This year's Sechelt Minor Softball (SMS) championship year-end fast-pitch tournament, which traditionally is held on Father's Day weekend, showcased all of our youth boys and girls ages five to 18. The T-ball and coach-pitch Mini Mite teams enjoyed play on Saturday with the excitement of all the league players and fans out to watch them in the tournament. It is an exciting time for these young players. For most of them, it was their first trophy and the first opportunity to participate in a baseball event of this magnitude.
Round-robin games for the Mite, PeeWee, Squirt and Bantam divisions took place Wednesday through Saturday to determine advancement to the seeded finals. Coaches had to ensure their strategies would carry their team play onto the championship games on Sunday. This meant spelling off some of their windmill pitchers to save some arm strength for the finals, as well as ensuring the rest of their teammates were helping out with good fielding and hits to take some of the pressure off.
During the tournament, it is not unusual to see teams that have not placed high in the league standings advance to the final games.
"You can't take any of your competitors lightly as they have their sights on making it all the way; it's just like starting a new ball season again," said league president Sid Quinn. "It is great to have friendly competition and sportsmanlike play for the spectators to enjoy. We always see upsets, and the best part of the tournament is watching how much the players have advanced their skills from the start of the season."
In the Mite division (nine and 10 years old), the final game came down to extra innings with BC First Aid edging out Stockwell Sand and Gravel 21-17 after eight innings. Butch's Trucking also had a very good tournament, placing third after losing to Stockwell Sand and Gravel.
In the Squirt division (11 and 12 years old), Pharmasave knocked out Canadian Tire and moved into the final game against Insta Glass. The championship game was very close, with Insta Glass taking it 5-4.
In the Peewee division (13 to 15 years old) Flemming and Sombrowski battled hard against Sechelt Plumbing, taking it 18-2 for the championship trophy. Paul's Paintin' Place, that claimed first in the league and was 5-0 in the tournament until Sunday, was upset by Flemming and Sombrowski, finishing third. They came back in the bottom of the seventh against Gibsons Building Supply, 14-13.
In the Bantam division round-robin tournament (16 to 18 years old), games began Thursday night at Hackett and Kinnikinnick parks in Sechelt. Five teams played head-to-head over three days, with regular season powerhouse and first place finisher Nelsen Plumbing being eliminated from the Sunday finals in a major upset. Inlet Raiders swept the round-robin play, going into the semifinals in first place, only to lose by one run. The Raiders edged out D. Lewis Contracting for third, with 101 Contracting and Dave Hutt Contracting battling it out for first.
"Congratulations to all our teams. We appreciate the coaches' and parents' dedication in helping with the kids, team sponsors, tournament sponsors, clinic sponsors, car wash sponsors, local businesses that donate prizes and discounts, local government and the District of Sechelt park staff for keeping the parks and diamonds well maintained," Quinn said. "Everyone is proud of all our players and appreciates watching them play and seeing their accomplishments during league and tournament play."
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