Essex County Player of the Year: Jill Cianfrocca, junior, Mount St. Dominic
As Mount coach Rob Sterna has emphasized, “Great players come up biggest when most needed,” and Cianfrocca definitely delivered big-time with her leadoff seventh inning solo home run which proved to be the decisive run as the Mount captured its first overall Non-Public A championship since 2014 with a 4-3 victory over No. 1 ranked Donovan Catholic in the state final at Ivy Hill Park. A 2-time Sideline Chatter Essex Player of the Year, the Lions’ junior first baseman and Villanova commit batted leadoff in a potent lineup setting the table while scoring 49 runs and knocking in 30 runs with 14 doubles and 10 home runs to go along with 33 walks, 10 stolen bases, a .516 BA and an impressive 1.044 slugging %.
Runner-Up Player of the Year, Cayce Kavakich, senior, Cedar Grove
Talk about all-around talents in terms of the entire package: hitting, pitching, fielding, speed and whatever else is needed to succeed on the diamond, the Panthers’ 4-year standout has been a superb performer since her freshman year. At the plate, the future Florida International University player helped spearhead a potent lineup batting .475 with 48 hits, 37 runs, 14 doubles, 2 triples, 2 homers and 25 RBI along with 15 stolen bases. In the circle she posted a 1.86 ERA with 169 IP while walking 62 and striking out 206 while surpassing the career 1,000-strikeout plateau.
Essex County Pitcher of the Year: Claire Shupe, junior, Columbia
The Cougars standout (18-5) was county’s top pitcher over course of entire season throwing all of her pitches for strikes while allowing 82 hits in 159 innings while walking just 41 and striking out 231 with a superb 0.57 ERA. As her coach Cliff Smith has described it, “She does a phenomenal job at mixing speeds while also attacking all four quadrants of the strike zone.” One of her best efforts while leading the Maplewood-South Orange school to a 20-win season and a berth in the North 2, Group 4 state sectional final vs. Watchung Hills was her no-hitter in 1-0 victory vs. Group 1 and SEC champion Cedar Grove on May 12, in contest where she held one of the state’s top lineups to just two baserunners, both of which came via walks, while striking out 6.
Runner-Up Pitcher of the Year: Ava Kelshaw, sophomore, Mount St. Dominic
Although limited to 62 2/3 IP this spring due to a nagging back ailment, the Lions’ super sophomore came through in a huge way in the season’s most pivotal contests, including coming in as the reliever while pitching four shutout innings to shut the door on Cedar Grove in the ECT final before her masterful complete-game outings in key wins vs. elite state titans such as Red Bank Catholic (3-2 in an independent contest) and longtime North Jersey rival Immaculate Heart (3-2 in the North A final) and then No. 1 ranked Donovan Catholic (4-3 in the North A state final) to conclude a marvelous run in the season’s biggest moments. She finished with 53 K’s and a 1.90 ERA.
Essex County Newcomer of the Year: Abby Cianfrocca, freshman, Mount St. Dominic
When Mount’s 2024 all-state pitcher Ava Kelshaw, had her innings limited this spring due to a back injury, young Cianfrocca, who is more of an infielder by trade, stepped in and performed well in the circle with a 2.67 ERA while working 131 innings and striking out 91. Abby is also a supreme offensive player hitting No. 2 in the lineup behind big sister Jill as she batted a solid .479 with 20 extra base hits and 36 RBI. “I have never been prouder of one my players than with the way Abby stepped up big-time for us this season,” said Stern. “We all know that she is a ‘stone-cold’ outstanding hitter, but with both Ava and Natalie (Marecki) out with (back) injuries we needed her to pitch. She’s such an unselfish kid who does whatever she can for the team, and although she is a natural infielder who hadn’t pitched in a while, it didn’t matter to her, and she embraced looking to fill a very big role.”
Runner-Up, Essex County Newcomer of the Year: Jamie Tarrow, freshman, Columbia
The Cougars’ young team was boosted by the arrival of Tarrow, who supplied an energizing spark to the strong lineup while batting .312 with 19 runs scored and 16 RBI while playing a flawless center field. “Both her offense and defense were great this year as a freshman,” said Coach Cliff Smith. “She came right in and started in center field from Day 1 for us and in this league to do that and hit in the top 4 in our order all year is impressive. She is such a natural outfielder and makes every play seem routine. It’s nice knowing if it’s hit in her direction there is nothing to worry about.”
Essex County Coach of the Year: Rob Stern, Mount St. Dominic
Injuries and several new faces meant coach Stern and his fine coaching staff to work in a number of young players, including as many as five freshmen starters in the lineup, and also adjust in the all-important area of pitching with the move to place one of those impact first-year performers, Abby Cianfrocca, as the team’s frontline hurlers for much of the season as Kelshaw had to work the way back from her back ailment. The longtime North Jersey coach did a superb job dealing with various challenges in terms of personnel while facing the typical arduous schedule in and out of the SEC all his Mount teams face, and the results were ultimately quite impressive with both count and state tournament titles.
Runner-Up Coach of the Year; Cliff Smith, Columbia
The impressive young coach did his own superb job working wonders with a very young lineup while facing a strong schedule as the Cougars showed continued progress throughout the spring, playing well in reaching the ECT semifinals and advancing all the way to a N2G4 state sectional final while finishing with 20 victories. The present and future appear very bright for Columbia softball thanks to the continued superb work each season by Smith and his staff.
