It’s often tough to quantify the impact of a senior class on one program, let alone a region.
We’re going to try.
The Class of 2024 absolutely left its imprint on area diamonds from Andover to Auburn, N.H., and everywhere in between.
The dynamo that is Taunton High softball stood in the way – literally and figuratively – for our area’s Mass. teams, but it is easy to see the depth built in these parts with Central Catholic making back-to-back Final 4 trips and both Methuen and North Andover peppering their way to state quarterfinals.
In New Hampshire, there was one state title in the four years – Salem’s in 2021 – but watching Pinkerton, Windham and Timberlane perennially ascend into the top half of Division I with the Blue Devils centers on the Class of 2024.
So, with that, we tip our caps in the final softball column of the year.
Hit parade
We’ve documented quite well the amazing offensive exploits at the top of the Salem High order with Stonehill-bound Jenny Olson and BU-bound Addie Lucier for sure.
Those two, along with catcher Emersen Poulin, have certainly been cornerstones for the program.
The first numbers that leap off the page is 168. With 50 – Yes, 5-0! – hits this spring, Olson closes out her Salem career with 168 hits and 124 runs scored. Those are ungodly numbers.
And for years now, it has felt like every time she was on base, Lucier drove her home.
Lucier was third in the region this spring with 31 RBIs, making it 105 for her career.
Any way you slice it, that’s crazy production.
Grit and guts
There is zero doubt that the two biggest holes to fill around the region are in the circle at Central Catholic and North Andover High, where pitchers Julia Malowitz and Brigid Gaffny have finally moved on.
Each performed more than admirably at the highest level over the past three seasons, facing the toughest competition the state could produce.
Both were as strong-willed and unrelenting on the mound as they were talent.
The Valley has seen more skilled pitchers. It has not seen better competitors.
Now some glue
Coaches talk about “glue” type players all the time. Second-year Haverhill coach Hayley McCarthy relied heavily on Jamieson Pearl and Samantha Dion to hold things together until reinforcements arrive.
In the old days, when I wrote my regular high school baseball column, “Touching all the Bases,” I would give out a “Foxhole Award” for the player I’d most like to go to battle with. These two would win the softball version.
With their leadership, the Hillies carried their state tournament hopes into the final week of the regular season on a roster laden with freshmen who will be a big part of the future.
“Samantha Dion had a great senior season. She led our team in hits this season. She was a great leader and helped the underclassmen. Sam’s confidence and determination will be missed,” said McCarthy.
“Jamieson’s will to help her team will be missed greatly. She not only worked hard to improve her skills but others. She had a great senior season. Jamie is a natural leader.”
Runners-up for me in that spot would be the Lavallee girls, Charlotte and Caroline, at Greater Lawrence Tech, who could give a seminar on what being “team-first” is all about.
Ranger revival
Methuen’s late-season charge to Taunton in the state quarters was nothing short of sensational and inspirational, considering the way the Rangers played the year without their biggest bat – senior captain Thyanais Santiago, who is headed to UMass Lowell.
Santiago, recuperating from her torn ACL suffered in December, stuck with her team every step of the way.
That kind of leadership does not go unnoticed.
The Rangers responded with her classmates like Kiele Coleman, Mackenzie Yirrell, Ari Baez, Alexis Anthony and Bella Monsanto, taking the reins and willing Methuen’s run from 9-9 with a weekend to go in the regular season, right to the quarters.
Wildcats deliver
Four years ago, Whittier Tech coach Cheryl Begin saw she might have something in the Class of 2024.
That group persevered – seven strong – to capture a league title and a State Vocational title – nearly pulling off what would have been the shocker of the 2024 season before falling to Marshfield, 2-1.
The Wildcats were deep offensively and take a giant hit, especially at the top where a pair of members of the prestigious 100-hit club – Maddie Noury and Kaitlyn Hurley – have moved on.
Replacing one bat like that is plenty, but two? An absolute chore.
Quick hits
If you like defense and are a fan of strength up the middle, you’re definitely going to miss not seeing Central catcher Zaynah Wotkowicz, shortstop Katie Fox and second baseman Olivia Boucher getting to work. …
The good news for Saint Anselm, that Timberlane’s Alexa Salafia heads there in the fall, is certainly bad news for the Owls program.
Timberlane has had some big wins over the past couple years. The one constant in all of them has been Salafia, a two-time first-team All-Division I choice. …
Top prediction of the spring? We’ll give that to North Andover’s Ella Mancuso, who said early in the year that she was going after her personal season homer mark of five this spring. She crushed it with an area-best eight.