How Marlboro, Spackenkill have reached state final fours with a little parental guidance
After the ailments have been assessed and the problem areas identified, Dr. Patrick DelSalto usually will begin treatment with a massage, electric stimulation therapy and heating pads.
In this instance, the patient has dealt with persistent back and shoulder tightness in recent weeks, stemming most likely from repetitive movements that apply pressure to the same muscle groups.
Neck and shoulder adjustments are crucial as nerves in those areas impact the upper extremities, DelSalto explained. Easing the tension there helps accelerate healing. The goal is to loosen those muscles and alleviate pain, if only temporarily.
Following the treatment sessions, his patient will then begin her homework.
“It’s a huge advantage that most people don’t have,” Ava DelSalto said of her dad, who is a chiropractor. “Having a resource like him right at home is a tremendous benefit.”
Ava has dealt with nagging soreness behind her right shoulder throughout the softball playoffs, even receiving treatment during games, between innings, from Marlboro High School athletic trainer Megan Gebert.
As the senior excelled, leading her team through the sectional and regional tournaments, there was little time to rest. And, given the significance of each game — each pitch — she has shouldered more pressure. Literally.
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“I’m super proud of what they’ve already accomplished, and it’s been a pleasure to see them grow together,” Patrick DelSalto said of the team. “I’m excited about what they’ll do next.”
If what’s next is a victory on Saturday, Ava might be called on to pitch twice that day as Marlboro is competing in the state final four.
The Iron Dukes are among two area softball and baseball teams that will contend this weekend for state championships, and seven in the greater Mid Hudson region.
The Spackenkill baseball team, seeking its first state title since 2005, will also play in the semifinals on Friday in Binghamton, hoping to advance to the final Saturday.
The Marlboro softball team plays its semifinal Saturday on Long Island and, should they advance, will have a championship game hours later.
“It’s put a bit of strain on my arm, and I’ve been feeling it since (mid-May),” Ava DelSalto said of the increased workload. “With a little time off this week, I went four days without pitching and had my dad work on it. That’s helped a lot.”
It takes skill and solid coaching to be among the teams still playing in June, of course. But there are several additional factors and folks, behind the scenes, that contribute to a season being this successful. Trainers and private skills coaches often aid those superb performances.
Parents, too. Sometimes, beyond their unwavering love and support.
“He gives me pointers, teaching me how to figure out someone’s strike zone early, telling me where they normally call balls and strikes,” Spackenkill pitcher Andrew Speranza said of his father. “He also tells me about the game at the college level, and what kind of pitches and movement work well against elite hitters.”
Andrew stars for the Spartans, the hard-throwing lefty having led them as far as they've been in 17 years.
David Speranza has been alongside Andrew since he began playing baseball, offering coaching from the perspective of a former player, and insight from his experience as a collegiate umpire.
The knowledge he acquires from studying Division I pitchers, from the most advantageous angle, and the tendencies of umpires, is shared with his youngest child.
Andrew, at the suggestion of his dad, worked extensively to develop a changeup two years ago. That pitch, as a complement to a fastball that recently was clocked at 91 mph, has helped him dominate this season.
The junior was the winning pitcher two weeks ago as Spackenkill captured its first section title since 2014, and he tossed a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Center Moriches in a regional final last Saturday, earning the state semifinals berth.
“It doesn’t get a lot of attention and people aren’t seeing it, but our families do a lot and help make it possible for us to perform well,” Andrew said. “My dad and my brother (Daniel) have watched me every step of the way and taught me everything I know.”
Not to be overlooked is Tara Speranza, whom Andrew credited for his uniforms being spotless.
Having raised four athletes, his mother said, she’s learned that a combination of Fels-Naptha soap and Dawn dishwashing liquid can remove just about any dirt stain from a jersey. Cleanliness is next to, well, excellence.
“It’s like, ‘Ugh, I have to clean this,’” the former teacher said of her reaction to seeing Andrew’s uniforms after a day of pitching, playing the outfield and running the bases. “But I know it’s dirty for a good reason, so it’s a good feeling.”
The afterschool physical therapy pitstops have enabled Ava to sustain the workload as an ace and slugger for a Marlboro softball team that walloped its regional-round opponents.
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Both teams now are in pursuit of Class B state championships, and they’re among seven teams from Section 9 that will be doing the same in their respective brackets.
The New York State Public High School Athletic Association groups teams geographically for competition. Marlboro and Spackenkill are members of Section 9, which covers Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties, and part of Dutchess County. Teams are also categorized based on school size, with Class AA being the largest, on down to Class D.
Ava was 11 years old when Marlboro last won a state title, and the family followed that run closely in 2016, attending the town parade as the softball and baseball teams’ triumphs were celebrated.
Theirs and Spackenkill’s current runs are “a great experience for the area, not just this town,” said Patrick DelSalto, who is a Spackenkill graduate. “Having teams from neighboring communities get this far is awesome, and I’ll be rooting hard for both. There’s a lot of Hudson Valley pride right now.”
Spartans charging
Spackenkill’s success this season isn’t a surprise to coach Don Neise, who said the talent was apparent last year, despite the team faltering in the sectional quarterfinals then.
“We knew,” he said, “if we put it together and played to our abilities, this group could do something special.”
The Spartans (23-2) have a strong trio of starting pitchers in Speranza, Sean Lucas and Xavier Zykoff. They’ve also got a deep lineup that includes Dan Collins, Steven Ciancio, Nick Ryone and Anthony Hoyt.
Spackenkill has outscored opponents by 7.56 runs per game on average. They’ll face Section 5’s Palmyra-Macedon on Friday, 5 p.m. at Maine-Endwell High School. But their work will be cut out for them as Palmyra-Macedon (24-0) has a similarly high-powered offense.
“We’re really confident, but not cocky,” Andrew Speranza said. “It’s definitely going to be difficult because they’re great, but I trust myself and our team to come through.”
Making up for lost time
Despite the discomfort, DeSalto has shined in the playoffs, allowing a total of four runs in four games, while Marlboro's vaunted offense has scored 23 in the last two alone.
The Iron Dukes established themselves as a contender during a run to the section final in 2019 with a core of talented freshmen, and some observers figured that state championships would’ve been a possibility for them in the coming years. But, COVID-19 denied them those opportunities, forcing the cancelation of spring sports in 2020 and the state tournament the following year.
This season, the first played in full since the pandemic began, was the last chance for this now senior-laden group to fulfill its potential. It's something players readily acknowledge.
“There’s nerves because any game can be our last,” senior Kasey Conn said. “But we believe we’re a great team.”
Conn, an Albany-bound shortstop, is among the stars in a lethal line-drive lashing lineup that has produced 10.8 runs per game. Kalista Birkenstock, Ella Leduc, Emmie Mae Cabrera and Carly Correa also are standouts.
DelSalto also emerged this season as their best power hitter. Leah Gunsett is a reliable starter who shared the pitching duties with her through the regular season.
The Dukes face Section 4’s Chenango Valley on Saturday, 1:30 p.m. at Moriches Athletic Complex in Suffolk County. If they win, they’d take on Ichabod Crane or Depew in the 5 p.m. championship game.
“I’m fortunate to be on a team that had the ability to get this far and that we’ve had all these people around us who’ve put in the work to make this possible,” Ava DelSalto said. “You look back and realize you’re lucky, and you’re glad to be in this position.
“Winning a state title would be icing on the cake; a perfect bow on top of the present.”
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
State final four
Baseball
Who: Spackenkill vs. Palmyra-Macedon
When: Friday, 5 p.m.
Where: Maine-Endwell High School in Endwell
Winner: Advances to the Class B state final, 10 a.m. Saturday at Binghamton University against the winner of the other semifinal between Westhill and Schuylerville.
Softball
Who: Marlboro vs. Chenango Valley
When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Where: Moriches Athletic Complex, in Brookhaven
Winner: Advances to the Class B state final, 5 p.m. Saturday at Moriches Athletic Complex against the winner of the other semifinal between Depew and Ichabod Crane
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Marlboro, Spackenkill in New York state final fours this weekend