The Nutley High School softball team was enduring an uncharacteristic 6-7 season when further disaster struck over the weekend.
While facing Columbia in the first game of a regularly scheduled doubleheader, the Maroon Raiders lost senior standout Courtney Wilde to a broken ankle, more than likely ending the future Rutgers University outfielder’s high school career a little early.
“She was just starting to come around,” Nutley head coach Luann Zullo said of Wilde. “She had the game-winning hit against MKA (Montclair Kimberley Academy) and was looking like herself again.”
Wilde walked in her first at-bat against Columbia and was running from first to third when she turned on her ankle, snapping the fibula.
“She’s such a hard worker,” Zullo said. “It’s a shame. But she’s still going to be a leader with us. You just hate to see this happen during her senior year.”
Wilde scored the 1,000th point of her brilliant basketball career during the winter months, but was really ready to send herself off to Rutgers with a great softball season.
“We have to figure out a way to go on without her,” Zullo said. “We have to figure out our next move. She has a great arm and covers a lot of ground out there. So she’s not going to be easy to replace. She’s still going to be a great leader for us. She’s just now going to be in a different role. It’s just not a role any of us planned for.”
The Maroon Raiders currently own a 6-7 record, but received the No. 3 seed in the Essex County Tournament behind top-seeded Cedar Grove and No. 2 Mount St. Dominic.
Part of the reason for the Maroon Raiders’ success thus far is the development of freshman pitcher Fallyn Stoeckel.
“She pretty much leads us in every category,” Zullo said of the left-handed Stoeckel, who is batting .548 thus far with eight doubles. “She’s such a tough competitor. She understands the game and she does whatever she has to do to help us win. She’s done a nice job so far.”
The catching duties are being shared by junior Alexa Hergenhan and freshman Sydney Hess.
Junior Jamell Quiles handles a variety of responsibilities, playing first base, third base and shortstop, depending upon the lineup. Quiles is a transfer from Bloomfield High School.
“She’s also another competitor,” Zullo said of Quilles. “She loves to play the game. She’s very versatile and understands the game.”
Senior Melanie Conca is another key contributor. Conca, one of the team’s leading hitters, was the starting shortstop in each of the last two seasons. She has seen time at first base this season.
“She said, ‘Wherever you need me, Coach, I’ll play,’” Zullo said of Conca.
Senior Rebecca Granata is another who has seen time at first base. Granata is hitting .444 in the early going.
“I’ve been using people at different positions,” Zullo said. “It’s a team sport and everyone is a part of this.”
Sophomore Lorianne O’Connor is the team’s second baseman.
“She’s our leadoff hitter,” Zullo said of O’Connor. “She comes to us with a lot of experience.”
For most of the time, Conca is the Maroon Raiders’ shortstop. Conca, who was also a key component in the Nutley ice hockey team’s league championship in the winter months, playing with and against the boys, is hitting .357 in the early going with a homer and six RBI.
Junior Brianna Cruz is the starter at third base.
Zullo has been rotating players throughout the outfield positions and will have to do more of the shuffling now that Wilde is out indefinitely.
Junior Cecelia Mielnicki has been receiving a lot of the playing time in the outfield.
“She has been solid for us,” Zullo said.
Junior Jackie Caruso, sophomore Julia Ciccone and freshman Lia DeMaio have also seen time in the outfield.
“We’ve done different things in different games,” Zullo said. “We have a nice rotation out there.”
Granata has seen time as the designated player, along with Hergenhan and Ciccone.
Jillian Garner is a senior outfielder who is the team’s resident pinch-runner. Junior Isabella Fogle and sophomore Samantha Daly are reserve pitchers.
So the Maroon Raiders will look to move on after the loss of Wilde.
“I’m hoping that our flashes of brilliance will carry us,” Zullo said. “If we can get all of our bats going all at once, we could be okay. Can we put it all together? Are we going to step up? We play teams like Mount St. Dominic tough, then have a rough inning. We hang in there against a state-ranked team like Morris Knolls, then lose it. This team is by far the most talented team we’ve had in a while. We just have to put it all together.”
CAPTIONS
The Nutley softball team will have to count on senior leaders Melanie Conca (left) and Rebecca Granata (right) for the remainder of the season, now that centerfielder Courtney Wilde is probably lost for the season due to a broken ankle. Photos by Jim Hague
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Jim Hague | Observer Sports Writer
Sports Writer Jim Hague was with The Observer for 20+ years — and his name is one of the most recognizable in all of sports journalism. The St. Peter’s Prep and Marquette alum kicked off his journalism career post Marquette at the Daily Record, where he remained until 1985. Following shorts stints at two other newspapers, in September 1986, he joined the now-closed Hudson Dispatch, where he remained until 1991, when its doors were finally shut.
It was during his tenure at The Dispatch that Hague’s name and reputation as one of country’s hardest-working sports reporters grew. He won several New Jersey Press Association and North Jersey Press Club Awards in that timeframe.
In 1991, he became a columnist for The Hudson Reporter chain of newspapers — and he remains with them to this day.
In addition to his work at The Observer and The Hudson Reporter, Hague is also an Associated Press stringer, where he covers Seton Hall University men’s basketball, New York Red Bulls soccer and occasionally, New Jersey Devils hockey.
He’s also doing work at The Morristown Daily Record, the very newspaper where his journalism career began.
During his career, he also worked for Dorf Feature Services, which provided material for the Star-Ledger. While there, he covered the New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets.
Hague is also known for his announcing work — and he’s done PA work for Rutgers Newark and NJIT.
Hague is the author of the book “Braddock: The Rise of the Cinderella Man.”