Bonamase’s move aids Irish

The Ursuline junior transferred from Canfield three years ago.

By TOM WILLIAMS

VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF

All of the high school softball players representing Valley schools in regional tournaments this week, no one is enjoying the experience more than Ursuline junior catcher Dominique Bonamase.

“I don’t think I’ve ever felt so good playing,” said Bonamase after the Irish (20-6) defeated Waterloo for the Division III district title at South Range Complex.

Thursday at 5 p.m., Ursuline will play Burton Berkshire (19-5) at Genshaft Park in Massillon in a regional semifinal.

It’s not that Bonamase hasn’t been on accomplished teams before. Growing up in Canfield, Bonamase played on Canfield Baseball Club’s state champion Little and Junior League teams.

So did the majority of Canfield High’s softball team (24-1) which plays Hudson (24-3) Thursday at 5 p.m. at the University of Akron in a Div. I semifinal.

Bonamase’s high school softball career began at Canfield. However the Cardinals already had an experienced catcher in Jena Ervin so Bonamase rolled the dice and transferred to Ursuline.

The OHSAA requires transferring students who don’t move to sit one year before they are eligible to play, so Bonamase sacrificed her sophomore season in exchange for two varsity seasons with the Irish.

So far, the move has paid off. With the addition of Bonamase and freshman Casey Lower, the Irish are two wins away from their first state appearance.

Bonamase said the sacrifice was worth it.

“It was a long wait,” the Irish cleanup hitter said. “It’s very difficult see somebody playing softball and not see yourself out there.”

Everything comes together

Bonamase called playing for the Irish “an amazing feeling — great team, great atmosphere. Everything comes together and it just clicks, just like when I played Little League. Everyone gels, everyone works together and we finish it.”

The softball team isn’t the only Ursuline team active.

“It’s amazing. Our boys are doing pretty well too so if we both could make a run, make a statement for Ursuline, that would be nice,” said Irish junior Jessica Yarab, whose two-run homer against Waterloo sent the Irish to their fourth regional appearance in six seasons.

The Ursuline baseball team includes her brother Matt and also has a regional game Thursday at 5 p.m. at Massillon High School.

“It’s so nice,” Jessica Yarab said. “We definitely have unfinished business there.”

Yarab recalled last year’s regional final loss to Champion, which went on to the state finals. In 2005, Ursuline lost a sectional final game to LaBrae, which advanced to state.

“We’re ready to go back and make a statement so they know we’re not joking around this time,” Jessica Yarab said.

Senior third baseman Natalie Palermo said the success of the Golden Flashes and Vikings provides “motivation. We want to pick up where they left off and hopefully finish the job.”

Best overall squad

Ursuline coach Mike Kernan has four regional appearances in six seasons and says this might be his best overall squad.

“Our mentality going into regional is that we have a better overall team than we’ve had in the past,” Kernan said.

“Defense, hitting, speed, obviously pitching, catching — I’m not sure we’ve ever put together a whole package like this since I’ve been here,” Kernan said. “We’ve had some good teams that have won district championships, but there’s something about this time that’s a little special.

“It’s definitely the most unselfish team I’ve had and that goes to the senior leadership,” Kernan said. “They are one of the hardest-working groups I’ve had.”

A lot falls on the shoulders of Lower (18-4), the granddaughter of pitching coach Mike Derringer.

“She’s so mature for her age,” Kernan said after the Irish rallied from a 1-0 deficit in the district final. “Even though we gave up the run, she never lost her composure.

“We have a lot of confidence in her, but from the beginning of the season until now I have seen her confidence grow. And that’s almost scary.”

Bonamase is impressed with Lower’s skills.

“It’s great working with someone so young with so much room to grow,” Bonamase said. “Right now, she’s at a level you don’t usually see. She throws all the time, she works hard. She deserves her success.”

williams@vindy.com