McInaw, Derewecki girls lead way
By: Rudy Brandl
Hillsborough High softball coach Cheryl Iaione always gets nervous for her team’s first game in the Somerset County Tournament.
Every year, there’s an upset-minded team coming to Hillsborough with nothing to lose. All the pressure is on the Raiders, who are usually favored to win easily and cruise all the way to the county finals.
Veteran ball clubs usually handle those expectations more easily than young teams, but this new edition of the Raiders didn’t stumble in its first big tournament test. Hillsborough spotted Ridge the game’s first run but came back and survived the quarterfinal round with a 5-1 victory.
Second-ranked Hillsborough was scheduled to face third-seeded Watchung Hills in the first half of Wednesday night’s semifinal doubleheader at North Branch Park. Top-ranked Montgomery and fifth-seeded Mount St. Mary battled in the second semifinal, with the winners set to play Saturday night at the same site.
The Raiders, three-time defending county champs who have appeared in four straight SCT finals, made their sixth consecutive trip to the tournament semifinals. They still have plenty of work ahead if they expect to make it four straight, but Iaione was impressed with the way her players started defense of the title.
"They handled it well," Iaione said. "That first game has always been tough for us. We played OK and we did enough to win. That’s all that matters."
Many of this year’s key players have been on the HHS varsity roster for at least one county title. These girls aren’t strangers to the winning tradition.
"Even though we’re young, we have a group of kids who have been a part of this," Iaione said. "They know what it takes. They came out loose today. They know they can win it, but they know it’s going to be tough."
Ridge scored in the top of the fourth but Hillsborough stormed right back with four runs in the home half of the inning. The Raiders finally got something going against Lindsay Gibbons, who had kept them off stride with slower pitching than they’re accustomed to facing.
Vanessa Tumminia reached on an error by the third baseman and Katie Yard smacked a one-out single to left-center. Katelyn Derewecki ripped a hard shot that the shortstop couldn’t handle, which allowed Tumminia to score and tie the game. Kim Arbonies walked to load the bases and Megan McInaw hit a sacrifice fly to center field to give the Raiders a 2-1 lead. Celia Maccini walked and Kristen Derewecki slapped a huge two-run single to right to make it 4-1.
"We got down 1-0 but we scratched right back," Iaione said. "It wasn’t a panic mode. I just told them to lace up the hitting shoes and get it done."
Katelyn Derewecki provided a little loud insurance in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to left field that capped the scoring.
McInaw (10-3) passed her first high school tournament test with flying colors. The sophomore scattered three hits and two walks with six strikeouts.
"Mac was tough," Iaione said. "She pitched a real nice game today."
The Raiders found themselves in a slightly different situation in this year’s county final four. In past years, they’ve faced a non-divisional team in the semifinals before beating a divisional rival in the finals. This year, they could face a Delaware East opponent in the semis and finals unless Mount St. Mary stages an upset.
Hillsborough continued its county run with another tournament victory. Saturday’s triumph ran the Raiders’ SCT win streak to 10 consecutive games.
"We weren’t ready to give it up on our home turf," Iaione said. "The tournament is more wide-open this year and it’s going to be tough, but we’re going to give it our best effort."

