UMYBL announces Cal Ripken tourney sponsors

The Upper Makefield Youth Baseball and Softball League (UMYBL) has announced sponsorship and vendor partners for the 2009 U-12 Cal Ripken Baseball Pennsylvania State Championship Tournament and Fan Fest to be held July 17-21 at the UMYBL baseball complex on Eagle Rd. next to Sol Feinstone Elementary School in Upper Makefield.
The League also released information on the attractions that will be a part of the event. Admission to the Tournament and Fan Fest will be free to all spectators and fans.
The sponsorships and partnerships are a big part of the Fan Fest event that is planned to help draw interest to the championship tournament. “From the beginning, we wanted the Tournament to be something special,” said Jay Pomeroy of Newtown, a UMYBL Board Member and Tournament Director.
“Teams and families are coming a long way to be a part of this tournament, and we wanted to make sure it is a memorable experience for both the players and their families and fans. Our sponsors and partners are helping to make that a reality through their generous donations and willingness to help put on the event,” said Pomeroy.
“We expect the Fan Fest will draw additional fans from around the area to see championship baseball and join in the family fun.”
The headline sponsor of the Tournament and Fan Fest is TD Bank. Blue Flame Gas of Dublin, is the supporting sponsor. Additionally, Rita’s of Newtown, Colonial Farms, The Fancy Fig, and Gabriel’s Pizza, all of Washington Crossing are Tournament Partners and will be providing all food and refreshments for the event, including breakfast foods and beverages, a full lunch menu, and Rita’s famous water ice.
ERG Photography Game Action Shots is the official photographer for the tournament, and Star Bright Amusements will be supplying the non-baseball entertainment at the Fan Fest. Fine Designs will provide a wide variety of Tournament logoed merchandise for purchase, and Airbrush Underground will be on hand to do customized painting of batting helmets—a big hit with players of all ages.
UMYBL officials also obtained a one of a kind No. 8 Orioles jersey, autographed by the tournament namesake, Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., and personalized with the words “2009 Pennsylvania Championship.” The jersey will be on display at the tournament and sold via silent auction.
“In addition to elite baseball, we are going to have great food and fun games like Moon Bounce for siblings and non-players to enjoy,” said Pomeroy. None of this would have been possible without businesses like TD Bank and Blue Flame Gas and all our Tournament Partners stepping up to support us.” Pomeroy said that the event expects to draw some 3000 spectators over the five days tournament.
The Tournament itself will consist of eight teams from who will have advanced through District competition. As the host team, Upper Makefield, coached by Rich Brunetti, Chuck Charlton, and Matt Glenn, will have a bye and receive and automatic bid to the tournament.
On Friday night, things will kick off with opening ceremonies and a skills competition for the players that will be highlighted by a home run derby. Pool play begins on Saturday and continues Sunday and will have all 8 teams participating with each team playing 3 games (2 on one day, one on the other; no team will be eliminated until the completion of the games Sunday).
Four teams will reach the semifinals on Monday, and the Championship game will be played on Tuesday night. The Pennsylvania State champ will then move on to a Regional tournament in Bridgewater, NJ on August 5 and the potentially to the National tournament at the Cal Ripken Baseball Academy in Aberdeen, MD on August 15.
Cal Ripken Baseball is a competing organization to the more well known Little League baseball. Lead and by managed by its major league and Hall of Famer namesake, the organization has a challenging set of criteria for players 11 and above. Field dimensions are greater (bases are 70 feet apart versus 60 feet for Little League, and the pitcher’s mound is 50 feet from home plate, versus 46 feet), and base runners are allowed to steal at anytime—not just after the ball crosses the plate. Upper Makefield will begin its third season of Cal Ripken play in 2009.
Upper Makefield Youth Baseball League is a registered 501c-3 non-profit, led by a dedicated group of volunteers who proudly serve the boys and girls of community, ages 5-18, by promoting good health, good sportsmanship and leadership skills through the opportunity to play organized baseball and softball in a safe, supportive environment. For more information regarding the 2009 Cal Ripken Baseball Championship Tournament and Fan Fest, contact Jay Pomeroy at jaypom1@gmail.com.

Weather kinks turnout in Run For Sight

Organizers of the annual Newtown Lions 5K Run For Sight thought they had a good idea when they decided to host their annual event on a weekend that did not compete with the Revolutionary Run, a 10K road race held annually on the Fourth of July weekend in Washington Crossing Historic State Park.
While it might have been a good idea, seeing as how runners seem to flock to the Revolutionary Run by the thousands, organizers did not count on foul weather. And on Saturday, June 20, it rained and rained and rained - to the tune of more than an inch in the Newtown area.
Though they had more than that who entered the race which began this year at Brian S. Gregg Park, just 67 runners were able to finish the event which, in previous years, was held in Tyler Park. Post-event ceremonies were also hampered by the rain, according to race director Wayne Cordes.
Still, event organizers were able to raise more than $3,000 in funds which are headed toward Leader Dogs For The Blind.
Sean McFarlane, 22, was the first male runner to cross the finish line. Someone who calls herself Sparkle Splenty was the first female to finish. The 43-year old crossed the line in 21 minutes flat.
Here are the remainder of the results:

PL………NAME…………TIME
1. Sean McFarland 15:50
2. Rick Clebdaniel 16:54
3. Shawn McElhaugh 17:13
4. Grant Brewin 19:54
5. Nick Barbour 20:24
6. Jesse Elijah Lee 20:31
7. Nick Swan 20:43
8. Sparkle Plenty 21:00
9. Sean Peck 21:37
10. Dave Gerson 21:49
11. Trevor Knott 21:50
12. Kevin Crawford 21:53
13. Jerry Rosetti 21:56
14. Paul Snyder 22:00
15. Pessy Levin 22:12
16. Carin Cohen 22:22
17. Elizabeth MxHale 22:26
18. Susan Tucker 22:37
19. Matt Bohning 22:39
20. Anthony Accardo 22:40
21. Doug Levin 22:49
22. Jim Waitkus 23:20
23. Amy Accardo 23:22
24. Mike Brown 23:58
25. Matt Sullivan 24:10
26. Stephan Volkenborn 24:13
27. Robert Taylor 24:15
28. Lisa H. Yoskowitz 24:27
29. Richard J. Donaher 24:35
30. Bob Hardcastle 24:51
31. John Rosania 25:00
32. Stephen Moyer 25:20
33. Doug Lefever 25:15
34. Laurie May 25:27
35. Abby Pliskin 25:47
36. Brian Gordon 25:48
37. Shawn Kaplan 26:30
38. JoAnn Robbins 26:13
39. Lisa A. Nolan 26:29
40. Kelly Quinn 26:35
41. Jessica L. Loughery 26:59
42. Gary Prell 27:19
43. Carter Beyer 27:28
44. Ben Severn 27:44
45. Richard B. Millham 28:10
46. Sharon Schanbacker 28:30
47. Holly O'Malley 28:90
48. Heather Beyer 28:17
49. Sarah Lindgren 28:19
50. Dennis Brown 28:29
51. Jon Severn 28:30
52. Kevin Meider 28:36
53. Sally Maturana 28:46
54. Janel Bonacci 29:00
55. Emily Lindgren 29:10
56. Bill Grasso 29:90
57. Skip Schanbacker 29:24
58. Bill McHale 30:50
59. Bridgitte Hogan-Perry 30:32
60. Ann Bacon 30:37
61. Cary Tralies 30:40
62. Bridget A. Musse 31:10
63. Wendy V. P. Fesmire 32:90
64. Melissa Czartoryski 32:50
65. Valerie Musse 32:52
66. Ken DePinto 33:21
67. Frank J. Rubino 33:23

Crandall named to Team USA Field Hockey

A Bucks County woman is among the members of 2009-2010 USA Field Hockey Women’s National Team announced earlier today.
The 24-member U.S. roster features a number of 2008 Olympians, as well as former members of the Developmental Squad promoted to international competition. Veterans such as team captain Carrie Lingo and goalkeeper Amy Tran return, as does defender Lauren Crandall, a CB East High School and Wake Forest University alum from Doylestown, along with strikers Keli Smith and Tiffany Huisman.
“I’m very happy with the team we’ve selected,” said Head Coach Lee Bodimeade. “We are looking at qualifying for the 2010 World Cup and towards the 2012 Olympic Games.”
New additions to the senior roster include: Caroline Blaum, Katie Evans, Maren Ford, Lauren Pfeiffer and Katie Reinprecht. All but Ford joined the Women’s National Team for a test series against Argentina in April, which featured Pfeiffer’s first international appearance. Ford, who earned a silver medal at the 2008 Indoor Pan Am Cup as a member of the Women’s Indoor National Team, played hockey professionally in Argentina last year.
A 2003 graduate of CB East who hails from Doylestown, Crandall first started making headlines here in Bucks County when she and her Lady Patriot teammates claimed a state championship in 2002 under then head coach and former Philadelphia Flyer Jeff Harding.
Last summer, she was part of Team USA that competed in the Summer Games that took place in Beijing, China. As a member of Wake Forest, she helped the Demon Deacons to NCAA championships in 2003 and 2004. For her career at Wake, she tallied 38 goals and 34 assists for the Deacs and was an NFHCA First Team All-American her junior and senior seasons.

Revolution is headed to regionals

U-13 FC Bucks Revolution is headed to regionals.

Two Lower Bucks girls soccer teams have captured the top prize in the recent US Youth Soccer Pennsylvania East State Championships.
By winning their respective tournaments, these teams have qualified to compete in the US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships slated for July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
Next month, the U-13 FC Bucks Revolution and the FC Bucks Vipers, an under-18 girls team loaded with Division I talent will be among more than 282 top US Youth Soccer Boys and Girls teams from 15 US Youth Soccer State Associations competing for regional titles.
The Region I Championships feature top teams in the Under-12 through Under-19 age groups beginning Thursday, July 2, with opening ceremonies at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Round robin games are Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, with semifinal matches Monday, July 6. The Region I Champions will be crowned following final games on Tuesday, July 7.
US Youth Soccer State Cup champions and select runners-up from 15 State Associations in Region I, including host West Virginia Soccer Association will participate. The other State Associations represented are Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York West, Pennsylvania West, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the US Youth Soccer National Championships slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.
Daily reports and complete results from the tournament will be available online at http://Championships.USYouthSoccer.org/regionI. To learn more about the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, visit www.championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

New Hope horse is 4-1 in Canada race

Dial Or Nodial, bred and owned by New Hope’s Arlene and Jules Siegel, of Fashion Farms, is 4-1 in the morning line for Saturday’s $1.4 million North America Cup at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario.
Brian Sears will drive Dial Or Nodial, who is trained by Jim Campbell. A two-time New Jersey Sire Stakes champion, Dial Or Nodial has won 11 of 17 lifetime races and earned $623,974.
Last week, Dial Or Nodial won his North America Cup elimination race by a length over OK Boromir in 1:50.2. He will start from post three.
Breeders Crown champion Well Said, who won his elimination in 1:50, is the 2-1 favorite in the Cup final.
The field for the North America Cup (with drivers) in post position order is OK Boromir (Luc Ouellette), Mr Wiggles (Corey Callahan), Dial Or Nodial (Brian Sears), If I Can Dream (George Brennan), Well Said (Ron Pierce), Keep It Real (Steve Condren), Art Colony (John Campbell), Chasin Racin (David Miller), Annieswesterncard (Tim Tetrick), and Millionaire Cam (Jody Jamieson).
Fashion Farms is located on Street Road in New Hope.

SOL National/ BAL opens up with a win

Archived photo by William Anderton
Bristol sophomore Kiersten Cain takes a swing in the Carpenter Cup softball tournament.
By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Not to be outdone by the SOL National/ Bicentennial boys in this year’s Carpenter Cup series hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies, the girls came through with a win in their opener yesterday (June 24) in the softball segment of the tourney in South Philadelphia’s FDR Park.
While the boys made it to the Carpenter Cup championship on the same day a second year in a row, the girls opened with a 4-3 comeback victory over Delaware County.
DelCo had tagged Neshaminy hurler Sarah McGowan for a pair of runs in the first inning and another in the third to go up 3-0 in this one.
McGowan got a run back for SOL National/BAL however when she slapped an RBI single in the fourth off DelCo reliever Jenny Barnholt that pushed Ashley Alden — on board with a double — across the plate.
Bristol sophomore Brooke Dugger kept the drive alive with a single that left runners standing at the corners. McGowan came home on an RBI single by Chelsea Yanishevsky.
With Dugger now at third, ready to tie things up with the next run, Ashley Cantiello didn’t want to disappoint her teammate. So she slapped a single that brought the Bristol sophomore home.
Now Yanishevsky was ready to score. Again, Cantiello provided the key. When she made a break for second on a stolen base attempt, Yanishevsky broke for home on the pickoff attempt.
While Cantiello was safe at second, her teammates couldn’t find a way to get the sophomore infielder home. No matter. Ashley’s RBI single and stolen base provided the only runs the SOL National/ BAL would need to get past their first round foe.
That’s because Cantiello’s classmate Kiersten Cain came on in relief of McGowan and finished the job in fine fashion. First, Cain retired the side in order in each of the seventh and eighth innings, fanning three of the six batters she faced. During that span, not a ball tapped by the opposition left the infield.
And while Cain got into some trouble after recording the first two outs in the top of the seventh by hitting a batsman and walking another, Kiersten pitched her way out of the jam by getting Alyson Smith on a weak fly ball to short.
In the afternoon, SOL National looked like they might be on their way to win number two, especially after plating four runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to go up 5-3 with Cain dominating in the circle for the locals.
Indeed, Kiesten fanned five of the nine batters she faced in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings only to have things blow up in her face in the home seventh.
But before that, the girls from lower Bucks came through for the SOL/Bicentennial. First, Cantiello scored after getting aboard on a double, going to third on an error, then coming home on a single by Taylor Hunt. Then, Pennsbury infielder Kelsi Bunda — who reached after an 8-pitch at-bat on an infield error — scored on Chloe Pinto’s double.
Both Hunt and Pinto crossed the plate on a two-run error by DelSouth shortstop Asia Brittingham.
Bunda would also plate run number five in the sixth, getting on board with a single, reaching second on a single by Truman infielder Stevie Van Schaick, then coming home on an error made by DelSouth leftfielder Morgan Hobbs.
Now it was on to that wild and wooly seventh inning when things unraveled for the SOL National/ BAL.
After getting the first batter to strike out swinging, Chelsea Morris got on board for Del South on an error. Not to worry—Cain got Steph Wheatley to also strike out swinging.
With two outs, you’d think no worries, right, but things would get much worse from there.
Amber Mabrey walked then Kelsey Doherty singled, bringing Morris home.
With runners at first and second, Kelsey Doherty’s ball slapped to short was mishandled, scoring a pair of runs including the game-winner.
The SOL trailed 3-0 early on in this one after a wild third inning by Delaware South that saw the opponent score three runs on just two hits off Pennsbury hurler Kait Schilling.
Things got crazy out there for Schilling and the SOL in an inning that saw three walks a passed ball, a wild pitch, a runner picked off at first base and another cut down at home plate. The fact is the game could have gotten out of hand were it not for the fact that Kelsey Oliphont was picked off at first base. But the throw to first allowed Logan Pavlik to score from third base.
Delaware South put another pair of runners on board on back to back singles by Asia Brittingham and Alexis Oliphont. Then things got really hairy with Morgan Hobbs up to bat. When Schilling threw her first wild pitch on a 1-0 count to Morgan, it sent both runners into scoring position. When she threw the next one on a 3-1 count, it allowed Brittingham to score with more threatening to pile on.
But three unearned runs were enough--SOL National/BAL cut Alexis Oliphont down trying to reach home on Schilling’s second wild pitch.
Carpenter Cup softball play continues today with the SOL American & Continental taking on Delaware North and the Philadelphia catholic League taking on Olympic Colonial.
Play resumes for the SOL National/BAL at 1 p.m. Monday, June 29 against an opponent that is to be announced.

Bucks 5k Series crowns champions

This year's champions in the Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series are from left: Greg Wetzel of Doylestown, Sarah Simonetti of Perkasie, Nancy Smith of New Britain and Carl Goldschmidt of Doylestown. Wetzel and Simonetti are the overall champions; Smith and Goldschmidt are the masters champions.

Bucks 5k Series crowns champions

Greg Wetzel of Doylestown and Sarah Simonetti of Perkasie are this spring's Panera Bread Bucks 5K overall champions. Wetzel won the last race of the seven-race series, the Chalfont Challenge on June 6, and clinched the title. Simonetti had previously locked up her championship with a win at the Johnny King-Marino Sertoma 5K.
Greg is a track coach at Central Bucks West High School in Doylestown. He was a standout runner at Elizabethtown College, where he was a Dean’s list student. His best time for the Series 5K races was 15:43 at the Doylestown 5K and at the Chalfont Challenge.
Sarah is presently a freshman at Philadelphia University. In September, she was named the female cross country runner of the week in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference. Her best Series time was 19:24 at the Sertoma 5K.
Nancy Smith of New Britain and Carl Goldschmidt of Doylestown are this season's Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series masters champions. Nancy is a world class triathlete. She won her age group and was the Grand Master’s champion at the Eagleman Half-Ironman Triathlon on June 13. As a result, she qualified for the Hawaii Ironman. Her best 5K time in the Series was 19:24 at the Sertoma 5K.
Carl is a leading master’s runner in the tri-state area. He was recently second overall at the AJ Foundation’s Best Dam Run. His best time in the Series was 17:43 at the Sertoma 5K.
The Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series is a non-profit organization that facilitates and coordinates seven 5 kilometer (3.1 mile) road races. These races all benefit worthy causes, provide wholesome family activities, and improve the physical fitness of our communities. There are seven races in the series, all in the spring, and all in central Bucks County. This spring, the Series concluded its most successful year ever. The Series hosted a record number of athletes — 5300, and raised a record amount of money - $114,000.
The complete race schedule and more information about the Panera Bread Bucks 5K Series is available at www.bucks5kseries.com.
The Series also awards champions in 14 age groups.
The list of winners are as follows:
Male Overall, Female Overall
Greg Wetzel, Sarah Simonetti
***
Males Master, Female Master
Carl Goldschmidt, Nancy Smith
***
Male 70 & Over
Charles Loughery
***
Male 65-69, Female 65-69
Jim Rehrig, Anne Cook
***
Male 60-64, Female 60-64
Stover Wiggins, Ann Bacon
***
Male 55-59, Female 55-59
Phil Davies, Lynda Terry
***
Male 50-54, Female 50-54
David Noa, Julia Kennedy
***
Male 45-49 Female 45-49
Carlton Seybolt, Sue Walton
***
Male 40-44, Female 40-44
Paul Walsh, Stacey Hermance
***
Male 35-39, Female 35-39
Peter De Mallie, Christina Grube
***
Male 30-34, Female 30-34
Bob Pultorak, Michele Fillette
***
Male 25-29, Female 25-29
Steve Bayer, Tracey Sawyer
Larry Hannon
***
Male 20-24, Female 20-24
Robert Peiffer, Laurie Wartman
***
Male 15-19, Female 15-19
Austin Gregor, Hannah Lindgren
***
Male 12-14, Female 12-14
Ross Wilson, Louise Huuki
***
Male 11 & Under, Female 11 & Under
Jake Brophy, Elizabeth Huuki
***
Complete Series and race results are posted at www.bucks5kseries.com.

Xplosion has tough draw at regionals

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
There’s more than one way to skin a cat as they say, or more directly, more than one way to reach your goal.
Such is the case for the Yardley Makefield Soccer (YMS) Xplosion U-17 boys team whose road to nationals looks much tougher this year than last.
Last year, YMS qualified through its top two finish in the USYSA National League. This year, the Xplosion had its chance to sidestep regional qualifiers by winning a National League playoff with Lower Merion Velez in a mid-April matchup at Drexel University.
But Velez won that all-important game with a late goal, finishing as the top team in the National League. The Dallas Texans–Houston Division punched the second ticket to nationals by claiming the runner-up slot.
In order for YMS to make it to nationals this year, they must take the top prize in their upcoming Region I tournament.
YMS qualified for this tourney by defeating their old nemesis Lower Merion Velez, 2-0, in the finals of the Region 1 Premier League last month. A week later, the Xplosion followed with a 2-0 win over Lower Merion in the EPYSA State Cup finals.
In the upcoming regional tourney however, YMS has an extremely difficult draw, says Coach Jim Powers, as it will face TSF Academy – the state champs from New Jersey, Virginia state champ Great Falls Elite and Maryland champion Pachuca in preliminaries.
If the Xplosion advances to the semifinals, they will most likely face – you guessed it – Lower Merion, who qualified as the Region Premier League Wildcard, a much less challenging draw, according to Powers.
YMS will be heading off to West Virginia next week as the Eastern PA representative, to compete in the regional tourney which kicks off July 3.
The US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships are slated to take place July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
The US Youth Soccer National Championships are slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Massachusetts.

Marlins Repeat in Upper Makefield

By James D’Arcangelo

“Repeat! Repeat!”
The bubbly chants uncorked the celebratory mood in the overflowing stands at Upper Makefield’s George Strachan Field, bringing a familiar end to the town’s youth baseball season Wednesday, June 17.
The Marlins had just won the most senior division (11-12 year-old) of the Cal Ripken (a parallel to Little League) play, 10-0 over the Braves, in the season’s championship game.
Difficult in any league, the Marlins had found a way to duplicate supremacy, even after being challenged by a long losing streak mid-season. But, repeat they did.
As in any level of baseball, it’s pitching and timely hitting that dictates who controls the game. Throughout the season, head coach Tom Kovalcik implored the team to focus on the core strategy, “just throwing strikes” and getting players on base.
The Braves, which had beaten the Dodgers, 13-3, to advance to the finals, were baffled by the superlative speed, location, and mix of pitches from Alexandro Kovalcik and his brother Juliano. Neither pitcher walked a batter.
Alexandro allowed two hits, while striking out nine, in three innings. The only two batters with hits off of Alexandro were Drew Glenn, who had a double off of the left field fence, and James O’Donnell, who poked a single up the middle.
Juliano was just as strong as Alexandro, shutting down the Braves’ bats in one inning of relief as the game was stopped in the fourth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.
The Marlins’ hitting was a full team effort. Virtually all Marlins had a hit, and all players reached base. Joe Pomeroy catapulted a towering (estimated at 240 feet) opposite-field home run to right field off of Braves pitcher Drew Glenn.
Juliano Kovalcik turned on a high fastball from Glenn to crush a line drive home run out to left field. As the Marlins steadily built their lead, Chris Beverly, Taylor Goldberg and Raymond Pfundt had key doubles. Chase D’Arcangelo, 2-for-3 on the day, knocked in Matteo Cariola on a single up the middle for the game-ending, 10th run.
As importantly, D’Arcangelo prolonged the key 4-run third inning with a two-out single to right field (driving in Goldberg), which ultimately set up the Kovalcik and Pomeroy home runs to follow.
Winners in the end, the Marlins, struggled midseason. With key players out of the lineup, the Marlins slumped to a multiple-game losing streak.
When the team turned things around, Coach Kovalcik rejoiced in the kids’ excitement and the magnitude of the accomplishment, but even after capturing the title again, he still stressed a season-long perspective that is both rare and grounding in this day and age of often over-enthusiastic parents and coaches.
“I am most proud of the team and how well it defined sportsmanship,” stated Kovalcik after the title win. “We never lost sight of respecting each other, the other teams, and the game.”
With that philosophy, it’s not hard to imagine a “three-peat” might be in order.

Gators capture league championship

The Gators won the Council Rock Softball U10 girls softball championship last week in a game that came down to the final strike. The 5-4 victory came in the top of the sixth inning with the bases loaded and a full count as Gators pitcher Madison Tomlinson caught a line drive to end the game.
With a roster composed of third-graders and one fourth-grader, the Gators went undefeated through the playoffs to cap off a great season. Helping to win the championship for the Gators were Rebecca Riesenberger, Lauren Bossio, Emma McCoy, Mackenzie Tinner, Grace Schweizer, Madison Tomlinson, Madeline Moore, Taylor Briggs, Sydney Amspacher, Ally Harper and Giana Grosso.
Coaches Zane Moore, Dave Schweizer, and Glen Tinner could not be more proud of their team.

Stark sent down to the minors

Bucks County's own Major League Baseball writer Jayson Stark has been making the rounds lately signing copies of his new tome — “Worth The Wait: Tales of the Phillies 2008 Championship Season” — at area bookstores.
This week, the tour moves to minor league ballparks with Jayson making an appearance from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at this Friday’s Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs ballgame at Coca Cola Park in Allentown.
On Saturday from 6 to 7:30 p.m., he’ll be at Lakewood’s First Energy Park, home of the Lakewood Blue Claws.
And on Friday, July 3 from 5 to 7:30 p.m., Stark, who resides in Newtown, appears at Reading’s First Energy Stadium, before the start of that night’s Reading Phillies game.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Vipers, Revolution headed to regionals

The FC Bucks Vipers U-18 girls soccer team has made it to regionals. Last summer, the team captured a berth in nationals.

Two Lower Bucks girls soccer teams have captured the top prize in the recent US Youth Soccer Pennsylvania East State Championships.
By winning their respective tournaments, these teams have qualified to compete in the US Youth Soccer Region I (East) Championships slated for July 2 to 7 at Barboursville Soccer Complex, Huntington YMCA Kennedy Center and Scott Orthopedics Soccer Complex in Barboursville, West Virginia.
Next month, the U-13 FC Bucks Revolution and the FC Bucks Vipers, an under-18 girls team loaded with Division I talent will join more than 282 top US Youth Soccer boys and girls teams from 15 US Youth Soccer state associations competing for regional titles.
The Region I Championships feature top teams in the under-12 through under-19 age groups beginning Thursday, July 2, with opening ceremonies at Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards Stadium. Round robin games are Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, with semifinal matches Monday, July 6. The Region I Champions will be crowned following the finale on Tuesday, July 7.
US Youth Soccer State Cup champions and select runners-up from 15 state associations in Region I, including host West Virginia Soccer Association will participate. The other State Associations represented are Connecticut, Delaware, Eastern New York, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York West, Pennsylvania West, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Regional winners of the Under-14 through Under-19 brackets earn a berth to the US Youth Soccer National Championships slated for July 21-26, at Citizens Bank Field at Progin Park in Lancaster, Mass.
Daily reports and complete results from the tournament are available online if you click here. To learn more about the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, visit www.championships.usyouthsoccer.org.

Seiz a hero again

Ryan Seiz (Chris Dock) smoked a 2-run homer in the bottom of the eighth innning June 19 at Meiklejohn Stadium, in a 5-4 win over Lehigh Valley that advanced SOL-National/BAL to the Carpenter Cup semifinals June 23 at Citizens Bank Park.
Scott Runzer (CR North) scored the first run for the locals in the first inning, getting on board on a fielders choice, advancing on a pair of Lehigh Valley errors before coming home on a sac fly by Shane Coleman (Holy Ghost Prep).
The second run for the locals was plated by Bill Fleming (CR South), who walked, stole second, advanced to third on an error then came home on a single by Tyler Orr (Neshaminy).
The locals also forced in a run in the fifth inning when Nick Mascioli (DelCo Christian) drew a two-out bases loaded walk that pushed Seiz across the plate. Fleming singled with two outs to keep the rally alive.
Seiz was the hero in last year's Carpenter Cup championship win, hitting a 2-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to propel the locals past Lehigh Valley.
SOL-National is slated to go up against the Philadelphia Catholic League at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 at CBP.

Brooks, Sabatura score one for the cure

Amber Brooks and Heidi Sabatura (back row) helped raise money in memory of Charlotte Moran through a tournament they helped host recently at Macclesfield.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Pennington School senior soccer standouts Amber Brooks and Heidi Sabatura might be the closest thing Bucks County currently has to the evidence of the good works performed by Charlotte Moran.
Moran is the recently deceased Churchville, Pa. resident who acted as a national advocate for women’s soccer for the last 30 years.
A member of the US National U-17 girls team that made it to the finals of the FIFA World Cup tournament held last year in New Zealand, Brooks, who hails from New Hope, will play women’s soccer this fall at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a national power that’s won 20 national titles over the last three decades.
And Sabatura is a Lawrenceville resident and member of the FC Bucks Vipers team that qualified for the US Youth Soccer National Championships that took place last summer in Little Rock, Arkansas. Heidi is headed to Villanova in the fall where she hopes to play forward.
Until her death on May 18, Moran, was the executive director for the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Association (EPYSA) and administrator for the Region 1 Olympic Development Program (ODP), a position she held for more than 20 years.
There was no mountain that couldn’t be moved by Moran. From her start as the Lower Southampton AA soccer league secretary, she attained the professional ranks in 2001. For the next three years, she acted as Director of Team Operations for the Charge, the Philadelphia affiliate for the now defunct Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA).
In November 2007, Moran finally met a foe she could not overcome – pancreatic cancer. On May 18, After an 18-month battle, Moran finally succumbed to the deadly disease.
The two girls were so moved by Moran’s death they stirred their cause to action, raising thousands of dollars collected through a recent youth soccer tournament held at Lower Makefield’s Macclesfield.
They called it Score for the Cure and 80-some girls, ages 8 to 13 played dozens of 3-on-3 soccer games held June 12 on nine different fields. Everyone pitched in including Yardley-Makefield Soccer (YMS) Director John Greaves and Coaches Mike DeMaio and Davey Simpson, who guide the Comets U17 girls premier team.
The support tents were erected alongside the fields and tables lined with merchandise set up underneath. The lines were drawn and the games began.
All of the members of the six-time NJ Prep A state champion Pennington School girls soccer team assisted with the officiating duties. Two members of the Red Raiders boys team helped out as well – Evan Bruccoleri and Billy Hawkey. Area soccer moms – from Pennington and YMS – worked the concessions.
When the dust settled, more than $8,000 was collected – funds headed for the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.
“All this money donated shows how great she was for soccer across Pennsylvania and across the East Coast,” stated Sabatura in a recent interview. “We had a great turnout. The girls loved it – each of them got medals. It was a great event all the way around.”
Over the years, Brooks, an ODP Region 1 player, became close to Moran, the Region 1 ODP director.
“She was like a second mom to her,” stated Sabatura.
Heidi says she was recruited by Brooks to work on the project as part of the student-athlete’s senior internship. The tournament was the culmination of three month’s work.

***

While the WUSA folded in 2003, that never stopped Moran from continuing her quest for women in the sport. Still a member of the NSCAA Women’s Committee, she was elected to the NSCAA Board of Directors in January 2008. Later that year, she received the Women’s Committee Award of Excellence, a tribute established a decade ago to recognize those who have brought honor and distinction to women's soccer.
More recently, Moran was bestowed with the Youth Long-Term Service Award At this year’s NSCAA Convention in St. Louis. She was also given the Glenn Myernick Service to Soccer Award dedicated to Glenn "Mooch" Myernick, a Lawrence High graduate who spent a decade playing pro soccer in the North American Soccer League.
It was all done for love of the game, said Moran in a 2001 interview.
“We were a soccer family – that’s what we did all weekend and that’s how we spent our vacations and holidays. Giving something back for all the years of enjoyment is why I do it.”
On June 12 at Macclesfield, Brooks and Sabatura gave some of that love back to Charlotte Moran.
***
A soccer fund in memory of Ms. Moran has been established. Those wishing to contribute can do so by sending donations to EPYSA-Charlotte Moran Foundation; C/O EPYSA; 2 Village Road, Suite 3; Horsham, PA 19044.

HOPEWELL VALLEY:Upperco most outstanding again

University of Massachusetts senior Karen Upperco of Titusville, N.J. was recently named the Atlantic 10's Most Outstanding Diver after posting first place finishes in two diving events at the A-10 Championships.
She and freshmen Jason Cook of Amherst, were in Buffalo, representing UMass at this year's NCAA Zone A Diving Regional. Both divers competed in the one-meter and the three-meter and both have been selected as two of the 58 total competitors for this season's Zones.
This marked the fourth consecutive trip for Upperco to the NCAA Zone Regional and the senior has improved every year she competes. In her freshman season, Upperco finished 22nd in the one-meter event, and 29th in the three-meter.
As a sophomore, she dramatically improved on her premier performance, finishing seventh in the one-meter and fifth in the three-meter. Last season, the 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School notched a fourth-place finish in each diving event.
This year, Upperco ended her final collegiate season on a high note as she notched a new Atlantic 10 record in the three-meter dive (588.25) and was named A-10 Champion in the one-meter (520.30), an event in which she already holds the conference record with a score of 520.60. The senior also notched a new Joseph Rogers Pool record after scoring 279.45 in the three-meter dive on Senior Day against Colgate and now sits atop the UMass record books in the three-meter dive and ranks third in school history in the one-meter.
At this year's A-10 Championships, the Minutewomen also dominated as they notched a fourth-place finish for the second year in a row at the Championships and broke six school records. The team was led by two of its senior captains - Upperco and Christa Narus of Stony Brook, N.Y.
Upperco was the team's leader on the diving board as she finished first in both diving events, something she hasn't done since her freshman year at A-10s. Narus added a third-place finish in the 200 fly (2:04.88) on day four to her record-breaking third-place finish in the 100 fly and fifth-place finish in the 200 free that she notched on the third day of competition.
***
UMASS PROFILE

General: Holds the Atlantic 10 Championship records in the one-meter and the three-meter ... Holds the UMass school record in the three-meter dive (310.50) and ranks third all-time in the one-meter (278.85) ... Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver for the third time in her career.
***
2008-09 (Senior): Was named A-10 Most Outstanding Diver, A-10 Student-Athlete of the Year, and UMass Dinn Bros. Winter Scholar-Athlete as a senior ... Set two new A-10 Championship records after placing first in the one-meter (270.70) and three-meter (292.15) at this year's Championships (2/18-21) ... Placed first in both the one-meter and three-meter diving events in the final dual meet of the season at Fordham (1/31) ... Set a new Pool Record in the three-meter dive with a score of 297.45 while adding another first-place finish in the one-meter (261.23) against Colgate (1/25) ... Finished first in the three-meter (259.35) and third in the one-meter (211.35) at home against Boston College (1/24) ... Finished first in both the one-meter (259.20) and the three-meter (259.35) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/16-17) ... Notched a first-place finish in the one-meter (304.60) and a second-place finish in the three-meter (281.20) at the Galbraith Diving Invitational (12/6) ... Notched two first-place finishes: three-meter (279.75) and one-meter (251.32) at Binghamton (11/8) ... Finished first in the three-meter (277.80) and second in the one-meter (248.16) at home against Army (10/25) ... Notched two second-place finishes in the first meet of the season at Boston University (10/18).
***
2007-08 (Junior): Atlantic 10 Most Outstanding Diver ... UMass Winter Female Scholar Athlete ... Competed at the NCAA Regionals (3/14-16) and finished fourth of 22 divers on both boards, notched a score of 532.65 on the one-meter dive and 563.65 on the three-meter dive ... Finished second in the three-meter dive with a score of 563.95 and first in the one-meter dive (520.60) at the A-10 Championships (2/20-23) ... Placed first in the one-meter dive with a score of 249.45, and second in the three-meter dive (261.30) at the Rhode Island Invitational (1/11-12).
***
2006-07 (Sophomore): Second-Team All-Atlantic 10 member ... Named to the A-10 Commissioner's Spring Honor Roll ... Earned UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week (2/5) ... At the A-10 Championships (2/21-24) took second in the three-meter dive (523.50) and third in the one-meter dive (476.85) ... At Fordham (2/3) won the one-meter dive (264.38) and the three-meter dive (279.90) ... Had her top three-meter dive of 280.70 at Colgate/Binghamton ... Posted eight wins on the season (six on the three-meter board).
***
2005-06 (Freshman): First-team all-conference diver after winning the one-meter and three-meter dives at the A-10 Championships (2/18) ... Named A-10 Women's Most Outstanding Diver ... Named team MVP ... Earned A-10 Rookie of the Week honors (11/14) and UMass/Dinn Bros. Athlete of the Week honors (12/5, 2/20) ... Had 16 first-place finishes for the season between the one-meter and three-meter boards ... Finished the season 22nd on the one-meter board and 29th on the three-meter board at the NCAA Zone A Regional meet.
***
Before UMass: A 2005 graduate of Hopewell Valley Central High School where she was a three-time All-American diver ... Was a 10 time National Diving Qualifier with her highest finish being seventh on the three-meter board ... Took sixth place on the three-meter board at the 2005 AAU Nationals ... Finished third at the 2005 New Jersey State Diving Championships ... Also swam the freestyle and butterfly events ... Led the Bulldogs to the New Jersey State Sectional title in 2002-03 and to a Colonial Division Championship in 2004-05 ... A two-time Mercer County Diving Champion and a member of the All-CVC Team as a senior.

Ault returns to GAP Amateur quarters

Chris Ault taps a putt at an earlier season amateur tournament.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Chris Ault gave it a good run in this year’s Golf Association of Philadelphia (GAP) Amateur Championship going on this week at Stonewall GC in Elverson, Pa. Ault, a 2003 graduate of Pennsbury who hails from Yardley, returned to the quarterfinals for the first time since the 2006 Amateur held that year at Torresdale-Frankford CC.
A 16 seed in the tourney after carding 145 in his first two rounds, Ault posted a 6&5 triumph over Edward McCrossen, Jr., of Whitemarsh Valley CC Tuesday June 15 in the round of 32 then came through with a 2&1 victory over Doug Marcincin in the Round of 16.
Marcincin, a 32 seed from Northampton CC, had stunned top seed Michael Hyland, of Little Mill CC, with a 2-up triumph in the Round of 32.
But that’s as far as Ault would reach in the tourney as defending GAP Amateur champion Michael McDermott, of Merion Golf Club posted a 2-up victory on Wednesday, June 17 in the quarterfinals.
In the match with McDermott, Ault was 1-up at the halfway point, thanks to a pair of birdies he recorded on Nos. 7 (par 3, 166 yds.) and 9 (par 3, 235 yds.).
Chris got off to a rough start on the back nine however, bogeying Nos. 10 (par 4, 444 yds.) and 13 (par 4, 452 yds.). The 23-year old Ault played scratch golf the rest of the way save No. 18 (par 4, 450 yds.), which he also bogeyed. His opponent meanwhile got down in two on both 15 (par 3, 178 yds.) and 17 (par 3, 134 yds.). McDermott went 1-up with his bird on No. 17 and finished 2-up when he hit par on 18.
The day before, McDermott defeated Brian Gillespie of St. Davids GC, 2&1, in the Round of 16 on the Old Course. Jeffrey Griest, a 30 seed from Waynesborough CC, defeated Mark Miller of Yardley CC, 6&5.
James Kania, Jr. of Overbrook GC and Conrad Von Borsig of Concord CC, a pair of long-hitting, upstart 20-somethings, advanced to the GAP Amateur final on Wednesday on the Old Course. Kania, the 11th seed, who turned in a very workmanlike effort in search of his first Amateur title, stopped Anthony Martire of Seaview Marriott Resort & Spa, 3&2, in the semis the got past Griest, 3&2, in the quarters. Von Borsig, who also is in search of his first Amateur crown, stunned defending champion McDermott, 1-up, in the semifinals and Thomas Gramigna, the No. 4 seed, of Tavistock CC, with a 1-up victory.
On Monday, Ault carded scores of 73 (Old Course, par 70, 6,579 yds.) and 72 (North Course, par 70, 6,690 yds.) for a total of 145 in his first two rounds before entering Tuesday’s match play.
And Hyland didn’t miss a beat in his return to the Philadelphia golf scene. The winner of the 2000 Amateur Championship at the Elverson venue, Hyland carded a 1-under-par 139 on Stonewall’s two courses to take the 109th Amateur Championship medalist honors. A golfer who turned professional shortly after winning the 2000 title and returned to the Amateur ranks in 2005, Hyland posted Monday’s lone sub-par total.

Locals open with a Carpenter Cup win

Council Rock North has three of its players - Kelly Adams, Matt Hone and Scott Runzer - competing in the Carpenter Cup Classic. The locals opened today with a win over Berks. Play resumes Friday.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Defending a Carpenter Cup title doesn’t necessarily add to the pressure to win.
Just ask SOL National/ Bicentennial head coach Keith Smeraglio, who says it actually lessens the burden.
“It makes it easier,” stated Smeraglio, flatly. “We know we have a good team and the kids went out and played like it.
“The defense was great, we got timely hitting and we have a tremendous [pitching] staff.”
Earlier today (June 17) at Meiklejohn Stadium, the local boys shrugged off a third-inning 1-0 deficit, plating seven runs the rest of the way in a 7-3 tournament opening triumph over Berks County. The SOL/ Bicentennial won this one going away, despite the fact it was out-hit, 10-7, by Berks. That’s because the opposition stranded over a dozen batters along the basepaths.
“I think we had almost the same amount of hits but we had a lot of clutch hits,” commented Council Rock North senior Scott Runzer, who was 1-for-3 on the day. “With guys on third, we had at least two or three sac-flies. Doing things like that definitely helped us score some runs so that was clutch.”
Defensively, Smeraglio led with his trump card in starting Harry S Truman and Bristol Legion lefthander Josh Patman in the opener against Berks. Last year, it was a pair of lefties — Patman and New Hope-Solebury southpaw Vinnie Vorhees — who kept the opposition off-balance.
Vorhees set ‘em up and Patman knocked ‘em down.
First, it was the New Hope lefty striking out 12 batters combined in quarterfinal and semifinal triumphs respectively over Mercer and defending champ Chester.
Then, it was Patman who got the final out in both the 2008 Carpenter Cup semis and the finale. In the championship win over Lehigh Valley, he got the win, after recording the final two outs in the top of the ninth.
This time out however, it was a rough outing for Patman. After getting the first Berks batter to take a called third strike, he put the next two on board with a walk and a hit batsman. But Berks failed to take advantage of the situation, launching a popup and a fly ball to Nick Mascioli to end the inning.
Patman put another pair of batters on board in the second, issuing a free pass to Kyle Hartman and a single to centerfield by Jonah Pulford. Again, Berks failed to capitalize on the opportunity. When Nick Riegel single to short, Pulford advanced to second but Hartman was picked off at third base. Patman got out of the jam, inducing a force-out at second base to Neshaminy shortstop Rick Brebner.
On the other side of the hill, Berks pitcher Brad Smith was keeping the defending champs’ bats quiet, retiring the first six hitters in order.
“The first time out, everyone was trying to hit home runs and stuff, just jumping at balls,” stated Runzer. “The second time around, everyone relaxed and started swinging to get hits.”
The local boys finally started to make some noise in the third when the SOL-N/ BAL drew a walk and single by Brebener that put a pair of runners aboard. The men were stranded however when Chris Dock junior Ryan Seiz – last year’s hero in the finale with a 2-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth – struck out swinging.
Berks finally broke through in the third, scoring a run off Holy Ghost Prep righthander Andrew Strenge, of Morrisville. After retiring the first two batters, Strenge surrendered consecutive singles then an RBI double down the left field line by Hartman that scored Sean Hagen. With runners at second and third base, Andrew pitched out of the jam, fanning Pulford to keep it close.
It was HGP junior Greg Olenski who plated the first run for the SOL/ Bicentennial. After getting hit by a pitch, he advanced on a Scott Runzer single, went to third when a walk was issued to Shane Coleman then came home on a double-play grounder hit to short by Nick Mascioli.
Seiz redeemed himself in the fifth, putting the local boys on top for good by pushing CR South sophomore Bill Fleming across with an RBI triple. Olenski put the SOL on top by two, scoring Seiz with an ensuing RBI double.
The bottom of the fifth was a wild one for Berks. With CR South sophomore lefthander Greg Welsh in for Strenge, Berks sent six batters to the plate – two had reached on walks and another pair slapped singles. Add in a stolen base and a failed pickoff attempt and one might think an opposing rally would have been the result. When the dust settled, however, the enemy had but a single run to show for their trouble.
That’s because Neshaminy senior Tyler Orr nailed Blaise Fernandez trying to score from second base on Chris Lloyd’s single to right field. After inducing a popup to Frankelvin Reyes, Welsh put another pair of runners aboard, surrendering a single and a walk. The CR South lefty finally settled down, fanning Garrett Gitler to get out of the inning.
The locals really took advantage in the top of the sixth, plating three more runs on just two hits. SOL/ Bicentennial put a pair of runners aboard with Eric Ebert reaching on an error and Orr slapping a single to centerfield. It was Matt Hone coming through with the big hit, an RBI double down the left field line that pushed Ebert across.
Kelly Adams then plated Orr with a sac-fly to right field. Bristol junior Adam Moore repeated the feat with a sac-fly to left field that scored Hone.
The bottom sixth looked like another shaky one for the locals, defensively, especially when Berks put their first two batters on board on an error and a walk. Again, Welsh settled down, inducing a ground ball to Tim Ravel and striking out Fernandez.
Orr scored the final tally for the SOL in the eighth. After drawing a walk, he advanced on a fielder’s choice, went to third on an error then came home on a ground ball hit to short by Corey Hower.
After waiting around for nearly 2 hours, Neshaminy junior Ray Hyjurick finally got his chance to pitch in the seventh. Ray made the most of it, retiring the side in order. After surrendering a double to C Faust to open the eighth, he recorded the next three outs on a fly ball to left field and a pair of grounders.
After the game, Hyjurick spoke of what it was like waiting in the wings.
“It’s a little nerve-wracking but it’s also exciting — you can’t wait to get into the game and play here.
With his team holding a commanding lead, Smeraglio countered with Abington junior Jake Ruch. The 11th-grader allowed a walk but nary a run putting this one in the books favor the boys from Bucks County.
Another factor that helped the locals was that both CR South and North made it to the postseason this year, with the Indians advancing all the way to the state quarters.
“It was a good run — we made it to the quarterfinals in states,” commented CR North infielder Scott Runzer, who is headed to West Chester. “The team we lost to — North Penn — ended up winning it so that was tough.
“The good thing was that all the guys from North were able to stay sharp coming into Carpenter Cup playing so late into the [varsity] season.
With North part of the Continental Conference last year, Runzer was not part of the 2008 Carpenter Cup champions. So Runzer would really like to see this team repeat last year’s feat. With his current squad wearing a target on its back, he knows the task will not be easy. Still he believes this group has the talent.
“Everyone is coming out to beat us since this team won last year,” stated Runzer.
“I know we have the potential to repeat; we have really good pitching and I know we can hit the ball too.
That much was proven today in a 7-3 win, favor: the locals.
***
NOTES: From here, the SOL-N/ Bicentennial returns to Meiklejohn at 12:3o p.m. this Friday, June 19 where they’ll take on Lehigh Valley, 3-1 winners over Inter-AC. Lehigh will surely looking to avenge last year’s loss to the locals in the tournament finale.

That's a horse of a different color

Polocrosse players battle it out last month at Sycamore Creek Farm in Pennington. Next weekend, June 20-21, the Bucks County Polocrosse Association brings the fun to Pipersville.

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
Imagine a sport that combines polo and lacrosse with just a touch of badminton. If you can visualize such an athletic endeavor, than you’ve stumbled upon polocrosse, a sport that was originally founded in England as a riding exercise for horseman.
Like polo, the players compete in the sport aboard equine animals. Instead of polo mallets though, polocrosse competitors carry a stick that is a combination of a lacrosse pole and a badminton racquet. The original polocrosse sticks were badminton racquets, only the tight webbing was removed in favor of leather netting similar to that which is found on a lacrosse stick. The racquets were also made longer to accommodate play that takes place on horseback.
To the spectator, polocrosse offers an action-packed feast of galloping horses, thrilling ball-handling and clashing racquets. For those competing in the sport, it provides a fast-moving and exciting team sport that takes speed, stamina, and lightning-fast reflexes from both the horse and rider in order to excel.
“It is amazing to watch, how fast the people who are good at the sport can fly down the field on a horse and score a goal,” explained Bruce Lewis, of Newtown, a newcomer to the sport. “I’m not at that level. I’m more or less trotting down the field with the ball than going back to pick it up when I drop it.”
“The people who are good at it are going full speed ahead; it’s amazing what they can make a horse do.”
Polocrosse offers the horse enthusiast the opportunity to combine their love of horses and competition with a game of teamwork, strategy, and agility. It’s a three-a-side game, and like lacrosse, has players in the attack, midfield and defense positions. The battle takes place on a grass field 160 yards long and 60 yards wide that is divided into a large midfield and two end zones.
The game is started by an umpire who throws the ball in and the game progresses as teammates carry and throw the ball down the field with the ultimate goal of putting the sphere into a goal. Normally, the horsemen wouldn’t have any problem marching up to the 6-by-4 foot cage and blasting the ball in but the players must shoot from outside an 11-yard semicircle that envelopes the goal.
Unlike polo, which requires a string of horses, polocrosse players are allowed only one horse per competition, so it demands outstanding fitness of horse and rider. That fact makes polocrosse much more affordable than its sister sport.
Developed in Australia beginning in the 1930s, polocrosse is now played around the world and is growing in the United States, particularly on the east coast. More recently, the sport has been introduced to the Bucks-Mercer region by the Bucks County Polocrosse Association. In existence since 2005, the club is a group of enthusiastic athletes from both sides of the river with all levels of experience, including up-and-coming juniors as well as adults who are enjoying a new experience on horseback.
Polocrosse players have no real defining characteristics apart from their devotion to the sport. The sport attracts players of all ages from all walks of life.
Bruce’s son Chris, an 8th-grader at Newtown Middle School, came into the sport with an advantage. He’s a club lacrosse player for Council Rock and has been playing that sport for years. He doesn’t particularly like massaging the horses (riding them in a circle to exercise the animals) but he sure likes polocrosse.
“Riding the horses in a circle wasn’t much fun for him,” explained Bruce. “He’d rather be flying down the field on his horse full speed ahead.”
Chris and his mother Manya, Bruce’s wife, are experts at their craft. Bruce and daughter Kyra, a 1st-grader at Newtown Elementary, are the beginners in the family. Level of expertise doesn’t matter, says Bruce. It’c the fun quotient that counts.
“It’s something the whole family can do; that’s what first drew us to it,” explained Bruce.
In addition to those just learning the sport, the association also has players who are competing at the highest level, representing the United States in international competitions.
Sara Cifelli, 18, of Pennington, is one such player competing at the highest level. She’s currently in South Africa taking part in a test match for the US Polocrosse U-21 team. Last summer, she traveled to Australia as part of the USA’s U-17 team.
But not everyone has the freedom to travel the globe or the expertise needed to compete on an international level. Club directors realize that and they’re always trying to attract new players. They do it by hosting events in both Bucks and Mercer Counties.
A little less than a month ago, the club hosted what they called a Polocrosse Play Day at the Cifelli family’s Sycamore Creek Farm, which sits along Pennington-Harborton Road in Pennington.
On the weekend of June 20-21, the association will be host its fifth annual American Polocrosse Association sanctioned tournament at Come Along Farm in Pipersville. The weekend promises exciting entertainment for the horse lover and non-horse lover alike and is a great opportunity for a get-together and picnic with family and friends.
Because polocrosse involves an equal combination of brains, brawn, and agility, polocrosse is one of the few team sports where men and women play on equal footing. All this makes polocrosse an ideal and highly popular family sport and it is not uncommon to see three generations of competitors camping and competing together at a tournament.
***
IF YOU GO: This year’s Bucks County Polocrosse Club tournament will have all levels of polocrosse, with a peewee division, two junior divisions, and four or five open divisions divided by skill level. There will be two playing fields to accommodate all the teams. Play starts at 9 a.m. and continues throughout the day.
Come Along Farm is located at 55 Municipal St., in Pipersville. For more information on Bucks County Polocrosse and for directions to Come Along Farm, visit online at: www.buckscountypolocrosse.com or call (908)797-8778.

Newtown scramblingto catch up in Legion play

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
What, me worry.
That’s the attitude of Newtown Legion skipper Bob Maley as he and his Post 440 Legion baseball team scramble to make up half the season’s schedule in the upcoming weeks.
With Council Rock North earning a berth this spring in the District One Class AAAA finals as well as the PIAA tournament, all of Newtown’s games were suspended until the Indians were eliminated from states.
Post 440 missed 11 games in all--matchups that must be made up by July 6 in time for the July 7 start of the Lower Buck Legion playoffs. Additionally, a June 9 pairing against Yardley-Morrisville was rained out. That’s a dozen games in a 24-game season.
“I’m not worried; we’ll catch up,” stated Maley, who is just finishing up the first week of a season that’s three weeks old for the rest of the league.
After opening PIAA play June 1 with a win over Central, CR North had a pair of dates rained out in their state quarterfinal pairing against North Penn. The battle against the Knights finally took place on June 6, with North Penn edging the Rock, 2-1.
Newtown finally got going Sunday, June 7, falling 3-0 to Falls Post 834. In that one, Post 440 managed just two hits.
Again, Maley is not worried.
That’s because Newtown turned the tables on Post 834 last night (June 11) at CR North’s field, crushing Falls, 19-1, in a 5-inning game shortened by the mercy rule.
“We couldn’t buy a hit in the first game against Falls. Half the team was worn out from states. The other half was rusty from sitting around for 3-and 1/2 weeks waiting,” stated Maley.
“Hopefully, last night is more of an indicator of what we’re going to do this season”
The 19-1 thumping was Post 440’s first visit to the win column. Newtown lost Wednesday’s (June 10) matchup to Northampton, 5-2.
Despite his team’s 1-2 record, Maley is excited about Post 440’s prospects for the season. The reason for Maley’s enthusiasm is simple--plenty of pitching.
While the coach scrambled to fill the rotation last year in his first season at the Post 440 helm, Maley says he has plenty of arms to go around this season.
That’s because several pitchers including CR North seniors Scott Runzer and Kelly Adams who were working elsewhere last season, are back with Post 440 this year. Add Keith Terry and Jared Weed to the mix and Connor McFarlane, a freshman lefthander for PSU-Abington, and you have a pitching coach’s dream come true.
Pile on Sean Duckworth, of Archbishop Wood, Mike Buckley, of Holy Ghost Prep and Pennsbury righthander Tom Herring and you might have a hard time getting enough mound duty for each and every pitcher.
Playing the field for Newtown this year is Matt Hone, a CR North senior selected to this year’s SOL-National/ Bicentennial Carpenter Cup team along with Adams and Runzer. Ryan Maley, a third baseman at Rock, will play second for the legion team. Zach Stegers, of Pennsbury, is positioned at third base. Holy Ghost junior Mick Conway, Matt Kane of Archbishop Wood and Gywnedd Mercy College freshman Kevin Smeraglio will see action in the outfield.
Connor Flannery will see time at short, second base and the outfield says Maley. “He has a big bat so we’re going to play him wherever we can get him into the lineup,” says the coach.
In order to catch up to the rest of the league, Newtown has 10 games scheduled in the next nine days. There are two games added to this week's lineup including a home game at noon, Sunday, June 14 against Yardley-Western. Wednesday's road matchup against Northampton has been turned into a 5:30 p.m. doubleheader.
Hopefully, the rains that have hit the region repeatedly the last several weeks will hold off long enough to get the games in.
Again, the coach is not worried. According to Maley, Post 440 will catch up.

CONWELL-EGAN:Buch drafted on day two

Monmouth pitcher
helped Conwell-Egan
to its only PCL crown

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Area coaches always knew there was something special about Ryan Buch, a Monmouth University righthander who three years ago helped Conwell-Egan to its first Philadelphia Catholic League championship in 25 years.
“Ryan is one of those kids who just continues to get better and better, and before it’s all said and done, I truly believe Ryan is going to make some noise in pro ball,” stated Monmouth pitching coach Chuck Ristano.
Now it's official.
The MU junior was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft yesterday by the Chicago White Sox. Buch, a 6-3 right-hander, was an eighth round selection (No. 253 overall) by the Sox.
Classmate Brett Brach, a 6-3 righty from Freehold, was also drafted, selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 10th round (No. 305 overall). Brach, who won a career-high seven games this season, has earned 14 victories, as well as five saves, in his first three years at Monmouth.
"Both Ryan and Brett should be very proud of being selected today," said Monmouth head coach Dean Ehehalt. "They both have worked very hard in order to put themselves in this position."
Buch holds an overall record of 22-8, with 234 strikeouts in 210 innings of work in his career for the Hawks. This year, he set a new single-season record for strikeouts with 92, while leading Monmouth back to NCAA Regionals.
MLB Draft Prognosticators had Buch going much sooner, as high as the second round which took place on Tuesday—day one of the draft. Baseball America ranked the righthander as the 90th top prospect in the draft, and the No. 24 overall righthander. Perfect Game Crosschecker listed the Yardley native as the No. 74 overall prospect.
It’s all said and done with now with both players apparently headed to the American League. Both had gone undrafted out of high school.
"We are extremely excited for Ryan and Brett," added Ristano. “Both kids have been integral to our success, and this is a great indicator that the program continues to move in the right direction."
This spring, Monmouth won its fourth Northeast Conference (NEC) Championship and advanced to its fourth NCAA Regional. The Hawks, who went 32-25 on the year, posted their third straight 30-win season and fourth of the last five years.
In 39 career appearances for the Blue and White, which includes 35 starts, Buch stands second all-time at Monmouth in strikeouts and victories. His 3.43 overall ERA in three seasons also ranks third all-time in the Hawks' record books, while his freshman season ERA of 2.44 still stands fifth-best as a single-season mark.
"Ryan has some special abilities," stated Ristano. "This year, his fastball touched in the mid 90s and he has a big-time breaking ball. He’s got a great pitcher's body and he always has been a workhorse on the mound.”
The 2007 NEC and New Jersey Collegiate Baseball Association (NJCBA) Rookie of the Year, and Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Buch made two starts for the Hawks in NCAA Regionals, facing Nebraska in 2007 in Tempe, Arizona, and squaring off against Missouri's Kyle Gibson (No. 22 overall pick in this year's draft by Minnesota) in Oxford, Mississippi.
Last season at Monmouth, Buch went 6-1, posting a 3.66 ERA in 51.2 innings of work. In 11 games (9 starts), two of his wins were complete games, with one shutout and two combined shutouts. Ryan also ranked second on the team with 66 strikeouts. He allowed just 37 hits in 51.2 innings of work – a.198 average.
This season, Buch went 7-5 in 14 appearances (13 starts) with a 4.31 ERA, best on the team among pitchers with 60 or more innings pitched. This year, Ryan allowed 85 hits in 77.1 innings of work.
Those who haven’t followed Buch and some of the other high school standouts from Lower Bucks who’ve gone on to excel at Monmouth might remember Ryan when he was pitching at Conwell-Egan. Buch was a member of the Eagles team that went 16-0, capping their best season ever by clobbering St. Joseph’s Prep to capture the PCL Championship on the only undefeated team in the history of the Catholic league.
In two seasons at CEC, Ryan averaged more than two strikeouts per inning. He wasn’t bad with the bat either. The year the Eagles won it all, Buch hit .385 and led the PCL in triples.
He was also winning pitcher for the Mercer-Bucks Red Sox summer league team which won the league title and advanced to the NABF World Series.

Cyclist turned drag racer in Bensalem

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Drag racing fans can see Funny car driver Marty Nothstein up close this Tuesday, June 16 in Bensalem.
Nothstein, 38, an Allentown native who once was an internationally renowned bicyclist who won gold and silver Olympic medals in cycling, now drives an NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car for Follow A Dream racing team.
Nothstein is making an appearance from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Texas Roadhouse on Street Road in Bensalem.
A 1989 graduate of Emmaus High School, Nothstein retired from competitive cycling after the 2006 season and went straight to drag racing. He is in his third season driving an Alcohol Funny Car, which is the undercard division to the NHRA's nitro divisions.
Starting tonight, Marty will compete in the NHRA Super Nationals at Old Bridge Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. The event continues through Sunday.
The racers returned to Englishtown today with mixed emotions, thoughts of Scott Kalitta, who was killed last year in a horrific crash when his parachute failed to deploy in a Super Nationals qualifier still fresh in their minds. Kalitta’s car, a modified Toyota Solara, continued down the drag strip, hit a concrete post at 200 miles-an-hour and erupted into a fireball. The 46-year-old driver was pulled from the wreck barely clinging to life and was pronounced dead a short time later.
In order to prevent a recurrence of what happed to Kalitta, the NHRA has increased track distance from a quarter-mile to 1,000 feet.
Nothstein has won two races in the 2007 NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series season; one at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Florida in the season opener, the other at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Illinois. He finished 11th in points his first year in drag racing.
In cycling, he captured a silver medal in the match sprint at the 1996 Summer Olympics held that year in Atlanta. Four years later, he captured an Olympic gold medal in the same event in Sydney, Australia.
Nothstein still keeps his hand in bicycling. He’s the first-year executive director of Trexlertown’s Valley Preferred Cycling Center (VPCC) where he got his start in the business. The World Series of Bicycling kicked off Friday, June 5 at the Trexlertown cycling venue. Annandale, N.J. native Jame Carney outsprinted young gun Lanell Rockmore of Bethlehem in the final half-lap to take the season opener.
Next up at VPCC is the Festival of Speed which takes place on Friday. After that, it’s on to the BRL All-Star Finals on June 26. For more information, visit www.thevelodrome.com.
The Texas Roadhouse is located at 1545 Street Road in Bensalem. For more information, call 215-639-7427.
Old Bridge Raceway Park is located in Old Bridge Township, N.J. on 230 Pension Road in Englishtown. For more information visit www.etownraceway.com or call (732) 446-7800.

EPSLA Showcase puts topcollegiate prospects on display

The top junior and sophomore prospects from The Eastern Pennsylvania Scholastic Lacrosse Association will be on display for college recruiters tomorrow Thursday, June 11, at Haverford College in a brand new showcase event.
The Showcase will consist of two games, one for sophomores and one for juniors. Each game will feature a public school team vs. a private school team. The sophomore game will be played first at 5 p.m., and the junior game will follow immediately afterward.
Pennsbury has a pair of sophomores playing - Dan Marr and Ricky Jutkiewicz (pictured, above). Marr was recently named to the All-Suburban One League National Conference First Team. Jutkiewicz was given the nod to join the All-SOL-N Second Team.
Additionally, Holy Ghost has a pair of junior taking part in the contest - Andrijko Andrusko and Andrew Cacchio.
"The event will start a rigorous summer recruiting circuit that many of our players endure. We believe the best players in Eastern PA will be showing their talents on June 11 at Haverford College,” said EPSLA Vice-President and Episcopal Academy Head Coach Andy Hayes.
This event has been created in the spirit of the EPSLA’s mission statement “to promote the growth of lacrosse in Eastern Pennsylvania.”
The EPSLA has historically organized an end-of-year tournament for all high school teams in the region. With the sanctioning of boys’ lacrosse by the PIAA, however, the tournament is now in the hands of the state organization and is therefore limited to PIAA member schools—a new configuration that excludes some of the best programs in the region.
The EPSLA’s Showcase promises to redress that problem by ensuring all the top juniors and sophomores from EPSLA member schools will have the opportunity to showcase their talents for college recruiters. Organizers expect The Showcase to recapture the excitement of previous years’ tournaments.
The four teams for The Showcase were selected through a tryout held on Sunday, June 7 at Episcopal Academy. Each team carries 22 players and will be coached by a staff of EPSLA head coaches selected by their peers. EPSLA member coaches nominated the top players from their teams by the end of the season, and a selection committee comprised of EPSLA coaches determined which players would be invited to try out.
The inaugural EPSLA Sophomore and Junior Showcase promises to be an excellent recruiting opportunity for the area's elite lacrosse underclassmen, and will certainly garner the attention of many college lacrosse coaches from around the country.
"It will be an honor for both players and coaches to participate in this event. We have many elite lacrosse players in this area and The Showcase will be a great way for them to get exposure to college coaches," states Dean Curtis, EPSLA President and former Pennsbury High School Head Coach.
More information about the The Showcase can be found at www.eplsa.org.

Citko to represent Bucks in east-west clash

By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor

Archbishop Wood senior Adam Citko (pictured, right) has been named as this area's only representative in the PSFCA East/West All-Star game. The game is slated Friday, June 19 at Mansion Park in Altoona.
In Wood's fall 2008 campaign, Citko helped the Vikings' ground attack by opening up gaping holes for the likes of running backs Sean Cunningham, Sean McCartney and Nick Devine. His efforts helped Cunningham - a second team selection - tally more than 1,700 yards on the ground and 27 touchdowns this season, one in which Wood captured it's first District 12 championship and a trip to the PIAA Class AAA title game where it fell to two-time state champion Thomas Jefferson.
For the season, McCartney compiled 683 yards on 128 rushes. Devine carried the football 75 times for 479 yards.
This is the 9th annual east-west gridiron clash. Through it, players have been awarded more than $45,000 in scholarships toward their post-secondary school education.
For the first time in its history, the battle will be staged on the same weekend as the Big 33 Football Classic, which is set for Saturday, June 20 at HersheyPark Stadium.
Speaking of which, there are three area players taking part in the annual Big 33 game which pits the best seniors Pennsy has to offer against their counterparts in Ohio. Two are from Neshaminy including Jay Colbert and Dan Shirey. Council Rock South’s Justin Pugh has also been nominated to play in the game.
Colbert is a 6-1, 233-pound defensive end who is headed to New Hampshire. Shirey is a 6-2, 275-pound offensive lineman destined for Villanova in the fall. Pugh is also an O-lineman, but for the Golden Hawks, and weighs in at 6-5, 275 pounds. Justin is going to Syracuse.

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NOTES: PSFCA is an acronym for Pennsylvania Scholastic Football Coaches Association.

CR SOUTH:Gilson just misses state medal

Council Rock South senior Brett Gilson tuning up for states.

Council Rock South senior Brett Gilson and John Cantwell made it to states this year for the Golden Hawk boys track & field team with Cantwell earning state berths in the long jump and the triple jump and Gilson competing in the pole vault.
Gilson was this year’s district runner-up in his craft with a vault of 14 feet, 6 inches. At the district meet held last month at Coatesville Area High School, Brett nearly cleared a height of 15 feet but couldn’t quite get there.
“I had enough height, just not enough penetration into the pit,” stated Gilson as he prepared for states. “I kept hitting the bar on my way down.”
Gilson, who is headed to Dartmouth in the fall, got himself a new 15-foot pole measuring before heading to states. “I’m real excited to use it,: stated Gilson. “It gives me more height coming off the top of it.”
With a 9th-place finish May 23 at the PIAA Class AAA meet at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium, Gilson just missed earning a state medal with his 14-foot vault.
Two others--Mitch Codd, of Seneca Valley, and Chris Dougherty, of St. Joe’s Prep--tied for seventh place medals just ahead of Gilson. They also had 14-foot vaults but attained the winning height with fewer misses than Gilson.
Cantwell, who is headed to Miami of Ohio, placed 11th in the triple jump with a leap of 45 feet, 2.25 inches. Muhlenberg High’s Tyrell Ellison won the event after notching 49 feet, 0.75 inches.
Cantwell earned a 12th-place finish in the long jump, reaching a mark 22 feet 1-and-1/2 inches from the start. Matt Green, of Belle Vernon High, took the top prize with his leap of 23 feet 7.5 inches.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman

Darreff best catcher in the A-10—again

The St. Joseph’s softball team has garnered multiple all-conference honors with four Hawks earning individual accolades. Freshman third baseman Monica Aguilar became the first Hawk in program history to be named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year and was selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference First Team alongside junior catcher Brooke Darreff, a Central Bucks South graduate from Hartsville.
For the second straight season, Darreff has proven to be the best catcher in the Atlantic 10, earning her second consecutive All-Conference First Team honor.
Leading the Hawks with a .391 batting average and .457 on-base percentage, Darreff slugged a career-high four home runs, while driving in 29 runs and scoring 15 times.
The 2008 A-10 Player of the Year, Darreff posted an astounding 96 hits the past two seasons, while batting .427. She is currently 20th all-time in SJU softball history with 115 hits.
Senior outfielder Erika Rosenwinkel and senior pitcher Dani Gonzales earned All-Conference Second Team honors. The four award winners bring the Hawks’ all-time total to 32 All-Conference honorees.
As a team, St. Joe's was 22-18 on the season and 8-7 in Atlantic 10 play. This was the second time the Hawks have made the A-10 Tournament under head coach Terri Adams.
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—Steve Sherman, Sports Editor

Five locals chosen to enter Carpenter Cup tourney

The Mercer County Carpenter Cup roster has been released and three players from Hopewell Valley Central have made it onto the team including second baseman Tyler Cignarella (pictured, right) along with outfielders Ben Meer and Carl Sorg.
Two players from Ewing High School - senior third baseman Nick Cifelli and junior lefthander Colin Holmes - have also been named to the tournament team.
Carpenter Cup play commences for Mercer at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 against Delaware South at University of Pennsylvania's Meiklejohn Stadium.
The tourney continues June 18 and 19 at Meiklejohn and moves to Citizens Bank Park on June 23 for the semifinals with the championship slated to go June 24.
All games are weather permitting.
--Sports Editor Steve Sherman
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Carpenter Cup Classic
Mercer County
No. Name Cl. Pos. High School

24 Anthony Verderese Sr. OF Hamilton West
25 Ben Meer Sr. OF Hopewell
12 Brian Witkowski Sr. P Notre Dame
6 Carl Sorg Sr. OF Hopewell
23 Colin Holmes Jr. P Ewing
1 Eric Patterson Jr. 2B Nottingham
16 Joe Leone Sr. DH/3B Notre Dame
29 Jon Scott Jr. C Princeton Day School
22 Kevin Dragert Sr. P Steinert
9 Kevin Kocsak Sr. OF Hamilton West
32 Kyle Paul Jr. P Steinert
4 Kyle Reed Jr. P West Windsor North
14 Mark Kalokitis Sr. DH/C Steinert
30 Mark Moceri Jr. OF Steinert
7 Matt Chotkowski Sr. SS Nottingham
10 Matt Maher Sr. 3B Steinert
17 Matt Patterson Jr. 1B Nottingham
18 Mike Mimmo Jr. P Nottingham
8 Mike Tartaro Sr. OF West Windsor North
28 Neil Harm Sr. P Steinert
3 Nick Cifelli Sr. 3B Ewing
31 Nick Zucchero Sr. 1B Steinert
11 Ryan Phelan Jr. C West Windsor North
21 Scott Kelly Sr. SS West Windsor North
5 Tyler Cignarella Sr. 2B Hopewell
Alternates:
Kevin Fitzell Jr. P Lawrence
Mike Ford Jr. P/3B Hun School
Andrew Septer Sr. C Hamilton West
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Head Coach
3 - Brian Giallella
Assistant Coaches
8 - John Constantino
24 - Kip Harrison
25 - Tom Brettell