On softball head coach Fran Maggio’s birthday, which happened to be the same day that he was named NJ.com’s softball Coach Of The Year, Roselle Park’s governing body recognized the Roselle Park High School Varsity Softball team for their championship season.
Along with Coach Magg, pitcher Madison Hummel was named the news organization’s Union County Player Of The Year. Right fielder Merissa Gilic and the pitcher, who had a season record of 22-3, were both named First-Team All-State Group 1.
NJ.com ranked the team 13th in the state and ended their season with a 27-3 record, the highest in school history.
Coach Maggio spoke to those in attendance, “I just want to thank the mayor and council. We’ve been very fortunate to have been through this a few times now. We even have an old-timer in the crowd here tonight, Jess Johns was a member of our 2010 team and we received a similar proclamation way back then. I just want to thank everybody. It was a great year. Fantastic achievements for the school, for the town, for the girls, our parents, everybody who was along for the ride. We got to play in some fantastic venues this year – a couple of times at Kean University for the county tournament and the state tournament. It was just a tremendous experience and something that they’ll keep with them for the rest of their lives.”
Last time was in 2003-04
Marissa Gilic also named First-Team All-State Group 1.
The team honored was:
- Angelina Chacon (Short Stop) (Senior)
- Alexis Cieslinski (3rd Base) (Sophomore)
- Emma Cieslinski (1st Base) (Sophomore)
- Madison Cieslinski (2nd Base) (Sophomore)
- Danielle Crown (Utility Player)
- Merissa Gilic (Right Field) (Senior)
- Madison Hummel (Pitcher) (Junior)
- Paige Junior (Left Field) (Senior)
- Sarah Lippin (Center Field) (Sophomore)
- Meaghan Mooney (Utility Player) (Junior)
- Hailey Ortega (Catcher) (Junior)
- Gabrielle Scott (1st Base/Pitcher) (Sophomore)
- Kyra Williams (Statistician)
- Jill Bury (Assistant Coach)
- Fran Maggio (Coach)
(Cover photograph courtesy and property of Jessica Ortega)