Lakeland softball had a rocky start of the 2024 season but came back stronger than ever. Collaborating with Kinnelon High School School, the season ended with a 13-11 record, with huge victories over Fair Lawn, West Milford, and Wayne Valley.
Though the merger came as an initial surprise to the team and there were growing pains in having two teams join and play with each other, it all worked out in the end. The team made it to the quarterfinals in both counties and states. The Lady Lancers had their first state home game on Wednesday, May 22 against Parsippany Hills. With Lakeland winning 7-4, they moved on to the quarterfinals against Morris Knolls. Although they lost against Morris Knolls 6-0, the team put on their best performance.
In a last minute move at the start of the season, Lakeland softball joined forces with Kinnelon softball, a pretty big deal for the local sports scene. By combining the strengths of both programs, both teams were able to fill strong rosters that allowed the girls to keep pursuing the sport.
Julia McCormick, LRHS junior, explained, “Kinnelon has made Lakeland softball stronger. We are more unified and play better as a team. Jenna Dermaksin and Sophia Parisi have been vital additions to varsity….”
The Lakeland varsity softball team’s roster consists of three team captains, seniors Lexi Callahan, Victoria Sabatelli, and Jenna Dermaksin from Kinnelon. Both Callahan and Dermksin reached the record of 100 hits this season. Dermskin is credited by her LRHS teammates as being amazing both at bat and on the field.
Senior Meredith Healy also had some great at-bats. Having an amazing comeback season, she really got her bat going, having multiple hits in games, an incredible accomplishment. Underclassman, sophomore Katelyn Eviner, also got praise from her team for multiple incredible hits and amazing plays.
As most underclassmen are going to continue playing softball, Callahan expressed, “A huge piece of advice I would give the underclassmen is to not take it for granted. I know everyone says this all the time, but it will hit you your senior year that it is all coming to an end, so take every game and practice as an opportunity not as a duty.”
All throughout the season the girls have given it their all and will continue to work hard for next season.
