Softball: Shore coaches' All-Division teams, APP Coach of the Year, final Top 10 teams (2024)

Jake MatsonAsbury Park Press

As the 2024 Shore softball season is further in the review mirror and many players have moved on to focusing on the summer travel season or plans for college, it's time for one final look at the superlatives from a tremendous year.

The complete Shore Conference Coaches' list of All-Division selections is out and detailed below. That's accompanied by some final notes from the APP with the selection for coach of the year and the final ranking of the top 10 teams in the Shore this season.

More: The best of the best: Which players made it onto the 2024 All-Shore softball teams?

APP Coach of the Year: Nick Scalzo, Marlboro

In 2023, Marlboro was the incredible story of the state. In a division loaded with state and section champions, the Mustangs had been stuck in the backseat for years. Suddenly, the 'Stangs had their breakthrough as they won the Group 4 state title and finished the season 24-6.

"I started in '09, and we didn't have our first winning season until 2014," said Scalzo. "We haven't had one losing season since."

Incredibly, Marlboro was close to falling below .500 this season. If anyone had known the team would finish 16-14, they would've assumed the team's meteoric rise had come plummeting back to earth. And maybe that was partially true to start the season. The Mustangs had become victims of their own success, preoccupied with rally hats and rally chains and music at practices.

"I took all that stuff away for like three weeks. And they weren't happy about it," Scalzo said. "When they realized we have to earn things and coach is going to make us earn things whether it's playing time (or) whatever, I think that's where the buy-in came in a little bit. We got to earn every victory."

There's no doubt that the 'Stangs earned all their success in 2024. After losing 8-0 to Red Bank Catholic in April, they pulled off the 2-1 upset in the Shore Conference Tournament. Throughout the tumult of the regular season, Marlboro continued to win and advance in the Monmouth County Tournament before falling in the title game to St. John Vianney.

And that was just preparation for the big run: Marlboro upset top-seeded Old Bridge and two-seed Northern Burlington, two teams looking to avenge playoff losses to the Mustangs last season. Furthermore, they beat both teams on the road to repeat as section champions.

"I'm super proud of my kids for what they did and hanging on this season, because there was a lot of ups and downs," said Scalzo. "A lot of talks and grief and celebration and grief again. And then ultimately, celebration again. It was just fantastic."

The ethos through his 16 years at the helm has been a commitment to the process. A steady approach to the game and improvement, regardless of the outcomes. This season was the pinnacle of proving that his approach over more than a decade was the right one. The team was unwavering in the wake of setbacks that would've derailed nearly every other team. And Scalzo was unwavering in his confidence that his players would rise to the challenge.

"I told them this year a hundred times; I don't want anybody else, I want you guys," said Scalzo. "I'm fortunate enough that they said coach, we pick you too. And win or lose any game, that means more to me than anything else."

More: Senior softball stars shine in final high school game at Shore Coaches' All-Star game

TOP 10 TEAMS

1. St. John Vianney, 26-1

The Lancers left no doubt as to who the best team in New Jersey was this spring. They won the Non-Public A state championship in style, cruising past Mount St. Dominic 4-1 after throwing a no-hitter for six innings. In their final two games, the Lancers beat the (at the time) the 16th and 15th ranked teams in the nation while being unranked. They close the season ranked 16th nationally, one spot above the Mount St. Dominic team they've beaten in back-to-back state finals. The two consecutive state titles combined with winning the Shore Conference and Monmouth County titles gives this team a resume that at least has to be considered among the best in state history.

2. Donovan Catholic, 22-5

The Griffins may have come up short against the Lancers, but arguably they outperformed any team that faced the Lancers this postseason as they kept things close in two losses. In fact, four out of Donovan's five losses came against nationally ranked opponents (the others being Mount St. Dominic and fifth-ranked St. Anthony's in New York). They also routed Non-Public B state champion Morris Catholic 13-1 in their regular season finale. The Shore boasts two true powerhouses in the state.

3. Marlboro, 16-14

Every team knows it's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. But the Mustangs succeed in that principle more than any other program. They endured injuries and setbacks as it seemed blatantly obvious that the magic of the 2023 state championship team would elude Marlboro this spring. Instead, the 'Stangs upset Red Bank Catholic in the Shore Conference Tournament and spurred a postseason run that ended with their second consecutive section title.

4. Red Bank Catholic, 22-4

Marlboro winning the head-to-head is the reason why the Caseys come in at number four, but their overall resume is excellent. Even as they might've lost some steam late in the season, their final regular season victory came against eventual state champion Steinert. RBC is clearly on the verge of breaking through in a league loaded with Non-Public powers.

5. Central Regional, 18-4

The Golden Eagles were an incredible breakthrough story this spring. Virtually the entire roster improved as the team was led by an experienced class of seniors complimented with multiple very talented underclassmen. Perhaps Central's most impressive accomplishment came in a heart-breaking loss in the SCT semifinal, as the team went toe-to-toe with St. John Vianney for nine innings before ultimately losing 1-0 to the eventual champ. The record and division title speak for themselves as far as the abilities of the Eagles

6. Middletown North, 21-6

The Lions are just behind Central by virtue of the Eagles winning the head-to-head matchup, but they finished the year with an impeccable resume. Half of the team's six losses came against two state champions and one state runner-up. Furthermore, the team never lost a game by more than two runs and four of the losses were by one-run. But that's partially the story of the Lions; they're excellent but need just a bit more to get over the hump and return to the throne as state champions.

7. Middletown South, 13-9

The turnaround of Middletown South was one of many incredible storylines this spring. The team went from finishing in last-place in the division with a 4-15 record to being one of the final teams from the Shore still contending in the state playoffs. They won the Monmouth County red division title and knocked off top-seeded powerhouse Robbinsville in the Central Group 3 bracket. The future is bright for the Eagles

8. Southern, 19-8

The Rams were a mercurial team this season. Despite their excellent record and the clear strength of the team, they were plagued by a few rough patches as seven of the team's 8 losses came over a one week span in late-April and five-day span in mid-May. They flexed their strength with a 16-0 victory to open the state playoffs, but subsequently lost 6-0 to a talented Egg Harbor team in the section quarterfinals. Like many Shore teams, they're on the verge of breaking through.

9. Manasquan, 14-10

It's been noted before, but it's worth repeating that the Warriors probably played the hardest schedule of any Shore public team. Half of the losses came against SJV, RBC and Midd North and four of those games were tight as 'Squan nearly pulled of the upset. They won their playoff opener against Point Boro before falling to eventual section champion Johnson. Given the team's ambitions, they certainly hoped for better results. But the team deserves kudos for consistently seeking out tough competition.

10. Point Pleasant Borough, 16-4

This spring, the Panthers completed what was essentially a three-year remodeling of the foundation of the program to become a competitor. The culmination of that process was winning the Ocean County Tournament for the first time in school history. In the early part of the OCT in April, they notched an impressive 13-3 victory over section champion New Egypt (a program that will join the Shore Conference next season). The opening round playoff exit was a bitter note to end on, but this program is built to contend.

A-NORTH

Player of the Year: Madilynn Boyce - P - Middletown North

Coach of the Year: Nick Scalzo - Marlboro

Pitcher of the Year: Angela Sasso - Colts Neck

Emily Gaudio - P - Marlboro

Riley Smith - P - Middletown South

Nora Sarcone - C - Middletown South

Ashley Viesta - C - Freehold Township

Alexa Barbera - IF - Freehold Township

Gabby Gryce - IF - Colts Neck

Adison Ditillo - IF - Marlboro

Mary Kovaleski - IF - Manalapan

A-CENTRAL

Player of the Year: Nicole Knox - IF - Red Bank Catholic

Coach of the Year: Dave Porta - Shore Regional

Brielle Coppola - P - Wall

Lily Hagan - P - Red Bank Catholic

Lauren Davenport - C - Wall

Jordan Terefenko - C - Red Bank Catholic

Erin Clancey - IF - Monmouth Regional

Julia Funck - IF - Rumson-Fair Haven

Emily Gill - IF - Wall

Riley Lawrence - IF - Shore Regional

Avery Lewandowski - IF - Holmdel

Bella Plath - IF - Raritan

Sophia Quackenbush - IF - Wall

Lana Rudolph - IF - Red Bank Catholic

Emma Vanario - IF - Holmdel

Sophia Alonso - OF - Monmouth Regional

Angela Christopher - OF - Shore Regional

Julia DelMasto - OF - Raritan

Paige McManus - OF - Trinity Hall

Scarlett O'Hea - OF - Raritan

Brianna Santangelo - OF - Red Bank Catholic

Olivia DeFonce - UT - Shore Regional

Sophia Lasater - UT - Red Bank Catholic

Emma Mullins - UT - Trinity Hall

A-SOUTH

Player of the Year: BethAnne Doderer - P - Central Regional

Coach of the Year: Steve Stout - Central Regional

Kaleigh Fitzgibbons - P - Toms River East

Candy Peck - C - Toms River South

Sophia Capasso - C - Central Regional

Gianna Capone - IF - Toms River East

B-NORTH

Player of the Year: Madison McDougall - P - St. John Vianney

Coach of the Year: Kim Lombardi-McDougall - St. John Vianney

Ryann Healey - P - Matawan

Elisabeth Figliolino - C - St. John Vianney

Olivia Edmonds - C - Freehold Boro

Isabelle Cattelona - IF - St. John Vianney

Danni Forrester - IF - Manasquan

Nicole Giglio - IF - St. John Vianney

Taylor Hough - IF - Ocean Township

Ashley Koppelmann - IF - Freehold Boro

Gianna Massimino - IF - Neptune

Isabelle Wiemer - IF - Matawan

Giuliana Cardin - OF - St. John Vianney

Mia Favato - OF - St. John Vianney

Jordyn Gautier - OF - St. John Vianney

Jillian Scotto - OF - Ocean Township

Nathalie Staten - OF - Ocean Township

Elena Weinseimer - OF - Manasquan

Gianna Abinanti - UT - Freehold Boro

Emma Kriegstein - UT - Matawan

B-CENTRAL

Player of the Year: Maggie Turnbach - IF - St. Rose

Coach of the Year: Paul Gallagher - St. Rose

Danika Borza - P - Keyport

Lucia Robinson - P - Point Pleasant Beach

Niamh Mauri - C - Point Pleasant Beach

Violet Moynihan - C - St. Rose

Gianna Decina - IF - St. Rose

Bridget Kane - IF - Point Pleasant Beach

Ava Mitchell - IF - Keyport

Madeline Pinto - IF - Keyport

Emma Spagnolo - IF - Henry Hudson

Ava Santoro - IF - Henry Hudson

Sydney Zylinski - IF - Point Pleasant Beach

Stevie Grecco - OF - St. Rose

Daniella Vitale - OF - Point Pleasant Beach

Lily Rodgers - OF - St. Rose

Kaliegh McGrogan - OF - Keyport

Nevaeh Tucker - OF - Keansburg

Shealyn Higgins - UT - Henry Hudson

Faith Maroulis - UT - Point Pleasant Beach

B-SOUTH

Player of the Year: Christina Ginex - IF - Donovan Catholic

Coach of the Year: Liz Russo - Point Pleasant Boro

Jamison Hagan - P - Barnegat

Dakota Palmieri - P - Point Pleasant Boro

Emily Kurth - C - Donovan Catholic

Georgia Tym - C - Point Pleasant Boro

Isabella Cino - IF - Donovan Catholic

Emily Ehrmann - IF - Point Pleasant Boro

Mikayla Klein - IF - Barnegat

Olivia Kurth - IF - Donovan Catholic

Riley Schmidt - IF - Barnegat

Sophia Senger - IF - Donovan Catholic

Cassidy Supplee - IF - Point Pleasant Boro

Gianna Apostolakos - OF - Donovan Catholic

Bri Dato - OF - Barnegat

Madison English - OF - Lacey

Kendall Falduto - OF - Pinelands

Gianna Gomez - OF - Barnegat

Bella Maria - OF - Donovan Catholic

Jadeyn Bodziak - UT -Barnegat

Gia Gordon - UT - Donovan Catholic

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