Well, I thought I had a tradition of penning the first softball blog every spring (ha-ha, what is spring?) but JJ beat me to it. I do have the first look at the softball tournament schedule, and names of new coaches for 2014.
First, the tournament schedule….a couple of things to note, one, this is the 20th year of the Dondero Classic at Back Beach in Wanaque. It’s the granddaddy of them all. This year, I would bet for the first time, we have an out-of-state team participating, as I was told Greenwich (CT) is replacing Eastern Christian this season. Eastern Christian is away on a school trip I believe. The line from Bob Dondero is he only hopes the snow is off the fields by then….he is right about that.
Second, the IHA Invitational is now a 2-day event, with teams from 3 states.
Third, the Blake Tournament up at Northern Highlands is not being played this year.
Fourth, the Blue and Gold Tournament in Pequannock, well, actually Pompton Plains is now an 8-team bracket style event. I must say I did not fully understand the schedule I got, but here at least are the first round match-ups.
Fifth…even though Mondo is no longer coaching softball (this year), the EDSAF Tournament in Emerson goes on. Even though Mondo himself will not be there Saturday – one of his daughters is getting married.
Six…I think LaRezza is two-time defending champ of the Home Run Derby.
And Ok, here you go.
2014 Softball Tournament Schedule
IHA Invitational
Saturday, April 5
IHA vs. Pennsbury (PA), 9 a.m.
Ursuline (NY) vs. Pennsbury (PA), 11 a.m.
Mount St. Dominic vs. DePaul, 1 p.m.
Livingston vs. St. John Vianney, 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 6
IHA vs. St. Joe’s, 9 a.m.
Saddle Brook vs. Raritan, 11 a.m.
Caravel Academy (Del.) vs. Ursuline (NY), 1 p.m.
Indian Hills vs. High Point, 3 p.m.
Donna Ricker Tournament at Wood-Ridge
Saturday, April 5
Saddle Brook vs. Bergen Tech, 9:30 a.m.
Elmwood Park vs. St. Mary, 11:30 a.m.
Park Ridge vs. Wood-Ridge, 1:30 p.m.
EDSAF Tournament at Emerson
Saturday, April 12
Secaucus vs. Bergenfield, 9 a.m.
Demarest at Emerson, 11 a.m.
Indian Hills vs. Park Ridge, 1 p.m.
River Dell vs. Northern Highlands, 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 13
New Milford vs. Fair Lawn, 10 a.m.
West Essex vs. Ridgewood, noon
Old Tappan vs. Emerson, 2 p.m.
Blue and Gold Tournament at Hillview Fields in Pompton Plains
Saturday, April 12
Weehawken vs. Saddle Brook, 11 a.m.
Lyndhurst vs. Morristown-Beard, 11 a.m.
Pequannock vs. West Orange, 1 p.m.
Bergen Tech vs. Kittatinny, 1 p.m.
20th Dondero Classic at Back Beach
Saturday, April 12
Eastside vs. Kennedy, noon
Passaic vs. Manchester, noon
DePaul vs. Clifton, 2:30 p.m.
Hawthorne Christian vs. Passaic Tech, 2:30 p.m.
Wayne Valley vs. Greenwich (CT), 5 p.m.
Passaic Valley vs. Pompton Lakes, 5 p.m.
West Milford vs. Lakeland, 7:30 p.m.
Hawthorne vs. Wayne Hills, 7:30 p.m.
Mount St. Dominic Academy Invitational
Saturday, April 19 (2 fields)
Immaculate Conception vs. Caravel (Del), 8:30 a.m.
Pequannock vs. Livingston, 8:45 a.m.
Mount St. Dominic vs. Pennsbury (Pa.), 10:30 a.m.
High Point vs. Paramus Catholic, 10:45 a.m.
Caravel (Del) vs. Livingston, 12:30 p.m.
Immaculate Conception vs. Pequannock, 12:45 p.m.
Mount St. Dominic vs. High Point, 2:30 p.m.
Pennsbury (Pa.) vs. Paramus Catholic, 2:45 p.m.
Raritan vs. Caldwell, 4:30 p.m.
Coaches vs. Cancer in Park Ridge (2 fields)
On Memorial Field
Dwight-Englewood vs. Bogota, 9 a.m.
Dwight-Morrow vs. Becton, 10:30 a.m.
Ridgefield Park vs. Ramapo, noon
Immaculate Conception vs. Mahwah, 1:30 p.m.
New Milford vs. Old Tappan, 3 p.m.
At HS field
Ridgewood vs. Fair Lawn, 9 a.m.
Fort Lee vs. Park Ridge, 11 a.m.
Saddle Brook vs. IHA, 1 p.m.
Paramus vs. River Dell, 3 p.m.
Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Challenge at Demarest
Saturday, April 26
Dumont vs. Secaucus, 9 a.m.
Northern Highlands vs. Paramus, 11 a.m.
Bergenfield vs. Westwood, 1 p.m.
Pascack Hills vs. Demarest, 3 p.m.
Holy Angels vs. Tenafly, 5 p.m.
8th Annual John Czeterko Highwaywomen Softball Classic at Teaneck
(2 fields)
Teaneck vs. Queen of Peace, 10 a.m.
Ridgefield vs. Princeton, 10 a.m.
Winners, Third place, 12:30 p.m.
Clifton Classic (2 fields)
Pequannock at Clifton, 3 p.m.
West Milford vs. Pope John, 3 p.m.
Pope John at Clifton, 5 p.m.
West Milford vs. Pequannock, 5 p.m.
HOFS Classic at Saddle Brook
Saturday, May 3
Saddle Brook vs. Ramapo, 2:30 p.m.
IHA vs. Mt. St. Dominic, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 4
Ramsey vs. Raritan, 10 a.m.
Indian Hills vs. Pequannock, noon
Immaculate Conception vs. Paramus Catholic, 2 p.m.
Paramus vs. Lakeland, 4 p.m.
Home Run Derby, 6 p.m.
Ok, some new coaches in North Jersey this season, this is probably not a full list, because, you don’t always hear about a new coach, but here is (at least some) of the new coaches in softball in 2014. If there are more, please let me know.
Bergen Tech: Frank Mele
Elmwood Park: Jackie DeBonis
Lyndhurst: Emily Ringen
Midland Park: Dino Celioupoulos (I’m betting we will just call him Dino)
Northern Highlands: Chris Broking
Ridgefield: Jack Cassimiro
Secaucus: Amanda Jones
St. Mary: Dana Napoli
Wayne Valley: Michelle Wlosek
A couple of really good former players on that list.