Salisbury squad makes local history

Up until recently, a softball team from the Central Nassau Athletic Association had never won a game in a state tournament.

That all changed late last month, when the league’s U-11 softball tournament team traveled to upstate Chatham, in Columbia County, to compete against the best teams New York has to offer.

The girls earned their spot after going undefeated in New York’s Section 6 tournament, including a 10-0 win to clinch the championship against Sayville.

The girls on the team are all part of the East Meadow School District and attend W.T. Clarke Middle School.

In the state tournament in Chatham, the girls won their first game against Rochester, 16-6. “The girls were buzzing, as well as the coaches,” said coach Joe Aloi, who is also the president of CNLL. “It was the first [softball] win in the states for our Little League ever.”

The last boys’ team from Central Nassau to win a state tournament game, said Aloi, was in 1992.

Their second game was against a team from downtown Manhattan. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Toni Ann Servider led off the inning with a single. After the next two batters recorded outs, Gab Sferazza lashed a double to tie the game. The girls ultimately lost the game in extra inning, 2-1.

Facing Pearl River in their next game, the team lost, 13-4, ending their run. “The girls were not down,” said Aloi. “They were proud of themselves, as well as the coaches and parents. It was a great run.

“This group of girls had great chemistry,” Aloi continued. “Our biggest strength is teamwork and talent. They work very well together and played hard to accomplish their goal.”

The team:
Juliana Aloi
Mia Biscardi
Brittney Cardona
Kayla Connolly
Kira Gruber
Alex Karavias
Fallon Panzarella
Toni Ann Servider
Gab Sferrazza
Sandy Worthman

Coaches:
Joe Aloi
Ray Connolly
Bill Karavias
Sal Sferrazza