Tag Archives: Mikayla Porcaro

May 8, 2017 · 9:32 pm

Amesbury takes out Pentucket 13-4 with seven-run 4th inning

Sage Dodier had a 2-run homer in the decisive Amesbury 4th inning

AHS starter Hayley Catania allowed just three hits after the third inning.

(Amesbury MA) Amesbury (7-2) blew open a close game with a 7-run fourth inning and defeated Pentucket, 13-4, on a chilly Monday afternoon of Cape Ann League softball.

The Indians sent eleven batters to the plate in the deciding 4^th and rattled seven hits around Perry Field including home runs by sophomores Kaylie Cloutier and Sage Dodier.

This game started as a slugfest with loud outs and hits by both teams.

The Sachems (8-4) were ahead 3-1 after 2 ½ innings thanks to an RBI triple by Taylor Fitzpatrick and a home run by Madi Codair.

The rest of the way AHS winning pitcher, Hayley Catania, limited the visitors to only three hits and one run.

The Indians pushed ahead in their half of the 3^rd inning. A dropped throw (2B Caitlin Kutcher) in the infield and a ball misplayed in the outfield (LF Mo Quinn) were crucial in allowing the home team to get three runs and take the lead (4-3) for good.

Caity Baker (3 hits, 2 rbi) drops down a bunt

Everything went right for the Indians in the game-deciding 4^th inning. There were solid hits, bloopers, and bunts to clog the bases and big hits (triple Hayley Catania) to clear them.

What happened after Mikayla Porcaro drove in the 4^th run of the inning was what did in Pentucket. Kaylie Cloutier, who had looked overmatched in striking out the inning before, got into a Julie Freitas fastball and lined it over the head of RF Taylor Fitzpatrick and circled the bases.

After Abby Aponas walked, Pentucket coach John Walsh brought in junior Mady Gatchell to face pinch-hitter Sage Dodier. The sophomore matched the Cloutier shot over RF and also ran the bases.

Now in front, 11-3, the Indians had the margin to thwart any comeback plans by the Sachems the rest of the way.

Caity Baker paced the AHS attack with three of their sixteen hits. Maddie Napoli, Emma DiPietro, Hannaih Burdick, Hayley Catania, and Mikayla Porcaro each had two hits.

Madi Codair homered in the 3rd inning

Junior Madi Codair had two hits and two RBI for Pentucket.

Busy schedule ahead for both teams as they have three more games this week.

Neither team had lost in May coming into this afternoon’s game. Pentucket had won six straight. Amesbury had now won four in a row.

Both teams have losses to North Reading.

The temperatures were in the mid-50’s even though the sun was shining.

It struck me as odd to have someone named “Autumn” (West) playing third at Amesbury. Brought back memories of Autumn Kligerman. What a senior year she had!

(All the pictures will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

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Shortstop Maddie Napoli throws to first

Maddie Napoli flips to 2B Abby Aponas to force Autumn West as Emma DiPietro watches from the outfield

Mo Quinn

Julie Freitas

Sage Dodier

Fiona Hill makes a nice catch in center

Brigid Ramsden

The flip that ended the game

Emma DiPietro slides into 2B as Kim Kowalick awaits throw

2B Caitlin Kutcher

Hannaih Burdick (2 hits,2 runs scored) fields a single in right.

Senior Mikayla Porcaro (2 hits,3 rbi)

Taylor Fitzpatrick (triple,rbi) handles a single to right

Amesbury girls win rematch with Essex Tech 5-0

In front of the Essex Tech goal was a busy place most of the afternoon.

Cape Ann League All-Star Emma DiPietro (11) looks to pass

(Amesbury MA) A month ago it took a penalty-kick save by Indians goalie Alli Napoli to preserve a scoreless tie.

This time around it was all Amesbury as they routed Essex Tech, 5-0, on a cold, breezy Monday afternoon at Cashman Elementary School.

The non-league match involved two Division 4 teams who could meet again in the MIAA tournament.

ET (12-4-2) had won nine straight before losing to Georgetown and now Amesbury, both from the Cape Ann League.

The Hawks from Danvers have dominated their league (Commonwealth Athletic Conference) the last few seasons but this season’s short sample suggests that the competition is more rugged in the CAL. One of ET’s other defeats was to another CAL team, Triton.

Amesbury (9-4-5) had a slim 1-0 advantage after the first half. Credit the Hawks defense led by junior Skylah Mahon-Dixey for some of that. The Indians hit the goal post (Emma Richardson) and the crossbar (Chelsea Lynch) in that first half.

The only goal of the half belonged to senior Mollie Lynch. Mollie got in close from the left and overpowered freshman GK Olivia Cassidy early in the half.

The shot of Mollie Lynch (19) goes over ET goalie Olivia Cassidy

Things got off to a bad start for Essex Tech in the second half. Senior Ella Spiess chased a ball that Amesbury GK Alli Napoli was sliding out to save. The two collided and Ella landed on her back and left the game. Ella is the Hawks second leading scorer with thirteen goals.

Ella Spiess flies over Amesbury goalie Alli Napoli

After a Chelsea Lynch near-miss (wide left) a long punt by GK Alli Napoli sent Chelsea away for a long run down the middle. Chelsea sped in close and didn’t miss. Alli should have an assist on that second goal.

Chelsea Lynch (12) finds the far corner for Amesbury’s second goal

Essex Tech never gave up but the chances for Amesbury kept coming. The Indians had only nineteen goals in seventeen games coming in but you couldn’t tell that by the way they pressured the visitors in this game.

A good example of pressure was the number of corner kicks that Amesbury had. In the second half two of those corner kicks turned into goals.

The third goal belonged to Ashlee Porcaro who parked in front of the net on teammate Ashley Pettet’s CK. A loose ball turned up in front and it was an easy finish for the freshman.

Ashlee Porcaro (left 14) set to cash in a loose ball

A later CK, by Emma DiPietro, was mishandled by Hawks GK Olivia Cassidy and junior Michaela Halloran had a juicy setup on the doorstep which she converted.

Michaela Halloran (9) eyes the goal she just scored

Mikayla Porcaro turned a throw-in into a goal

The final goal was a throw-in by senior Mikayla Porcaro which she literally threw into the goal. The throw-in was high and Olivia Cassidy jumped in vain for it.

Christine Russo (nineteen goals, three assists) made several good runs for the Hawks in the game. Amesbury, however, had three second-team Cape Ann League All-Stars (Alli Napoli, Julia LaMontagne, and Mikayla Porcaro) as their final three defenders so the chances for ET were few.

Amesbury’s two first-team CAL All-Stars (Emma DiPietro, and Ashley Pettet) played that way. They controlled the ball without panicking and could get by defenders often with clever dribbling. Their passing was excellent.

Some things are what they are. The Cashman Elementary School field leaves plenty to be desired. Uneven, muddy, and minus a scoreboard would be starters. There will be no tournament games there.

For a team like Amesbury, which had only nineteen goals in seventeen games, to get five in one game was a nice way to end their regular season.

This was the Indians first winning season in a while. The previous three have been, 5-10-3 (2015), 5-12-1 (2014), and 6-10-1 (2013).

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Mikayla Godding

CAL All-Star Ashley Pettet

Amesbury shot grazes the crossbar in the first half

Christine Russo (17) and Maddy Creps (2)

Maia Etsy (15) and Emma Richardson (25) chase Rachel Luddy (6)

Olivia Cassidy makes a save

ET defender Skylah Mahon-Dixey

Amesbury captain Julia LaMontagne

Virginia Vienneau (39) chases a loose ball

Emma Richardson 2nd half goal gives Amesbury 2-1 win over Triton

Alex Kennedy (14) kicks in traffic

(Byfield MA) Amesbury ended a two week, win drought with a 2-1 Cape Ann League victory against Triton on a sunny Thursday afternoon.

The Indians (4-2-4) used a second-half score (see above) by senior Emma Richardson to get the job done.

Triton (2-6-1) played well enough to win but, thanks to a solid Indians defense, were limited to long shots for most of the afternoon.

Junior Meredith Kennedy drilled home one of those long shots for the Vikings that led to a 1-1 halftime tie.

Chelsea Lynch set to score first AHS goal

Amesbury arrived late (to Triton) but started fast. Sophomore Chelsea Lynch broke in very early with pregame space and time to dribble closer, look up, fire, and score. At that point I suspected that Triton might be in for a long afternoon. But it wasn’t that way at all.

The Vikings defense tightened up considerably and Amesbury chances were few. On the other hand, Triton made runs down the sidelines on several occasions.

Junior Meredith Kennedy made one of those runs down the left sideline midway through the first half. Meredith’s left-footed shot sailed over Amesbury goalie Alli Napoli to tie things.

Second half? Amesbury had chances. Triton had chances.

The Indians got in real close a number of times but senior Triton GK Dayna Rybicki had answers.

Mikayla Porcaro

The Vikings had shots on net and several corner kicks but AHS senior defenders Julia LaMontagne and Mikayla Porcaro helped keep things long range.

Emma Richardson registered the game-winner midway through the second half. The senior took a feed from teammate Emma DiPietro and raced down the right sideline. As Emma cut toward the net she lifted a shot over Dayna Rybicki.

That goal held up.

Impressed with Meredith & Alex Kennedy. Both are returning CAL All-Stars. Defender Apphia Donoghue was very good handling AHS pressure.

Another returning CAL All-Star, Ashley Pettet, did a nice job passing and defending for Amesbury in the midfield area.

Senior Mikayla Porcaro was the ideal defender in front of AHS freshman goalie Alli Napoli. Tall and experienced (Bishop Fenwick), Mikayla cleared numerous Triton attempts before they reached the AHS net minder.

Dayna Rybicki saves for Triton

Next for Amesbury is a game tomorrow (Friday) at home against seriously depleted Pentucket.

Triton will be at Ipswich on the same afternoon.

AHS has now scored ten goals in ten games while giving up seven goals.

Triton has tallied seven goals in nine games while giving up twenty-eight goals. I have no doubt that the Vikings defense I saw this afternoon is a whole lot better than it was earlier in the season!

Instead of punting the ball out, Alli Napoli often passed the ball toward the sidelines. That strategy led to several quick Triton counter-attacks.

Sara Stackpole was on the sidelines for Triton.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)