Great expectations again for Everett High softball

Last year’s GBL champs are ready to defend their title starting Monday at Malden

  The Everett High School softball team gets the 2023 season underway on Monday, April 3, against host Malden, starting at 4 p.m. It’s always best for a varsity team in any high school sport to have a roster filled with experienced players, because a winning season might be more doable. In the case of this year’s Crimson Tide girls diamond squad, experience starts at the top, where coach Stacy Schiavo is beginning her 25^th year along the sidelines.

  “This will be Year 25 for me as the Everett head coach, and I’m looking forward to an amazing year with my coaching staff and players,” said Schiavo. “This year’s team is made up of a great group of girls that are not taking anything for granted.”

  The 2022 campaign couldn’t have gone any better for these Tide girls. They ended the regular season with a 16-4 overall record, 12-2 in the Greater Boston League (GBL), and as a result they shared the League championship with Lynn Classical. Schiavo’s crew, ranked 33^rd, then lost a heartbreaker to Concord-Carlisle, the 32^nd seed, in a Division 1 state tournament preliminary round game, 2-1.

  “We had such a great year last year, and the girls are more determined than ever to win another league title,” the veteran coach said.

  The veteran Everett coach welcomed six freshmen, 15 sophomores, 10 juniors and three seniors to tryouts on March 20. “We have 11 of our 13 players returning from last year, and only have room for three new players on the varsity,” Schiavo said.

  Kayley Rossi, Kristi Skane and Julian Curran are the senior class representatives, and all three will serve as captains on this year’s club. Emma Longmore, Bryana Mason, Gianna Masucci and Arabela Cvitkusic are all back from last year – just one year older as juniors. They are joined by classmate Alessandra Foster. The returning players who are now sophomores include Jayla Davila, Ashley Seward, Emilia Maria-Babcock and Alexa Uga. Kassidy Rivera and Peyton Warren are their classmates, who will give the team always needed depth this spring as newcomers to the varsity roster.

  Schiavo has simple expectations at the beginning of the season. “Our goal is to take it one game at a time, while ultimately ending up with another GBL title,” she said. “Our strengths are the returning starters, who will occupy all but two spots in the field.”

  “Last year’s starting right-fielder Kristi Skane will be stepping onto the mound this spring, while our other pitcher Peyton Warren will be splitting time between the JV and varsity squads. We have many options to replace Skane in right, and whoever goes into that spot will be solid. Hitting may be a weakness. We have struggled being consistent with our at-bats, but many players have been working on their batting in the off-season, and so we are hopeful that this will be another strength of ours as the season wears on,” Schiavo added.

  The Tide girls were scheduled to scrimmage Winchester on March 28 to get ready again for Monday’s opener against the host Golden Tornadoes.