Section V softball playoffs begins: What to know about the top teams, players

WEBSTER — "Lots of love".

Those three words echoed from Webster Thomas seniors Maddie Hicks, Julia Maciag and Maddie Throumoulos as each captain summed up their illustrious softball careers. Eliya Hagan is the fourth senior on a Titans team hoping to make a fourth consecutive Section V finals appearance and repeat as champions when postseason play begins Friday.

Last season, Hicks, Maciag and Throumoulos guided Webster Thomas to its first section championship since 2009, when coach Emily Castro's Titans defeated Irondequoit for the Section V Class A1 brick. They'd win regionals and advanced to the state semifinal. Previously, Thomas lost the A1 final to Brighton in 2021 and then to Webster Schroeder in 2022.

This season, Thomas (15-5) is the third seed of a stacked Class AA playoff bracket. Schroeder, Pittsford Mendon, Victor and Bishop Kearney join the Titans as viable title contenders rich in skilled personnel and calculated coaches. Whoever comes out of Class AA should have a real shot at a state crown. Hicks, Maciag and Throumoulos spent time during a May 11 doubleheader reflecting on their varsity careers, fondly recalling moments from their appearances in the 2021 final as freshmen.

"Lots of love (for) every single person we've played with past and present. So much love in this program," Throumoulos said.

Maddie Hicks

Pitcher Maddie Hicks was unexpectedly pulled into the circle as a freshman. She struck out three batters and hit a double during Webster Thomas' 2021 finals appearance. To improve her pitches, Hicks and her father made Buffalo trips to Kevin and Missy Hufford's Softball Central to train with former Williamsville North (Section VI) and Canisius University star Emily Nicosia. Hicks became the Titans' ace as a junior and quickly added her name next to the state's best. The "Doubles queen", Hicks has always had a big bat. She's hit a double in all three finals appearances, and crushed a grand slam in the 2023 region final.

"To sum up my career is just — awesome," Hicks said. "I started out here as a freshman pitching, which was something I was not expecting, but the coaches really trusted me, and trusted everyone else, to have me on the mound. It just took off from there. Everyone has just been awesome in backing me up, no matter what, through thick and thin."

Julia Maciag

Shortstop Julia Maciag surprised people with her speed as Hicks' pinch runner in the '21 final. Maciag is proud of her triple that led to her scoring the only run in a win over rival Schroeder as a sophomore. Once shen earned a starting role, Maciag proved to be one of the area's most feared infielders, capable of turning double plays anytime a runner is on base. Along with her speed, arm strength and awareness at shortstop, Maciag is also stud at the plate. In 2023, she hit an RBI-double in the A1 final, and added another hit and an RBI in regionals.

"Throughout the season we really developed as a program. Kicking off at Schroeder my sophomore year, being the only run scored was a really great feeling. It was ... a redo for our program, which was awesome," Maciag said. "I was really glad to be able to be a part of that. We continued to grow from Florida last year, and then going to states was an amazing feeling. It's awesome to be able to play with all these girls."

Maddie Throumoulos

Third baseman Maddie Throumoulos is Thomas' 3-hitter for good reason. As a freshman, Throumoulos registered two hits in the '21 final, and has since turned into a respected hitter with a strong arm and high IQ on the hot corner. Against Schroeder on May 1, Throumoulos fielded a bunt to spark a 5-2-6 out at third. In the 2023 Class A1 final, Throumoulos was named tournament MVP after collecting a double and three hits. Throumoulos' solo home run that scored the first run of the '23 state semifinal summited the Titans' final four run.

"I'm super grateful for every second I've had with these girls. The team has changed so much over the past four years. I started in a high pressure situation where I came up at the end of the regular season my freshman year. That just started it off for me (and) made me fall in love with Thomas softball. I'm grateful for every second," Throumoulos said.

Section V softball tournament: What to know

Young Women's College Prep, Northeast, and Monroe/School Without Walls each opted out of the postseason.

Section V's seven championship games will be played Saturday, May 25 at two locations. Finger Lakes Community College will host the Class AAA, AA, A and B finals. Fillmore High School hosts Class C1, C2 and D. The C1 and C2 champions will play each other in a region qualifier Tuesday, May 28.

Here are the top four seeds in each classification:

Class AAA: No. 1 Franklin/World of Inquiry School (10-4) vs. No. 4 Greece Storm (11-9); No. 2 Fairport (10-9) vs. No. 3 Rush-Henrietta (11-9).

This four team classification skips straight to the semifinals May 23. Nicole Allen and Fairport defeated Rush-Henrietta twice, but Kadyn Hartel's Royal Comets have championship pedigree as well. Jessia Breedy's Franklin Bulldogs and Allison Sywulski's Greece Storm — a combination of all four Greece schools — can clinch coveted finals appearances.

Class AA: No. 1 Webster Schroeder (18-2), No. 2 Pittsford Mendon (19-1), No. 3 Webster Thomas (15-5), No. 4 Victor (13-6).

Liana DeValder and Webster Schroeder may have earned the top seed, but there's no clear favorite. Olivia Steinorth's Victor Blue Devils ended Schroeder's unblemished start and defeated Thomas Tuesday. Lilly Goldberg and Mendon are unbeaten against Section V competition. Even Carmella Phelan's fifth-seeded Bishop Kearney/Chesteron Academy Kings (14-4) are serious contenders.

Class A: No. 1 Pittsford Sutherland (15-4), No. 2 School of the Arts (13-6), No. 3 Honeoye Falls-Lima (12-7), No. 4 Eastridge (12-8).

HF-L won Class A2 last year behind Kate Dailor's home run-filled postseason. They've split both contests with Petra Hunt's Sutherland Knights this season. Jalissa Critenden's Eastridge Lancers also split with HF-L. Taialise Davila and School of the Arts dominated RCAC again.

Class B: No. 1 Haverling (16-1), No. 2 Wellsville (16-1), No. 3 Midlakes (16-4), No. 4 Penn Yan (14-6).

Makenzie Cowburn's three-time champion Wellsville Lions have been ranked No. 1 in the state all season. They'll ride a 16-game winning streak into sectionals. But Kaili Witherell's Haverling Rams are on the Lions' heels, losing one-run games in their last two meetings, including last year's B2 final. Olivia Miles' Midlakes Screaming Eagles won the program's first Finger Lakes East title. Giana Ficcaglia's Penn Yan Mustangs split with Midlakes.

Class C1: No. 1 Bloomfield (14-2), No. 2 Avon (14-4), No. 3 Letchworth (13-6), No. 4 Oakfield-Alabama (11-5).

Ashlyn Wright and Bloomfield towered over their independent schedule, defeating Caitlin Ryan and Oakfield-Alabama along the way. Jessie Crye and Avon split with Abbie DeRock's Letchworth squad.

Class C2: No. 1 Dundee/Bradford (14-1), No. 2 Caledonia-Mumford (14-5), No. 3 South Seneca/Romulus (11-4), No. 4 Pavilion (12-6).

Morgan Sutryk and Dundee/Bradford defeated Libby Barbay and SS/R twice during the season. Courtney Gurbacki and Pavilion swept Emma Years' Caledonia-Mumford team in a doubleheader.

Class D: No. 1 Keshequa (16-4), No. 2 Batavia Notre Dame (15-3), No. 3 Friendship/Scio (15-3), No. 4 Genesee Valley-Belfast (11-5).

Friendship/Scio's Nevaeh Ross enters the postseason No. 2 on Section V's career strikeouts leaderboard with over 1,400. Ross' total is fifth all-time in state history, and she can move into third in a game or two. Ross set the section's single game strikeout standard twice this season, setting the mark at 26 while breaking her previous record of 25. Ross has won three straight section titles and played in the '23 state title game. Hannah Southwick-Powers and Genesee Valley-Belfast played F/S well in a 10-inning loss. Alynn Dunning and Keshequa have won 11 of their last 12 games. Loretta Sorochty and Batavia Notre Dame have won four of five.

Reigning Section V champions

Section V Class AAA did not exist in 2023.

Class AA: Rush-Henrietta (19-5), Class A1: Webster Thomas (17-8, NYS semifinalist), Class A2: Honeoye Falls-Lima (11-11), Class B1: Batavia (16-7), Class B2: Wellsville (21-2, three straight, NYS semifinalist), Class C1: Addison (16-8), Class C2: Bolivar-Richburg (23-3, three straight, region finalist), Class D1: Batavia Notre Dame (17-6), Class D2: Friendship/Scio (20-4, three straight for Friendship, two consecutive merged, NYS finalist).

— Marquel Slaughter is a journalist for the Democrat and Chronicle, specializing in high school sports. He has been reporter for 14 years. Follow him @MarquelSports on X and on Instagram. You can contact him at mslaughter1@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V softball playoffs 2024: What to know about top teams, players