Hawks working hard to make another deep postseason run

BY CARL KOTALA

There may be a lot of things that are different about this year’s Viera High softball team, but the goal remains the same.

“The goal is always (to be) state champions,” junior shortstop Amaya Pitt wrote in a text message.

“It’s all about how hard we work to get there as a team.”

Viera lost a number of key players from last year’s team that reached the regional semifinals, and the final four the year before that under coach Alex Breeden.

Jason Adams, who spent the previous two years as an assistant coach at Palm Bay, has taken over the Viera program.

“What has impressed me so far was how well he has learned to adapt and adjust,” senior pitcher Skylar Waggoner wrote in a text message. “We have certain expectations for ourselves as players, and he has done a good job of respecting and enforcing those expectations while having fun and getting to know us as players and people as well.”

Adams wants to be a motivator for his players while also helping them expand their knowledge of the game.

“I believe these girls can make a run as long as all 16 girls are on the same page and want to make that playoff run and get to the state championship,” Adams said. “I know the seniors are hungry for it. They won districts two years ago and lost in the (state semifinals). I know those girls are ready to go.

“My job is to do whatever I can to help them get back to that.”

Having Waggoner, who has signed with Jacksonville University, back on the mound with longtime catcher and fellow senior Maddie Ford should be a big help.

“I think I’ve improved my location and spins,” Waggoner wrote. “Last year, many earned runs were off missed pitches when I was ahead in the count. This past summer and fall really working on those aspects has helped me in games.”

Pitt, who has committed to Pittsburgh, will play shortstop for Viera and be a weapon with her glove and her bat. Junior Haley Rider is back in center field and returning senior Giovanna Sardono will step in at second base.

The rest of the starting lineup is full of sophomores with Tori Berry (1B); Elaina Snyder (3B); Brooke Samuels (LF) and Kaitlyn

Farinhas (RF).

Senior Emily Giglietti provides a speedy pinchrunner option while junior McKenna Connelly (2B/ SS) and sophomore Kara Burwell (1B/3B) will also contribute. The rest of the team are all freshmen, including: Kodibeth Bates (2B/P); Callie Williams (Utility/P); Erin Lynch (OF/2B) and Addyson Maxwell (OF).

“We are all trying to get used to each other, seeing as we have many new girls on the team,” Pitt wrote. “We all have some things we have to work on together to become that strong Viera team everyone talks about.”

That includes working at the plate, where the Hawks will be looking to generate more offense.

“Hopefully, I can build that confidence in them that we can hit the ball hard,” Adams said. “… We have a really competitive team. I think our defense is going to be a really good, lockdown defense. As long as they can bring confidence to the plate and be patient, I think we’ll have it made on both sides of the ball.”

VIERA VOICE Klinton Landress

The Holy Trinity softball team is a heavy favorite to win Class 2A, District 8 against Melbourne Central Catholic and Merritt Island Christian. The Tigers don't have any seniors and many of their players are seventh and eighth graders

Holy Trinity softball has big expectations despite young roster

BY CARL KOTALA

With no seniors and nearly half a roster of players who are in either the seventh or eighth grade, the Holy Trinity Tigers are … shall we say … a little young this season.

But don’t think for a second this is not a confident softball team.

In fact, junior Cali Perillo believes this may be the best team Holy Trinity has fielded in years.

“We have more pitchers. They’re young, but they’re very, very good,” Perillo said. “We have Ava Teply, our catcher. She’s a powerhouse. We have Hannah Leech, who can play anywhere in the infield and she has a good stick. Bebe (Stockton) has improved so much.

“I think we have younger girls, but they all love the game. They come out to practice and they actually have fun, and you can tell that they’re having fun.”

Head coach John Clarson believes his team will certainly be the favorite in Class 2A, District 8 which, after the Brevard HEAT decided not to field a team, is down to Melbourne Central Catholic and Merritt Island Christian.

“We’re going to be young in the outfield,” Clarson said. “We look very strong defensively in the infield. I think hitting-wise, we’ll not have the power we had last year, or the past couple of years, but I expect a couple of girls to step up.”

One of the big reasons for the excitement around this year’s team is the arrival of eighth-grade pitcher Isabella Kapatoes, whom Clarson said could be one of the best pitchers he’s ever had at Holy Trinity.

Stockton, a sophomore, has also shown improvement and eighth-grader Kali McMillan will be a key factor as well. Perillo, who came up as a pitcher, can also throw if needed.

Teply, a sophomore, is expected to be a two-way threat with her bat and her arm from behind the plate. Leech will be her primary backup.

The makeup of the infield could, and will likely, switch at times throughout the season, especially depending on how things go at first base.

Initially, Stockton is slated to start at second with Perillo at short and either Leech or Teply at third. The top candidates at first are McMillan, Kapatoes and freshman Aubrey Mooney.

Holy Trinity’s outfield could see a combination of freshman Grace Mooney, seventh graders Caleigh Schmoll and Kailei Kite, Aubrey Mooney, freshman Ana Calderin or freshman Jadeyn Webb.

Other players expected to contribute this season include seventhgrader Lexie Schonken (OF): eighthgrader June Lepper (OF); sophomore Janley Tavares (OF); eighth-grader Avery Parchinski (OF) and seventhgrader Siena Colucciello (OF).

Leech, a co-captain as a freshman, agrees with Perillo that the Tigers’ have great chemistry this season.

“We’re such a nicely bonded team,” Leech said. “You can tell everyone’s enjoying being at practice, being at games. Even if we’re just having a meeting, everyone’s happy to be there and be around each other.”

Perillo, another co-captain who has committed to play at Tampa, credited new assistant coach Tim Stockton with helping the Tigers improve.

In a district that is not expected to be close, the work the Tigers are doing in practice will help them tremendously in the postseason.

“These new drills we’re doing with Coach Tim, it’s insane,” Perillo said. “Everybody has grown. It’s awesome. I love it. We’re going to go far this year for sure.” VV