Thursday, October 1, 2026
Rockville Centre Little League’s 11U softball team captured the New York Section 4 West championship with a resilient performance against Wantagh, bouncing back from a setback to win the deciding game, 8-4, on July 10 at Klein Field.
After cruising to a 14-4 victory in the opener, Rockville Centre dropped the second game, 10-2, forcing a winner-take-all finale. The champions responded with one of their strongest efforts of the summer, leading from start to finish to claim the sectional title.
“It was a great response,” assistant coach James Ng said. “We walked all over them in the first game, then they came back and fought hard in the second one. Our girls responded the right way.”
Head coach Lou Trivigno was also joined on the coaching staff by Brady McLoone and Luke Newbold.
Rockville Centre wasted little time taking control in the championship game, building a 4-0 lead after the first inning. Wantagh answered with three runs in the second to cut the deficit to 4-3 before Rockville Centre added another run for a 5-3 advantage. Wantagh pulled within one again, 5-4, but Rockville Centre broke the game open with three insurance runs in the sixth inning.
“We led the whole way,” Ng said. “It was 4-0 after the first, 4-3 after the second, then we opened it up in the sixth with three runs.”
Julianne Newbold led the offense, going 3-for-3 with a run scored. Risa Maccone finished 2-for-4 with two runs, while Vivian Ng went 2-for-3 and scored once. Caroline Gruner delivered a key hit, driving in two runs.
Ng credited much of the team’s success throughout the tournament to Newbold’s steady work in the circle.
“She’s consistent,” Ng said. “She’s got movement on the ball, gets a bunch of swings and misses and lets the defense play behind her.”
Newbold dominated the opening game against Wantagh, allowing just two hits while striking out seven in Rockville Centre’s 14-4 victory. Although she battled control issues in the second game, Ng said the loss had more to do with Wantagh’s execution than Rockville Centre’s shortcomings.
“We just didn’t come out hitting, and they made a ton of great plays,” Ng said. “It was less about mistakes by us and more about the way they played.”
Rockville Centre’s offense exploded in the tournament opener. Maccone and Victoria Cusumano each blasted home runs, while Anna Woythaler went 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored. Grace Gallagher finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs, and Maccone added another standout performance by going 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs.
Rather than relying on one star, Ng said the lineup’s depth proved to be one of its biggest strengths.
“Risa has moved all over the lineup,” he said. “You can put her anywhere, and she’s going to be OK. She’s just consistently hitting.”
While several players produced standout performances during the sectional championship series, Rockville Centre’s depth also played a key role. Cadence Linardi, Dalila Morel, Owen Mae McLoone, Sydney Mueger, Carolina Trivigno and Vera DeGruttola all contributed to the team.
