The Renegade Review

At Stuyvesant, we have grown accustomed to having a relevant, playoff-bound softball team these past few years. However, much of Stuyvesant softball’s legacy has been mediocre, and only recently has the team taken advanced steps toward championship aspirations. Not only did the team move divisions from Manhattan A to Manhattan AA, but it also cemented itself as a contender in the division upon their introduction to the league going 10-4.

Coach Miller took over the softball program after back-to-back playoff misses. Though the team possessed heart, they lacked the talent necessary to compete at a high level. Coming into Miller’s first year as the Renegades’ head coach, the school and players were optimistic that he would be able to turn things around. However, the honeymoon phase quickly faded after a 6-12 campaign in 2008 in which they missed playoffs for a third consecutive year.

During Miller’s second campaign in 2009, the team was hoping a second year under his leadership would see more success. He did not disappoint. The Renegades tallied their second highest win of the past nine years, flipping their 6-12 record in 2008 to 12-6 in 2009. They snapped their three year playoff drought before being beaten in the playoffs by CHIS Mccown by a score of 10-6.

The girls sustained their success after their surprising season in 2009, though certainly not to the same degree. After losing the extraordinary senior class that led the team to their 12-6 record in 2009, the Renegades finished 8-7 in back-to-back seasons. Though they still made the playoffs during their less successful seasons, the team continued to strive for bigger goals.

The freshman class that saw the team go 12-6 in 2009 stepped up to the plate as seniors in 2012 to lead the team to the heights it was hoping to reach. In the Renegades’ winningest season in the 21st century, the girls finished 14-1 and won the Manhattan A division title. It was an impressive breakthrough for the team who had finished in the bottom third of the standings only five years prior.

Once again, though not to the same extent as the 2012 season, the Renegades were able to keep putting together strong seasons, finishing in the top half of the league every year until 2018, including a couple of 11 win seasons.

The Renegades’ success was finally recognized and they were promoted to Manhattan’s AA division in 2018. Upon their arrival into the league, the girls were expected to go through an adjustment year to acclimate themselves to their new competition. However, with no fear and big hearts, the girls played their way to a 10-3 record and finished in second place in their first year in the league.

I had the pleasure of covering the Renegades during their championship run last year. The group was tight-knit, and it played together and for each other. In only their second year in the league, the Renegades were able to capture the Manhattan AA division title behind an extremely strong senior class highlighted by Alexandra Archer (‘19) and Talia Kirschenbaum (‘19). On both sides, the girls played strong softball, committing few mistakes and capitalizing on their opponents' errors. The rise of Stuyvesant softball should make the student body proud. The girls have been fearless throughout many years and willing to rise to challenges—even in the face of adversity.