Player of the Year
Rachel Quackenbush, Soph., p, Hoosick Falls

Quackenbush, Hoosick Falls’ sophomore righthander, was yet again dominant in the circle in this, her third varsity season. Her strikeout to walk ratio (54.8:1) was out of this world, as was her ERA (0.25) and her average of 1.98 strikeouts per inning.

In the Section II postseason, she was excellent. She did not allow a run or walk a batter in four games, tossing a perfect game in Class CC championship game against Hoosic Valley. She also threw one no-hitter during the regular season.

For the second straight season, Hoosick Falls advanced to the New York State Class C Final Four. This year, Quackenbush struck out 11 and allowed two runs over seven innings in a 3-2 semifinal victory over Gananda, vaulting Hoosick Falls into the championship game for the first time since 1988.

Hoosick Falls fell to two-time state champion Rhinebeck (Section IX) in extra innings in the championship game, a year after Rhinebeck had ousted the Panthers in the state semifinals.
The cleanup hitter in the Panthers’ lineup, Quackenbush added 35 hits and 17 RBI at the plate.

Quackenbush, who plays with the Original Slik Chix in the summer, still has two more years to go on the varsity level. The Panthers will have to replace the loss of three key seniors, but her presence alone already makes Hoosick Falls an early favorite in Section II at the Class B level in 2011.

2010 HS Softball All-Stars

HONORABLE MENTION
c: Kirstan Buchan (Sr., Catholic Central), Eileen Farrell (Sr., Hoosic Valley), Tegan Fox (Soph., Tamarac), Taylor Guerin (Sr., Shaker), Courtney Gumprecht (Soph., Cohoes), Meg Hagerty (Soph., Averill Park), Mackenzie Heiser (Soph., Troy), Maggie Mulligan (Sr., Amsterdam), Dee Nash (Sr., Berlin), Maggie Quinn (Sr., Shenendehowa), Kolbi Smith (Sr., Holy Names), Rebecca Smith (Sr., Ichabod Crane).
1b: Kylie Benoit (Jr., Catholic Central), Laura Loudis (Sr., Colonie), Courtney Loughlin (Jr., Cohoes), Jackie Tomisman (Sr., Niskayuna).
2b: Maria Casale (Sr., Colonie), Ali Frary (8th, Niskayuna), Amanda LaPlante (Jr., Catholic Central).
3b: Meghan Burns (Jr., Bethlehem), Heather Dugan (Frosh., Maple Hill), Giuliana Figliomeni (Jr., Shenendehowa), Nicole McOmber (Sr., Cohoes), Megan Riley (Frosh., Waterford).
ss: Gabby Daniels (Jr., Troy), Taylor Daniels (8th, Watervliet), Emily O’Donnell (Jr., Niskayuna), Jenna Priore (Sr., Hoosick Falls), Marlin Solano (Jr., Shenendehowa), Christina Wilson (Soph., Waterford).
of: Stephanie Bouchard (Sr., Catholic Central), Jamie Brinkman (Sr., Troy), Danielle Manupella (Jr., Mechanicville), Andrea Mastropietro (Sr., Mechanicville), Missy Urkevich (Sr., Tamarac), Katie Vishneowski (Jr., Ravena).
dp: Ang Acierno (Jr., Troy), Aubrey Moore (Sr., Mechanicville), Andrea Strohmeier (Jr., Waterford).
util.: Julie Brinkman (Soph., Troy), Anna Cochis (Frosh., Catholic Central).
p: Bianca Bojarczuk (Sr., Schalmont), Amanda Gatt (Frosh., Voorheesville), Lauren Hagerty (Sr., Averill Park), Aleshia Link (Sr., Taconic Hills), Katie McGreevy (Jr., Waterford), Maggie Miller (Soph., Maple Hill), Mikayla Moore (Soph., Stillwater), Emily Ostrom (Sr., Burnt Hills), Katie Plunkett (Jr., Watervliet), Jess Saburro (Sr., Guilderland), Mikayla Wells (Sr., Schuylerville).

Coach of the Year
Don Arceneaux, Mechanicville

Since 2000, what the Mechanicville High School softball team has done in postseason competition is nothing short of remarkable.

The Red Raiders have won eight Section II and regional championships in that 11-year span, winning a New York State title six times.

Unlike professional teams that can make trades and sign free agents or a college program that can recruit talent from around the nation, Arceneaux has turned a small city of about 5,000 people into the softball capital of New York State.

This season’s run to the Final Four was not a breeze. Trailing by a run and down to their final strike in the regional semifinal against Canton, the Red Raiders triumphantly rallied to post a 4-3 victory.

Although Mechanicville fell short of a third consecutive state title, losing to Chenango Valley, 7-5, in the Class B semifinals, Red Raiders fans can thank Arceneaux and assistants Bruce Fellows and Paul DeVoe – and of course, all the players that have come through the dugout since 2000 - for making the program the best of its kind in the Empire State.

Note: The Record's All-Area team was published in the paper on June 27. I wanted to type up all the stats in Excel and transfer them to Scribd before posting it online.

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