East Meadow Fillies clinch district victory for a second year

For the second straight year, the East Meadow Fillies 12-and-under Girls’ Softball Travel Team took home a district victory in the 2018 Williamsport Little League Tournament.

The squad of 11 girls notched the win on July 29 on their home turf — Grieco Field in East Meadow — hosting the nine other local teams that make up Long Island’s District 32.

The Fillies include Melia Campbell, Aleece Catalano, Gianna Cavazza, Madison Francis, Madison Lehmann, Arianna Maniscalco, Alexa Markowitz, Julia Parise, Sophia Suppa, Charlotte Viola and Kayla Wakely.

Most of the girls attend Woodland Middle School and have played together for the past four years, practicing every weekday during the summer season, which lasts from early June to late July.

“We really got to know a lot about each other,” said Julia Parise. “Like everyone’s personalities. Who’s funny and who’s weird.”

“It gives us more advantages than teams that just came together,” Madison Francis added.

Incoming seventh-grade student Charlotte Viola chimed in with, “It makes practice better and —”

“And practice makes perfect,” Madison said, finishing her friend’s sentence.

Coach Tracy Catalano explained that many Long Island teams don’t practice together as much because many of the girls play on other travel teams over the summer. “I think that’s what separates this team from others,” she said.

Several of the girls spoke to the Herald from the dugout of the East Meadow baseball fields, taking turns sharing their thoughts and reflecting on their success as a team. Last year they won the district title for the first time, went on to capture a sectional title and earned third place overall in the state.

Despite starting this year’s District 32 tournament with a loss to Plainview, the girls beat Central Nassau 3-0 in their second game and kept up their high energy, Catalano said. Pitcher Julia Parise struck out nine, and Madison Francis made a catch in right field that ended the game and left Central Nassau scoreless.

The girls faced Plainview again in their third game, in which Julia had 12 strikeouts. Sophia Suppa, Julia and Melia Campbell each hit singles, and were driven home by Madison Lehmann’s double. Charlotte Viola scored the final run, and the Fillies captured the district title with a 5-1 victory.

The team’s summer season ended with a record of 27-11-1. They earned a spot in the Section 6 tournament, where they beat Northport, 10-0, but were knocked out after losing to North Shore, 2-1, and Smithtown-St. James, 3-2.

Nevertheless, the girls said that they were proud to grow together as a team. “We’ve gotten much stronger and confident in how we’re playing, and we pushed hard,” Melia Campbell said.

“And I’d have a really boring summer without them,” Charlotte added with a laugh.