Centereach welcomes new head coach

Softball

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Village Beacon Record
	Four teams eye playoffs
	CORRECTION
Times of Middle Country
	Baseball teams hope to be competitive

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April 02, 2009 | 11:51 AM
The Centereach softball team should be much improved from last season. Last year was a learning experience for the Cougars, as they finished the season with a 6-15 record. This year, however, they are taking on a new look.

Sal Santoro will take over the reigns as their new coach replacing Allyson Wolff. Santoro takes on the task of improving a squad that was near the bottom of the league. He also has to get familiar with a new team. As a result, there is a lot of work and preparation that must be done in order for Centereach to have a successful season. The Cougars play in a competitive League III, where they'll face a team like East Islip, their toughest competition.

"Even though last season was a tough one for us, this year seems to have a better outlook for improvement," Santoro said.

This year the team is made up of two freshmen, two sophomores, five juniors and no seniors. Centereach has eight returning players, including their center fielder Roxanne DeCosimo, who won postseason honors last year. But the Cougars did lose two players to graduation.

Some key players that will contribute greatly this year are catcher Michelle Burnett, her twin sister Amanda Burnett at second base and pitcher Cassie Martinez.

According to Santoro, making the playoffs is the team's main goal, which will be tough given the league that the team is in. However, Santoro plans on building his program by having his players attend work out sessions three or four months in the offseason, which has never been done before. He feels that this will better prepare them for this next upcoming season.

"Last season's record was due to the fact that they were inexperienced and played in no big games," Santoro said.

This year Santoro is hoping his Cougars gain the much needed experience that will help the program grow in the future.

Signs of improvement are already being shown through the team's early success in the season. The Cougars beat Comsewogue, 9-1, in a nonleague game on March 23 then beat Shoreham-Wading River, 10-1, the following day in another nonleague game. On March 27 Centereach kicked off the season with a 2-1 win over Newfield. In their second league game of the season, the Cougars lost a close 3-1 game to Hills East.

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