Tag: Youth Baseball

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Youth Baseball: Ridgewood squad resumes last summer’s success

RBSA

BY MATTHEW BIRCHENOUGH
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

Just over 11 months ago, the Ridgewood Raiders 14U baseball team returned to a hero’s welcome in the village after the squad’s successful season culminated in a trip to the Junior League World Series.

The same group of boys had another strong campaign this summer but without any of the fanfare that accompanied last year’s triumphs. That was perfectly fine with them.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/village-team-resumes-last-summer-s-success-1.1636940

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Youth Baseball: ‘World’ renown has become tradition in Ridgewood

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AUGUST 28, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY GREG TARTAGLIA
SPORTS EDITOR |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

RIDGEWOOD — Charlie Ponkop and a five-line blurb in The Ridgewood News started it all.

The Ridgewood U14 Raiders’ recent trip to the Junior League World Series in Taylor, Mich. — and welcome home celebration staged on Monday — marks the latest chapter in the village’s longtime devotion to youth baseball.

A glance at the archives of The Ridgewood Herald-News (as it was then called) revealed an entry in then sports editor Bob Curley’s column, “Curley Cues”, on June 16, 1949 that extended an invitation to youngsters seeking a summer activity:

“Boys in the eight, nine and ten year old age group, who are not playing baseball, should contact Charlie Ponkop at the Ridgewood YMCA … Should interest warrant, Ponkop will organize a league for you fellas [sic].”

One year earlier, former Ridgewood High School athletics coach Minous Cannon had helped launch the town’s Midget, Junior and Young Mens’ Baseball Leagues, according to the July 11, 1948 News.

It was Ponkop, however, who initiated the Ridgewood Small Fry Baseball League that produced the village’s first “Little World Series” qualifiers.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/world-renown-a-long-standing-tradition-for-village-1.139996

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Youth Baseball: Ridgewood team reaches Junior League World Series

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PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA POWERS
 The Ridgewood Raiders U14 baseball team qualified for the Junior League World Series Taylor, Mich. by winning the East Region championship on Aug. 13. FRONT ROW, from left: Garret Thompson, Coleman Clauss, Alex Facini, David Kleiman, Dan Boucher, Avery Scott, Kevin Seitter and Bret Thompson. BACK ROW, from left: Coach Craig Frisina, Ben Geraghty, Mike Breiter, Pat Higgins, coach Marc Favieri, Dylan Black, Brady McSwigan, Sam Favieri and coach Will Seitter. Not pictured: Coach Dave Wang.

AUGUST 21, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY RON FOX
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

The Ridgewood Raiders’ bats were quieted only once in five games during their successful run to the USA East Regional U14 championship. They rebounded quickly and emphatically from that one mishap to stamp their tickets to the Junior Baseball World Series in Taylor, Mich. that began Sunday.

It is the first time a Ridgewood team has reached a World Series in any age group since 1979.

The World Series field consists of five U.S. teams, including Ridgewood, and five international squads. The Raiders’ schedule featured Pearl City, Hawaii (West Region champion) on Sunday; Johnson, Iowa (Central) on Tuesday; Weslaco, Texas (Southwest) on Wednesday; and Frederick County National East, Va. (Southeast) on Thursday.

A champion will be crowned this Sunday, provided the weather holds up during the weeklong, double-elimination tournament.

Ridgewood routed Great Valley, the Pennsylvania champ, 8-1, on Aug. 13 to take the East Region title after losing the previous day to the same team, 2-1.

“That was a clean game with great pitching,” Raiders biographer Steve Facini said over the weekend. With head coach Marc Favieri and his assistants off to Michigan for the World Series’ start, Facini served as team spokesman.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/village-fields-1st-world-series-team-since-1979-1.1395992

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Youth Baseball: Ridgewood U14 team brings home Section 1 title

Ridgewood U14 team
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVE FACINI
 The Ridgewood U14 Raiders baseball team claimed the Section 1 crown and advanced to the State Championships. FRONT ROW, from left: Alex Facini, Ben Geraghty, Sam Favieri, Avery Scott, Brady McSwigan, Bret Thompson and Kevin Seitter. BACK ROW, from left: Coach Marc Favieri, coach Dave Wang, Dan Boucher, Mike Breiter, Coleman Clauss, Pat Higgins, Dylan Black, David Kleiman, coach Will Seitter, Garret Thompson and coach Craig Frisina.

 

JULY 31, 2015    LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2015, 12:31 AM
BY RON FOX
CORRESPONDENT |
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS

While there was no “Under Construction” sign attached to the dugout, it was understood that this was supposed to be a rebuilding season for the Ridgewood U14 baseball team.

The Raiders were coming off a series of strong seasons, but this time, half of last year’s team had begun high school and moved on.

“But it was a nice turnover,” coach Marc Favieri said between events this week. His team had won the Section 1 championship and was poised to enter the state tournament at midweek.

“These kids knew each other and they had played together in rec league,” the coach said. “This is a strong group of kids. They’re all very athletic and there’s a camaraderie. They’re all friends and that helps a lot. They jelled very quickly.”

All the coaches at the lower levels in the village, from Little League on up, are proud to have developed players who have gone on to play and star at Ridgewood High School.

“The high school program is in good hands,” Favieri said. “The last three or four classes moving up have been strong.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/rebuilt-raiders-rise-to-the-occasion-1.1384025