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Jason Capodanno is beginning his third year as head coach of the Winchester High Red & Black softball team. At the end of Year 1, the girls were 3-17, but last spring there was a dramatic improvement. They won five more games to end up with an 8-12 record.
Capodanno attributes the program’s upward spiral to more participation on the lower levels.
“We have an ever-growing youth program that has been seeing outstanding participation in recent years to the point where some of those athletes are now in our high school program,” said the coach.
The third-year coach welcomed 30 to tryouts on March 17, and as a result of their hard work he foresees a competitive varsity team, which should challenge other Middlesex League squads throughout the next three months. The big club will be supplemented nicely by their sub-varsity understudies.
Valentina Watson is the head coach of the sub-varsity team, and she’ll be assisted by Michael Watson. On the varsity side, Leah Ferullo will help out Capodanno, along with former player and current Merrimack College catcher Gabby Kadason.
Seniors Julia Legere (outfield, second base) and Sonia Carnes (first base), and junior catcher Tessa Capodanno are the team’s 2025 captains. Tessa made the Middlesex League all-star and all-league teams last year.
Capodanno considers the strength of the team lies within its 11 returning veterans, seven of whom are starters.
“We are led by many this year, including our Middlesex League all-star and All-League junior captain Tessa Capodanno, who had suffered a labral hip tear (over the summer) that caused her to miss the entire offseason,” the coach said. “But before the injury, she was the league’s top hitter, batting over .520, while knocking in 27 runs. She will now help out our senior leadership of three-sport captain Julia Legere and senior captain Sonia Carnes, who belted four homeruns last spring, on this year’s varsity squad. It will also be interesting to watch her comeback (to all-star form after hip surgery).”
Senior ace pitcher Anshu Patra, another varsity veteran, is back in the circle, and will have help carrying the pitching load this spring from a capable underclassman.
“We are expecting a lot out of our two primary pitchers this year – sophomore Hannah Chan-Macrae and (Anshu) Patra. They will hopefully lead us to even more wins this year,” said Capodanno.
The sophomore class returns two outstanding starters – shortstop Carys Guguliotta and centerfielder Ella Centerelli.
“They are expected to take that next step after enjoying exceptional freshman campaigns,” said Capodanno. “Carys possesses an exceptional softball IQ to go along with strong hitting and fielding skills, while Ella hits in the middle of our lineup, and also controls the outfield on defense that will feature a combination of seniors Salena Wang and Legere, and juniors Nora Harstad, Lila Beauchamp and Gwen Gaiko, not to mention two freshman newcomers Anna D’Antonio and Mia Watson.”
The Winchester girls recently returned from Disney World, where they played a series of preseason scrimmages at the Wild World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla. in order to get ready for the season.
“It was a great experience getting to practice with teams from Chicago, Minnesota and New Jersey,” said the Winchester coach. “The trip allowed them to get outside to play in much better weather. It also created a strong bond on the roster.”
But alas, they are back up north, where they dropped a heartbreaker to host Wilmington on Opening Day, April 2, 7-6.
Capodanno says that Arlington, with arguably the league’s best pitcher – senior Solene Fisher – leading the way, will be tough to beat, along with Reading and Woburn.
Winchester’s projected top players, according to Capodanno, are as follows: sophomore shortstop Carys Gugliotta, senior second baseman Julia Legere, junior catcher Tessa Capodanno, senior first baseman Sonia Carnes, sophomore centerfielder Ella Centerelli, and junior third baseman and outfielder Nora Harstad.
“These top six players bring a ton of experience and leadership to the team,” said Capodanno. “We will also see strong battles for the final three spots that right now include junior Gwen Gaiko and freshman Anna D’Antonio in leftfield or at second base, designated hitters and outfielders Salena Wang, a senior, and junior Lila Beauchamo, and freshman third baseman Mia Watson. They will be counted on to support pitchers Patra and Chan-Macrae with timely hits and clutch defensive gems.”
The team’s goal this year is to qualify for the postseason.
“Our seniors have yet to experience the state tournament, and we believe this could be the year,” said Capodanno. “We should surprise some teams this year and well into the future, because we are loaded with talented players throughout the program.”
After the close loss to Wilmington, the Red & Black will now take on non-league Somerville in the home opener at Ciarcia Field on Friday, April 4, starting at 4:15 p.m. Cambridge will follow Somerville to Ciarcia Field to face the Winchester girls in another non-league game on Monday afternoon (April 7). They will then hit the road for Melrose two days later to play the rival Red Hawks, before coming back home to square off against Arlington to close out the week on April 11. All three games will also begin at 4:15 p.m.
Bitter ending to the opener
The Winchester girls lost a hard-fought aforementioned opening day game to Wilmington on the road in extra innings, 7-6.
Patra pitched a fantastic game, holding Wilmington to just three runs through six innings. But the Wildcats scored once in the seventh to tie up the score at four apiece. In the eighth, the visitors plated two on a line drive single by Capodanno to regain the lead, but Wilmington took back the momentum to secure the win with three in the home half.
Defensively, D’Antonio, playing leftfield, kept the game tied in the seventh by nailing what would have been the game-winning run at the plate with an accurate throw to Capodanno.
Legere went 2-for-4 at the plate with an RBI to help pace the offensive attack. Centerelli singled once, and personally accounted for two runs. Capodanno singled in a run, and also scored a run.
