayla Lebers, Rahway, senior, P
Michele Garcia, Rahway, senior, 3B
Stephanie Mora, Rahway, senior, 1B
Amelia Flood, Oak Knoll, freshman, P-SS
Karla Torres, Roselle, senior, Utility
Alycia Searwar, Roselle, junior
Sky Division
First Team
Molly McDonald, Linden, junior, P
Erica Hernandez, Linden, junior, 1B
Quinn Sartorius, Kent Place, freshman, P
Ava Lewis, Kent Place, freshman, 1B
Lyla Sartorius, Kent Place, freshman, SS
Emma Geppel, Kent Place, freshman, P
Maya Hardy, Kent Place, freshman, C
Gabriella Meloni, Roselle Catholic, senior, P-1B
Jennifer Brito, Roselle Catholic, sophomore, OF
Sarah Santana, Plainfield, junior, P
Jayda Wilkes, Plainfield, senior, 1B
Hope Wyche, Hillside, junior, P
Honorable mention
Clarymel Pichardo, Linden, sophomore, INF
Allyson Padavano, Linden, senior, C
Nathalie Torres, Linden, senior, Utility
Kathleen Del Carmen, Linden, junior, OF
Avery Klein-Maggio, Kent Place, freshman, 2B
Makena Singer, Kent Place, sophomore, 3B
Caitlin Williams, Kent Place, senior, OF
Kay Lyon, Kent Place, senior, OF
Isha Talpade, Kent Place, sophomore, OF
Ariela Reyes-Sosa, Roselle Catholic, junior, C
Anaya Saint-Fleur, Roselle Catholic, junior, 2B