The Belleville baseball and softball teams are rarin’ to go for the county playoffs games this week.
The 17th-seeded Bucs baseball squad takes on East Side at home on Thursday in another round of the state tournament. The 10th-seeded Belleville softball team travels to West Essex on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. to start their trip in their Essex County Tournament.
And the Belleville crew team scored some very good results at the Garden State Championships last weekend, especially the men's junior varsity eight, who became the first junior varsity team in the long history of the Belleville crew to qualify at the Scholastic Nationals at the end of May
Baseball
Belleville continued an up and down season after losing a heartbreaker on Monday to Cedar Grove, 5-4, on the road.
The Bucs came from behind but the Belleville comeback fell short.
Down 5-2 heading into the top of the seventh, the Bucs were led by Armani Caceres. Caceres smacked a base hit that brought home a pair of runs to pull within one, 5-4.
But Belleville could not get the equalizer to send it into extra innings or a pair of runs to win the game. The Bucs dropped to 5-10 on the season with the loss in the Super Essex Conference.
Before the seventh inning the Panthers pitcher Steve Raum stymied the Belleville offensive attack.
On Saturday, 17th-seeded Belleville defeated St. Benedict's, 11-1, at home in the preliminary round of the Greater Newark Tournament. Joe Anello had one of the big hits as he smashed a home run and collected five RBI on the day. Mike Cayli also smacked a dinger. Jonanthan Caraballo chipped in three hits for the Bucs.
Softball
Belleville got ready for the Essex County Tournament with a pair of recent wins. On April 26 the Lady Bucs defeated Millburn, 9-1, on April 26 and then defeated Verona, 12-6, on April 29.
In the win over Millburn at home, senior Jessica Benaquista had a big day with five RBI along with a pair of runs scored on two hits. Both Vanessa Gomez and Michelle Knafo had three hits each. Gomez scored three runs and Knafo had two RBI.
Against Verona Gomez continued her hot play by smacking out four hits including a pair of triples. She had three RBI on the day. Noelle Agosta cleared the bases with a triple and four RBI.
Boys volleyball
The Bucs volleyball team won back-to-back contests to raise its record to 13-4 before the quarterfinals of the Essex County Tournament.
In a Super Essex Conference game Belleville dominated East Orange, 25-6, 25-17 on Tuesday on the road. Jaleel Dolor led the way in offense with eight kills along with six digs. Both Orlando Andrade and Julian Rodriguez added five kills each. Carl Laroco led the team in digs with 18 while Luigi Zanoria contributed 21 assists.
On Monday in an independent game Belleville needed to go three games to defeat a scrappy Garfield team in an independent game on the road.
The Bucs found themselves behind after falling 25-17 in the first game, but rebounded in fine fashion with a 25-18 and 25-19 clinching victory.
Rodriguez led the way on the offensive ended with 16 kills along with two digs. Thomas Rosario chipped in seven kills, four blocks and two digs. Laroco led the squad in digs with 17. Zanoria assisted on 35 points.
Crew
The Belleville crew team took to the waters of Cooper River in Camden last weekend in the Garden State Championships and came back with some highlights.
In the men's junior varsity eight, the grouping of Kevin Razo, Joshua Huaylla, Steven Suchdolski, Manuel Quezada, Alex Nazario, Rodrigo Bunay, Xavier Cuenca, Will Peralta and Will Soto (coxswain) became the first junior varsity team to qualify at the Scholastic Nationals at the end of May. The group collected a bronze medal in the finals.
Also in the women's novice eight, the Bucs group of Kassandra Luna, Crissabel Victorio, Jada Clark, Ashley Wohltmann, Maria Taco, Jessica Diazgranados, Rachel Camille Estrada, Adiana Perez and Shantel Juarez (coxswain) collected a bronze medal in the finals race.
Also the women's lightweight fours came in fourth in the final. It was the group of Daisy Urgiles, Maria Castro, Alyza Cabezas, Sheri Tom, Gopi Patel (coxswain).
The following are the Belleville results from the Garden State Championships:
Novice 4
Jonathan Padilla, Jose Silva, Josh Marte, Santiago Andrade, Catarina Fernandes (coxswain). Third in the heats no advance
Womens Novice 8
Kassandra Luna, Crissabel Victorio, Jada Clark, Ashley Wohltmann, Maria Taco, Jessica Diazgranados, Rachel Camille Estrada, Adiana Perez, Shantel Juarez (coxswain), third place in the final, bronze medals.
Mens Novice 8
Luis Angamarca, Vincent Lamparello, T.J Boyce, Sam Camacho, Gursimran Singh, Steven Moscoso, Avery Federico, Galo Ojeda, Phillip Torrizo (coxswain), fourth in the heats, no advance.
Womens JV 4
Tatiana Mallard, Becca DeFrance, Tatiana Gomez, Jodi Tom, Ashley Reyes (coxswain), fourth in the heats, no advance.
Mens JV8
Kevin Razo, Joshua Huaylla, Steven Suchdolski, Manuel Quezada, Alex Nazario, Rodrigo Bunay, Xavier Cuenca,Will Peralta, Will Soto (coxswain), third in the final, bronze medals, qualified to race at the Scholastic Nationals to be held May 27 and 28.
Women's Lightweight 4
Daisy Urgiles, Maria Castro, Alyza Cabezas, Sheri Tom, Gopi Patel (coxswain), fourth in the finals.
Men's Lightweight 4
Renell Victorio, Danny Campos, Jeffrey Chacon, Luis Fuentes, Vaugh Granados (coxswain), second in the finals, silver medals , qualified to race at Nationals
Women's Varsity 4
Ally McNish, Priscilla Calderon, Karen Lau, Myra Barrionuevo, Kat Reyes (coxswain), sixth no advance
Men's Varsity 4
Michael Araujo, Antonio Santiago, Andres Herrera, Erik Cueva, Vaughn Granados (coxswain), fourth no advance
