Oceanside softball may have entered the season as reigning Nassau County Class AAA champions, but the Sailors didn't leave their ambitions behind in 2024.
With a new core of playmakers, coach Carlo Quagliata is preparing the Sailors to make yet another run.
“We’re hoping to build off last year, hoping to continue,” Quagliata said. “We’re getting the younger girls up to speed and they’re having some growing pains, but at the end of the season, we expect to be right back where we were.”
The Sailors won the championship last year with the help of seniors who have since graduated, but younger stars are already stepping into leadership roles. Second baseman Maya Levy and catcher Christina Vlahakis are both talented seniors carrying on the winning tradition.
“Those two are our clear leaders,” Quagliata said. “We don’t name captains. We have 15 girls who can step up at any time and they have the right to speak up and lead. But those two are our studs.”
In a 13-7 victory over Seaford on April 2, Vlahakis went 3-for-4 with a triple and six RBIs. Levy went 4-for-4 with a double, triple and four RBIs. The Sailors are now 4-1, and offensive production from Vlahakis and Levy will be a driving force for Oceanside all season.
Levy will lead an infield that will often include three juniors. Karley Handleman will be her middle infield partner at shortstop. Riley Brasch will handle the hot corner at third while Maggie Nesturrick will be an alternating starter at first.
Junior Caroline Ferchland and senior Kate Hyland will lead Oceanside's pitching staff in 2025. As a sophomore, Ferchland pitched a shutout to give Oceanside an upset victory over Massapequa in the Nassau County Finals. She also pitched in the Long Island Championship five days later, allowing two runs to Sachem East in a 2-0 defeat.
Backing up Vlahakis at catcher, Quagliata said that he was blessed with two talented younger players. Junior Emma Ryan has shown immense promise at several positions and could fill in anywhere as needed. Quagliata predicted that sophomore Joanna Byrne will eventually gain countywide recognition based on the potential she has shown to this point.
For now, Byrne is starting in left field, one of three new starting outfielders for Oceanside. Freshman Alexa Conte, described as a surefire future star who skipped JV entirely, is in center while sophomore Sydney Scheurer is playing right. None of them had varsity experience entering the season and it will take time for the trio to adjust to pitching at this level.
Tense rivalries with Massapequa and Syosset may stand out on the calendar for Quagliata, but the coach is ultimately focused on his own players. When asked what set the Sailors apart, he said that it came down to the town’s families. His goal is to honor the community’s dedication to the sport.
“I’m confident in what I do and I love these girls with all my heart,” Quagliata said.” I owe it to them to give them everything.”
