By Jacob Sisson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers’ girls basketball season came to an end on Tuesday in the same way it did one year ago, with a loss to top-seeded Stony Brook in the Suffolk County Class “C” championship tournament. This year, The Lady Whalers’ playoff run ended with a 43-29 defeat at Saint Joseph’s College in the Class “C” championship game.

Instead of last year’s semi-final defeat, the Lady Whalers pushed their way into the county championship game for the first time in the six years that Pierson/Bridgehampton coach Dennis Case has been at the helm. The game was a bitter pill to swallow for a team that had beaten the Bears once this season, and had the confidence and momentum to win a second time.

“We had a very successful season,” said Case. “It’s the first time we’ve been to the county final, at least in the six years I’ve been coaching. We’ve been to the playoffs those six years, but it’s the first time we’ve been to the final.

“We made a good showing. We played hard; we never gave up the whole game. We played hard from the tip-off to the very end of the game. You can’t complain at all. The kids played with a lot of intensity. That’s the way they’ve played all year.

“We lost a couple games because of a few different things, a couple times because of shooting, but overall we did fine.”

The Lady Whalers picked the wrong night to lose their shooting touch. While the Lady Whalers were successful in playing intense defense and fighting for every ball – the team had 11 steals, six of which came from senior guard Sarah Barrett – they could not match that level in their shooting.

Collectively, the team shot 11 of 58 from the field, including a paltry 20 percent from inside the arc and only hitting 1 of 8 three-point attempts. While Stony Brook was enjoying wild success from the free-throw stripe, Pierson/Bridgehampton struggled, hitting only 6 of 13 attempts.

“We had cold shooting, that’s for sure. We played very good defense, but we just couldn’t finish. We had a tough time putting the ball in the hole. On top of that, we just didn’t shoot well from the foul line. We must have missed eight or ten foul shots. But that’s the way the game goes.”

While the Lady Whalers attempted to mount a comeback in the second half, things became dire when Stony Brook was given shot after shot from the free-throw line. As a team, Stony Brook hit 10 of 12 free throws in the final quarter to put the game on ice and give them their wide winning margin.

It was a sloppy start to the game that seemed to set the tempo for the Lady Whalers. Only eight points were scored in the first quarter, with the score tied 4-4 after the first period.

The second quarter brought little relief for the Lady Whalers, as their shooting woes continued. The team went 3 of 16 from the field (the Lady Whalers shot 5 of 29 in the half), and could only add another seven points to their total. Stony Brook, on the other hand, had an explosive quarter. Driven by the efforts of forward Brannon Burke, Stony Brook scored 15 points to push their lead out to a halftime advantage of 19-11. Burke finished her night with 26 points, 11 from free-throws, and was singled out by coach Case as Pierson/Bridgehampton’s main adversary.

Sarah Barrett began to heat up in the second half, and tried to will her team back into championship consideration. Key steals and subsequent fast breaks seemed to put the wind back in the Lady Whalers’ sails for a time, and brought them back to within six with just 3:50 left in the fourth quarter.

It was not to be, however, as it began to rain Stony Brook free-throws that dug Pierson/Bridgehampton into a hole it could not climb out of.

The loss, however, was not for lack of effort, as the Lady Whalers defended doggedly to the last, and gave everything they had to break down a difficult Stony Brook defense. In the offensive half, the Stony Brook’s defense limited Barrett, Pierson/Bridgehampton’s top scorer, to eight points, while fellow seniors Amanda Busiello and Kaci Koehne finished their nights with six points each. Seniors Samantha James and Nina Hemby as well as sophomore Emily Hinz all had three points, with James hitting the team’s only three-pointer.

Koehne, Busiello and Barrett led the team in the rebounding category, with six each, on a night where Stony Brook’s height advantage left Pierson/Bridgehampton wanting. Koehne also had three blocks in an effort to disrupt Stony Brook’s shooting.

It was the end of a long road for Pierson/Bridgehampton’s five seniors who waved their final goodbyes to Lady Whalers fans. That elite group included Barrett, Busiello, Hemby, James and Koehne, who have grown and matured as a group both this season and earlier in their careers.

“We’re going to miss five seniors,” said Case of his stellar senior class. “We’re going to miss that group, that’s for sure. They’re all talented, so we’ll have to rebuild next year. But we’ll rebuild next year with four returning players, plus a bunch of kids from the JV, so hopefully we’ll be there.”

By Jacob Sisson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (9-10, 8-3) moved one step closer to their goal of winning the Suffolk County Class “C” Championship by seeing off the Bishop McGann-Mercy Monarchs (9-8, 8-4) 35-32. The Lady Whalers now move on to face the Stony Brook Bears (12-5, 11-1) on Tuesday in the championship game to be played at Saint Joseph’s College in Patchogue at 5 p.m.

It was the second time this season a game between the Lady Whalers and the Monarchs came down to the wire, as the score remained tied at 30 with only 1:30 left on the clock.

Pierson/Bridgehampton managed to edge their way ahead in the final 90 seconds, and while it looked like a missed free-throw might give Mercy a way back into the game, senior forward Kaci Koehne grabbed one of her 17 rebounds to seal the win.

It was a back-and-forth affair with both teams canceling each other out across the game’s first three quarters. After 24 minutes of play, Pierson was down 27-26, and needed a fourth quarter rally to extend their season.

Pierson/Bridgehampton eked out a nine-point quarter, and held their opponents to a mere five points, to give the Lady Whalers a big momentum boost heading into Tuesday’s county championship.

It was a defensive struggle between two teams who had their two major scoring threats mostly silenced throughout the game. On the Lady Whalers’ side, senior guard Sarah Barrett was held to well below her season average with a mere five points, while Mercy’s Amy Boden could only muster three, all from the free throw stripe. In the first meeting between the two teams, Barrett erupted for 23 while Boden led Mercy with 15.

Stepping into the gap for Saturday’s matchup was senior forward Samantha James, who scored 13 points. Senior guard Amanda Busiello and sophomore guard Emily Hinz each had six points, with the former hitting a clutch three-pointer late in the fourth quarter, the only one of the night for the Lady Whalers, to give Pierson/Bridgehampton its winning margin.

Kaci Koehne added three points to her 17 rebounds, while freshman Kaci Gilbride hit a pair of free throws to score her only points of the game.

Pierson/Bridgehampton’s win erased some bitter memories for the Lady Whalers, who lost their previous meeting 40-31 in a game that was played in Mercy’s home gym. Home-court advantage seemed to be key in a matchup largely even on paper, as the Lady Whalers came away victorious in both games played on their own home floor.

Home field advantage goes right out the window as Pierson/Bridgehampton heads to Saint Joseph’s to face Stony Brook on Tuesday. Stony Brook won Suffolk County’s League VIII with an 11-1 record, but lost their only league game of the year in a key home matchup against the Lady Whalers.

Pierson/Bridgehampton will be looking for revenge for not only their 40-28 road defeat on February 28 to the Bears but also for last year’s 51-28 loss to Stony Brook in the Suffolk County Class “C” semi-finals. The Lady Whalers have come a long way since last year’s playoff loss, and with five seniors leading the way, the Lady Whalers will have one goal in Tuesday’s championship game: win.

By Jacob Sisson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (8-9, 8-3) are making sure they hit the playoffs in full stride after coming home from their Friday night trip to Port Jefferson to face the Royals (0-14, 0-12) 62-30 winners. It was the second time this year the Lady Whalers have seen off the Royals, having won their only previous encounter, 67-19. With the win, the Lady Whalers remained in a tie for second place in Suffolk County’s League VIII with Bishop McGann – Mercy (9-7, 8-3). The two teams are in a shootout for second place in the overall league standings, as league leaders Stony Brook (11-5, 10-1) wrapped up the regular season title with an overtime win over Southold on Monday.

Against the Royals, things looked over only eight minutes in as the Lady Whalers powered to an 18-4 first quarter lead. Despite the halftime scoreboard reading a more modest 26-13, the Lady Whalers outscored the Royals 36-13 in the second half, including a 21-7 fourth quarter, to put the game well out of reach and secure their eighth league win of the year.

Three seniors led the Lady Whalers, as they have done routinely throughout the season. The night’s top scorer was Samantha James, a senior forward, who had 18 points, which marked her season high. Just behind her was senior guard Sarah Barrett, who continued her excellent year with 16 points. Also breaking double figures on the night was senior forward Kaci Koehne, who also had her best night of the season, with 11 points. Helping to make sure the Royals had no shot on the night were Nina Hemby with six points, Amanda Busiello and Bridget Canavan with four points and Rachel Saidman, who had three points.

Pierson/Bridgehampton welcomes Shelter Island (5-9, 5-6) to town on Wednesday for the regular season’s final game. The Lady Whalers will have to be careful against Shelter Island, as a win will earn them a playoff berth.

Wednesday’s game will be the final regular season game, and final regular season home game, for the team’s five departing seniors – guards Sarah Barrett and Amanda Busiello and forwards Samatha James, Kaci Koehne and Nina Hemby. Those players make up a fearsome starting lineup on their own and each will be looking to impress in their final 24 minutes of regular season basketball in the gym they call home.

Pierson/Bridgehampton will be playing for a post-season home game on Wednesday, as a Lady Whalers win coupled with a Mercy loss will bring the playoffs to Pierson’s home court on Saturday afternoon. Mercy will play league leaders Stony Brook at home on Wednesday. Regardless of the outcome, the Whalers will face Mercy on Saturday for the right to travel to the Suffolk County Class “C” County Championship game to face the winner of the other playoff outbracket matcup – Stony Brook and Southold.

By Jacob Sisson

Down 3 entering the fourth quarter, the Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (2-6, 2-0) turned to a player they have been relying on all year: Sarah Barrett. The senior guard did not disappoint, scoring all of The Lady Whaler’s seven points in the fourth quarter to lead the team to a 43-41 victory over the Mercy Monarchs (2-4, 1-1). None of her points were as clutch as the two free throws she hit with 15 seconds remaining that gave the Lady Whalers their final advantage.

Barrett’s final push capped a season high 23-point night. The guard added four steals on a night where ball control was fleeting and turnovers were common. As a team, the Lady Whalers collected 14 steals, with senior forwards Samantha James and Kaci Koehne as well as senior guard Amanda Busiello adding three steals each.

James herself had an outstanding night, adding a double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds.

“We started out like a house on fire,” said Pierson/Bridgehampton coach Dennis Case. “Mercy stayed with us all game. Our biggest problem all year has been consistency. We made a lot of errors in the game, many of them unforced.”
The Lady Whalers were aided that for each period of sloppy play they endured, Mercy seemed to respond in turn. Much of the credit has to go to the Lady Whaler defense, which constantly applied pressure and harassed Mercy’s ball handlers.

“Down the stretch, we played great defense.” That defense was the real key to Pierson/Bridgehampton’s victory, as they held the visitors to only two points in the fourth quarter. “We needed to overplay [Mercy forward] Amy Boden so she couldn’t power up to the basket. Kaci Koehne shut her down.”

Koehne and fellow forward Samantha James each added two blocked shots to the defensive effort. None were more important than the latter’s swat with 4 seconds left that ended a threatening Mercy possession, allowing the Lady Whalers to run out the clock for the win.

The game was a tense, back-and-forth affair, with no team able to assert their hold on possession. Person/Bridgehampton held a slim 26-23 lead at halftime thanks in large part to the work of James, who scored 10 of her 12 points and had 10 of her 13 rebounds in the first half. Also lending well to the cause was sophomore guard Emily Hinz, who had six points and three assists in the first 16 minutes.

Mercy roared back in the third quarter, outpacing the Lady Whalers 16-10, and entering the fourth quarter up 39-36.

As if “clutch” was her middle name, Barrett sprung into action. Barrett’s intensity helped inspire the defense to clamp down and take the wind out of Mercy’s sails. After a Mercy free throw, Barrett hit a three-pointer to draw the Lady Whalers within one. A jumper from the foul line halfway through the fourth quarter gave the Lady Whalers their first lead in the fourth. Another free throw drew Mercy level with just under four minutes remaining.

The score would stand at 41-41 for what felt like an eternity as both teams struggled to score. Mercy was trying to assemble their offense when the quick hands of Hinz knocked the ball into the path of Barrett. Without a second thought, Barrett took off to the basket. While her layup didn’t fall, she was fouled and went to the line for two free throws.

Barrett’s first free throw fell much to the delight of Pierson/Bridgehampton supporters.

“After Sarah made the first free throw, I called a timeout to set up our defense. If she had missed, we would have to play solid defense and not foul. After she iced the second shot, we knew we would have to put pressure on their guards to protect against the three-pointer.”

Mercy managed to get the ball inside as the seconds ticked away, Mercy had one last look at the basket until James arrived to remove the threat. While Barrett’s free throws put the Lady Whalers ahead, James sealed the deal.

As the final buzzer sounded, Case pumped his fist with delight. Case had pointed out earlier in the season that Mercy would be one of Suffolk County league VIII’s main title contenders and this game would be key to their championship hopes.

The win wasn’t just about the performances of one individual. The victory came down to hard work and determination of the entire Lady Whalers squad.

“The key to the win was total teamwork and focus in the final minute of play,” said Case.

Extend Lead in League

For the second game in a row, senior guard Sarah Barrett hit a game winning shot with less than 30 seconds to go Tuesday night, extending the Lady Whalers’ lead at the top of Suffolk County league VIII standings. Barrett’s heroics with 30 seconds to go put the Lady Whalers (3-6, 3-0) up 35-33 against the Stony Brook Bears (2-3, 1-1) in what was a matchup of the league’s top two teams. It was a defensive struggle, as both teams found offense hard to come by. Neither team scored in the double digits until the third quarter when each team had 10 points. Despite the low scoring game, Barrett once again led the team with 15 points while Samantha James had 12.

By Jacob Sisson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers girls basketball team (1-6, 1-0) may have had a tough schedule of pre-season matchups, but following a productive week off, it is onward and upwards for a team gunning for the Suffolk County Class “C” championship. Despite losing their first six games of the year to non-league opponents, Pierson/Bridgehampton picked up some momentum and confidence with a 17-point league eight victory over Southold to draw the curtain on 2010.

Despite the slow start to the campaign, Lady Whalers’ coach Dennis Case prefers to focus on their most recent win than their string of defeats.
“We went 0-6 in non-league contests. It took us a while to start playing good ball. We opened our league season with a strong win by 17 over Southold. Hopefully this will carry over.”

It truly did take time for the Lady Whalers to coalesce on offense, having been held to less than 30 points in their first three games. Much of Pierson/Bridgehampton’s troubles could be traced to their murderer’s row of opponents, having played league seven’s Southampton (6-1, 0-0) twice, Mattituck and Hampton Bays (5-3, 0-0), league six’s Shoreham/Wading River (1-5, 0-1) and league five’s Eastport/South Manor (4-4, 1-1) once each.

“I feel that the strongest point this season is that we are finally playing together as a team.”

“Leading the way has been this year’s leading scorer Sarah Barrett, as well as Sam James. Both are seniors,” said Case.

Barrett has been the real bright spot in the Pierson/Bridgehampton offense in the 2010-2011 season, leading the team in five of their seven games and amassing 63 points in those games. Barrett’s best nights came December 10th against Eastport/South Manor and on December 14th against Mattituck, where the senior guard exploded for 17 points.

Complimenting Barrett on the offensive side of the ball is fellow senior Samantha James. The 5’11” forward added 11 points against Southold to help the Lady Whalers right the ship and get their first league win on December 17th.

Beyond the team’s two stars, Case has a full outfit of talented and experienced players to rely on. “Amanda Busiello at guard and Kaci Koehne and Nina Hemby at forward are all seniors. Nina is back from taking her junior year off from basketball. She adds strength to our front court.”
“Emily Hinz is a sophomore guard and has been very valuable to us this year. Kaci Koehne has led the team in rebounds so far this season.”

Indeed, Hinz has been the team’s most consistent scorer beyond James and Barrett. Hinz was third on score sheet against Southold, having contributed 7 points to the team effort. Busiello, too, has been a reliable source of points throughout the season.

Looking forward, Case is hoping that the Lady Whalers’ win against Southold will “carry over this Friday against Mercy,” a team Case had previously pointed to as “our main competition for the top spot.” With Pierson/Bridgehampton’s offense and defenses both starting to click – the Lady Whalers have outscored their opponents 80-64 in their last two games – there’s no reason that momentum shouldn’t carry over, despite the three-week lull in games.

Bishop McGann-Mercy comes into this Friday’s home game sporting an identical 1-0 league eight record and a 2-3 overall record. The Monarch’s league win also came at the hands of Southold, who fell 43-35 on Monday. The Lady Whalers will have to contain Amy Boden if they hope for success on Friday, with the Monarch player having scored 28 points in the team’s last two games.

Case and the Lady Whalers will need to forget about the first six games of their season and instead ride the confidence they earned in their dominant win against Southold. If they can keep in mind the lessons they learned in 2010, there’s no reason the Lady Whalers can’t be fighting for the Suffolk County Class “C” championship later this season.

Girls Basketball

12/11 Pierson/Bridgehampton 38 – 53 Hampton Bays
Senior guard Sarah Barrett continued her torrid start to the season, scoring 14 points to lead the Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers (0-5, 0-0) against Hampton Bays. Hampton Bays, of League VII boasts a 1-1 non-league record, with no league games played. The Lady Whalers’ second game in as many days was the consolation matchup of the Hampton Bays Fast Break Tipoff Tournament, after losing their opening round matchup with Eastport/South Manor.

Pierson/Bridgehampton dug themselves an early hole, with the scoreboard after the first quarter showing 21-11 in favor of Hampton Bays. Despite the slow start, the Lady Whalers kept things close through the second and third quarters, entering the fourth quarter down only 34-32. Hampton Bays turned on the after burners in the fourth quarter, outscoring Pierson/Bridgehampton 19-6 to finish off the game 53-38. Barrett had 14 points while Emily Hinz six points and Amanda Busiello and Bridget Canavan each contributed four.

12/10 Pierson/Bridgehampton 31 – 48 Eastport/South Manor

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers faced tough opposition in the opening round of the Hampton Bays Fast Break Tipoff Tournament versus League V’s Eastport/South Manor (2-2, 0-0). Against possibly the schedule’s toughest foe on paper, Pierson/Bridgehampton was able to keep the scoreline manageable through the first half, before being doomed by a runaway third quarter.

Pierson/Bridgehampton was down 21-14 when the first half whistle blew, but Eastport/South Manor outscored the Lady Whalers 18-5 in the third to put the game well out of reach. Pierson/Bridgehampton did manage to outscore Eastport/South Manor in the fourth 12-9 but the Lady Whalers could not overcome the 48-31 final score. Leading all scorers on the night was Sarah Barrett with 17. Senior forward Samantha James added six while senior guard Amanda Busiello chipped in four points.

by Jacob Sisson

The Pierson/Bridgehampton Lady Whalers field hockey team reached heights not seen since 2005 when they beat Friends Academy 2-0 to win the Long Island Class C Championship on Sunday. Leading the way for the Lady Whalers in the tournament final was freshman Katherine Matthers, who scored both of Pierson’s goals to end Friends Academy’s season.

The road to the Long Island Championships stated on Tuesday in Ward Melville, as the Lady Whalers came up against Southampton in the Suffolk County Class C Championship. Pierson/Bridgehampton, the Class C Tournament number one seed, had outscored Southampton, the number two seed, 8-1 in their two prior meetings. In mid-October, the Lady Whalers had dispatched Southampton 4-1 while their first meeting had ended in a 4-0 Pierson win.

Pierson/Bridgehampton got their playoffs off on the wrong foot as Southampton’s Tara Watson managed to slip one past the Lady Whalers goalkeeper, Catherin Musnicki. Musnicki, however, would see very little of the ball as the game progressed and would only have to make five total saves.

Despite hitting the halftime interval down 1-0 to a team they hadn’t lost to in 2010, the Lady Whalers did not panic, and set about righting the ship. An inspired Pierson/Bridgehampton team took the field for the second half, and thoroughly outplayed Southampton. Goals from Sarah Barrett and Alexa Lantiere put Pierson/Bridgehampton up 2-1, a score by which the team would hold on to to win the County Title. Despite the narrow scoreline, the Lady Whalers forced their opposing net minder into 17 saves, showing an offensive dominance that was not readily apparent on the scoreboard.

After their triumph in the Class C County Championship, Pierson/Bridgehampton drew Division Three rivals Shoreham-Wading River in the Suffolk County Small Schools Championship. There was no elimination on the line, as each team could look ahead to their respective Long Island Championships.

The Lady Whalers had dropped two games against Shoreham-Wading River, the champions of Suffolk County’s Class B and the runners up in Division Three’s regular season. The first was a 6-2 loss in late September while the Lady Whalers dropped a 2-0 decision in mid-October.

The hero of the day was goalie Catherin Musnicki, who kept Pierson/Bridgehampton into the game despite being outshot 23-6. In the end, the Lady Whalers dropped another 2-0 game to Shoreham-Wading River thanks to a goal each in the first and second halves.

The Lady Whalers needed to find some momentum against Friends Academy, who finished their season second in Nassau County’s Conference Two with an overall record of 13-4-1. Friends Academy had been Carle Place 2-0 to reach the Long Island Championship.

Pierson/Bridgehampton’s offensive inspiration came from a most unlikely place, as freshman Katherine Matthers, who had never before scored a varsity goal, slotted home two second half goals, off of assists from Lindsay Warne and Alexa Lantiere, to lead the team to a 2-0 victory and their first Long Island Championship since 2005.

The victory was a polar opposite from the offensive showing that the Lady Whalers put in against Southampton, as Friends Academy’s goalie was only forced to make three saves on the five shots Pierson/Bridgehampton put in net. On the other end, Catherin Musnicki shut out Friends Academy by making seven saves. Much of the credit goes to the teams’ defense, and especially that of Pierson/Bridgehampton, who were able to shut down a powerful Friends Academy offensive and give their star goal keeper little to worry about.

Thanks to her impressive two-goal performance, Matthers was named to the Long Island Tournament all-tournament team. Joining her on the prestigious list was Alexa Lantiere, who has spent her season providing key assists and acting as the metronome for her team.

The Lady Whalers now travel to Cicero, New York on Friday for the New York State Class C Semifinal where they face Barker High School from Barker, New York.

By Jesse Rosenthal

Coach Melissa Edwards and the Pierson Varsity Softball club improved to 6-1 on the season Friday as they handed Hampton Bays a 3-2 loss on their own diamond. You can’t win them all though, as the Lady Whalers found Tuesday night in Bayport-Blue Point where they acquired only their second loss of the season in a close 2-1 pitching duel.

Melanie Stafford has been dominant on the mound. With 65 strike outs already this season, she allowed only four hits, striking out another four in Friday’s game in Hampton Bays. “Melanie is doing a great job,” said Coach Edwards. “She is finally coming into her own.”

Although it was not a high scoring game, bats were hot when they needed to be and the Lady Whalers came up big in clutch situations. Doing her job in the cleanup position, Kaci Kohne hit a big triple in the top of the third scoring Natalie Abbene from second base to give Pierson their first run of the game.

In the top of the fifth, big bats, smart base running and some small favors from the Hampton Bays infield would give Pierson the lead. After Abbene singled, advanced to second on an error and then stole third, Kasey Gilbride hit a triple to score Abbene and tie the game at two.

With Gilbride on third, Melanie Stafford walked. Stafford advanced to second on a throwing error and Gilbride stole home, scoring the go-ahead run and ultimately giving the Lady Whalers their sixth win.

Coach Edwards was pleased with the turnout. “It was an overall great game,” she said. “My kids were intense each pitch and each at bat. It’s always nice to play Hampton Bays and it’s even sweeter to walk away with the win.”

The Bayport game went the other way unfortunately. Stafford pitched well, allowing only 2 runs, but Bayport 8th grader Lauren Peterson was dialed in. She went

4-for-4 with a double, a stolen base and the game winning RBI.

With some solid divisional competition coming their way the next few weeks, Coach Edwards and her Lady Whalers are remaining positive, even in the face of Tuesday night’s tough loss.

“We have a pretty decent schedule coming up but if we continue to do what we have been doing, taking it one game at a time, one at bat at a time, one play at a time, we have the ability to beat any team,” said Edwards. “We have the ability to beat any team. These girls finally realize that. Now it’s nice to just sit back and watch them play.”

Look for good competition in Elwood/John Glenn at Pierson this Friday at 5 p.m in Mashashimuet Park, followed by another home game against local rivals Southampton next Tuesday and a trip to Babylon the following day.

By Jesse Rosenthal

The Lady Whalers are on fire. Following a 13-0 home field domination of Center Moriches on Tuesday, Coach Melissa Edwards and her able squad delivered a 10-8 loss to visiting Mount Sinai on Wednesday.

Melanie Stafford pitched a one-hit, no-walk shutout gem against Center Moriches. Her teammates didn’t skimp on the run support. Kaci Koehne went 4-4 in the cleanup position, Natalie Abbene hit 3-4, and Casey Gilbride was a homerun away from the cycle with a double, a triple and two RBIs.

In Wednesday’s game, lively bats, heads-up defense and solid pitching from Stafford in pressure situations gave the Lady Whalers the edge.

Two quick runs scored in the bottom of the first to give Pierson an early lead, and an early display of defensive prowess set the tone for what was to follow. Following a single to shallow center field and a well-laid bunt to advance the runner for Mount Sinai, CF Natalie Abbene made an outstanding sliding stop on a short fly ball to hold the runners at first and second. Heads up defense from Casey Gilbride at third gave Pierson their third out of the inning.

Following a quick three-up, three-down bottom of the second due to solid pitching from Mount Sinai’s Holly Drasser, the Mustangs were able to put some runs on the board in the top of the third. With one down on strikes, Stafford walked one and gave up a double to deep center field over the head of Natalie Abbene. Abbene played the ball well, however, holding the runners at second and third. With both runners in scoring position, Mount Sinai was able to take their first and only lead of the game on one stolen base and two singles to left field.

The bottom of the third marked the turning point, as Mount Sinai watched their last lead of the game crumble beneath the weight of strong bats from Pierson. A walk and an error at second base found two on for cleanup hitter Kaci Koehne who capitalized, hitting a long fly ball over the head of Mount Sinai’s centerfielder, and sliding into third for 2 RBI triple. An error at third, a hard hit line drive off the glove of the pitcher from Catherine Musnicki and a double to center field off the bat of Nina Hemby were enough to score two more making it 6-3.

After a line drive to center field and stolen base from Mount Sinai’s Kelsey Lubin, a hard hit ground ball up the middle made it 6-4.

In the bottom of the fourth, after a well-laid bunt, Natalie Abbene was able to score on a ground ball through the gap from Casey Gilbride.

The top of five saw one run score for Mount Sinai, but not for lack of the smart defense and solid hustle of the Lady Whalers. With runners on second and third, a single to center field found both runners charging home. One run scored but a hard throw from Natalie Abbene, followed by a quick cutoff from Koehne at shortstop and a perfect tag by Musnicki behind the plate got the second runner cold. With two out, Lindsey Warne made one of her two standout defensive plays of the day, running down an almost out of reach infield blooper to end the inning and preserve a 7-5 lead.

One run scored in the top of the sixth by the Mustangs cut the Lady Whalers lead to 7-6. The bottom half of the inning saw three runs scored for Pierson on two singles, and error and a wild pitch. The game was not a runaway, but solid defense and good clutch pitching led to a win for Pierson.

Two Mustang runs in the top of the seventh on two singles and a double turned up the heat for Stafford on the mound. With both runners in scoring position, Stafford was able to strike one batter out and retire the last on a ground ball back to the mound, leaving the Mustangs with two on base and giving the Lady Whaler’s their fourth win in five games.

Coach Melissa Edwards is pleased. “We are doing well all around,” she said. “The bats are finally coming to life and we are playing as a team, completely.”

Next up are two games away. The first at Hampton Bays on Friday, April 16, followed by a visit to Bayport-Blue Pt on Wednesday, April 21.

By Jesse Rosenthal

Returning for her second season as Pierson’s varsity softball coach, Melissa Edwards has high hopes for her Lady Whalers. With a variety of weapons at her disposal both on the field and in the batter’s box and a coaching philosophy rooted in hard work, fundamentals and unity, optimism may end up becoming more of an afterthought than a necessity.

The 2009 Lady Whalers ended their season with a 1-2 series defeat at the hands of longtime conference rivals Port Jefferson in the championship series. Now, the Lady Whalers enter into the 2010 season after graduating eight players total, many of who played vital roles last season; but Edwards remains unfazed.

“Last season is last season, this is a new team with new goals,” she said. “We did lose some key players, but I do believe we are just as strong if not stronger this season.”

If strength and depth are what this team needs to compete in 2010, then it looks as though they are poised for success. They have great bats in Kaci Koehne, Melanie Stafford, Sami James and Lindsey Warne. Natalie Abbene will lead the outfield while Kaci Koehne holds down the infield.

“We should be a threat in all aspects,” said Edwards.

All in all, the Lady Whalers have six returning players (two seniors and four juniors) four juniors new to varsity and six underclassmen. While they are a relatively young team, they have a strong core of leadership, hustle and talent.

Expect big things from Kaci Koehne, Melanie Stafford and Lindsey Warne. Koehne is a threat on both sides of the ball. She has a great bat and a quick glove at shortstop and according to Edwards “is by far the heart and leader of this team.”

Melanie Stafford will the be the Lady Whalers’ ace in the circle this spring. She will carry a majority of the weight, seeing most of the starts. She will be assisted most often by Lindsey Warne who “is really stepping up for the better of the team this season,” according to Edwards. Sami James and 8th grader Annie Osiecki will also see some time on the mound.

With the taste of last year’s defeat washed away by the start of this season, Coach Edwards and the Lady Whalers are looking to stay in the moment.

“We’re not putting any extra emphasis on any one game or a championship,” she said. “We want to go out there every game and give it our all, every defensive play, every at bat and time on the base paths. If we can do this daily, the bigger success will come naturally.”

Although the cards up Edwards’ sleeve are many, and her outlook is positive, she notes that there is always room for improvement.

“We are looking at this season as a progression,” she said. “Each day we want to be better than the day before. If we do that, then big things will happen for us.”

They are taking it day by day, but the goal for this season is clear. Championship.

“We understand that its going to take hard work and communication and we feel that by doing this day in and day out we will get to the championship game and we will be ready.”

Look for tough divisional competition from Port Jefferson (as always) and for possible nailbiters against Hampton Bays.

The Lady Whalers play their third scrimmage this afternoon at home in Mashashimuet Park against East Hampton at 3:30 p.m. The season opener is away at Southold on March, 26 at 4:00 p.m.