By Matthew Rocco
St. John Vianney High School’s young lineup has quickly become a major force, leading the Lancers on a hot streak heading into the Shore Conference and NJSIAA softball tournaments.
The Lancers have plowed through their schedule in May. Since a 4-1 loss to Jackson Liberty High School to close out April, the Lancers won each of their next eight games. Over that span, the Lancers have outscored their opponents, 87-14, thanks in part to a 20-0 shutout of Shore Regional High School and a 21-1 win over Monmouth Regional High School.
St. John Vianney’s latest win came against North Hunterdon High School — a 4-2 victory highlighted by junior pitcher Demi Rivera, who gave up six hits and just one earned run.
Earlier this month, the Lancers (19-1) defended their reign in the Monmouth County Tournament with their seventh straight championship. St. John Vianney defeated Middletown High School North, 4-1, as a four-run fourth inning propelled Rivera and the Lancers to the title.
Now the Lancers have their sights on another postseason crown. The Shore Conference Tournament is underway, and following a first-round bye, the second-seeded Lancers will face No. 15-seed Wall High School in the second round May 28. The winner will play No. 7-seed Red Bank Catholic High School or No. 10-seed Marlboro High School in the quarterfinals June 1. Last season, St. John Vianney was knocked out of the conference tournament in an upset win by Middletown North.
In the state tournament, the Lancers are determined to make it to the South Jersey, Non-Public A championship a year after losing in the semifinals. The Lancers will jump right into a quarterfinals game May 31 after receiving the No. 1 slot. They await the winner of a first-round game between No. 8-seed Immaculata High School and No. 9-seed Donovan Catholic High School.
St. John Vianney head coach Kim Lombardi said the Lancers must avoid mistakes in the field if they want to reach the end of the conference and state sectional tournaments.
“The key to our success will be if we play solid defense and keep applying runs every inning. If we do that, I can see us in the championship,” Lombardi said.
A division title also may be in the cards for the Lancers. With a 12-0 record against their Shore Conference A Central Division rivals, the Lancers are in the driver’s seat.
The Lancers haven’t let their inexperience hold them back this spring. Following the loss of several key seniors from the 2015 squad, Lombardi inserted some freshmen and sophomores into the starting lineup. But those players have excelled, allowing St. John Vianney to pick up where it left off a year ago.
“They have definitely grown,” Lombardi said of the underclassmen. “Our second baseman, Alexis Agrapides, is a freshman, but she doesn’t play like a freshman. My freshman catcher, Ally Jones, is amazing. She leads the team in hits.”
Given the success of the team so far, the Lancers are exactly where they hoped to be as the postseason kicks into gear.
“Every year, we talk about our goals. Every year we say we want to win the division, [Monmouth County Tournament], Shore Conference [Tournament] and sectional. Since we were a young team, I wasn’t sure where it would take us. But they have been very coachable, and I think we have a good shot of making it far,” Lombardi said.
