Glen Cove faces new rivals

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The Glen Cove Big Red softball team looks to stay consistent and build off of its 13-5 record last season, albeit without key pieces lost to a 2016 graduating class. 

Now competing in Nassau Conference ABC-III, coach Angela Zupa and her girls are eyeing a solid record and a trip to the playoffs. Bound together by a family mentality, and propelled by an array of athletic players, Glen Cove is positioning itself as a major player.

Last year’s starting pitchers Sarah Tenke and Christina Ng, who combined for a majority of the team’s innings pitched, have graduated and left opportunities for younger players to step up and assume the position. Zupa says that it’s a team effort and everyone plays a role. She was also excited that, even with a young team, a great group of athletes emerges on this year’s squad. 

“One of our benefits is that we have a great group of athletes,” Zupa said. “One day they can be shortstops, another they can be outfielders. That’s one of our benefits for sure, we have some athletes this year.”

Of those athletes is returning senior Safire Blissett, who will be the Big Red’s starting catcher and was recently voted among the top 100 softball players on all of Long Island. “She was a leadoff hitter last year, but her bat has improved greatly and she will be our 3 or 4 batter this season,” Zupa said.

The Big Red also return its entire infield, comprised of sophomores Alyssa Schmitt (First Base), Micaela Costello (Second Base), Janise Espinal (Shortstop), and Angela McCarthy (Third Base). Zupa stated that the familiarity of the players with each other could be a positive asset to their season. “We have our whole infield returning this season and that will hopefully benefit us.”

To try and replace the impact of Tenke and Ng, Coach Zupa has stated Schmitt is also being groomed to pitch some innings for Glen Cove. The coach has also elevated Nafeesah Ali from the JV unit to pitch some innings as well.

Zupa also spoke on her assistant coach Kim Keffel’s ability to work with the pitchers and catchers. “She certainly helps with calling the game, calling the pitches, and working with the batters,” Zupa said. A former catcher at LIU Post herself, Keffel will tap into her softball knowledge to further mentor Blissett and the pitching staff for this upcoming season. 

One aspect of this squad that was stressed was the family-like closeness of the coaches and players alike. Both coaches Zupa and Keffel, residents of Glen Cove themselves, have love for the program and the community and are hands-on with progressing it further, whether it be involvement with the Boys & Girls Club or hosting a food drive at every home game.

“We’re both from Glen Cove and we both grew up in Glen Cove,” Zupa said. “We love Glen Cove. We live here, we love it here, we love the girls and we always want what is best for the program.”