By Rich Fisher | Correspondent
They might want to start a contest at Donovan Catholic High School, because the Griffins’ softball team certainly needs a nickname.
There’s got to be some youthful moniker for a team that is so good and so young.
For the time being, however, we can at least give them a label – History Makers.
It took 53 years and three name changes, but for the first time in school history the Griffins softball team is a sectional champion and will play for a state title.
SEE A PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME, HERE.
It came to pass on June 7, when ninth-seeded Donovan Catholic of Toms River defeated second-seeded Notre Dame of Lawrenceville, 3-1, in the NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A title game at Stockton University in Pomona.
And they did it with – get this – five freshmen, four sophomores and a senior in the starting lineup.
One of those ninth-graders is pitcher Lindsay Nelson, who tossed a two-hitter and allowed one walk while striking out nine.
“I would say ‘yes, everything was working,’” said Nelson, who retired 19 of the final 21 batters she faced after allowing an unearned run in the first.
The Griffins face defending champion Immaculate Heart Academy, which beat ND in last year’s finals, at Kean University either Friday or Saturday.
“This means everything,” said freshman third baseman Lindsey Hay, who had two hits and two RBI. “This is the first time Donovan Catholic has ever won states. It’s huge. It’s all about working together. We have such team chemistry; it’s beautiful. It’s like a big machine working together.
“We’re just so happy to actually win South Jersey with four sophomores, five freshmen and one senior on the field. I can’t even tell you what I’m feeling right now. I’m shaking I’m so excited.”
The Griffins’ title is a tribute to some great young players, many of whom play high-powered travel ball, and head coach Debbie Schwartz.
Schwartz continues to work her magic after winning 501 games and two sectional crowns in 25 years at Toms River East. She was hired at Donovan Catholic in 2014.
Inheriting a team that went 12-9 in 2013, Schwartz guided the Griffins to records of 19-5 and 20-6. Last year they fell to Notre Dame by a 3-1 score, in the SJ semifinals.
This season, after a 2-2 start that included an 11-1 loss to Jackson Liberty, Donovan Catholic took off. They won seven straight, dropped a 14-4 decision to Pinelands, and won six more in a row before losing again to Jackson Liberty in the Ocean County Tournament final.
Their only loss since was a 2-0 setback to eventual finalist Middletown North in the Shore Conference Tournament. On their march to the SJ crown, DC upset top-seeded St. John Vianney, which won the Monmouth County Tournament.
“Our goal at the start was to be competitive in every game,” Schwartz said. “We had some tough losses in the beginning of the year. The kids just kept working and working and working.
“We worked hard in practice. We saw the talent. The experience wasn’t there but you know what? They settled in, they started to compete and we’re making an amazing run.”
Indeed they are.
Notre Dame (21-10), which had an up-and-down season due in part to injury, was still a team to be reckoned with come tournament time. After beating Camden Catholic and Bishop Ahr in their first two state games, the Irish took a 1-0 lead against Donovan Catholic in the first when Angela Giampolo singled and eventually scored on an error on Catie Rymen’s grounder.
That would be it for the Irish, who got just one hit from that point and had another runner reach on an error.
“Lindsay was unsettled a little in the first but then came to play,” Schwartz said. “She got focused and took care of them. It was an unbelievable performance by a freshman.”
“She can just block everything out, that’s the best part about her,” Hay said. “She’s got insane movement for a lefty, she’s very underrated. She’s got that surprise attack, she’s got a nasty curve.”
And she has one pitch that really does damage.
“Her change-up … don’t even get me started on that, that’s just ridiculous,” Hay said. “I’m like screaming out there ‘Dirty!’ because it’s almost impossible to hit that pitch. It’s insane. Lindsay Nelson is our key to winning.”
Hay was a pretty important cog, as well. With the Griffins trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, Jenna Caldwell drew a walk, was sacrificed to second and scored on Nelson’s double. Hay followed with an RBI double to make it 2-1.
“That helped me calm down even more,” Nelson said. “I just feel like I’m better when I know we’re ahead. I felt better, I felt I was pitching better.”
She wasn’t just better, she was nearly perfect.
“She was mixing up her pitches,” said Notre Dame coach Artie Kearns, who also lauded the left-hander’s change-up. “She did what she had to do and they played the D behind her. And we get two hits. We ain’t beating anybody with two hits. There was nothing we could do.”
The youngster was composed throughout.
“I think when we were playing in the OCT championship I was really nervous,” Nelson said. “So I kind of just remembered back to that and tried not to bring those nerves to this game. I think I did a good job of staying calm. I think that really helped.”
Donovan Catholic got an insurance run in the fifth when Alexa Pagano singled for the second of her three hits and scored on Hay’s double. Nelson took it from there, shrugging off a two-base error in the seventh to get the final two outs and start the celebration.
“It just means everything to me,” said Nelson, who plays travel with the Jersey Intensity. “I’m so happy I got to be with this group of girls. We’re so young, we’ve been working hard all season. Just to win this, I don’t even have words.”
Along with Nelson and Hay, other freshmen include designated player Caldwell, second baseman Mya Lamicella and leftfielder Halie DeCarlo. Sophomores feature shortstop Pagano, catcher Kati Vazquez, first baseman Amanda MacBurnie and centerfielder Grace Leone, while rightfielder Emilie Zuhowski is the lone senior.
Nelson and Vazquez have already given verbal commitments to Drexel University.
Asked how such a young team stays so calm, Hay said “We travel a lot. We’re on a big travel team and we have good chemistry from that. We go to Cali(fornia) and stuff like that. We’re very mature for our age.”
And very determined.
“They are just competitors; they want the competition,” Schwartz said. “They were looking forward to this game, they were excited yesterday. They’re very focused. For a young team that’s unusual and unique, but that’s what makes them different.”
They are so unique, that the coach said she is not looking at the championship game as just playing with the house money.
“Oh no,” Schwartz said. “We’re ready to compete with anybody. These kids have grown tremendously and are ready to compete at any level.”