Editor’s note: Photos were not received by press time for Ticonderoga.
The Saranac Chiefs had a strong 2012 Champlain Valley Athletic Conference softball season that culminated with a Section VII Class B and CVAC Division I title.
The Chiefs landed in the Class B regional final, but fell to eventual state-champion Chatham.
For its efforts, Saranac is well represented on the CVAC All-Star team, with shortstop Alisha Ducatte claiming Most Outstanding Player, catcher Olivia Furnia making the All-CVAC team and Ralph Cross capturing Coach of the Year honors.
Peru’s Dani Dayton, who went 13-2 as the team’s starting pitcher, was named Most Outstanding Pitcher on the season.
Division II champion Ticonderoga, which finished 13-3 on the season, was honored with four All-Star selections, while Saranac Lake had three players chosen.
Lake Placid won the Ray Holmes award for sportsmanship.
The All-Star team and awards were selected by the CVAC softball coaches.
Most Outstanding Player
Alisha Ducatte, Saranac- Ducatte, a senior, was an offensive sparkplug for the Chiefs. As the leadoff hitter, she finished the year with a .361 batting average and a .492 on-base percentage, while scoring a team-high 32 runs. As the team’s shortstop, she showed great range and had many outstanding plays throughout the season to help Saranac claim the Section VII Class B title.
Most Outstanding Pitcher
Dani Dayton, Peru- Dayton, a senior, went 13-2 as the Indians’ starting pitcher this season. She finished the year with a 2.38 ERA and a league-leading 90 strikeouts, while walking only 31 batters. She was a team captain and threw three shutouts during the year.
Coach of the Year
Ralph Cross, Saranac- Cross, who returned to coaching in 2010, compiled an 18-3 record as the Chiefs’ skipper. Through his career he has a 196-99 record, and in 2012 he helped guide Saranac to its first divisional championship in 14 years and first Class B title in 10 years.
Division I All-Stars
Olivia Furnia, Saranac- Furnia, a senior, was the Chiefs’ catcher this season. She finished the year with a .380 batting average, a .582 on-base percentage, 11 extra-base hits and a team-leading 30 RBIs.
Taylor Rock, Peru- Rock, a senior, was a team captain and third baseman for the Indians. She finished the season with a .260 batting average, 19 hits, 12 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. In her 19 hits, she had three triples and three home runs.
Karlie Neale, Plattsburgh- Neale, a junior, was a captain for the Hornets this season in her third year as a starter. She finished the year with a .498 batting average and .574 on-base percentage. She led the team in RBIs, triples, doubles and total hits, while striking out only three times on the season.
Lyndale Nephew, Plattsburgh- Nephew, a senior, filled in nicely for the Hornets at shortstop this season. She played with a strong work ethic and had a high intensity as a player. She was the ultimate teammate and helped Plattsburgh fulfill its success this season.
Sydney Battistoni, Saranac Lake- Battistoni, a junior, makes the All-Star team for the second consecutive year. She played third base for the Red Storm and became an anchor in the infield. She led the team with a .339 batting average and connected on the six doubles, the most on the team, while knocking in 17 runs.
Megan Moody, Saranac Lake- Moody, a junior, also lands on the All-Star team for the second year in a row. She patrolled centerfield for the Red Storm and excelled thanks to her speed. She was second on the team with a .311 batting average this season and stole five bases.
Nicole Viscardo, Saranac Lake- Viscardo, a junior, shared her time between first base and the pitcher’s mound this season. She tossed a no-hitter against Beekmantown and struck out 48 batters during the season, while sharing pitching duties with Brittany Tschirhart. Her hitting was also improved this season as her batting average jumped nearly 100 points.
Bianca Grimshaw, Northeastern Clinton- Grimshaw was a four-year starter for the Cougars and was named captain during her junior and senior seasons. She became a strong leader for the younger kids on the team and also led by example with strong performances at the plate. She finished her career on a high note, going 3-for-3 in Northeastern Clinton’s sectional contest against Saranac Lake.
Division II All-Stars
Emilee Namer, Ticonderoga- Namer, a senior, provided the Sentinels with strong leadership from her second base position. She had a .333 batting average on the season and finished with seven RBI and a pair of doubles.
Katie Palandrani, Ticonderoga- Palandrani, a junior, makes the squad for the second consecutive year. The catcher finished the year with a .421 batting average, 17 RBIs, eight doubles and a pair of home runs.
Megan Campney, Ticonderoga- Campney, a junior, knocked in 21 runs during the season and played a strong first base for the Sentinels. She finished the year with a .412 batting average, while connecting on seven doubles and a pair of triples.
Andrea Rich, Ticonderoga- Rich, a junior, patrolled center field for the Sentinels. She also lands on the All-Star team for the second straight year. Rich finished the year with a .513 batting average, while knocking in 16 runs. She had 13 extra-base hits on the season, seven doubles, four triples and two home runs.
Alexis Facteau, AuSable Valley- Facteau, a senior, was a team leader for the Patriots, while playing strong defensively at first base. She finished the season with a .435 batting average and connected on three doubles, while driving in 14 runs.
Dani Balestrini, Lake Placid- Balestrini, a senior, wrapped up a three-year career as the Blue Bombers’ catcher. She led the team in fielding and hitting, while also being named the Lake Placid High School Gold Letter in softball.
Ayla Thompson, Lake Placid- Thompson, a senior, also finished a three-year career for the Blue Bombers. She played shortstop and finished the year with one of the highest fielding percentages on the team.
Lindsay Brace, Moriah- Brace, a senior, was the Mountain & Valley Athletic Conference MVP a season ago for Crown Point. Making the move to the CVAC, Brace settled in at pitcher and helped the Vikings to a 5-11 record.
Lauren Brace, Moriah- Brace, a sophomore, also made the move from Crown Point a season ago with her sister. She helped make the transition to the Vikings a lot smoother, as she was behind the plate catching for her sister this season.
Nicole Durnin, Northern Adirondack- Durnin played four years of varsity softball for the Bobcats and did an excellent job securing first base. She also showed tremendous leadership and was Northern Adirondack’s power hitter this past season.
2012 CVAC Softball All-Stars
Most outstanding player:
Alisha Ducatte, Saranac.
Most outstanding pitcher:
Dani Dayton, Peru.
Coach of the Year:
Ralph Cross, Saranac.
All CVAC
Olivia Furnia, Saranac. Taylor Rock, Peru. Karlie Neale, Plattsburgh. Sydney Battistoni, Saranac Lake. Katie Palandrani, Ticonderoga. Andrea Rich, Ticonderoga. Dani Balestrini, Lake Placid. Lindsay Brace, Moriah.
Honorable mention
Logan Snow, AuSable Valley. Emily Raville, Beekmantown. Serina Hayes, Lake Placid. Hailey Chapuk, Moriah. Jillian Scott, Northern Adirondack. Kourtney Rabideau, Northeastern Clinton. Breanna Martineau, Peru. Cieara Duquette, Plattsburgh. Kourtnie Campbell, Saranac. Chelsea LaFountain, Saranac Lake. Jordan McKee, Ticonderoga.
