Tom Eagleson vividly recalls the first win in his historic Hall of Fame-quality coaching career.
“It was a cold and rainy day in 1981,” said Eagleson, who began the 32nd season of his storied career as the head softball coach at North Bergen High School last week. “We played St. Cecelia’s of Englewood in Englewood.”
The now-defunct school is where the legendary Vince Lombardi began his football coaching career, so it was a place of distinction.
There’s no way that Eagleson would have ever imagined that he would be still at the helm of the Bruin program more than 35 years later.
More importantly, Eagleson would have never dreamed he would earn the title of the dean of all Hudson County softball coaches.
“Never thought that at all,” Eagleson said. “But it’s still a lot of fun after all these years. It’s why I do it.”
And obviously does it well, because when the Bruins defeated Union City, 8-1, Tuesday afternoon, it was the second win of the young season, but more importantly, it was the 600th win of Eagleson’s career.
The day was strikingly similar to the day when Eagleson earned his first-ever career win back in 1981.
“It was 27 degrees, so it was cold,” Eagleson said. “It’s amazing. We got back from Myrtle Beach [South Carolina] and the weather has been so cold. So getting this win against a league team, against a rival, means a lot. It makes me feel so happy. We’ve done it all at North Bergen over the years. We’ve had some great players and great girls. Winning this game made it a very enjoyable day, but it probably won’t kick in until after the season.”
The Bruins are back with many of the same players who won the Hudson County Tournament championship last year, including Hudson Reporter All-Area pitcher Victoria Avella, who won 17 games last season in the circle, earning Hudson Reporter Most Valuable Player honors in the process.
“Victoria has started great, pitching two really great games,” Eagleson said of the senior Avella. “Think back to all the great pitchers I’ve had. She gives me one less thing to worry about.”
Eagleson said that he’s already hopeful for the last week of May.
“I’d really like to repeat,” Eagleson said. “No one has done it in a while. We weren’t expected to win last year and we did. This may be the best hitting team we’ve had in a long time. Up and down the lineup, we have hitters. They’ll do whatever it takes. But we’ll still go as far as Victoria takes us. We have to play well behind her.”
Eagleson said that he wasn’t worried about Avella for long.
“She always has the butterflies to start the season,” Eagleson said of the talented junior right-hander. “But then she throws the first couple of pitches and she’s fine. She’s very confident in the circle and what she can do.”
Avella pitched six games in three days down in Myrtle Beach.
“She pitched against quality teams and more than handled her own,” Eagleson said. “We hit the ball. That made me think we were going to have a good season. We can score a lot of runs. We just have to keep it going.”
Junior Elisa Lopez is the team’s catcher. Lopez, who earned Hudson Reporter All-Area honors last year, has a cannon for an arm and has power for days.
“We’re planning on putting up fences in our new field,” Eagleson said. “But she’s threatening to knock them down with line drives. She has a big power bat and hits line drives up the gap.”
Sophomore Angelique Rivera, who suffered a serious knee injury last summer, has worked hard with her rehabilitation to get back in the lineup a lot earlier than expected to earn the starting first baseman’s role.
“Her upper body is so strong,” Eagleson said. “I really can’t describe her. She’s going to be a great power hitter.”
Sophomore Jaila Grimes, who had to sit out the first month of the season last year, returned with a flourish and hit .621 with a homer and 11 RBI in the 13 games she played. She will be the Bruins’ second baseman and No. 3 hitter.
Ariana Diaz, a sophomore, moves from second base to shortstop this season. She was a Hudson Reporter All-Area honoree last year. Diaz is also the Bruins’ leadoff hitter.
Imani Cabrera is a sophomore who earned the nod as the starting third baseman. Eagleson said that Cabrera being in the starting lineup is a surprise to him.
Right field duties are being held by sophomore Lauren Cabrera (no relation to Imani). The rest of the Bruins’ outfield will come from a host of players like twin sisters and seniors Brittany and Mariah DeHaseth, junior Cassandra Minyettty (who had two hits and scored two runs in the win over Union City), sophomore Casandra Fernandez (who has a good chance to play a lot in centerfield), senior Kimberly Bram (the team’s lone left-handed hitter), and juniors Daniella Malaver and Melissa Perez.
“We’re mixing things up every day,” Eagleson said. “I don’t know who to play. They are a lot of interchangeable parts. It’s a little different for me. I usually just play the same seven kids every game. Now, it takes a lot of thought.”
Here’s something that doesn’t need a ton of pondering. The Bruins are the team to beat this year.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com. You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.