South Jersey Softball Preview
The NJSIAA state softball tournament is a two-week single-elimination exercise in excitement. The South Jersey champion will have to win four games. Here is a preview of the six Groups:
South Jersey Group 1
Last year Haddon Township beat Audubon, 5-2 in the final. This year the two could meet again in the championship. Audubon is the No. 1 seed and Haddon Township is No. 3. This season Audubon went 2-0 against Haddon Township, winning 2-1 and 7-0. but the Hawks have one of South Jersey’s top two-way players in senior Jordan Strauss. She earned the win over Audubon in last year’s sectional final and is capable of another big postseason. No. 2 Pennsville, with a recent win over South Jersey Group 3 top seed Delsea, could also be dangerous.
Last year Haddon Township beat Audubon, 5-2 in the final. This year the two could meet again in the championship. Audubon is the No. 1 seed and Haddon Township is No. 3. This season Audubon went 2-0 against Haddon Township, winning 2-1 and 7-0. but the Hawks have one of South Jersey’s top two-way players in senior Jordan Strauss. She earned the win over Audubon in last year’s sectional final and is capable of another big postseason. No. 2 Pennsville, with a recent win over South Jersey Group 3 top seed Delsea, could also be dangerous.
South Jersey Group 2
Gloucester is the defending state champion and the top seed. Once again, the Lions will be dangerous. Haddon Heights is the No. 2 seed and with pitcher Sarah Cooley will be a threat. The Garnets split its two regular season games with Gloucester. No. 3 seed Cinnaminson bears watching. The Pirates lost twice to powerful Kingsway in the regular season, but this type of difficult schedule has them ready to compete in Group 2.
Gloucester is the defending state champion and the top seed. Once again, the Lions will be dangerous. Haddon Heights is the No. 2 seed and with pitcher Sarah Cooley will be a threat. The Garnets split its two regular season games with Gloucester. No. 3 seed Cinnaminson bears watching. The Pirates lost twice to powerful Kingsway in the regular season, but this type of difficult schedule has them ready to compete in Group 2.
South Jersey Group 3
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Delsea is the No. 1 seed and the Crusaders take a 21-1 record into the tournament, with the lone loss, 7-5 at Pennsville last week. Freshman Cailyn Centeno (2.04 ERA) and senior Iris Chapman (2.14) give the Crusaders a deep and effective pitching staff. Second seeded Clearview lost to Delsea, 13-4, but that was more than a month ago on April 22. Another contender is No. 3 Absegami, which lost 6-3 to Clearview earlier this season.
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Delsea is the No. 1 seed and the Crusaders take a 21-1 record into the tournament, with the lone loss, 7-5 at Pennsville last week. Freshman Cailyn Centeno (2.04 ERA) and senior Iris Chapman (2.14) give the Crusaders a deep and effective pitching staff. Second seeded Clearview lost to Delsea, 13-4, but that was more than a month ago on April 22. Another contender is No. 3 Absegami, which lost 6-3 to Clearview earlier this season.
South Jersey Group 4
Kingsway is the No. 1 seed and has been the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey virtually all season. The Dragons are led by one of the state’s best players, senior Hannah Weismer, who entered the tournament hitting .500 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. Kingsway entered the tourney on a two-game losing streak, falling 5-2 to Donovan Catholic, the top seed in South Jersey Non-Public A, and 9-3 to Audubon, the top seed in SJ Group 1. No. 2 seed Vineland lost its opening game of the season, 11-1 to Kingsway. Since then, the Fighting Clan have improved and could contend for the title.
Kingsway is the No. 1 seed and has been the consensus No. 1 team in South Jersey virtually all season. The Dragons are led by one of the state’s best players, senior Hannah Weismer, who entered the tournament hitting .500 with eight home runs and 33 RBIs. Kingsway entered the tourney on a two-game losing streak, falling 5-2 to Donovan Catholic, the top seed in South Jersey Non-Public A, and 9-3 to Audubon, the top seed in SJ Group 1. No. 2 seed Vineland lost its opening game of the season, 11-1 to Kingsway. Since then, the Fighting Clan have improved and could contend for the title.
South Jersey Non-Public A
This is one of the best sections in the state. Donovan Catholic is the top seed, but teams to also look for are No. 2 Red Bank Catholic and No. 3 St. John Vianney. It would be a surprise if any teams outside this trio emerges as champion.
This is one of the best sections in the state. Donovan Catholic is the top seed, but teams to also look for are No. 2 Red Bank Catholic and No. 3 St. John Vianney. It would be a surprise if any teams outside this trio emerges as champion.
Donovan Catholic, takes a 22-1 record into the tournament, losing only to Marlboro, 9-7 in a Shore Conference quarterfinal. In addition, Donovan Catholic owns a 4-2 win over Red Bank Catholic. Still, it was Red Bank Catholic that beat St. John Vianney, 1-0 in a Shore Conference semifinal and then defeated Colts Neck, 9-1 in the championship. St. John Vianney beat Red Bank Catholic, 13-2 in the regular season. The best team from the seven-county South Jersey area is No. 6 seed Paul VI, which has a great offense and is a club nobody should want to face.
South Jersey Non-Public B
Top seeded St. Joseph Hammonton has won five consecutive South Jersey Non-Public B titles, and the Wildcats are again the favorite. St. Joseph enters the tournament 16-6, but has been playing its best lately, having defeated Vineland, 4-2 to win the Cape Atlantic League tournament title. This came after St. Joseph lost to Vineland in two games during the regular season. Another Cape Atlantic team, Holy Spirit, is the No. 2 seed, but it would be a surprise if anybody other than St. Joseph emerges as champion.
Top seeded St. Joseph Hammonton has won five consecutive South Jersey Non-Public B titles, and the Wildcats are again the favorite. St. Joseph enters the tournament 16-6, but has been playing its best lately, having defeated Vineland, 4-2 to win the Cape Atlantic League tournament title. This came after St. Joseph lost to Vineland in two games during the regular season. Another Cape Atlantic team, Holy Spirit, is the No. 2 seed, but it would be a surprise if anybody other than St. Joseph emerges as champion.
Photo: Haddon Twp vs Haddon Heights - Jordan Strauss of Haddon Township pitching / Marc Narducci
Author: Marc Narducci
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