By: Kyle Moylan Sports Editor
Coming off a great season with most of its players returning, the expectations are high for the Bordentown High School softball team in 2009.
“We have a good group of girls coming back, a solid group of freshmen coming in and we have the deepest team that we’ve had in the past five years,” noted Bordentown Coach Michael Brennan.
After serving as an assistant the past four years, Brennan gets the head coaching job for the best reason ever by someone in his position. Michele Brennan, Michael’s wife and the former head coach, is pregnant.
This season, Brennan will be assisted by Saundra Montoya. Although Montoya is technically a volunteer assistant, Brennan is looking at her as more of a co-coach.
This duo inherits a team that went 24-3 last year, won the Patriot Division and made it to the third round of the state tournament.
One big graduation loss comes on the mound. Hillary Allen has graduated, but Bordentown looked ahead enough to get Ashleigh Johnson, now a senior, several appearances on the mound.
“She’s pitched several games each of the past three years and tossed several no-
hitters,” Brennan noted of Johnson.
Jessica Dixon, a freshman, appears to have the starting job at catcher. Mary Rose Szeker (freshman) and Bailey Sheehan (sophomore) are also competing for some playing time at catcher.
Megan Millington, a junior, was the catcher last season. This year, she will handle shortstop.
“She has a great amount of softball experience,” Brennan said of Millington. “She does all of the little things right.”
Nicole Walls, a senior, returns her power bat and excellent glovework to a starting spot at first base.
Cheyenne Sylvester, a junior, will shift from the outfield to third base. She has impressed with her defense in scrimmages.
The Villalba twins — Jess and Vicki — are seniors that could end up in the lineup somewhere. The one problem is the two girls injured their ACLs a week apart from each other. If healthy, Jess will play second. If healthy, Vicki is an option in the outfield.
If Jess Villalba is unable to start the season, the second base job will go to Nicole Sheppard (freshman) or Ashley Bronston (junior).
Bronston also joins Kaitlun Messina (sophomore), Sam Martinez (freshman), Allison Lynne (freshman), Emi Paciotti (freshman) and Leyla Wirtz (freshman) as options for playing time in the outfield.
Bordentown is scheduled to start the season today (Thursday) with a game at Holy Cross. Bordentown will also have a game at Maple Shade on Friday. Both games are scheduled to start at 4:45 p.m. Following those two games, Bordentown will be off until Thursday, April 9.
“This is a good team,” Brennan said. “I have high hopes.”

