Softball Stars Honored In Hall Of Fame Ceremony

It was a beautiful night for softball Friday and the Marblehead Little League Orioles crafted the ultimate ending to the leagues first perfect season.

The Orioles, who finished the season 16-0, defeated the Red Sox 10-5 in the Marblehead Little League Softball Championship.

Before the contest began, the young teams were inspired to create their own excellence as three former star players were inducted into the Marblehead Softball Hall of Fame.

Marblehead High School softball coach Johnny Gold, along with the Friends of Marblehead Softball, honored center fielder Samantha Norman, home run hitter Katherine Fallon and pitcher Courtney Colantuno, by immortalizing their name, number and years of varsity service with their own personal banner at Veterans Field.

"They want these girls to have something to look up to and aspire to be when they get older," said Orioles coach George Shapiro of the Hall of Fame banners.

Gold credits these all-stars with being tremendous athletes and admirable students, providing inspiration for younger players both on the field and in the classroom.

"Their legacy will be something to shoot for and we hope give inspiration to all future players in the years to come."

Norman, who graduated in 2009, is remembered by Gold as "the most prolific hitter that I've ever coached." A three-year varsity starter and a two-time NEC-All Star, Norman's .550 batting average in 2009, and her .433 career average, are both MHS records. In her three seasons with the Magicians, she only struck out six times. Norman now plays for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats.

Fallon, who is also 2009 graduate, was a four-year varsity standout for the Magicians. As a freshman, she batted a staggering .430, after choosing to play softball instead of tennis. A two-time NEC All-Star, she is the school's all-time leader with 60 runs scored. Her final at bat with Marblehead was one to remember, as she hit a home run against Wakefield in the first round of the state tournament. She now plays for Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA.

Colantuno, who graduated from MHS in 2008, was a three-sport captain for the Magicians, excelling in field hockey, ice hockey and softball. In 2006 and 2007, she was named Marblehead High School's Top Offensive Player. In 2007 and 2008, she earned honors as team MVP and NEC Pitcher of the Year. Her 2007 season saw her leading the conference in home runs (6), RBIs (27), strikeouts (142), and wins (17) --all of which are school records. She currently plays softball for the Bowdoin College Polar Bears.

"We started a Little League in order to get the girls better prepared for the possibility of playing at the high school level," said Gold, who is a member of the Little League Board. "Prior to the league's inception five years ago, we had never made the state tourney. Since then, we have made it four out of five years."

Shapiro believes Little League is doing a great job providing coaching, mentoring and motivation for younger players in the league, saying "I know that several of the girls on my team do aspire to play for Marblehead High School someday."