Sports In The Garden State™ West Essex Regional High School Softball

2000 Softball Schedule 4/01 at Caldwell 7-2 4/03 at Parsippany 2-0 4/05 at Morris Hills 4/07 Mount Olive 4/10 at Weequahic 4/12 at Dover 4/13 at Wayne Valley 4/14 Summit 4/15 at Edison 4/15 at J.P. Stevens 4/17 Mendham 4/18 at Hanover Park 4/24 Parsippany Hills 4/25 Belleville 4/26 Parsippany 4/27 Morris Knolls 4/28 Morris Hills 5/01 at Mount Olive 5/03 Weequahic 5/05 Dover 5/08 at Summit 5/10 at Mendham 5/12 Hanover Park 5/15 at Parsippany Hills 5/17 at Livingston

2000 Softball Roster Keri O'Meara, Head Coach 2nd Season (21-5) Alaina Benacquista, Jr. Amy Cannara, Jr. Jill DiSanti, Jr. Elissa Loppostato, Jr. Elyse Agnello, So. Jenna Caprio, So. Dana DePalma, So. Moffatt Steele, So. April Taberna, So. Thani Totaro, So. Katrina D'Accampo, Fr. Sarah Miller, Fr. Melissa Myron, Fr. Deanna Perotta, Fr. Katie Storey, Fr.

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West Essex Regional High School West Greenbrook Road North Caldwell, NJ 07006 (973) 228-1200 (973) 228-7022 (Athletic Fax) Colors: Red/White/Black Nickname: Knights Conference: Iron Hills Conference - Hills Division NJSIAA Affiliation: North Jersey, Section 2, Group II Patrick J. Pelosi, Superintendent of Schools Judith A. Moran, PrincipalTh

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Totaro hurls Lady Knights to back-to-back wins By Dennis Wilson Sports In The Garden State Sophomore Thani Totaro got West Essex off on the right track when she hurled the Lady Knights to back-to-back victories to start the 2000 diamond campaign. On Saturday, Wessex defeated Caldwell 7-2 in the season-opener for both clubs in West Caldwell and the Lady Knights followed with a 2-0 win over Parsippany in an Iron Hills Conference - Hills Division season-opener on Monday afternoon. West Essex struck for two runs in the top of the first against the Chiefs in the opener. Sophomore shortstop Dana DePalma doubled and her classmate, first baseman Elyse Agnello walked. Frosh third sacker Deanna Perrotta singled home DePalma and Totaro lofted a sacrifice fly that plated Agnello. Caldwell narrowed the gap quickly, scoring a run in the bottom of the first when first sacker Erin Smith walked and moved around to third before coming home on an error. In the fourth, Agnello reached base on an error and scored on an RBI single off the bat of Totaro as West Essex upped its lead to 3-1. The Lady Knights gained some breathing room with a four-run outburst in the sixth. Sophomore centerfielder Moffat Steele reached base on an error and DePalma followed with a single. Agnello was safe on an error with Steele crossing the plate with the first run of the evening. Perrotta singled home DePalma to pick up an RBI and Totaro was credited with an RBI when she grounded out on a fielder's choice that scored Agnello. Perrotta completed the scoring parade when she scored on an outfield error. Smith gave the Caldwell fans a chance to cheer in the seventh with two outs she drilled a homer to complete the scoring for the day. Stephanie Gerard went the route for the Chiefs, surrendering seven hits, striking out three and walking five but was the victim of a lack of fielding support in the sixth inning. "It was a big win for us," said second-year coach Keri O'Meara. "Not only was it the opening game, it was against Caldwell and that made it special. The girls were excited and pumped up for the game." On Monday, Totaro hurled a two-hit shutout against the Redskins in Parsippany, fanning five and walking only two. She aided her own cause going 3 for 4 at the plate and in the fifth, she singled home Perrotta who had singled with an insurance tally. The Lady Knights got on the board early when they scored an unearned run in the top of the first on an error. "Thani has been impressive in her two starts," added O'Meara. "She is a different type of pitcher than her older sister (Angela) as she relies on a pitch with good movement instead of blazing speed." West Essex is a very young team but lost only four players to graduation last June when the Lady Knights went 21-5. There are no seniors on the roster and only two juniors, catcher Alaina Benacquista and second sacker Jill DeSanti. "Deanna is a freshman who has made an immediate positive impact on our team," continued O'Meara. "There are several other freshmen that I plan on using as swing players, switching between the varsity and junior varsity depending on the opposition. I want to prepare them for the future so they will not be sitting on the bench." It is the Class of 2002 that will mature and develop the Lady Knights into an awesome force over the next three seasons. West Essex is young and has a bright diamond future, but the Lady Knights are very much a team of the present. "Our goals are to shoot for the Hills Divisional championship and play for the sectional title," said O'Meara. Based on the results from the first two games, the Lady Knights are on schedule to challenge for both titles.

Iron Hills Conference

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