His contract was not renewed and there is an uproar within Suffern over it.

My colleague Ernie Palladino wrote a story that made A1. In case you missed it, HERE IT IS

New City won the second title in the 49th annual Tournament of Champions 1-0 over the Nanuet. These were the same two towns that met in the finals a year ago. But it was the Nanuet Dodgers.

What I want to do is talk about some of the players that could make an impact in the future of Section 1.

Nanuet: Tony Toronto has some solid talent to look to in the nearby future of Nanuet High School. Theresa Blumfeld was someone who I liked last year and my opinion didn’t change. She’s got real soft hands and good range at shortstop. She made every play in the field and could be a solid leader in that infield. My other favorite was catcher Megan Donnelly. She’s got solid hands at the plate and has a strong bat. She’s got a cannon of an arm and can throw out a lot of runners. But what impressed me the most was how she was with pitcher Rebecca Ferro. When you’re a catcher, not only do you have to worry about the game, sometimes you have to be a cheerleader an continue to the pitcher. I sat right by home plate and I heard her encouraging her pitcher and that’s a sign of a good teammate.

New City:I was really impressed with Lauren Capello. Her stuff reminds me a lot of some of the best pitchers that currently pitch on the high school level. Her control was impeccable and she was able to get the strikeouts. If she can develop a couple of other pitchers, she will be a person to watch when she gets to high school. Laura Castaldo was really good at third base. She played aggressively in the field and has a solid stick. I liked the tenacity of catcher Julia Gentile. In her at bats tonight, she showed a lot of tenacity and that attribute will pay off on the high school level.

Unfortunately, I didn’t see Pearl River, Stony Point, or Haverstaw. But I did talk to the manager of the Pearl River Thunder after they played their game against Stony Point. Caroline Kardashian had 14 strikeouts in the game and she’s next in line for Mike Carlacci and the Pirates when she gets into high school. She’s a seventh grader, so she’s the heir apparent to Katie O’Flynn and Kaity Goldrick.

I’m going to be covering the finals of the softball tournament champions at the Haverstraw Little League Complex.

It’s between New City and Nanuet.

I’ll let you all know my thoughts once I’ve filed the story.

I know I posted yesterday about the state team list but I took it down for a reason and it’s no one else’s business but mine so please don’t ask.

Just let’s all be happy for the recognition that Section 1 got.

There were many players who were named to the State All-star team courtesy of the New York State Sportswriter’s association.

On top of that, the NYS coach of the year was named.

Tonight at the Section 1 awards dinner; the All-Section awards were handed out and here they are by league.

The Section 1 dinner is tonight at 6:30 p.m.

This year’s dinner is in Hastings at the Westchester Manor. It’s on Saw Mill River Road.

Before I get into each of the three games; I just want to start off and say congratulations on amazing seasons for both Pearl River and North Rockland.

First to Pearl River and the loss in the finals.
With their win in the semifinals, the Pirates became the first team in Section 1 to make to the finals. No one ever made it out of the semifinals. What this game boiled down to was that you get the third time through the order; and if you don’t come at them with a different attack; the other team will figure you out. Katie O’Flynn was pitching a wail of ball game. She matched Floral Park freshman Sam Giovanniello strike for strike. When they were seeing O’Flynn that third time, they figured her out. But the Pirates couldn’t get around on Giovanniello’s fast ball. That girl pitched very well as well.
Krystina Poloni was the only one who was able to figure what Giovanniello was throwing.
There were a couple of calls that I disagreed with. But more specifically, Kaitlin Dinet during the 14 pitch at bat in the fourth inning, she hit a ball that went up the third base line that went foul over the third base. I thought it should’ve been a fair ball but I’m not the ump. I give the Pirates credit battling the whole entire game. They should be very proud of themselves.
I don’t remember off hand who asked about why coach Mike Carlacci started O’Flynn when they had Dinet. Here’s your answer…. the same reason why he started Katie Scrima last year in the state semifinal. You roll with the arm that got you to the point you are at. O’Flynn was the hot hand for the Pirates the entire post-season. It’s like a shooter in basketball, when you are hot, you always try to feed the hot hand to help you extend the lead.

Now onto their first game against Victor.
That team is something special. They were very good and so was their pitcher Kacie Strong. Bethany DeMarco got two hits off of a O’Flynn but the Blue Devils weren’t able to do much else. The Pirates were able to jump out early on a two-out single by Dinet and that was all they needed. Katie O’Flynn pitched very well. The fact that the defense behind her played solidly behind her and that O’Flynn danced out of three different jams is what won the Pirates that game.

Now if you’re looking for cander; it’s going to come on the North Rockland game. But before I nit pick and really vent my feelings; I want to again congratulate North Rockland on a tremendous year. I do also want to congratulate Brentwood senior Nicole Flint on throwing a perfect game.
But now to play the hindsight game, the home plate ump was really REALLY inconsistent. He really didn’t give Krystn Benson, and Samantha Welsh to an extent both sides of the plate and as Heather Hansen said to me, it was basically a choice of either walking them or let Brentwood hit the ball by pitching in the middle of the plate.
What made it even more inconsistent was in Hansen’s at bat in the second inning. You can’t call one pitch a ball then on the next pitch call strike in that same exact spot. That kind of baffled my mind. But the worst was on Sami’s lead off hit in the fourth inning. If you were there, you know exactly what I’m talking about. For those of you who weren’t; let me set the scene. On a one and one count, Welsh rockets the ball to left; Brentwood left fielder Vikki Castillo makes a good read on the ball and gets a glove on it. As she comes out of her sprint, the ball comes out. According to the umps, and this is what I was told by coach Michelle Shaw, the reason it was ruled a catch was because the ball came out on the transfer.
OK… so understand this; I’m sitting by the official scorer’s table which was back on the first base line by home plate. I had a clear view of the play and I don’t know how that could’ve been ruled a catch because of the transfer. There really wasn’t a transfer. To be perfectly honest; I really think she didn’t have control of the ball. My annoyance with the call wasn’t helped by a Brentwood employee who was churping back. But if anyone could seriously explain to me how that was a catch then you are a hell of a lot smarter then me cause to me, that wasn’t a catch.
This isn’t to take away what Nicole Flint did; pitching a perfect game is an amazing accomplishment, but to do it in the state final four, is amazing. However, I really have a lot of questions on some of the officiating.

But the bottom line, both the Pirates and the Red Raiders each had tremendous seasons and should be very proud of themselves, even if it may not feel that way right now.

Oh boy.. there was some interesting happenings in today’s games weren’t there.

Well you will get my post game analysis; after I finish both stories. And trust me folks… if you like my cander, then you will get it.

It was raining after Pearl River won their semifinal so the start time of this game has been pushed back. Now that the rain has started up again who knows.

Update 1: Pearl River is warming up right now through the drops. Katie O’Flynn again will be the starter for the Pirates.

Update 2: It’s about 5 to four and we’re about ready to start the game vs. Floral Park.

Update 3: Top 1: After a two-out double to Melissa Correa, O’Flynn gets out of it. No score as PR comes up to bat.

Update 4: Bottom 1: Krystina Poloni got a two-out hit to center but the Pirates got nothing else. After 1, no score.

Update 5: Top 2: Allison Bostrom got a two-out hit for Floral Park but they failed to score. No score.

Update 6: Bottom 2: The Pirates are retired in order. No score through 2.

Update 7: Pearl River survives a two-out triple by the pitcher. No score.

Update 8: After 3 full, still no score.

Update 9: O’Flynn got her first 1,2,3 inning. Still no score after 3 1/2 innings. PR comes up in the bottom of 4. In bottom 4, what a battle with Kaitlin Dinet. She had a 14 pitch ab and worked out a walk. But she’s left stranded. No score through 4 complete.

Update 10: After top 5, still no score.

Update 11: No score through five complete innings.

Update 12: Top 6: Back to back RBI singles by Sam Giovanniello and Melissa Correa. Followed by a single by Rachel Battle. Bostrom had an RBI single. Floral Park 4, PR 0.

Update 13: Bottom 6: Pirates retired in order. Dinet came in to relieve O’Flynn. Floral Park 4, Pearl River 0.

Update 14: Top 7: Side retired. PR needs a little bit of magic now. FP 4-0.