By Dan Israeli
Pitching ace and New York State Player of the Year Melissa Donnelly was joined by emerging infielder Kirsten Halfon on the Long Island softball team, which competed with five other regions in the Games¹ open softball division.
The Long Island squad, comprised of 16 of the area¹s best softball players ages 16 to 25, finished with a 4-1 record in tournament play before facing the Adirondack regional team ‹ which dealt Long Island it¹s only loss ‹ in the finals. Behind a two-hit shutout by Donnelly, the Long Island team won the title game and the gold medal. Adirondack took silver, while the Western region took bronze.
Long Beach was the only area in Long Island to have two representatives on the team. For Donnelly and Halfon, the gold medal was another notch on their championship belts, following June¹s state softball Class AA championship victory over Shenendehowa. It has been a year for the girls that has included a championship parade, being honored at a Long Island Ducks game, numerous individual awards and even the team¹s very own milkshake.
³It¹s been a dream season,² said Donnelly of 2007. ³Everything you can imagine happening has happened this year.² Donnelly, who will attend Manhattan College this fall, called the Empire Games a fulfilling and challenging experience. She had already known most of her teammates through travel ball programs in past summers.
³A lot of us knew each other already, and the team chemistry was really good as a result,² she said. ³We had a phenomenal team of players, and we bonded together as one very quickly.² For Halfon, who was a little too young to know most of the older teammates, the experience to play alongside Long Island¹s best was very rewarding.
³It was truly an amazing experience,² she said. ³As one of the younger kids involved, it taught me a lot about handling the pressure. It was also nice having Melissa there. It made me feel more comfortable.²
While the competition at the Empire Games was tough, the experience Donnelly and Halfon gained from the high school state finals left them well prepared for the challenge. ³The girls we faced at Empire were all of amazing caliber,² Halfon said. ³There wasn¹t a major difference from the playoffs. It just felt like our version of the Olympics.²
The Empire State Games has become New York¹s version of the Olympic games, in which regions replace countries in the opening ceremonies march. The experience was equally rewarding for the girls¹ parents, Gerri Donnelly and Julie Halfon.
³I¹ve never seen anything like it,² Gerri Donnelly said of the ceremony. ³The competition at all levels was amazing. These kids work really hard at what they do...And to be the mother of a state softball champ and gold medal winner, there are no words to describe it.²
Julie Halfon is also amazed with the wild ride that has been this year. ³It has been extremely exciting and worthwhile,² she said. ³These girls worked so hard for everything, and it¹s nice to see these benefits.²
As for each girl¹s future, Donnelly is looking forward to pitching on the collegiate level at Manhattan, and may eventually take her Empire State Games experience to the next level. ³The Olympics have always been a dream of mine,² she said. ³Maybe one day, you never know.²
Halfon will rejoin the Long Beach Softball Marines as a senior this fall, and is confident the team will continue its winning ways. ³Long Beach breathes softball,² she said. We have some amazing talent coming up, with new and returning players. They are all ready to fill in the shoes of the seniors who are leaving.²
