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George Canales, left, and Boston's John Romano have organized the event from opposite ends of the commonwealth for years.

New England Regional, La Festa Exchange to Delight Area Baseball Fans

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A busy weekend of youth baseball is on tap for two historic county venues.
 
The action gets underway at 10 a.m. on Friday morning when Westfield takes on Vermont State Champion Essex Junction in the first game of the 13-year-old Babe Ruth New England Championship at Wahconah Park.
 
It will be the first of 17 games over five days to determine who will represent New England in the World Series that gets underway in Jamestown, N.Y., on Aug. 14.
 
Host Pittsfield will play in the final game on Friday, a planned 7 p.m. first pitch against Connecticut State Champion Stamford.
 
Pittsfield will then play its next two pool play games at 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
 
The top three teams in each of two four-team pools advance to bracket play, which gets underway on Monday morning and concludes with the title game on Tuesday afternoon.
 
No regional championship stakes but plenty of pride will be on the line and plenty of fun will be had on Saturday and Sunday in North Adams, when the 34th annual La Fest Baseball Exchange gets started at Joe Wolfe Field.
 
Youth teams from North Adams and Boston’s North End have been playing mid-summer classic for more than three decades.
 
This year’s edition gets going at 6 p.m. on Saturday and continues Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
 
Win or lose – and the teams have done both in pretty much equal measure over the years – the two teams will meet up again Aug. 9 and 10 for games on the home field of the North End Dodgers.
 
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McCann Recognizes Superintendent Award Recipient

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

Landon LeClair and Superintendent James Brosnan with Landon's parents Eric and Susan LeClair, who is a teacher at McCann. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Superintendent's Award has been presented to Landon LeClair, a senior in McCann Technical School's advanced manufacturing course. 
 
The presentation was made last Thursday by Superintendent Jame Brosnan after Principal Justin Kratz read from teachers' letters extolling LeClair's school work, leadership and dedication. 
 
"He's become somewhat legendary at the Fall State Leadership Conference for trying to be a leader at his dinner table, getting an entire plate of cookies for him and all his friends," read Kratz to chuckles from the School Committee. "Landon was always a dedicated student and a quiet leader who cared about mastering the content."
 
LeClair was also recognized for his participation on the school's golf team and for mentoring younger teammates. 
 
"Landon jumped in tutoring the student so thoroughly that the freshman was able to demonstrate proficiency on an assessment despite the missed class time for golf matches," read Kratz.
 
The principal noted that the school also received feedback from LeClair's co-op employer, who rated him with all fours.
 
"This week, we sent Landon to our other machine shop to help load and run parts in the CNC mill," his employer wrote to the school. LeClair was so competent the supervisor advised the central shop might not get him back. 
 
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