The562’s season previews for the 2022-23 school year are sponsored by Vertical Raise, the official team fundraising partner of The562.
The562’s high school softball coverage for the 2023 season is sponsored by Long Beach City Councilwoman Megan Kerr.
The562’s coverage of Saints athletics is sponsored in part by St. Anthony High School.
It’s impressive that the Saints rebounded from a CIF Southern Section semifinals loss last season to win the first CIF State SoCal Regional championship in school history. It’s even more impressive that coach Joseph Younger saw a decorated group of seniors graduate from that team and still thinks he has a deep squad ready to maintain its championship pedigree.
“I’m loving (what I’m seeing at practice) and I think we’re going to be as strong as we were last year,” Younger said. “This group is more about its business. The seniors last year really set a good example because they took practice so seriously. We worked every day. These girls bought into that and brought it into this year.”
Those lessons have also helped returning starters like junior third baseman Miracle McKenzie roll that positive momentum over into this season.
“I think we’ve all been working hard coming off a great season,” McKenzie said. “We’re using it as motivation to work harder and uphold the legacy that those seniors left for us. Their work ethic and how they led the team… I learned that trusting and believing in each other is everything.”
McKenzie put in the extra work this offseason to improve her speed defensively. She specifically said the work on bunt coverage was the hardest but most rewarding.
“Her hard work and dedication is unmatched,” Younger said of McKenzie. “She’s a gym rat at the batting cages every day.”
NataNia Leomiti, who is McKenzie’s cousin, is the other big bat returning to the middle of the Saints lineup. She played shortstop last season, and will also play second base this season after a great summer with her elite level travel ball team.
“She just attacks the ball now and has come back with more power and aggressiveness,” Younger said of Leomiti.
Sophomore pitcher Jane Quinn has some big shoes to fill, but she’s used to it after taking the top spot in the rotation last year due to injury. She moves the ball well with good speed and command, and she can stay in the lineup by playing her natural position at first base.
There’s also a great crop of freshmen coming into the St. Anthony softball program, and the class is led by catcher Hailey Acosta and middle infielder Alayna Veavealagi.
“We’re going to put up runs and our goal is to just play solid softball all season long,” Younger said. “And we’ve got to trust in our game. We had a plan (last year) and stuck to it no matter what anyone else said. We played our game. We have to do that again. Just trust it.”
McKenzie and her fellow upperclassman still feel like the Saints have something to prove despite their recent success against over Long Beach teams. They beat Lakewood in the first round of the playoffs last year.
“I feel like we all have the same view that we’re the underdogs,” McKenzie said. “Yes we do get recognition and stuff like that, but I still think some people take us for granted. We use it to fuel our hard work but at the same time you can’t let it get to you.”
Projected Starting Lineup:
P – Jane Quinn
C – Hailey Acosta
1B – Olivia Zawalick
2B -NataNia Leomiti
SS – Alayna Veavealagi
3B – Mirical McKenzie
OF – Kween Tauala
OF – Violet Burnham
OF – Makaya Galindo
