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The Jaguars began their winter training in December. First, at the Randolph Indoor Sports Pavilion for three grueling hours every Saturday morning and then batting practice on Tuesdays at the Complete Player Softball & Baseball Academy in Flanders. On days off , the girls would meet at a factory/warehouse owned by one of the parents, and work on hitting, pitching, and catching mechanics. Many of the players took private pitching and hitting lessons. Weather permitting, they moved outdoors to their home field at Pope John High School in Sparta. It was obvious this group of players were dedicated to the game of softball.
With a roster of four seventh-graders, six eighth-graders, and one freshman, their competition consisted of rosters with mostly second-season 14U, high school freshman. At the end of their first 14U tournament, resulting in 1 win and 4 losses, the coaches knew they were in for a special season. They witnessed a group of determined, dedicated, hard-working, and spirited softball players who gave one-hundred percent up to the very last out of each game. Their losses were close with each one having the winning or tying run in scoring position in the last inning. They knew they could have won more games. Their first 14U tournament would prove to be the only one in which the Jaguars did not play in a semi-final or championship game.
After winning the New Jersey 14U Pony State Championship Tournament with 7 wins, 0 losses, this young team realized anything was possible with hard work. During the hot, July 4th weekend in first round play, the Jaguars posted wins over East Coast Tsunami Blue, Heat, and the NJ Sparks to place first in their bracket. In bracket play, they won their first game against the CJ Tornado Silver. Continuing to win, they beat CJ Lightning White in the quarter-finals, and then advanced to the semi-finals to win against the Mystics Blue. For the second time in the tournament, the Jaguars beat the East Coast Tsunami Blue, this time to win the State Championship.
In late July, when the Jaguars arrived at the Pony National Championships in Carey (Raleigh), North Carolina, they were confident they could play with anyone. They placed first in Pool play with wins over the Connecticut Charmers Red, Massachusetts Firecracker Fury, and the Maryland Stars. With confidence building, the Jaguars continued their winning streak with two more against the Connecticut Bombers Teal, and another against New Jersey's East Coast Tsunami Black to win their Bracket and secure a spot in the Pony National Sweet 16. In the Sweet 16, the Jags defeated the Connecticut Charmers Red placing them in the Pony National Elite 8. The next step was to win a spot in the Final Four. The Jaguars were two outs away from a win against the Maryland Heartbreakers Red in an ITB (International Tie Breaker), and came up short with a loss of 3 to 2. They ended the National Tournament, along with a very successful season, by placing 5th out of a field of 85 teams.
Playing for the North Jersey Jaguars Championship team are seventh-graders Chelsea Eckert of Branchville (P, 1B), Ally Frei of Branchville (P, 1B), Samantha Rothenberger of Livingston (SS, P), Carly Satter of Branchville (2B, SS); eighth-graders Erika Gowe of Byram Township (OF, 2B), Maria Lacatena of Stanhope (3B, C), Chrissy Marinaro of Hopatcong (OF, 3B), Meghann Muldowney of Flanders (OF), Jessica Torsiello of Morris Plains (C), and Holly Arentowicz of Succasunna (1B, DH) ; and freshman Amie DeFeo of Newton (OF). The Jags are lead by the coaching staff of Mike Prettyman (Manager/Head Coach), Rob Gowe (Coach), Frank Marinaro (Statistician), and Bob Kent (Bench Coach). In addition to the tournaments played in New Jersey, the Jaguars played national qualifiers in Delaware, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Returning for the Jaguars 2009-2010 season are Eckert, Frei, Gowe, Marinaro, Rothenberger, Satter, and Torsiello. Newcomers are Alexa Arnold of Warren, Lauren Guillen of Secaucus, Kaylee Powers of Newton, Victoria Ross of Bloomfield, and Victoria Torp of West Milford. The Jaguars open their 2009-2010 season Labor Day Weekend at Long Island, N.Y., playing in the LI Bandits ASA Invitational, September to Remember V.
The goals for the upcoming season for this Jaguars softball team are simple; defend their 14U Pony State Championship, secure a bid to the ASA Nationals, and become the Pony National Champions. They are a work in progress with 'unfinished business'.
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