Looking to be national champs

North Jersey Jaguars ready for play The North Jersey Jaguars 14U fast pitch softball team have reason to believe they can become national champions. Their first year of playing 14U softball resulted in 72 wins, 17 losses, the New Jersey Pony State Championship, a fifth place finish at Pony Nationals, five tournament championships, five second-place finishes, and three third-place finishes, in addition to qualifying for the ASA, Pony, NSA, ISA, and USSSA National Championships. The Jaguars began their season playing three fall tournaments. The results were 12 wins and two losses, two first-place championships, and they won an ISA World Series bid. Even though their fall season was successful, it lacked challenges. With that in mind, coaches Mike Prettyman and Rob Gowe decided to challenge the first-year 14U Jags with a highly-competitive, A-level tournament schedule and hope for at least a .500 season. The Jaguars began their winter training in December. First, at the Randolph Indoor Sports Pavilion for three hours every Saturday morning and then batting practice on Tuesdays at the Complete Player Softball and Baseball Academy in Flanders. On days off , the girls would meet at a factory/warehouse owned by one of the parents, and work on hitting, pitching, and catching mechanics. Weather permitting, they moved outdoors to their home field at Pope John High School in Sparta. With a roster of four seventh-graders, six eighth-graders, and one freshman, their competition consisted of rosters with mostly second-season 14U, high school freshman. At the end of their first 14U tournament, resulting in one win and four losses, the coaches knew they were in for a special season. They witnessed a group of determined, dedicated, hard-working, and spirited softball players who gave one-hundred percent. Their losses were close with each one having the winning or tying run in scoring position in the last inning. Their first 14U tournament would prove to be the only one in which they didn’t play in a semi-final or championship game. After winning the New Jersey 14U Pony State Championship Tournament with 7seven wins and no losses, this young team realized anything was possible with hard work. During the hot, July 4 weekend in first round play, the Jaguars posted wins over East Coast Tsunami Blue, Heat, and the New Jersey Sparks to place first in their bracket. In bracket play, they won their first game against the CJ Tornado Silver. Continuing to win, they beat CJ Lightning White in the quarter-finals, and then advanced to the semi-finals to win against the Mystics Blue. For the second time in the tournament, the Jaguars beat the East Coast Tsunami Blue, this time to win the State Championship. In late July, when the Jaguars arrived at the Pony National Championships in Carey, N.C., they were confident they could play with anyone. They placed first in pool play with wins over the Connecticut Charmers Red, Massachusetts Firecracker Fury, and the Maryland Stars. With confidence building, the Jaguars continued their winning streak with two more against the Connecticut Bombers Teal, and another against New Jersey’s East Coast Tsunami Black to win their Bracket and secure a spot in the Pony National Sweet 16. In the Sweet 16, the Jags defeated the Connecticut Charmers Red placing them in the Pony National Elite 8. The next step was to win a spot in the Final Four. The Jaguars were two outs away from a win against the Maryland Heartbreakers Red in an ITB (International Tie Breaker), and came up short with a 3-2 loss. They ended the National Tournament, along with a very successful season, by placing 5 out of a field of 85 teams. Playing for the North Jersey Jaguars Championship team are seventh-graders Chelsea Eckert (P, 1B), Ally Frei (P, 1B), Samantha Rothenberger (SS, P), Carly Satter (2B, SS); eighth-graders Erika Gowe (OF, 2B), Maria Lacatena (3B, C), Chrissy Marinaro o (OF, 3B), Meghann Muldowney o (OF), Jessica Torsiello (C), and Holly Arentowicz (1B, DH); and freshman Amie DeFeo (OF). The Jags are lead by the coaching staff of Mike Prettyman (Manager/Head Coach), Rob Gowe (Coach), Frank Marinaro (Statistician), and Bob Kent (Bench Coach). In addition to the tournaments played in New Jersey, the Jaguars played national qualifiers in Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. Returning for the Jaguars 2009-2010 season are Eckert, Frei, Gowe, Marinaro, Rothenberger, Satter, and Torsiello. Newcomers are Alexa Arnold of Warren, Lauren Guillen of Secaucus, Kaylee Powers of Newton, Victoria Ross of Bloomfield, and Victoria Torp of West Milford. The Jaguars open their 2009-2010 season Labor Day Weekend at Long Island, NY, playing in the LI Bandits ASA Invitational, September to Remember V. Visit www.eteamz.com/jerseyjaguars for more information on the team.