The Verona 8U team faced the most daunting challenge in its School’s Out Tournament title quest. The Jersey Blaze and the South Jersey Bulls, two extraordinarily talented club teams, were part of a strong 8U field. Despite the herculean task, the 8U Barnstormers resiliently fought their way to the semifinals, handily beating local rival Cedar Grove twice, but fell to the eventual champion Jersey Blaze who later bested the South Jersey Bulls 10-6 in a well-played championship game.
The members of the 8U team who valiantly competed for Verona this weekend were Sophia Chanana, Sydney Hannigan, Samantha Heimall, Danielle Imbriano, Sarah Kominos, Isabella Maglifiore Juliana Maglifiore, Brielle Marchese, Taylor McClain, Gwyneth Romero and Synclaire Szamborski.
The organization and effort which went into this remarkable event was extensive. Lisa Loudon, a VBSL Board member and the School’s Out Tournament director, was the driving force behind the tournament as she spent countless hours over the last few months planning each detail which was plainly evident by how smoothly the tournament ran and how many teams have already indicated their desire to return again next year.
In addition to the planning, the execution of the event would not have been possible without the assistance of numerous individuals who generously provided their insights and time. A special thanks to Town Manager Matt Cavallo, Recreation Director Jim Cunningham, VBSL President Rich Williamson, Public Works Supervisor Chuck Molinaro, Sr. and Gary Grasso for their guidance during the planning of this event. The fields at all five locations at which the tournament games were held (Liberty, Everett, F.N. Brown, Brookdale and Linn Drive) were impeccably prepared by Chuck Molinaro, Jr., T.J. Ferret, Ryan Moscosco, James Staudinger and Chris Guida. Liberty Field Site Supervisors Marlene Nigro and Kevin Kelly spent their whole weekend making sure that the teams who played on our new turf field had a welcoming first class experience. John Hogan of the Verona United Soccer Club graciously agreed to move multiple soccer games to different locations to avoid any scheduling conflicts.
Lastly, the School’s Out Tournament is truly a Verona softball family affair. Over the course of the weekend, there are numerous tasks (registration, field preparation between games, score reporting, snack bar and t-shirt sales, website and Facebook page administration) which need to be performed to ensure the success of the event. The parents and siblings of the Verona softball girls willingly sacrificed their time–including the fathers on Father’s Day–to make sure that each and every girl who played in this tournament had a great experience. Their passion for this sport and their pride for Verona was on display all weekend and made this event truly special to behold. Like all the girls who played in the tournament this past weekend, the execution by everyone involved was a total team effort.
