Thursday, July 20,  2006

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     Dennis Ratliff and Rosa Epling captured the annual men’s and ladies’ club championship titles this past weekend at Willowbrook Country Club.
     Ratliff, reigning club champion, pulled out a repeat performance in winning his second straight title, but it didn’t come easy. Ratliff came back from a first-round one-stroke deficit to win the men’s championship title by one stroke.
     Epling, reigning club champion among the ladies, blistered the ladies’ division competition, winning by some 16 strokes.
     Some 35 members took part in the two-day event, playing an 18-hole round each day for a combined 36-hole total score.
      Joey Yates, a past and repeat club champion, posted a low round of one over-par, 71 on Saturday to take the early lead and capture tournament medalist honors. Ratliff posted a round of 72 on Saturday and had to settle for runner-up honors in the men’s championship flight.
      During Sunday’s play, Ratliff came back posted a round of 75 for a 36-hole total 147, while Yates finished with a round of 77 on Sunday for a 36-hole total 148.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

68 Athletes Participate in YMCA Summer Camp
Area Coaches Teach Fundamentals

    The 17^th annual YMCA Co-ed Summer Basketball Camp, conducted by Twin Valley High School varsity girls’ basketball Coach Rick Goodman and several assistants, saw some 68 young athletes take part in this year’s camp.
    The three-day camp hosted last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Buchanan County YMCA and was sponsored by the YMCA, was open to rising third through rising eighth-graders.
     Campers began their day at 9 a.m. with stretching exercises and worked their way up to shooting/station work before their 11 a.m. break, which featured daily snacks, speakers and sometimes films.
     At 11:15 each day, the campers took part in 3-on-3 play and team practice warm-ups before their fullcourt games at 11:30. Daily awards were given out at 12:45 and from 1 to 5 p.m., the campers enjoyed lunch and made use of the swimming pool facilities if they so desired.
     Along with the station and other daily awards, the camp also recognized and awarded ‘campers of the day’, as well as one ‘camper of the week’ award, which honored the recipient with a one-year student membership at the YMCA. This year’s camper of the week award went to Samantha Owens.
     Camper of the day awards went to Daniel Hobbs, Shelby Yates, L.C. Mutter and Samantha Owens. Foul Shot Championship winners were Cameron Hedrick, 3^rd-4^th grade division, Krystal Cantrell, 5^th-6^th grade division and Rachel Horne, 7^th-8^th grade division. In the One-On-One Championship rounds saw Kara Goodman win the 3^rd-4^th grade division, Logan Cantrell winner of the 5^th-6^th grade division and Daniel Hobbs winner of the 7^th-8^th grade division. Winners in the Hot Shot Championship saw Jacob Kowaski win the 3^rd-4^th grade division, Krystal Cantrell took home the 5^th-6^th grade division and Daniel Hobbs won the 7^th-8^th grade division.
     Assistants for this year’s camp helping Coach Goodman included D.J. Barton, Logan Shortridge, Brittany Maxwell, Brooke Shepherd, Garrett Horne, Courtney Hagerman, Niccatti Honaker, Sara Mullins, Katelyn Wimmer, Kala Goodman, Josie Honaker and Martha Mullins.
      Blood pressure screenings were also on hand during camp week for any YMCA visitor. Camp nurse, Frannie B. Minton, RN, of Appalachian Family Care LLC conducted screenings and was available for assistance during the three-day camp.

    It looks like the Reds made a mistake swapping two good position players for two middlin’ level middle relievers. Until you take a closer look at every other team’s pitching staff.
     Look at Boston. It’s giving starts these days to Cleveland rejects (Jason Johnson, 6.35 ERA) and Royals rejects (Kirk Synder (10.03 ERA after getting shelled by Oakland Sunday). And the Brewers’ bullpen has a higher ERA than Cincinnati’s.
     You can't blame Reds GM Wayne Krivsky for trying. It’s a seller’s market out there, with 20 teams looking for pitching and the other 10 teams, which have little to offer, inflating the price of every so-so arm on the roster.
     I still don’t like the idea of trading Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez, plus a pitcher who throws 96 mph (Ryan Wagner) for two middle relief specialists (one of them, Bill Bray, tops out at 94), a 36-year old shortstop who doesn’t hit that much, and two lesser prospects. But if it nets the club a playoff berth, I guess it’s all right.
     The Tigers traded a little-known prospect for 38-year old Doyle Alexander and it helped Detroit make the playoffs in 1987. Unfortunately, it was Detroit’s last post-season berth and the little-known prospect’s name was John Smoltz.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

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