GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland softball team wants to continue to make strides and take another step in being a top team in the Suburban Council.

The Lady Dutch have six players returning and six new players this season. Last year, Guilderland qualified for the Section II playoffs, but lost in the first round.
"Since I’ve been here, we’ve gotten better every year," said Guilderland Coach Jen Ficarra (nee Maxwell). "We made sectionals our goal and now we want to take it to the next step. We want to win a sectional game."

Last year, the Lady Dutch finished with a record just slightly better than .500 and got into the playoffs.

Among the six returning players, only one is a senior. But the Dutch do return starting pitcher junior Jen McCutheon.

Guilderland has five sophomores new to the varsity level.
"They were all on j.v. last year," Ficarra said. "I’m anxious to see what they can do. They looked good in tryouts and looked good in the gym. We need to get outside to really see what they can do."

Senior Amanda Neal is back after not playing last season.
"This year, she’ll do most of the catching,’ Ficarra said.

Tricia Loux is also returning for her senior year. She played at first base last spring.

Michelle Giwerc returns and will play third base. Sara Heller returns to the varsity, too, and will be at shortstop this season. She also might do some catching.

Junior Nicky Marcucci is a newcomer to the team.
"She was on the j.v. last year," Ficarra said. "She was a real surprise at tryouts. She’ll play in the outfield."

Lauren Napoli, a sophomore, returns to the outfield. She played left field last year, but will play in center field this spring.

Sophmore Deb Schildt will pitch some this season to spell McCutcheon.

Also on the team are Meryl Kremer, Marissa Valletta, Kristina Marilla, and Rachel Vein.
"We have a lot of people in the same positions," Ficarra said. "It’s a tryout for them to earn a position on the team."

Curve ball

There will be a curve ball thrown into the season. Ficarra is eight months pregnant and is due May 1. She will miss the last few weeks of the season.

Jess Allen, an assistant and new physical education at Guilderland, will take over.
"It’ll definitely be hard for me," Ficarra said. "But I trust Jess to do a good job. But I’ve built up the program, and I’ll have to leave halfway through. The season will be different. It’s definitely weird, but I wanted to be here to pick the team and help the juniors get adjusted. Hopefully, I’ll bring the baby to some of the games. But it’ll hard to be sitting there and watching what you’ve built up go on without you."

The Dutch catch a break in that they are in the middle division of the Suburban Council.
"We only have to play Shenendehowa, Shaker, and Colonie one time," Ficarra said. "That gives the girls a little more encouragement toward the season."

The Dutch are in a division with Columbia, Bethlehem, and Ballston Spa.

Ficarra is looking forward to getting out of the gym when the snow melts. Her team did this past weekend as the Dutch competed in a scrimmage in Herkimer. The Lady Dutch will also have a full slate of games this spring. They will have 24 scrimmages and games this season.

The Dutch are looking to have a winning record when those games are all in the books.
"Our goal is to be over .500," Ficarra said. "A lot of girls are playing softball all year long. They have high goals for themselves and that will help us."