She needs to deliver house a star spangled state banner.
Outfielder Samantha Portz, Massapequa’s valedictorian who’s bravely becoming a member of the navy after taking part in school softball at Amherst, needs so as to add yet one more accolade to her commencement robe this month: the Chiefs’ first New York State softball title.
“I like difficult myself,” Portz, a captain with a 101.34 grade level common and .482 batting common, informed The Publish.
“Something I can do to simply assist this crew — transfer runners over after we can, or simply situationally hit, that’s what I’ll do,” she stated.
Portz and the remainder of her 21-5 Chiefs crew will tackle Albany space’s Shenendehowa (19-2) within the semifinals Friday afternoon, with the championship the subsequent day, ought to the Lengthy Island title winners advance.
The thrill on the town is doubly palpable as Massapequa’s baseball crew can also be state tournament-bound and can play Hudson Valley’s Ketcham within the semifinals as effectively Friday.
Grand slam scholar
Softball is only one a part of Portz’s highschool transcript, albeit an exciting one.
The senior standout, who performs soccer within the fall and bowls within the winter, has taken 14 AP courses throughout her years at MHS — virtually half of them as a senior after being accepted into the Massachusetts school.
“I may have simply taken straightforward courses, however I all the time need to do my greatest,” she stated.
“I simply needed to take as many APs as attainable as a result of it’s simply enjoyable for me. … Each on the sphere and within the classroom, I’m very aggressive.”
Coach Christina Castellani described No. 16 as having a Derek Jeter-esque seriousness to athletics and lecturers, whereas additionally becoming in time for neighborhood service and after-school golf equipment.
“Sam’s a quiet chief, however I believe simply main by instance, she’s actually elevating the women of their competitiveness,” Castellani stated, including, “I don’t know the way she does all of it.
“Sam is all enterprise on the sphere. She will be able to have enjoyable, she is aware of , however you don’t actually see it as a lot. She’s all the time bought that recreation face on.”
Foul line to entrance line
Whereas a student-athlete at Amherst subsequent yr — Portz is a recipient of a four-year Military scholarship — she concurrently might be a part of the close by College of Massachusetts ROTC program.
She’s going to graduate as an officer within the U.S. Military with the rank of second lieutenant and is contemplating a serious in arithmetic, with a attainable minor in Spanish or statistics.
“I’m simply excited to serve my nation and simply give again to others round me,” Portz stated.
“I’m going to most likely proceed serving even after the required years as a result of that’s simply what I’m excited to do.”
Her inspiration to hitch the service hits near house, the outfielder defined.
“My grandfather was in america Marine Corps throughout Vietnam, and he would all the time inform me tales about how proud he was serving and the way it was such an honor,” she added.
“I believe as a child, simply listening to these tales actually impressed me to pursue a profession in an analogous space and proceed service.”
Portz, who’s proud to be a Chief, stated her time in Massapequa taught life expertise she is going to use on each the softball discipline and the battlefield.
“This neighborhood actually has values of service and management, and why it’s actually vital to placed on an excellent instance,” she stated.
“So I believe that’s vital and can assist me sooner or later.”
