Kinnelon U8 Girls Take Home Two Titles

It's been an exciting few months for the Kinnelon Recreation U8 Softball Team, as the girls cruised to two titles in June and July, solidifying what was a torrid summer campaign.

Led by head coach Mike Handzo, the girls, who had just three returning players from last season, took home a District 3 title in June, steamrolling the competition on their way to an unbeaten 3-0 record and a tournament title.

“The girls really came together, and while it’s kind of a cliché, every single girl on the team contributed,” Handzo explained. “You have to credit the girls for learning on the fly and giving 100 percent effort into each and every game.”

With momentum on their side, the girls began to peak at just the right time and carried their district title into the Denville Summer Travel League.

“Going 3-0 in the districts really allowed the girls to see what they’re capable of,” Handzo said. “I think it gave them a lot of confidence going forward.”

With the girls’ confidence in full force, the streak continued in the Denville Summer Travel League as the team finished the regular season with an 8-2-1 record, setting them up for a chance to take home yet another title. The girls wouldn’t waste the opportunity as they won three straight games in the playoffs, earning their second title of the summer.

The girls’ success didn’t come easy, though, as Handzo explained the team put in hours upon hours of work honing their skills.

“We practiced three or four days per week for a good month until the season started,” he said. “We just got down to old fashioned practice—a couple of hours a night, weekdays, weekends, whatever it took. I think that was a key because I don’t know if other teams practiced as much as we did.”

With the District 3 title, the girls were invited to the eight-team state tournament. The girls continued to impress on their way to a 2-2 record, good enough for a fourth place finish.