Team of the Year

Pequannock

Though it came up one win shy of an undefeated dream season, Pequannock enjoyed another tremendous year and spent a month ranked as New Jersey's top softball team. The Panthers negotiated a challenging schedule and endured numerous weather cancellations as they won league, county and sectional titles.

Led by a senior class consisting of nine players and junior pitcher Dana Nielsen, Pequannock outscored its opposition by an astounding 199 runs to 11. Only twice during the season did the Panthers trail during a game, and Pequannock was barely challenged en route to its third straight Morris County title and second sectional crown in three years.

The Panthers appeared destined to win another state title as well, but they came up one run short in the Group II state final against an upstart Robbinsville team. That defeat will sting, to be sure, but Pequannock has much to be proud of over the past three years, and the Panthers are once again our Jersey Sports Now Softball Team of the Year.

Players of the Year

Dana Nielsen, Pequannock
Kayla Lombardo, Pequannock

The junior pitcher and the senior catcher were more than just a battery combination--they are longtime friends who have played together since Little League. And without doubt it was this duo that sparked Pequannock to another tremendous season.

Nielsen, the pitching ace, posted a 0.37 ERA and struck out nearly 250 batters, clearly establishing herself as one of the top hurlers in the state. She is receiving many deserved accolades, but she always gives a great deal of credit to her catcher, Lombardo.

Besides handling duties behind the plate, Lombardo was Pequannock's best hitter, smashing nine home runs with 37 RBI. She was a key player for the Panthers for four years, playing third base and shortstop in addition to catcher. Next year she will play at Fordham University, a program that has played in the NCAA Division I tournament the last two years.

They've been a tandem for a long time, and so it seems only appropriate that Dana Nielsen and Kayla Lombardo are our JSN Softball Players of the Year.

Coach of the Year

Jim Dransfield, West Milford

At first glance, this was just a typical year for Dransfield, as his team went 24-3, won another Passaic County title and reached the sectional final. But a couple of key factors made 2011 unusual for this legendary coach.

The Highlanders played only one game in the first week of the season because of the rainy weather, and they lost that contest to Passaic Valley. West Milford ran off five wins, but then suffered another big setback in a 5-0 loss to Wayne Hills. Yet Dransfield kept his team pointed forward, and the result was an impressive 19-game winning streak, which included a dominant run to the county championship.

During this time, Dransfield was keeping a secret--he was thinking about retiring as softball coach at season's end. The Highlanders won three games in the states, and were tied with eventual state champion Sparta in the sectional final before a final-inning home run ended their season. Dransfield announced his decision to retire just a couple of hours later at the team's banquet, ending a 23-year run that included 547 wins, 19 league titles and nine county championships.

He will surely be missed on the diamond next season, but Jim Dransfield leaves a remarkable legacy, and he is our JSN Softball Coach of the Year.

Softball Notes

WILDCATS ROAR: Whippany Park put together another fantastic season, winning the NJAC Liberty Division title and its second straight North 2, Group I sectional title. The Wildcats went one game further than the previous year, advancing to the state final before falling to an extremely strong New Egypt team. Coach Todd Callaghan will lose top pitcher Casey Reggiani and big hitter Carly Bartholomew, but the rest of the Wildcats will return, making Whippany Park a real threat to do more damage in '12.

SUPER STRONG: This was a great season all around for Jersey Sports Now-area softball programs. Four teams--Pequannock, Whippany Park, West Milford and Wayne Hills--all reached 20 wins. Pompton Lakes had 19 victories, while DePaul was one out away from winning a sectional title before suffering a heartbreaking loss to IHA.

-- Paul Mencher for Jersey Sports Now