By Melissa Moore-Randall
With school out and summer in full swing, nine Revere girls are spending their summer traveling throughout the state playing in USA Softball sponsored tournaments for the North Shore Breakers 14U program.
Revere natives, Danni Hope Randall, Revere High School Class of 2026, Josephine Piccardi, Maeve Hurley, and Layla Hiduchick, Malden Catholic Class of 2026, Valentina Tate, Malden Catholic Class of 2025, Vanessa Simpson, Northeast Metro Tech Class of 2025, Evelyn Griffin St. Mary’s Class of 2025, Cate Morgan, St. Mary’s Class of 2026, and Caleigh Joyce, Susan B. Anthony Class of 2023, are members of the North Shore Breakers 14U Softball program that will spend five weekends this summer traveling around Massachusetts playing in competitive softball tournaments.
All of the Revere players started their softball journey at St. Mary’s/Revere Youth Baseball Softball League as tball players. They continued their love of the game and all eventually joined the North Shore Breakers, a program based out of Swampscott and includes other players from neighboring North Shore cities and towns.
This past weekend, the girls traveled to Leominster, a town about 50 miles north of Boston for a weekend tournament that consisted of two days and six games of extremely competitive tournament ball. Leominster, a town rich in fun historical facts, is the birthplace of legendary character, Johnny Appleseed and was also where the first plastic pink flamingo lawn ornaments were manufactured.
The girls battled oppressive heat and extremely talented teams over the two day tournament making it to the semifinals before falling to the eventual tournament champs late Sunday afternoon.
The 14U team won 1 of 3 games on Saturday including an impressive 11-1 win over the NE Elite, who also made it to the semifinal round on Sunday. The Breakers came out on fire on Sunday beating the top seeded Marucci Patriots 11-5 in their first game. After losing to the Voodoo 9-4 on Saturday, who many had predicted would win the tournament, the team fought and rallied with an amazing comeback performance in the bottom of the 5th inning to win 7-6. The team moved into the semifinal round against a strong North County Spark team who they fell to 8-1.
The team, who were the 2021 Fall Ball Champs in the Middle Essex League, will play three more 2-3 day tournaments in Wakefield, Bridgewater and Taunton this summer. In addition, the Breakers will also be playing in the Middle Essex Summer League hoping to win another championship.
The team is coached by Bruce Irving and Rob Lilley, both of Swampscott.