By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Four members of the North Reading High softball team were voted on to the two Cape Ann League All-Star teams this spring by the league coaches. Three Hornets made the First Team while one other player made the Second Team.
The three First-Team All-Stars are Mia Vittozzi, Alyssa Cassarino and Keely Hannon.
Vittozzi, a senior co-captain, hit .543 with 15 runs batted in. She also scored 17 runs. Last year, the shortstop- pitcher was a CAL Second-Team All-Star.
“She is a dedicated, hard worker who never buckled under pressure,” said Hornets second-year head coach Nicole Zimmerman. .
Cassarino was also a Second-Team All-Star last year. The senior co-captain, who pitched and played second base, hit .463 with 21 runs batted in. She also scored 17 times.
In the circle, she went 6-1 with 44 strikeouts.
“She is a consistent, upbeat player,” said Zimmerman. “She would always rise to the occasion.”
For Hannon, it is her second year in a row making the CAL First-Team All-Stars. The junior pitcher hit .390 with seven runs batted in. She scored 11 times.
When she pitched, she was 7-5 as she allowed 31 hits. In 84 innings she fanned 93 batters.
“She was a force in the circle,” said Zimmerman. “She did a great job of keeping hitters off balance. We don’t go as far as we did this year without her.”
Olivia Reilly made the CAL Second-Team All-Stars for the second consecutive year.. The junior catcher hit .439 with 11 RBI and nine runs scored.
“We moved her from outfield to catcher this year and she took command back there,” said Zimmerman.
After beating Oakmont, 7-0, in the MIAA Div. 3 Round of 32 game, the Hornets lost 2-0 at home to Bishop Fenwick in the Round of 16 game to end the year at 14-6.
In the CAL they finished in 2nd place in the Kinney Division behind Triton with a record of 11-3.
The Hornets had their awards banquet at Polcari’s in Woburn on June 19. The Four All-Stars were given awards that night by head coach Nicole Zimmerman.
The Coaches Award went to the two senior captains: Vittozzi and Cassarino.
The Unsung Heroine Award went to Reilly.
The MVP Award went to Hannon.
“The season went pretty well,” said Zimmerman, who just finished her second year as head coach. “We had our ups and downs and learned a lot, which should help us next year.”
The team loses just two players to graduation with Vittozzi and Cassarino moving on.
“They were rocks on the field for us,” said Zimmerman. “They stayed calm when things went bad and were great leaders. I felt bad that they had to miss their freshman year (Covid) and theirs will be big shoes to fill.”
Cassarino will be going to Endicott College while Vittozzi will be going to Babson and both will tryout for the softball teams next year.
Next season, the Hornets are expecting to have 15 veterans back and should be contenders for the CAL Kinney Division title.
“We have high expectations for next year with the players we have coming back,” stated Zimmerman.
