Softball: Team-by-team previews for the 2024 season in North Jersey

Here’s a team-by-team look at the North Jersey softball teams entering the 2024 season.

BIG NORTH CONFERENCE

American Division

Cliffside Park

The Red Raiders are adding a talented young group to first-team All-League performers Mattingly Rodriguez (great baseball name) and Ashley Bustamante. Senior Miranda Citarella is back from an injury.

Dumont

Dumont has become one of the most consistent programs in Bergen County. The Huskies were 13-13 last year and bring back a good group led by senior first baseman Keira Joyce, who batted .421 last year and junior shortstop Eva Gessner, who had five homers and 34 RBIs.

Fort Lee

Fort Lee was a surprise in 2023, winning nine games and staying near the top of the division. They bring back four starters from last year including seniors Olivia Hausman and Kaitlyn Park.

Ridgefield Park

The Scarlets have become a team on the rise in North Jersey, winning 24 games last year and reaching the sectional final. All the pieces are there for them to do it again, including All-County shortstop Eliza Mullen and outstanding pitcher Gabby Rivera. The challenge for the Scarlets will be dealing with heightened expectations.

Freedom Division

Hackensack

The Comets continue to make strides as a program and play at a higher level, it’s just the competition in this division is elite. Hackensack will continue to give teams fits featuring sophomore Briana Darling, who had 42 steals last year and All-League outfielder Gianna Bruno.

Northern Highlands

Northern Highlands is that team no one wants to see on the schedule. Junior pitcher Ciara Murray was a breakthrough star in 2023 and is surrounded by a talented core including Natalie Gonzalez and Sophia Mamunes. Because of their schedule and division, the Highlanders final record may not indicate how good they actually are.

Paramus

With only three starters back, Paramus may struggle in this tough division. Junior Miranda Rivera will get the ball in the circle and the Zotollo sisters (Ava and Ella) will patrol the left side of the infield.

Ramapo

A year after going 21-9, the Green Raiders bring back a big group and add some quality freshmen to the mix that makes them real Bergen County contenders. Ella Saxton won 12 games last year and is stronger now in the circle. Grace Saxton batted .452. Ramapo will schedule tough - week 1 game with IHA on tap - and believe that will make them battle-tested for May and June.

Ridgewood

After a couple of down years, Ridgewood may have put in all together in last year’s State Tournament and can use that as fuel entering this year. Junior pitcher Claire Hamel is steady and experienced and Ridgewood always has speed they can use to generate offense.

Independence Division

Fair Lawn

The Cutters are primed to chase the division title with senior pitcher Kendall McNamara leading the way. With a tick better defense, Fair Lawn could win close to 20 games and contend for the sectional title.

Lakeland/Kinnelon

Just before the season started, the NJSIAA approved a co-op between Lakeland and Kinnelon for the 2024 softball season. That merger provides a talent boost and immediate depth. Lakeland is bringing back senior All-County performer Lexi Callahan and Julia McCormick, who missed last year, after a big freshman campaign.

Passaic Valley

Veteran coach Kathy Hill may have one of her most complete teams at Passaic Valley. The Hornets look like the favorite in Passaic County with senior pitcher Mia Aquino back and a line-up led by Kacey DiPasquale and Lily Allmendinger. The Hornets enjoy a unique homefield advantage in North Jersey, with a great home environment.

Wayne Hills

After eight wins in 2023, the Patriots are rebuilding around a young core that includes junior pitcher Jaelyn Fritzsch, junior infielder Emily Gougousis and sophomore Ava Connolly.

Wayne Valley

The Indians lurk as contenders once again with five starters back, including standout third baseman Sophia Passaro and shortstop Sumaya Ali. Wayne Valley showed it could score a lot of runs last year and hang with the best teams (they gave Ramsey one of their three losses), but was too inconsistent.

West Milford

The Highlanders have the ability to take a big step forward in 2024. They can no longer use youth as an excuse. Senior Mia Biancamano was an All-County player and part of an experience core that has learned how to win.'

Liberty Division

Bergen Tech

The Knights reached the Bergen County semifinals in 2023 and won 24 games, but have to replace a bunch of key parts. Gianna Streppone and Shannon Quigley will each see action in the circle and Nina Sarlo is closing in on the school record for hits (152).

Clifton

The Mustangs had some good days and bad in 2023, finishing with 10 wins. There’s an intriguing mix of sophomores with some talent to go alongside senior infielders Mia Joyce and Kia Coy.

Eastside

The Ghosts will rely on seniors Autumn Livingston, Jamela Martinez and junior catcher Jayla Martinez. Starting pitcher Jayla Stokes has been in the circle the last three seasons giving Eastside hope they can improve on last year's eight-win campaign.

Passaic

Passaic believes it can get to double-digit wins using their elite speed on the bases and relying on the experience of senior pitcher Beyonce Hernandez

Passaic Tech

The Bulldogs will fight for the division title with a talented team that includes All-County performers Savannah Czornomor and Giavonna Bergamasco. What will determine just how far the Bulldogs go will be how they handle adversity.

National Division

Bergenfield

There’s a lot of expectations for the Bears after claiming a share of the league title last year and beating Old Tappan. Bergenfield brings back five starters, including ace pitcher Kayla Porter and dynamic shortstop Deja Suero to get the offense going. This is a team with a high ceiling. This could be their year.

Demarest

Demarest has struggled the last couple of years to compete in this division. They will be young again with a big sophomore class getting a lift from a talented freshman group. Senior Lilly Hamlin was second-team All-League last year. Getting to five wins would be a good step forward.

Old Tappan

No team will be more experienced in New Jersey than the Golden Knights as everyone is back from last year’s division co-champs. The Golden Knights will never beat themselves and take advantage of every mistake an opponent makes. Jamie Farrington will get the ball in the circle and will get support from one of North Jersey’s best offenses. Old Tappan’s ceiling is very high.

Pascack Valley

The Panthers will build around the young battery of pitcher Lexi Siller and catcher Ashley Diaz for the next two years. With seven starters back and a talented freshman class, Pascack Valley could be a dark horse in this league.

Teaneck

Seven starters are back for Teaneck, including senior catcher Olivia Gonzalez and junior Saige Moya, who each batted over .300 in 2023.

Tenafly

The Tigers will be one of the youngest teams in North Jersey and will need some freshman to fill key roles right away. Senior Olivia Callahan will be the mainstay in the outfield.

Patriot Division

Indian Hills

Last year was an interesting one for the Braves. They started 6-0, beat Ramapo two out of three times and were playing good softball at the end of the season, but got no titles (no big potatoes) to show for it. The Braves bring back a core of contributors led by seniors Celina Brown and Mikayla Amoruso and get a good player back from injury in Sophia Underfer. Can Indian Hills move into the top 3 in North Jersey or are they content to be in that second cut?

Mahwah

Last year there were times that Mahwah looked like one of the best teams in North Jersey, and other times when they really struggled. They finished 14-13. Senior Jordan Nista is one of best two-way players in North Jersey. She won 13 games in the circle with 115Ks. If the T-Birds defense behind her can stay steady, Mahwah can smooth out.

Pascack Hills

The Broncos were a pleasant surprise last year for new Coach Lauren Brown and there’s a lot of talent back, including junior pitchers Taylor Pawlyk and Lily Kelly. It’s a big junior class that has a lot of potential.

Ramsey

One of the best public school programs in North Jersey - in any sport - Ramsey is loaded again after going 27-3 last year and losing in the Bergen County final. The Rams are led by a core of three seniors: Alana Chetaitis, Sydney Marchisin and Uma Corcoran who have already had great high school careers. Ramsey does a great job of staying even-keeled and approaching each day as a chance to improve.

River Dell

Despite some key losses to graduation, Coach Brian Calabrese believes the Hawks have the defense and pitching to remain in contention in the division and maybe more. Veterans Helena Marcus and Maddie Roth were each All-League honorees last year.

Westwood

17-11, 20-5, 15-12, 17-8, those are just some of the scores for Westwood games last year, so if you like offense, the Cardinals are your North Jersey team. The Cardinals have three players with over 100 career hits already: Abby Goetz, Riley Merkel and Kate Walsh. Finding an arm or two in the circle that can get outs consistently is the goal

United Division

DePaul

The Spartans could score last year, but were inconsistent at times. This year, pitching should be a strength, the Spartans have multiple players who are comfortable in the circle, including juniors Vita Waddell and Hope Sullivan.

Holy AngelsIt’s the 40th season at the helm for Angels coach Sue Liddy and she’s hoping for a bounce back season after five wins in 2023. The entire starting line-up returns, led by senior shortstop Sam Serrano and sophomore pitcher Molly Flahive had some good moments as a freshman.

Immaculate Heart Academy

Credit the Blue Eagles for playing a brutal schedule in 2023 and they’ll do so again this year. They will start as No. 1 in North Jersey and two-time defending county champs. They have pitching, defense and hitting. They are the most complete team in North Jersey. It’s the same story, the season will come down to how they execute in the clutch.

Paramus Catholic

The Paladins will rely on a couple of fresh arms to boost their fortunes and hopefully take the next step towards a winning season. Senior Sabrina Amendola was an All-County honoree in 2023 and catcher Gianna Presutto made All-League.

NORTH JERSEY INTERSCHOLASTIC CONFERENCE

Colonial Division

Eastern Christian/Hawthorne Christian

New Coach Jerry Mercadante takes over this co-op program that finished above .500 in 2023. He believes he has a team capable of big things and will rely on seniors Gianna Angelucci and Allie Spait to lead the way.

Glen Rock

The Panthers saw Pompton Lakes edge them by a game for the league title last year and want to get back on top. Glen Rock is loaded with nine returning starters, including senior pitcher Natalie Luftman and bring back Natalia Danyluk who starred for Glen Rock as a freshman before transferring away for the last two years.

Hawthorne

Hawthorne is another team that figures to challenge for the division title. Junior pitcher Karlie Stier was a second-team All-County performer last year and has plenty of potential. The line-up is led by Nicolette Sasso and Ava Maccone.

Manchester

The Falcons being back senior catcher Kiara Marte and two pitchers in Anniah Ashmeade and Darianny Rodriguez. The hope is they can lead the way while a young team learns the ropes.

Paterson Charter

Paterson Charter is coming off a season where they won four games, and now have to start almost from scratch. They’ll look to senior catcher Sarielys Rodriguez to be the anchor for a young team moving forward.

Pompton Lakes

After a historic Passaic County title in 2023, Pompton Lakes brings back four seniors who were starters last season. Two, Hailey O'Reilly and Jamison Howard, will be on the mound. Both saw time last year but will have a prominent role pitching this season. These girls competed in big games last year and are ready to carry those experiences into this season.

Meadowlands Division

Becton

The Buda sisters have reunited as Nina Buda transferred to Becton from Bergen Tech to join Francesca. The Wildcats might be the favorites in the division with All-League pitcher Demi Dembinski back and senior Gabby O’Hare is the big bat in the line-up.

Garfield

The Boilermakers are still young and will rely on the talents of junior Jade Rodriguez each day. There are also a couple of freshmen expected to play right away.

Hasbrouck Heights

After winning a state game and 14 games overall in 2023, there’s lots of optimism around the Aviators entering this season. Junior shortstop/pitcher Mackenzie Riordan batted .479 last year with 27 RBIs and Anna Lisse Vasquez won 11 games in the circle.

Lodi

Tragedy struck in Lodi during pre-season practice with the sudden death of veteran coach Robert Terhune. The Rams are turning back to Coach Bill Schroen who led the Rams to their greatest season in 1987 when they were 29-0. These Rams will be young at pitcher and catcher, but feature All-League shortstop Ariana Garo. Expect the Rams to play with plenty of emotion in 2024.

Wallington

DePaul softball coaching legend Sue Parler has joined the Panthers coaching staff as JV coach to help the pipeline of talent to the next level. Wallington has a big piece in standout pitcher Delilah Tabaka and just needs to make routine plays to win. They can’t let one mistake become four. If they can do that, they can be at the top of this league.

Wood-Ridge

The Blue Devils bring back six starters including standout pitcher Brooke Stellato from a team that went 13-10 last year. Now its about doing the little things that make the difference in winning and losing.

Liberty Division

Elmwood Park

The Crusaders are no longer an easy W for opposing teams. They won seven games last year and bring back almost the entire team in 2024, including three girls who received All-League accolades: Annali De Dios, Isabella Scarpulla and Christina Scarpulla.

Bogota/Leonia

Big expectations in 2023 turned to disappointment for the Lion/Bucs and that has put a chip on their shoulder heading into this season. Senior pitcher Regan Lynch won eight games last year, and senior catcher Jayla Vasquez batted .571 and senior shortstop Lola Fernandez batted .578. Let’s see how motivated this co-op team is.

Mary Help of Christians

Mary Help continues to improve as a program and finished with a winning record last year. They have a lot of holes to fill, but bring back senior captain Giulia Russo who batted .389 last year and junior Hamylee Valdez. Several freshmen will likely start.

Palisades Park

This is a program that has struggled over the years, but continues to make strides. Seniors Jojo Montoya, Jilynn Rivera and Michaela Calabria all received All-League recognition and the Tigers have set a modest goal of getting back to the State Tournament in 2024.

Ridgefield

The Royals won the league title and are returning seven starters including four seniors who played key roles. Can the Royals repeat? They may have the best depth of any team in the league, including standout senior pitcher Kaitlyn O’Brien.

Saddle Brook

An 0-9 start to the season doomed any hopes of a league title in Saddle Brook, but things look better entering 2024. Senior Madison Brickley is an underrated star who batted over. 500 last year. The Falcons are hungry to compete.

Patriot Division

Bergen Charter

Second year coach Beau Jadrosich went with a youth movement last season and the squad won four games. This year the expectation is that the experience gained and the years of playing together will create more wins.

Cresskill

Things are looking up at Cresskill where the Cougars bring back seven starters from last year’s team that won six games, including All-League honoree Caitlin McGee. Cresskill will have depth and experience for the first time in a while. There’s room in this division to make some noise this year, and next.

Emerson

The Cavos have dominated this division the last few years, but now have to deal with significant losses to graduation and are shuffling some players around defensively. They’re still going to be in the mix though with senior catcher Eleeza Kapadia.

Midland Park

Long a small-school contender, the Panthers fell back last year, but expect to rebound behind Julia Henderson, who couldn’t pitch last year because of an injury, and junior Olivia Schaefer.

New Milford

The Knights are coming back this season with seven returning starters, three of which have 2-3 years of varsity experience under their belt already and are All-League performers. The idea is the experienced players will help fill in any gaps in the learning curve for the young ones. Senior Juliana Brophy was an All-League shortstop last season.

Park Ridge

Seniors Erika Stewart and Amanda Cicero are each closing in on 100 hits for their high school careers. Sophomore Kate Broderick is expected to excel in the circle and works well with junior catcher Alexis Iula.

Waldwick

The Warriors fought and fought to win 16 games last year and bring back eight key players from that group, including pitcher Hailey Zirpoli and Abbey Woodward (third-team All-County last year). On paper, Waldwick might be the best team in the league.

National Division

Lyndhurst

The Golden Bears hit the reset button in 2023 with one of the youngest teams in the area and won five games. The goal right now is to stay positive and continue to lay a foundation that can be real contenders in the years to come. Sophomore catcher Gianna Lembo had 22 steals as a freshman.

North Arlington

New coach Emma Stagg takes over a program hoping to break through. There are five returning starters, led by senior outfielder Rhi’Anna Gomez and shortstop Jeylene Joza.

Rutherford

Bulldogs pitcher Giana Yaniero gives her team a chance to win every time she’s in the circle, but for Rutherford to get past Weehawken and make some noise in the section, they’ll need contributions from all over. Ayla Hernandez batted .436 last year and Abby Moller batted .357.

Secaucus

Nine, count them, nine freshmen have entered the Patriots program and are sure to leave a mark at some point. Secaucus finished 12-10 last year and brings back five starters including pitcher Kaitlyn Tusa.

St. Mary

It’s a new beginning at St. Mary as former Immaculate Conception standout and coach Sarah Piening takes over and has brought several former Blue Wolves with her (IC closed in 2023). That talent should make the Gaels contenders in a tough league.

Weehawken

Weehawken softball has become a must-see event along the waterfront. Junior catcher Envey Duran has a career average of .489 and a Division 1 swing. Then there are the McHale sisters (Savanna, Brooke and Brianna). All three are tremendous and you know they are motivated to go out together with a title or two.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NJ softball: Team-by-team previews for 2024 season in North Jersey