By BRIAN TORTELLA

Correspondent

X @tortreports

NEWARK — Despite falling short of the ultimate goal, it was still an amazing season for the Vineland High softball team. The Fighting Clan finished 26-3 enroute to their first state final appearance since 2018, falling 6-4 on Friday afternoon to Watchung Hills at Mike Sheppard Sr. Field at Ivy Hill Park in Seton Hall.

“No one thought we were going to be here,” coach Mike Reed said. “We were just an afterthought, then we started making noise.”

Senior Megan Harrell-Alvarez delivered an RBI single to send her twin sister Morgan home to start off the action. 

“Definitely the team bonding, they’re like my second family,” was Megan Harrell-Alvarez’s response when asked what she’ll remember the most. “We definitely incorporated being a family. Playing with nothing to lose, playing for the person in front of you.”

She said she plans to play field hockey and study athletic training in the fall at Millersville University. Harrell-Alvarez delivered some big hits this postseason, including a career-high seven RBIs in the state semifinal against Marlboro. She ends her career with 45 RBIs on 58 hits, 34 of which game this season.

Junior Natalia Ponce went 2-for-3 at the plate, with an RBI single in the third inning.

“We definitely had a great season this year,” Ponce said. “It’s tough to end like this, but we know we’re going to come back next year and try to get it all. Everyone counted us out once we got into the playoffs. Last year, we lost in the first round, so it was nice this year to prove everyone wrong. I hope we can get back to this spot next year, and my expectation is that hopefully we can come back and win it all.”

It was certainly a major step forward for Vineland, which went 13-12 and had a first-round state playoff exit last spring. The Fighting Clan defeated rival Egg Harbor Township and powerful Eastern along the way to the final appearance. 

Watchung Hills, a perennial Group 4 powerhouse, finished the season 28-3.

Group 1 State Final:

Haddon Township couldn’t finish the job playing in its first state championship since 1979, but it was still a memorable year.

The Hawks heavily fell 5-0, in the Group 1 championship game. Cedar Grove junior pitcher Cayce Kavakich was lights out with 13 strikeouts.

The Hawks finished 21-7, including their first sectional title in 18 years.

“They’ve been awesome,” Haddon Township coach Gary O’Brien said. “They did a nice job against New Egypt. They came out ready to play today. It didn’t fall our way, but that’s a really good team. We knew it. We weren’t surprised by anything, they just put the bat on the ball a little more than we did.”

“No,” O’Brien said when asked if he thought back in March that his team would make it this far. “I thought that we had a shot to take the next step to go from the semis, losing to a really good Clayton team. I thought it was realistic to take the next shot. Getting this far, they amaze me. We’re the only team that comes to a playoff game with 12 kids. Everyone else has 15, 20, 25, 30. We have 12 kids. We’re lean and mean and take care of business the best we can, and I can’t say anything more about how proud I am.”

Junior pitcher Jordan Strauss took South Jersey by storm this season. In the sectional championship upset victory over Audubon, she had 10 strikeouts, holding the powerful Green Wave to just two runs. She finished the season with 181 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. At the plate, she had 43 RBIs on 47 hits.

While still upset about the outcome, Strauss was in good spirits after the loss and enjoyed the experience playing in the state’s biggest game.

“Honestly, I thought it was amazing,” Strauss said of playing in the state championship. “My teammates all thought it was amazing. I’m so proud of all of them, and I’m just glad we got to play. Hard work pays off, and we worked hard all season up until today. We just got beat, and that’s okay. They (Cedar Grove) were definitely a very good team, especially hitting. Next season, I hope to come back.”