WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – The Watertown Rapids played a rare afternoon game at the Alex Duffy Fairgrounds hosting Boonville in a PGCBL East division game.
The Rapids looked to make it 2 straight and 6 of their last 7 after beating Oneonta Friday night 12-2.
It was a pitcher’s duel early as Beaver River product Jonah Shearer gets Dan Tauken to swing.
In the bottom of the 1st, Boonville starter Derek Sotolongo struck out Tyree Bradley to end the inning.
In the top of the 4th, it was still scoreless when Shearer unleashes a wild pitch. Scott Seeker scores to make it 1-0 for Boonville.
Still in the 4th, Zach Crampton gets all of this Shearer pitch and puts it over the wall in left field for a 3-run home run: Boonville up 4-0.
Shearer gets out of further trouble by knocking out Conner Lynch. Shearer went 6 innings and struck out 5.
In the bottom of the 4th, the Rapids strike as Michael Norton goes the other way for a 2 run home run to left field, cutting Boonville’s lead to the inning 4-2.
The Rapids rally behind a 3-run home run from Elvis Lopez to beat Boonville 8-7.
One of the premier softball tournaments in the region took place this weekend at a number of venues around the area, bringing in some of the best softball players from across the Northeast.
What was once known as the Can-Am Shootout is back with a new name and a new person in charge.
Christopher Tehonica has taken on the role of tournament organizer for the 1000 Islands Challenge, a 3-day long softball tournament, which after a 2-year hiatus due to COVID, is back.
“Lisa Lennox, Mike Lennox had this vision of girls softball and there wasn’t a lot going on except for Steve Randall and Sandy Creek, there weren’t a lot of summer programs. They had this for 15 years. We had anywhere from 44 teams to 104 teams in it, but it got too big, Tehonica said.
The tournament did away with the 10U and open divisions and now has 62 teams taking part this year, with a number of clubs from across the North East making the trip to the North Country this weekend.
“Buffalo, Pennsylvania, Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Binghamton. That’s most of the area, Tehonica said.
The tournament is a pool play event with guaranteed 3 matches for each team and on Sunday you will see single matches.
As in previous years, the tournament takes place at a variety of locations around Jefferson and Oswego counties.
“Chaumont we got 1 field, Dexter we got 3 fields, Adams we got 3 fields, Sandy Creek we got 1 field, Watertown we got 6 fields, Indian River we got 3 fields,” Tehonica said.
The tournament not only brings in teams from across the region, but also judges.
Tehoncia, himself a high school and college referee, says bringing in quality referees from around the Northeast who are part of his group, CT Sports Officials, is key to keeping people coming back.
“To me, to sell a tournament, you have to have good referees, good sports officials. If everybody leaves here happy, they come back, and if they come back, the community reaps the benefits. Hotel rooms, malls, fast food, convenience stores, hotels. sive down. Yes, the trickle down effect,” said Tehonica.
1000 Islands Challenge: continues a tradition that not only benefits the players, but also the region.
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