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| August 11, 2006 Barnstable Patriot |  |
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Fun, fans, fond memories at Fenway Park
CCBL All-Stars
honored on
Boston's Biggest
Stage
By Kathleen Szmit
ks2m1t@barnstabiepatriot.com
GAME FACE - Cotuit pitcher and
MVP James Simmons offers his
best baseball stare while waiting
on the field at Fenway for the
presentation of commemorative
plaques.
STARS OF TOMORROW - The Western Division All-Stars take their
place on the third base line at Fenway Park after receiving plaques
commemorating the event.
KATHLEEN SZMIT PHOTO!
ANDTHECROWD GOES WILD-Just a smatteringof thefull house tha
packedtheseats inFenway ParklastThursdaynightwhentheAll-Stars
of the CCBL were honored during a pre-game celebration.
POINT AND SHOOT
Reese Havens of the
Cotuit Kettleers uses
his digital camera to
take a photo of the
Fenway press box
during CCBL All-Star
recognition night at
Fenway Park.
At Fenway Park last Thurs-
day night, there was a crowd
of 36,557. After an oppressive
heat wave, the air had cooled
to a pleasant 74 degrees ,
perfect for a great game of
baseball - also perfect for the
recognition of the Cape Cod
Baseball League All-Stars,
who were treated to perhaps
the evening of their lives.
The players from teams
across the Cape arrived earlier
that afternoon and were ush-
ered into the park for a meet-
and-greet with Cape League
alums KevinYouklisand Mike
Lowell, as well as Red Sox
closer Craig Hansen, whojust
two years ago was playing for
the Harwich Mariners.
While the seatsslowly filled,
the Cape Leaguers saw a side
of Fenway most willnever see,
chatting eagerly with noted
Red Sox players, their eyes
and smiles wide.
Shortly before the 7:05
game-time the Cape play-
ers, all in red All-Star shirts,
took to the field. One by one,
starting with the East team,
players had their names an-
nounced to the fansand faces
projected on the Jumbotron
as they gleefully accepted
commemorative plaques from
Hansen and Kyle Snyder, also
a former Cape Leaguer.
As the teamslined up along
the first and third base fines,
a resoundingcheer arose from
the crowd. The happiness
and awe on the faces of the
Cape players was apparent.
Kettleers teammates Eric
Farris and Justin Smoakbore
expressions of pure excite-
ment whileMatt Manginiand
Charlie Furbushcouldn't stop
grinning.
Then it was off to their
seats to watch favorite play-
ers take the field,someplace
many of them hope to be in
the future.
Although the Sox dropped
the game to the Cleveland
Indians 7-6, it was filled with
memorable highlights.Manny
Ramirez drove in his 1,500th
RBI, while just seeing David
"BigPapi"Ortiz step up to the
plate was impressive.
Hansen did his old league
proud when he turned in a
6-4-3 double play, escaping
a bases-loaded fright and
bringing the crowd to their
feet including a sea of bright
red shirtsinthe bleachers,no
doubt dreaming of their mo-
ment of glory in the majors.
After all, they are the stars of
tomorrow.
Barnstable's best
Little Leaguers'
talent takes them
to the top
By Kathleen Szmit
kszmit@bamstablepatriot.com
KATHLEEN SZMIT PHOTOS
HOMETOWN HEROES - The
State Champion 11-year-old
Barnstable Little League team
was honored at Lowell Park
in Cotuit last week before the
Kettleers' final home game.
Players on the winning team
are: Will Toffey,Charlie Rice,
Mark Brodd, Dan Walsh, Jake
Kipnes, Terrance Mudie, Alec
Morrison, Dylan Morris, James
Burke, Zach Heussler, Lenny
Leon, and Damon Blake. Head
Coach is Jack Toffey and
Assistant Coach is Rob Rice.
TAKINGHOMETHETROPHY-The Barnstable LittleLeague12-year-old
team enjoys a photo op after being honored for their winning of the
second-placetrophy inthe state championships. The champs are: Jon
Hegarty, Bobby Melley,Tim Biliouris, Will Sullivan, Pete Liimatainen,
Jameson McShea, Matt Delaney, Derek Lucas, Dennis Beynor, Luke
Besse,ConnorMcShera,GeorgeBent.HeadCoachwasDaveLiimatainen
and Assistant Coach was Bob Melley.
B
oys and baseball is
probably about as
symbolic of sum-
mer as beach towels and
sandcastles. Not only does
Barnstable have two great
Cape League teams, it also
has two of the top Little
League teams in the state.
On July 31in Oxford the
Barnstable Little League
11-year-old team captured
the state championship,just
days after the 12-year-old
team took second place.
That boys love baseball
isn't new, given the obvious
popularity of the sport on
Cape Cod. Findingyouth
such as the Barnstable teams
that have become so dedi-
cated at such an early age,
however, is rare.
Jack Toffey, manager
and assistant coach of the
11-year-old team, remains
impressed withtheir perfor-
mance weeks later."They
definitely took the hardest
route to winthe state cham-
pionship,"he said. "Andwe
came out on top. It makes
the success that much more
special."
There was a time during
the playoffs that it was ques-
tionable whether the team
would progress. After a solid
win over Saugus on the 28th
the team found themselves
strugglingagainst Braintree.
After dropping two runs, a
comeback began after player
Dylan Morris was struck by
an errant pitch. A Dan Walsh
single allowed Morris to
advance, with Damon Blake
sending himhome.
Jake Kipnes tied the game
moments later, sendingWalsh
home, leading fans to wonder
about extra innings. Then
Alec Morrison turned in a
neat double, sending Blake
to third before he crossed the
plate with the winningrun
on a hit from Mark Brodd,
clinchingthe title.
"These kids worked hard
all summer long," said Toffey.
"The tournament experience
they've gotten has really set
them up on a nice platform
for next year."
The 12-year-olds proved
that they were no slouches,
either, makingtheir way
through the playoffs to claim
the second-place trophy.
Traveling to Oxford, the
team was the only 12-year-old
team in the state that opted
to take advantage of the host
family program offered by the
local league. During playoff
weekend, Barnstable players
had the opportunity to bunk
with families in Oxford, an
experience that was possibly
more rewarding than the
game itself.
"After we lost, one of the 8-
year-olds that my son stayed
with was more sad that we
were leaving than that we
had lost,"said coach Bob
Melley,who noted that his
son, Bobby, gave the young-
Mets' Mangini takes
Thurman Munson award
Hyannis players bid
Cape a fond farewell
By Kathleen Szmit
kszmit@barnstablepatriot.com
With
their season com-
plete, players on the
HyannisMetsput away
theirbats,packedtheirbagsand
bid their host families heartfelt
goodbyesastheyheaded home.
While anew school year awaits,
and even new schoolsfor some,
lasting memories were made
during their season in the sun
on Cape Cod.
On Saturday the Mets had
theirfinal gamewiththeCotuit
Kettleers in what turned out
to be a well-played, exciting
match in spite of their 3-2
loss.
TheMetshitthe scoreboard
early in the game with Sean
O'Brien singling to bring in
James Darnell and give the
Mets a 1-0 lead.
On the mound, All-Star
pitcher Charlie Furbush was
again stellar, striking out the
side on just 13 pitches in the
first inning. Furbush allowed
only one hit during four in-
nings;TonyThomas Jr.of the
Kettleers got one past him.
Furbushquicklyretaliated by
throwing Thomas out as he
attempted to steal second.
UnfortunatelyfortheMets.the
Kettleers refused to go quietly,
explodinginthefifth andputting
three runs on the board.
A late-game rally by the
Mets gave the Cotuit crowd
pause, adding a good surge
of drama to the game's finale
when Jared McGuire kicked
things off in the ninth with a
base hit.
Matt Mangini heightened
the tension when he gave the
ballagood crackbefore James
Darnell put them in scoring
position with a sacrifice.
When Kettleers reliever Dan
Runzler loaded the bases after
hitting Ryan Flaherty, it was
time for Cotuit to be very, very
afraid.Acollective gaspwentup
with Ramon Corona's single to
left, bringingin McGuire while
Mangini attempted to come
around from second. Although
Mangini gave it his all, a tight
throwbyKellenKulbackiallowed
Cotuit catcher Sean Gaston to
tag him out just in time.
On Sunday the Mets faced
the Falmouth Commodores
in their final appearance, fall-
ing 5-3. The game, however,
did not come without a bright
moment: Matt Mangini was
presented with the Thurman
Munson Award, named for
the late CCBL alumnus and
Yankeesgreat, given annually
to the league's top hitter.
Mangini went 0-for-3 in the
game, so it was assumedthat he
had been dropped from the race
for the award but late results
cameinfrom the LowerCapere-
vealingthatOrleanscatcherMatt
Wietershad gone 0-for-4,placing
Mangini on top with .310.
Mangini becomes the first
Hyannis Mets player to take
homethetitlesinceCCBLHall
ofFamerand Red Soxcatcher
Jason Varitek hit .371 during
the 1993 season when he was
named MVP Mangini earned
himself a slot in the League's
history books ashis.310 aver-
age counts asthe lowest since
the modern era of the League
began in 1963.
With the final game played,
playersbegantheirexodusfrom
CapeCodonMonday,vowingto
stay in touch with host families
andnewfriends.Whatthefuture
holds is uncertain, but there is
no doubt that manyof the play-
ers of today will surely become
the stars of tomorrow.
Cotuit Kettleers notch 26*win
on road to playoffs
Triumphs and
trophies were the
name of the game
Saturday
By Kathleen Szmit
kszmit@barnstablepatriot.com
KATHLEEN SZMIT PHOTOS
THECHAMPS-The CotuitKettleerscelebratetheir winofthe Barnstable
Patriot Cup with Patriot publisher Rob Sennott (center) and Kettleers
GM Bruce Murphy (left).
TRIPLEPLAY-Cotuit'smostvaluable
players enjoy a moment of glory
following their game Saturday night
atLowellPark.JustinSmoak(left)and
Eric Farris (right) were named MVP
inpositionplaywhile pitcherJames
Simmons netted the golden glove
MVPtrophy for non-positionplay.
It
was an eventful eve-
ning at Lowell Park in
Cotuit on Saturday. Not
only did the Kettleers play
their last home game of the
regular season, but they also
honored the League's host
families in a pre-game cel-
ebration and were awarded
the Barnstable Patriot Cup
following the game.
At 4 p.m. prior to the
start of their match against
Hyannis, Kettleers players
called on their host families
to take the field where they
were thanked profusely for
their hospitality during the
season.
Bruce Murphy, general
manager of the Cotuit team
lauded the kindness and
generosity of the many fami
lies, noting that the bonds
that form between them
and the players they host
last forever.
Following the celebration,
Murphy announced Cotuit's
MVP's. Pitcher James Sim-
mons who led the Kettleers
with 44 strikeouts and a
1.18 ERA in more than 53
innings played, earned the
non-position player golden
glove trophy while Justin
Smoak and Eric Farris
shared the honor of MVP
for a position player. Smoak
was the League leader with
11homers during the sea-
son and Farris led Cotuit in
average and stolen bases at
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