<b>Forth Hunt Junior All-Stars Beat Central Springfield</b>
After a six-hour rain delay, Fort Hunt Junior All-Stars defeated a gritty Central Springfield team 9-2 under clearing skies at Veteran's Park in Woodbridge.
Andrew Smith started for Fort Hunt and went 3 innings, facing 16 batters, throwing five strikeouts, four walks and allowing two runs on two hits. While one of those hits was a home run, it was also the last challenge to Fort Hunt dominance in the game. Fort Hunt closed out several budding Central Springfield rallies over the next six innings with excellent pitching and near-flawless fielding.
Billy Lescher started the fourth, coming on in relief of Smith, and continuing into the fifth, striking out five of seven batters, allowing no runs on two singles.
To retain eligibility to pitch Monday, Lescher was lifted for Austin White who came on in the fifth with runners on first and third and two outs. White ended the inning in dramatic fashion, retiring the side by wheeling off the pitcher's block, throwing quickly to Andrew Smith at first base to pick off the Central Springfield runner who had challenged Fort Hunt with a lead one step too long.
White went on to face seven batters over 2 1/3 innings, striking out two, allowing one single and no runs, to end another game with a decisive pitching performance. A great defensive play on a hard hit ground ball up the middle, snagged by shortstop Michael Coyle on a dead run behind second base and bullet throw to first beat the runner and ended the game.
On defense, Matt Dorris, running full speed from his position deep at second base, beat the runner to first and caught the bullet throw from Jack Leyden, third baseman, who charged a bunt near-perfectly hit inches from the foul line, getting the runner by a half step.
Earlier in the contest, Rocky Iboleon flawlessly barehanded another stellar bunt attempt by Central Springfield, threw to first to beat the runner for the out.
Coyle starred in the field. In the second inning, he went deep behind third base near the foul line to snag a high fly on a near-dead run. Later, he was central to a key play when he orchestrated a double run-down between first and second bases and between third and home. Central Springfield singled to right with one man on. A perfect throw-in by Leyden in right field to cutoff Andrew Smith who threw to Coyle at second to start the first and third rundowns by engaging the first-base runner.
As the runner at third broke for home, a spot-on throw to AJ Melvin at home plate caught the runner in a run-down between Melvin and Rocky Iboleon. Melvin and Iboleon executed a perfect rundown out with the final tag made by Coyle to end the inning and quash a hoped-for rally by Central Springfield. Just spectacular play all around — a tribute to the valued instruction and inspiration of Coach Bert Heffernan.
Ryan Scott and Cory Conway started the action for Fort Hunt with hard hit singles in the first to get the bats going; Zach Hecker and Lee McCabe were once again strong in the field and fast and smart on the basepaths.
On offense, Rocky Iboleon, Austin White, Brant Knoblauch, and Melvin starred with Iboleon going 3 for 3 at the plate driving in two runs. In the third, Brant singled to right center to drive in Iboleon and White, who reached on a single and a walk respectively, to open scoring for Fort Hunt.
Fort Hunt then went ahead 3-2 when Melvin reached on an error, scoring Brant. White helped his cause at the plate going 1 for 2 including a powerful triple to right just shy of the 320-foot fence, driving in two insurance runs in the seventh. Along the way, Michael Coyle got his bat going with a booming double into left-center.
<b>Riverside Gardens Wins</b>
In their second win this season, Riverside Gardens Tsunami swim team defeated Shouse Village 210-192 in a NVSL Division 7 match up on July 10. The steady rain never let up throughout the meet, and neither did the Tsunami team, turning in 19 first-place finishes.
For Riverside, Jack Garland, Paul Dubois, Sean Sullivan, Elizabeth Dexter, Carolyn Murphy brought home blue ribbons in freestyle, Jack Garland, Patrick Murphy, Grace Zdebski, Elizabeth Dexter, Madison Zdebski captured blue ribbons in backstroke, Justin Bassett, Teddy Feighery, Kevin Grant, Carolyn Bloom won blue ribbons in breaststroke and Alec Dubois, Paul Dubois, Sean Sullivan, Emma Klein, Carolyn Murphy won blue ribbons in butterfly. Riverside Gardens also posted five relay wins
<b>Softball Tournaments</b>
The FHYAA U12 Girls Softball team won the annual Father’s Day tournament held at Wakefield Park in Fairfax on June 19-20. The team was consisted of players from the four FHYAA U12 house teams; Raiders, Hurricanes, Nationals and Flash.
The team won all four games over the weekend against other all-star teams from around the region and had only two joint practices together in preparation for the tournament.
The team is composed of: coaches Jim Miller, Glen Bolger and Cindy Jackson, and players Annabelle Miller, Torie Bolger, Megan Jackson, Kate Gregory, Jayne Orleans, Caitlin Magro, Maddie McMullen, Nicole Freewalt, Tanna Pelto, Meghan Jones, Jordan Quinonez, Stephanie Frazier and Sarah Lowe.
The scorekeeper was Madeline Miller.
The U10 Fort Hunt team also played in the Father’s Day tournament at Falls Church High School and after winning the first game of their bracket, ran into some tough competition and although they didn’t win the tourney and had a great time.
Coaches Mitch Rockwell, Miriam Miller, Heath Wallace and Phil Klein led the U10 team.
The players representing the U10 team were Emilie Becker, Caroline Bowman, Alexandra Dorris, Emma Klein, Jennavieve Miller, Grace Moery, Hannah Monroe, Micaela Neulight, Alekzandra Pierpoint, Erin Rockwell, Victoria Rulapaugh and Cameron Wallace.
On Monday June 21, the FHYAA house team concluded its season with the championship game held at Carl Sandburg Middle School. The game was played between the No. 1 seed Mount Vernon Devil Dogs and the No. 2 seed Fort Hunt Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes and the Devil Dogs played an outstanding game that was eventually won by the Hurricanes 12-6.
The Fort Hunt Hurricanes were coached by Jim Miller, Miriam Miller and Ron Dillard. The players on the first-place Hurricanes were Jennavieve Miller, Christina Dillard, Annabelle Miller, Caroline Bowman, Maddie McMullen, Lena Harmata, Josie Sara, Erin Deighton, Emma Melvin, Katie Martineau, Marina Endahl, and Sydney Kiefert.
<b>Running Club on Sundays</b>
The Mount Vernon Milers running club meets at 8 a.m. on Sundays. The group usually meets along the Potomac River, but the exact location is listed in an e-mail sent every Wednesday for the coming week. Distances vary but runners can expect between four and eight miles.
To join the Mount Vernon Milers, send Lee Britton an e-mail at lbritton7@yahoo.com to be put on the e-mail list.
<b>Summer Basketball Camp at Whitman MS</b>
The Mark Vincent Annual Summer Basketball Camp will be held at Walt Whitman Middle School. The camp session will be held from July 19-23. Camp tuition is $200 per camper. Camp hours are from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day except on the last day; it will end at noon. Boys and girls ages 7-15 are welcome to attend. Boys and girls campers will be grouped in separate gyms. Campers will also be grouped by age, size and skill level. There will a 10-1 camper to coach ratio. The camps are instructional and skill based. The camp features include local college coaches or players as guest speakers, camp shirts, written evaluations, lectures and demonstrations of offensive and defensive strategies, daily competition and awards, 3 on 3, and 5 on 5 league play. Lastly, concessions will be sold daily throughout the day. Pizza will also be sold during lunch time. Campers will be responsible for their own lunch if they don’t order pizza. Staff members will consist of local high school coaches and players.
Contact markvincentbasketballcamps@gmail.com for more information.
<b>Indoor Baseball Training</b>
The StrikeZone Academy, an indoor baseball training facility located in Alexandria, is offering week-long summer baseball camps for the weeks of July 26, Aug. 16 and 30. Camps run from 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. The target age group is from 7-11 years old. Extended hours from 1-4 p.m. are available as well. Cost is $160 per week for the morning session and $160 per week for extended hours. All camps are held indoors in our climate controlled facility, so parents have no need to worry about security, excessive heat, bugs, or lack of cold water and restroom facilities. Interested parents can register online at www.thestrikezoneacademy.com/clinics, via telephone at 703-823-0061, or stop by in person at 826 South Pickett Street, near the intersections of South Pickett and South Van Dorn Streets.
<b>Baseball Tryouts</b>
The Northern Virginia Seminoles, a rising 13-and-younger travel baseball team, will be holding open tryouts July 26-27 for committed players for the upcoming 2010-11 season. Players must not turn 14 years of age prior to May 1, 2011. For more information contact: seminolesbaseball15@yahoo.com
<b>Alexandria Titans Youth Tackle Football</b>
The Alexandria Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities; Centers, Playgrounds and Youth Sports Division is accepting registrations for the Alexandria Titans Youth Tackle Football program. Teams are formed in the following weight divisions and participate in the Fairfax County Youth Football League: Anklebiters, 75 lbs, 85 lbs, 95 lbs, 110 lbs, 125 lbs, and 150 lbs. Participants will be weighed and assigned to teams according to their weight and age. This program is for participants ages 7-16. Registration fee is $25. All participants must have a Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Identification Card upon registration. For more information, call the Sports Office at 703-746-5402 or go on the Youth Sports Web site at www.alexandriava.gov/recreation.