Sports

By John Bernhardt
Times have changed but kids remain the same. Given the opportunity to explore and play the game, many youngsters still fall in love with the game of baseball.

With the proper guiding hand, today’s youngsters still discover the simple joys of the game; the twack of a fastball slamming into a catcher’s mitt, the electricity of a solid hit running through the bat and into the fingers, fielders focused and ready balanced on the balls of their feet anticipating the ball moving their way, big league dreams in the imaginations of Little Leaguers.

Staff report
Mountain biker Georgia Gould will be taking her second shot at an Olympic medal at the 2012 London Games that open this week.

Georgia, who is the granddaughter of Mary and Kingdon Gould Jr. of Arkville, has earned numerous titles in her racing career and is the reigning U.S.A. Cross Country Mountain Bike National Champion. She is aiming for success in London as a member of the U.S. Mountain Biking Team.

Staff report
Brad Anderson’s steady play on the back nine at the Delhi College Golf Course helped him to a record 10th Delaware County Amateur Championship on Sunday.

Anderson had nine pars en route to an even-par 72, earning a two-stroke victory over Neil Krick.
Krick erased a rough start to hold a one-stroke lead after the opening nine. That lead disappeared when he bogeyed the par-three 14th hole. Anderson pared to pull into a tie. That tie remained through 16, when Krick holed a 20-foot bendy putt to save par.

Takes lead late

Andes — Andes Central School held it annual athletic banquet for the 2011 –’12 school year on Tuesday night, June 5. Among those students receiving awards were:

Girls’ varsity soccer; Outstanding Performance in Memory of Gladys D. Tuttle, Kelsey Little.
Boys’ varsity soccer, Outstanding Performance in Memory of Gladys D. Tuttle, Sage Beemer.

Girls’ varsity basketball; Coach’s Award, Marissa Heannings; Best Offensive Player, Desirae Coss; Best Defensive pPayer, Ashley Terry.
Boys’ varsity basketball; Outstanding Performance, Sage Beemer.

Delaware League All-Stars in baseball, softball, tennis and skiing were announced last week.
The list of league All-Stars follows, with players from Andes, Margaretville and Roxbury in bold.

Baseball All-Stars
FIRST TEAM: Chris Yearsley of Davenport; Josh Ahearn and Ethan Bass of Downsville; Reno Romito and Nick Jones of Hunter-Tannersville; John Cammer and Nick Smith of Jefferson; Cody Stinson and Cody Burns of South Kortright; Gregg Mattice of Stamford; and Anthony Savasta of Windham.

By John Bernhardt
Spotty defense Thursday in the middle innings cost the Margaretville Blue Devils girls’ softball team a chance to advance to the Section IV quarterfinals.

The eighth-seeded Blue Devils committed four errors in the third and fourth inning allowing eight unearned runs as they fell, 12-8, to ninth-seeded Milford. The errors were Margaretville’s only defensive miscues in the game.

By John Bernhardt
There’s not much Brittany Keator can’t do on the softball diamond. All season long the Roxbury senior has carried her team with one stellar pitching performance after another. Thursday in the Delaware League crossover championship game at Neahwa Park in Oneonta, she spoke with her bat as well as her arm, leading the Rockets to a 10-3 title win over Margaretville.

Staff report
Perhaps it was the spirit of playing baseball in a stadium where so many of professional baseball’s greats once played. Perhaps it was the traditions, the dignity, and the somber grace of a visit to a 73-year-old baseball cathedral.

By John Bernhardt
For the third consecutive season, the Delaware League regular season tennis race has ended in a tie. Margaretville and Windham finished deadlocked at the top of the standings with identical 10-2 records. The championship draw was Margaretville’s second shared crown in the last three campaigns.

By John Bernhardt
The Roxbury and Margaretville girls’ softball teams will meet for a third time Thursday when they square off at 4:30 p.m. at Neahwa Park in Oneonta. This time the Delaware League Championship is on the line.

The Rockets were winners the first two times, toppling the Blue Devils 9-5 in the non-league opener for both teams and then blanking Margaretville, 8-0, in a Delaware League contest a week later.