A non-league near takedown of reigning county Class AAA champ Oceanside served as further confirmation in the mind of Carey softball coach Anthony Turco.
His Seahawks sitting 3-1 to start the season as they faced host Oceanside March 31, Turco’s takeaway from his team’s ensuing 11-inning setback, 5-4, was that Carey may have been defeated – but it hadn’t lost its new swagger.
“Even in losing we looked confident, like we have since the start of the season,” said Turco, whose club finished 9-12 (5-10 Conference 2) last spring, falling to Mepham in the Nassau Class AA quarterfinals – a game Turco said might have given Carey a chip it carried through the offseason, the Seahawks still salty at letting a five-run lead slip away late.
“We’re more confident than last year. I mean, we almost just beat the county champs,” Turco said, his club having moved to 5-2 (4-1 Conference 3) at Herald press time. “I think last year, losing that way against Mepham, I think that’s made them come back more focused. I don’t foresee that kind of loss happening this year.”
With All-County duo Sabrina Chapman (catcher) and Paige Agate (shortstop) headlining Carey’s gritty offense, it’s hard to fault Turco’s conviction. Team leaders in batting last season, Agate (.458) and Chapman (.424) are back at it this spring – Chapman, a senior, tied with junior pitcher/first baseman Andrea Arias for team lead with two home runs, while Agate and fellow juniors Ava Dudin and Emily Almache have a homer apiece for Carey.
Arias and Chapman each went deep in Carey’s 8-6 home league win April 4 over Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK – the sluggers also shining as battery mates as Arias (3-1) notched her team-best third victory.
Starting righty Adrianna Barragan (2-1), a senior captain alongside Chapman and outfielder Alessandra Varuzzi, has shown the most growth on the squad from last season, and perhaps has the highest ceiling on the Seahawks’ tag-team two-girl staff, Turco said, the second-year ace – usually opening for Carey – proving puzzling to opponents, with lineups denied a third crack at solving her polished three-pitch mix.
“Adrianna really worked on her curve this offseason, there’s a lot more spin on it,” Turco said. “She’s not overpowering hitters, she’s just really smart, with great control and great movement. She hits her spots.”
“And then,” he added, “we bring in Andrea, and they have to deal with her.”
With its vault out of the gate Carey has shot to the top spot in Conference 3, three games ahead of second-place rivals Calhoun and Carle Place (tied). Two years removed from a Nassau Class A semifinal appearance, Carey has raced to its best start since the club’s 2018 county Class A championship campaign, which saw the Seahawks bolt to 6-2 en route to a 15-win season.
While not immune to his club’s infectious swagger, Turco, at this early stage, isn’t keen to start planning a parade just yet – nor are the Seahawks, he said.
“It’s a long way to go,” said Turco, whose team this week faces league foe Calhoun before non-league matchups at Division and Hicksville. “We just focus on every game. Our goal every year’s just make it to the semis. So far, we might have a shot.”
