Wall High Softball: A Work In Progress

If all goes as planned for a Wall High School softball team that is a mix of young talent and solid veterans, the Crimson Knights will once again be in the hunt for multiple championships this season.

They will rely heavily on a sophomore, star shortstop Sydney Canessa, as well as freshman catcher Dani Petrone, to mix in with veteran stalwarts like senior first baseman Kelly Mitchell and senior pitcher Ani Sasala.

The hope is to make a run in the Shore Conference Tournament and return to the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group III final, where they lost to nemesis Middletown South last year.

“We want to have the opportunity to play in the states and get a shot at some of the better teams,’’ said veteran Wall coach Tony Vodola. “By the end of the year, we want to have a team competitive enough to compete for championships, not only divisional, but hopefully some of the tournaments as well. We have some young kids that are really going to get better as the season develops, so I am optimistic.’’

There is always a reason for optimism at one of the Shore Conference’s perennially winning programs, as the Crimson Knights have won at least a share of a division title every year since 2004.

This season they have moved from Class B North to the newly created Class C Central under the latest Shore Conference realignment, and Jackson Liberty and Manasquan look to be their primary obstacles toward keeping that string of division championships going.

Canessa will certainly be a major factor, as she was the team’s leading hitter as a freshman, batting .457 with 38 runs scored and 30 RBIs. She also was part of the Jersey Shore team that captured the prestigious Carpenter Cup title last summer at the annual tournament of all-star teams from New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

She is currently experiencing some shoulder trouble, according to Vodola, and was held out of Saturday’s season-opening, 15-3 win over Lakewood to give her some time to recover for the bigger games ahead. Canessa will bat in the leadoff spot in order to ensure more at-bats and force teams to pitch to her.

“Last year we left her alone and let her play her game, so now we are looking for her to take a little more of a share of the lead role in moving the team forward,’’ Vodola said. “She has been in the frying pan, so we need someone of her ability to take a leadership role.’’

Mitchell is another important leader who has become Wall’s jack-of-all-trades. She started the preseason penciled in at third base but has since been moved to first base by Vodola to anchor the infield defense. Also, with Canessa out of the lineup on Saturday, she shifted over to shortstop.

“(Mitchell) is such a heady kid that I can put her in a couple of spots and not have to worry about it,’’ Vodola said.

“(Vodola) likes having utility players who feel comfortable anywhere in the field because it makes it easier for everybody if someone is hurt or not there,’’ said Mitchell, who also bats in the cleanup spot.

 Sasala is in her second season as the team’s starting pitcher, and Vodola is also looking for her to contribute more offensively this season. Sasala has a good drop ball in her arsenal and when she keeps the ball low, it consistently produces groundouts, so there is an emphasis on airtight infield defense.

Junior Carly Herbert steps in at third base now that Mitchell has shifted to first base, and Diana Marzella, an All-Division selection in 2010, returns at second base.

Two of the three outfielders from last year graduated, with Sam Marchetti returning in left field. Nicole Petrone, Dani’s older sister, has good range in center field, and juniors Alexis Carlson and Emily Skilinski help give the Crimson Knights depth in right field.

Dani Petrone is Sasala’s new batterymate and also will hit third in the order as a freshman.

“We need to get here more comfortable because she had some jitters in some of our scrimmages, but she'll be fine,’’ Mitchell said.

The hope is for all of it to add up to another crack at Middletown South, the reigning Group III champion, which returns essentially its entire team and is considered the No. 1 team in the Shore Conference heading into this season. If the Crimson Knights want a state sectional title and more, they almost certainly will have to go through the Eagles.

“We've always been the underdog against them,’’ Mitchell said. “Losing to them the past two years in the (sectional) finals, it's kind of an advantage in a way. Maybe they'll take us lighter, and we'll come out hard and come out on top.’’