The Post's All-Bronx softball honors

Bronx softball is on the upswing.

The perfect example for that is Preston, which won CHSAA Bronx/Westchester and advanced to its first Archdiocesan final since 2004, where it almost knocked off Staten Island powerhouse St. Joseph by the Sea. Cardinal Spellman had one of its best years recently, finishing second in Bronx/Westchester.

The PSAL was wild as usual, with Adlai Stevenson winning the Bronx A division title, but Clinton advancing further in the playoffs, into the quarterfinals. Morris made the PSAL Class B championship game.

In the Ivy League, Fieldston won a share of the division title and advanced to the NYSAISAA semifinals. Horace Mann, though, knocked the Lions off, making their third straight NYSAISAA finals.

William Thomas

Fieldston's Kate Miller is The Post's All-Bronx softball Player of the Year.

Robert Cole

Preston's Rachel Mazza is The Post's All-Bronx softball Coach of the Year.

All-Bronx softball Player of the Year: Kate Miller, Fieldston

Miller was already the best position player in the city and an incredible defensive shortstop. This year, she added pitching – where she never played before – to her repertoire, getting tips off YouTube and becoming pretty effective in the circle. That just speaks to how gifted the Princeton-bound Miller is as an athlete.

This year, she finished her incredible career by helping to lead Fieldston to a share of the Ivy Prep League title and a trip to the NYSAISAA semifinals.

“I never expected anything less for her,” Fieldston coach Stefanie Gozdziewski said of Miller playing at Princeton. “I knew she would be able to play D-I. She really stepped it up and proved herself.”

All-Bronx softball Coach of the Year: Rachel Mazza, Preston

Mazza knew she had something special in this young group and just had to bring the potential out of them. She played as challenging a schedule as anyone in New York City and her team even exceeded her expectations.

“Did we expect championship?” Mazza said of this year. “They made us believe. We could only get better. They’re so young.”

The Panthers reclaimed the CHSAA Bronx/Westchester title, picked up a win over CHSAA city champion Molloy and lost a heartbreaking, 1-0 game to St. Joseph by the Sea in the program’s first Archdiocesan final since 2004. The best is still yet to come for Mazza and this group.

“I knew they had the talent to do it,” Mazza said. “This year I really focused on the mental game. I tried to get it into their heads that they had to stay mentally in the game.”

FIRST TEAM

CF Keyana Brown Wiggins, Stevenson

A phenomenal athlete, Brown Wiggins excelled in just about every aspect of the game this year. The senior had 33 RBIs, 23 stolen bases and slugged .770 to lead Stevenson to its first PSAL Bronx A title since 2005.

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Rachel Mazza, Kate Miller, PSAL, Fieldston, NYSAISAA, Adlai Stevenson, CHSAA, CHSAA, Cardinal Spellman, Bronx softball, Ivy League, Staten Island powerhouse St. Joseph, Keyana Brown Wiggins

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