DARIEN, Conn. Coming off its first league championship ever, the Darien High School softball team faces a new challenge this spring.
Darien heads into the season with a target on its back. With pitcher Jess DeMaio and a strong supporting cast returning, the Blue Wave are now seen as the team to beat. Thats a role-reversal from previous years, when it was the up-and-coming team looking to knock off the league's bigwigs. It's one thing to climb the mountain. It's harder to stay there.
I think weve always tried to treat it like that, like teams are gunning for us, said senior Kelly Fahey, one of the four captains. That way were not caught off guard when teams come at us full force. I think teams are gunning for us. It feels great to have people recognize what weve done.
Dariens ascent to softball prominence has been nothing short of staggering. The Blue Wave have made the state playoffs for five straight years. They have played in the semifinals or finals of the league tournament each of the past three years. Darien went 23-4 last year.
The three-year combined record for this years seniors is 61-15, with one league title, one state final and one state semifinal appearance. In a town that is crazy for lacrosse, that is no small achievement. Its incredible for us to be a force that people know, Fahey said. Its nice to have a bunch of people behind us that want it as much as we do. I like the way this program is headed.
DeMaio has been one of the constants, a second-team all-league choice in 2010 and a first-team choice last year. She made a name for herself in her first varsity start, when she threw a no-hitter against Masuk in 2010.
Catcher Olivia Gozdz, who has one of the purest swings youll ever see, was a first-team choice last year when she hit .611. Courtney Bell has earned second team honors for two straight years, and Fahey has been named to the second team and earned honorable mention honors over the past two seasons.
Coming behind them is a promising group that includes freshmen Erica Osherow and Kelly Vodola as well as sophomore Julia Domiziano. All three underclassmen started in Mondays win over St. Joseph. The Darien Little Leagues softball team also won the District 1 championship each of the past two years.
Former players have gone on to successful college careers. Nicole Buch, an all-league player from last years team, has earned a starting role on the nationally ranked Southern Connecticut State University softball team. Carly Dudzik is a starter on an Amherst College team that is 22-1 and her .476 average is the highest on the team.
Past, present and future, its all good for Darien softball. The one piece missing is a state championship, but that could be the prize at some point for coach Nick DeMaios team. The pieces are all in place for a run at another league title this year, and perhaps a state crown.
We just have to go out and keep playing our same game, Jess DeMaio said. We have to go out and play the way we did last year. If we do that, well be OK.
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