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Rams go from Developmental team to 'A' contender
By Marc Raimondi March 31, 2009
You can’t blame the Manhattan Center softball team for being a little jealous. The Rams are at a distinct disadvantage for one main reason: geography. There aren’t exactly any lush playing surfaces in East Harlem.
“There are some schools that have fields and batting cages,” coach Randy Cantor said.
Manhattan Center is lucky to get a field for practice. Sometimes, the Rams workout in a basement gym if nearby Thomas Jefferson Park (E 114th Street and 1st Avenue) is occupied. Sometimes, they’ll begin practicing on the field and get kicked off by a little league or recreational team with a permit.
“I can’t know until that day,” Cantor said.
But his team has soldiered on. Manhattan Center was a developmental league team two years ago, but won the PSAL Class B championship last year. Now, after an 11-1 win against Murry Bergtraum on Tuesday, the Rams are off to a 4-0 start in Manhattan A.
On Saturday at the PSAL Big Apple Softball Showdown in Brooklyn, Manhattan Center beat perennial Staten Island contender Curtis, 14-3. The girls from East Harlem felt like they made a statement.
“It was important to us,” Rams senior windmiller Herminia Thabet said. “They’re known for softball. Now we got to show them what Manhattan’s bringing.”
Center was always a solid ‘A’ team until three years ago. Cantor took over after tryouts and he loaded up his team with the best athletes in the school – girls’ basketball player China Crosby, who will play in the McDonald’s All American Game on Wednesday, included.
“I chose the athletes, I chose the girls on the basketball team,” Cantor said.
Any why wouldn’t he? The only problem was that those players had other obligations, namely AAU basketball. By midseason, Manhattan Center couldn’t field a team. The Rams forfeited seven games and finished 0-15 in Manhattan A.
Cantor, a physical education teacher at Isaac Newtown Middle School inside the building, didn’t make that mistake again. He took girls who would be dedicated to softball and softball alone. One of those was Thabet, who played travel softball with Harlem RBI.
Last year, she was 14-0 with a 2.57 earned run average and struck out 118 in 64 innings. She also hit .500 and slugged .700.
“Her work ethic is incredible,” Cantor said. “We have workouts at 7 a.m. and she’ll be there every morning. … She works harder than anybody on the field. The bigger the game, the more she wants the ball. She’s a gamer.”
Manhattan Center isn’t just Thabet, though. Cantor touts her chemistry with junior catcher Celia Soto, who hit .636 and slugged 1.000 last season.
“I have a great pitcher-catcher combination,” Cantor said. “I haven’t seen one other team that matches up with us as far as pitcher-catcher combination.”
The Rams have plenty of pop in the middle of the order. Sophomore Christine Roundtree and seniors Jennifer Perez and Astrid Cruz can all mash. Cantor had to break his own rule, too. Senior outfielder Alanna Bedoe and slick-fielding freshman shortstop Yen Pham both play basketball for coach Jaywana Bradley.
The expectations for Manhattan Center this season were modest, but Cantor admitted the win against Curtis changed things. The Rams could surprise even more people in the PSAL this season.
“A lot of people think we played that game for respect,” Cantor said of the Curtis victory. “We know Manhattan is lightly thought of. It’s definitely put a chip on their shoulders.”
mraimondi@fiveborosports.com
“There are some schools that have fields and batting cages,” coach Randy Cantor said.
Manhattan Center is lucky to get a field for practice. Sometimes, the Rams workout in a basement gym if nearby Thomas Jefferson Park (E 114th Street and 1st Avenue) is occupied. Sometimes, they’ll begin practicing on the field and get kicked off by a little league or recreational team with a permit.
“I can’t know until that day,” Cantor said.
But his team has soldiered on. Manhattan Center was a developmental league team two years ago, but won the PSAL Class B championship last year. Now, after an 11-1 win against Murry Bergtraum on Tuesday, the Rams are off to a 4-0 start in Manhattan A.
On Saturday at the PSAL Big Apple Softball Showdown in Brooklyn, Manhattan Center beat perennial Staten Island contender Curtis, 14-3. The girls from East Harlem felt like they made a statement.
“It was important to us,” Rams senior windmiller Herminia Thabet said. “They’re known for softball. Now we got to show them what Manhattan’s bringing.”
Center was always a solid ‘A’ team until three years ago. Cantor took over after tryouts and he loaded up his team with the best athletes in the school – girls’ basketball player China Crosby, who will play in the McDonald’s All American Game on Wednesday, included.
“I chose the athletes, I chose the girls on the basketball team,” Cantor said.
Any why wouldn’t he? The only problem was that those players had other obligations, namely AAU basketball. By midseason, Manhattan Center couldn’t field a team. The Rams forfeited seven games and finished 0-15 in Manhattan A.
Cantor, a physical education teacher at Isaac Newtown Middle School inside the building, didn’t make that mistake again. He took girls who would be dedicated to softball and softball alone. One of those was Thabet, who played travel softball with Harlem RBI.
Last year, she was 14-0 with a 2.57 earned run average and struck out 118 in 64 innings. She also hit .500 and slugged .700.
“Her work ethic is incredible,” Cantor said. “We have workouts at 7 a.m. and she’ll be there every morning. … She works harder than anybody on the field. The bigger the game, the more she wants the ball. She’s a gamer.”
Manhattan Center isn’t just Thabet, though. Cantor touts her chemistry with junior catcher Celia Soto, who hit .636 and slugged 1.000 last season.
“I have a great pitcher-catcher combination,” Cantor said. “I haven’t seen one other team that matches up with us as far as pitcher-catcher combination.”
The Rams have plenty of pop in the middle of the order. Sophomore Christine Roundtree and seniors Jennifer Perez and Astrid Cruz can all mash. Cantor had to break his own rule, too. Senior outfielder Alanna Bedoe and slick-fielding freshman shortstop Yen Pham both play basketball for coach Jaywana Bradley.
The expectations for Manhattan Center this season were modest, but Cantor admitted the win against Curtis changed things. The Rams could surprise even more people in the PSAL this season.
“A lot of people think we played that game for respect,” Cantor said of the Curtis victory. “We know Manhattan is lightly thought of. It’s definitely put a chip on their shoulders.”
mraimondi@fiveborosports.com