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Greylock Boys Basketball Sweep Tourneys |
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Community Submission On: 11:41AM / Wednesday March 21, 2012 |
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The Greylock Travel Team ended the season as three-time champs. |
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Greylock Boys Basketball Travel Team rolled over the competition on their march to tournament victories over the past few weekends.
The team, comprised of boys in Grades 5 and 6 from Williamstown and Lanesborough, won the Housatonic Tournament, Berkshire County Championship and the Adams Tournament.
The three-time tourney champs pictured above are Cal Messina, left, Evan Sheridan, Henry Rauscher, Colton Adams, Dom Paris, Eli Ostheimer and Alex Backiel. In the back are Sam Dils, left, Demaggio Paris, Josef Soza-Foias, Sean McCormack, coach Clint Chase, Phillip Guest, coach Travis Clairmont and Brady Foehl.
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Monterey Softball Seasons Starts Month Early |
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Community Submission On: 11:05AM / Monday March 19, 2012 |
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The traditional Monterey Sunday Softball season got off to its earliest start ever on March 18 at Greene Park. |
 MONTEREY, Mass. — Baseball season is coming early this year. Thanks to a mild winter, the ballfield at Greene Park is game ready a month earlier than usual. Weather permitting, informal pickup softball games for all players ages 13 and up will be played now through the end of October.
For more than 20 years, players from Monterey, Otis, Sandsfield, Blandford, Lee, Great Barrington, Sheffield and surrounding towns have enjoyed the friendly competition at the picturesque park. All skill levels welcome. Batting practice starts at 10 and games at 10:30 every Sunday.
Cal Ripken youth baseball also started March 18 as ages 8 to 12 pitchers, catchers, hitters and runners from Monterey, Otis, Great Barrington, Sandisfield, Mill River and surrounding towns reported for spring training and an exhibition game. Players of all levels are welcome to sign-up for South County Cal Ripken baseball now by emailing sgraves8@yahoo.com or by calling 413-269-4632.
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MCLA Honors Graduating Winter Athletes |
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By Andy McKeever On: 04:06PM / Tuesday March 06, 2012 |
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The men's basketball team had two players reach 1,000 career points this season. That's worth a hug.
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NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — With three seniors graduating this year, the MCLA women's basketball team will be looking to replace 3,000 points, 2,000 rebounds and the school's best record over four years.
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts' athletic department honored its winter athletes and previewed the spring season on Tuesday at the end-of-the-season Blue and Gold Luncheon.
Reeling in most of the honors were the three basketball players who have lifted the women's basketball program into two championship games in the last three years— Jen Wehner, Alie Dobrovolc and Olivia McMullen.
The biggest name the team is losing is Wehner, who set career school records with 1,606 points and 1,211 rebounds. Her trophy case is filled with all-conference honors and a postseason MVP award and she was the school's first conference player of the year.
"Opposing teams go into games against us and for defensive purposes, all they want to try to do was stop Jen," coach Holly McGovern said. "She's a phenomenal player and it's not too often a player like this walks through our doors. I'm very proud of what she accomplished."
Right by Wehner's side was McMullen, more of a behind-the-scenes player whose dedication to the team pushed Wehner in practice, and Dobrovolc, the team's second star.
McGovern said Dobrovolc was forced to change positions and, immediately the team's turnover stopped. She is ending her career just 13 rebounds shy of 500, set the school record in assists and was the fifth player in school history to score at least 1,000 points.
"She's probably the most explosive player in the MASCAC and we're very proud of her and her accomplishments," McGovern said.
MCLA President Mary Grant said the sports programs are continuing to grow - including a new tennis team.
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While the men's side was not as impressive, they were in every game and reached plenty of milestones as well, according to coach Jamie Morrison. The team's record was 8-19 but that could have easily gone the other way because eight of those games were lost in the last possession, Morrison said.
The team is losing seniors Jamal Brown, Chris Harris and Tyrell Mosley. The team was led by Harris, who was the school's 18th player to score more than 1,000 points in his career.
"He was the first of two Trailblazers to surpass 1,000 points," Morrison said, the other being Mosley.
Mosley transferred to MCLA and played with the team for two years. His 1,000th point came in the playoff game at the end of the season. Morrison said that while Mosley was disappointed in the team's loss, the milestone is still special.
"Anytime you score 1,000 points in your career, high school, college, it's really a testament to your work and fortitude," Morrison said.
Brown was an All-Conference second team and one of the top 10 rebounders in the league. Brown's leadership was the biggest reason the team started playing well toward the end of the season, Morrison said.
While the coaches were saying goodbye to their players, MCLA President Mary Grant changed the tone from sadness to happiness.
"We're not losing key players, they're graduating. That's what we want," Grant said. "You raised the bar. All of you raised the bar."
Grant said she has watched the sports programs grow for the last decade and that they have helped the entire school. With the caliber of players and coaches, the sports and education are only getting better, she said, winning ethics and academic awards, drawing large crowds to volleyball and soccer games and promoting new sports, like the start of a men's tennis program next year.
"I hope you know how important you are to this institution," Grant said.
Spring sports are right around the corner and athletic staff are expecting some "growing pains" because both the baseball and softball teams are very young. According to baseball coach Jeff Puleri, a lot of talent has been recruited to ensure the future of the program.
Baseball team is also taking a step toward being more integrated into the Northern Berkshire community this year by, hopefully, playing their first three games at Joe Wolfe Field, Puleri said.
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Pittsfield Baseball Team Dubbed 'Suns' |
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Staff Reports On: 06:02PM / Tuesday February 28, 2012 |
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The city's latest team has a cheery moniker: the Pittsfield Suns.
BallParkDigest.com reported the name of the Futures League franchise that will call historic Wahconah Park this summer.
The collegiate team, owned by the Goldklang Group, will have a familiar face at the helm in Jamie Keefe, general manager for last year's Pittsfield Colonials. Keefe was named Can-Am League Manager of the Year for 2011.
Also on the team are assistant general manager Kevin McGuire and director of client services Jackie Wendling.
Owner Jeff Goldklang has had a home in the Pittsfield area for 30 years. He said in a statement that "we intend to honor the tradition and history of the game in Pittsfield, while adding heavy doses of smiles and laughs."
The Suns are the latest in a string of professional and collegiate leage teams to take up residence at Wahconah in the last decade, including the Defenders, Black Bears and Dukes. The Suns owners are hoping to break the city's losing streak in keeping teams for more than a year or two.
"We have a different business model, highlighted by our signature and often times unconventional promotional initiatives," said Tyler Tumminia, Suns co-owner and senior vice president of the group. "It's an experience we are providing in addition to a ballgame."
Hopefully, the Suns sunny name will deflect the washouts at Wahconah Park that have put previous teams under water.
The Suns will play 54 games from June through August, half at Wahconah Park in Pittsfield. The Suns will kick off their 2012 season at Waconah Park on June 7 as they take on the Nashua Silver Nights.
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Futures League Team To Call Wahconah Park Home |
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By Andy McKeever On: 09:17PM / Tuesday November 22, 2011 |
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Jeff Goldklang will be the owner of Pittsfield's next baseball team. |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There will be baseball at Wahconah Park next year.
The Park Commission approved Tuesday night the Goldklang Group's pitch to form a new team in the newly created Futures Collegiate League, a wooden bat league. The group will now negotiate a lease agreement with the city for the park's usage.
"We believe Pittsfield has a fantastic baseball market," Jeff Goldklang, managing director, said and added that the team has positioned itself to hire a staff in the next few weeks. "We're going to start tomorrow."
The park's future team came down to either Goldklang or Rick Johansen, who proposed purchasing the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide, in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, and relocating it to the city. However, the Goldklang Group's experience seemed to push the commissioners over the edge.
The finances nearly matched between the two clubs, a point commissioners emphasized during discussions with the teams because the city has not gotten paid in the past. The decision came down to the team's merits.
Johansen's proposed Pittsfield Panthers had the benefit of joining an established 12-team league. However, Johansen's group lacked experience running a baseball team, thought the commissioners. Goldklang is joining the Futures Collegiate League, a five-team league established in 2010, as an expansion but the group currently manages four teams, one independent league and three affiliated with Major League Baseball. The Goldklang Group has consulted for teams on all levels.
"I'm really down the middle ... at this point, it feels a little like a beauty contest," Parks Commissioner Simon Muil said.
The vote was unanimous but the discussion before the vote was split. With the majority in favor of Goldklang, the Panthers' supporters changed their vote to show support for the team that ultimately will call historic Wahconah Park home.
After the meeting, Johansen was not upset with the decision and congratulated Goldklang. Johansen said he initially began pitching the team because he grew up watching baseball at the park and did not want the city to go without a team. Now that there will be baseball, Johansen said he is hopeful that Goldklang will be successful.
"When I entered there was no other team," Johansen said. "The good news is that I don't have to spend the money to purchase the team."
Now forking out the money falls to Goldklang, who is embracing the challenge of playing in a city that has seen its fair share of baseball teams fail. Goldklang is prepared to invest a lot in the new organization.
"Our budget is going to be in excess of the Colonials," Goldklang said. "It certainly will be significant and very high for a collegiate league team."
The expansion team will be the sixth team in the Futures League that spans only three states and was developed by owners of professional-affiliated teams. With teams in Connecticut, New Hampshire and Massachusetts, the league mandates that at least half of the roster is comprised of athletes from New England.
The new team does not have a name yet but Goldklang said the city's residents will likely choose the name.
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