Travel Baseball Returns to West Michigan with Channelcats by Mike Mattson Said

Sunday, JanuaRy 25, 2009 • Muskegon Chronicle Sports 3B Travel baseball returns to West Michigan with ChannelCats By Mike Mattson said. “I think it will drive travel baseball. The top team is the 18U squad, which Bard, who played at Muskegon Com- [email protected] It will be a good partnership for the facil- will be coached by Mona Shores graduates munity College and Grand Valley State, is Competitive travel-league baseball ity and the travel organization.” Brandon Bard and Pete Gawkowski Jr. anxious to get started. will continue this summer with the Piasecki will be assisted by Bob Cava- Currently on the core roster are Grand The ChannelCats will play against rebirth of the Muskegon ChannelCats. naugh, general manager of baseball Haven’s Jordan Anderson and Andy established summer teams like Diamonds, The ChannelCats will field two teams operations and founder of the Riptide. Deal, Mona Shores Sam Sherburn and Kalamazoo Maroons, Elite, Midland Ber- (18U, 17U) and likely a third (14U), said Cavanaugh said the ChannelCats will Jake Waalkes, Reeths-Puffer’s Ryan ryhill and others. The top ChannelCats founder and operator Len continue to provide an outlet for seri- Somerville, Oakridge’s Kyle Pascavis and “Pete and I will do our best to teach team is the Piasecki. ous baseball players in the Muskegon Jamie Potts, Whitehall’s Jared Conkle, them the fundamentals of baseball,” said The ChannelCats ceased operations area. He noted that 10 players off last Shelby’s Dimitri Innis, Orchard View’s Bard, who is planning for a roster of 15 18U squad, in 2005 and the void was filled by Line summer’s Riptide team are on college Hayden Moses, Muskegon Catholic’s Ben players. “We’ll work with them at Extra Drives, Muskegon Regulators and Mus- baseball rosters. Peters and Reeths-Puffer’s Ian Engel, Innings. We want to help kids get to the which will be kegon Riptide. “In travel baseball, you play against who is playing at Jackson Community next level.” coached by Piasecki said the ChannelCats will the best competition the state has to College this spring. The 17U team will be coached by Don partner with Extra Innings, a new indoor offer,” Cavanaugh said. “Our goal is to Other roster spots will be filled by the Giddings. Mona Shores training facility owned by Pete Gawkows- play the best competition in the state, start of the season. Piasecki said the ChannelCats’ goal graduates ki and soon to open on Norton Pines and when we go national tournaments, to The ChannelCats will play about 35-to- is to sponsor teams in the various age Drive in Spring Lake. Extra Innings will play the best at the national level. Any- 45 games in a 45-day period in June and groups starting at 13. He also is looking Brandon Bard provide a place for players to train in the time we can have travel baseball and July. The team will play 20 games in the for volunteers to help the organization. off-season, especially during the cold play in a more competitive arena, we can Grand Rapids Elite Travel League, par- For more information, go to www. and Pete winter months. develop kids faster. It’s a chance for guys ticipate in four state tournaments and channelcats.com or contact Piasecki Gawkowski Jr. “Once Extra Innings opens, it will be to improve their skills who want to go enter one national tournament at sea- via e-mail at [email protected] or by the nucleus for travel baseball,” Piasecki play at the next level.” son’s end. phone (231) 750-0331. Weekend No. 1 Jankovic out at Aussie Open By John Pyne for support and guidance, sweep for Associated Press seemed shellshocked after MELBOURNE, Austra- falling behind 5-0 in the first U-M hockey lia — Top-seeded Jelena set despite shouts of “Let’s go Jankovic was knocked out in JJ!” from the crowd. AssociAted Press the fourth round of the Aus- Jankovic fended off two set tralian Open, and will have to points while serving at 1-5, ANN ARBOR — Matt Rust but Bartoli easily held in the and Brandon Burlon each search elsewhere for her first Grand Slam title. next game, finishing off the had a goal and set with a deft drop shot that an assist to lift Frenchwoman Marion Bartoli, the 2007 Wimbledon caught Jankovic behind the Michigan to a baseline. 5-3 win over finalist, broke Jankovic’s serve twice in the first set en Increasingly tentative and Michigan State bewildered, Jankovic twice on Saturday route to a 6-1, 6-4 win Sunday and a place in the quarterfi- lost points early in the sec- night. ond set by stopping play on Travis Turn- nals. Photo • Associated Press “I tried to not think about Photo • Associated Press Bartoli shots that she thought bull, Carl Hage- were long but replays showed it for the whole match,” Bar- Jelena Jankovic reacts after Rowe: MSu lin and Chris Mason Raymond, a forward for the Vancouver Canucks, waits caught the line. She used up Summers also toli said of Jankovic’s No. 1 to take a shot as nashville goalkeeper Pekka Rinne looks on. losing her match to Marion her last challenge of the set forward scored for the ranking. “This is my first time Rinne’s Team Rookies won 9-5. Bartoli on Saturday. in the sixth game. scored his W o l v e r i n e s playing in Rod Laver Arena. I Bartoli broke to pull ahead fifth goal of (18-8-0, 12-6-0 think I just played amazingly 5-4 in a game that went to the season CCHA), who today and I’m so glad to put When Bartoli turned up in the loss. beat MSU for NHL All-Stars shine at on a good performance.” the pressure Sunday, Jankov- deuce six times, with Jankov- the fifth time The 16th-seeded Bartoli ic tightened up again. ic netting a backhand on this season. Aaron Palushaj had not been past the second Bartoli was the aggressor, breakpoint. had three assists and Bryan SuperSkills competition round in seven previous trips repeatedly sending Jankovic Last Saturday night, men’s Hogan made 18 saves. to Melbourne Park. serves back faster than they No. 1 Rafael Nadal ripped 53 Matt Schepke, Andrew By Sean Farrell from injuries, did not take Critics questioned whether came over and standing two winners in a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 vic- Rowe and Adam Henderson Associated Press part in the elimination shoot- Jankovic could convert her steps inside the baseline for tory against Tommy Haas. second serves. Nadal kept his unforced scored for the Spartans (7-17- MONTREAL — Some feud. out. numeric ranking into a victo- Bartoli hits two-fisted, errors to a frugal eight — and 3, 4-12-2), who lost 6-2 to Michi- Russian superstars Alex- Nashville defenseman ry in the championship match flat and hard from both to just one in the 43-minute gan on Friday night at Joe ander Ovechkin and Evgeni Shea Weber drove a 103.4 at a major. She was a semifi- sides, and she peppered the second set. Louis Arena in Detroit. Drew Malkin teamed up to the mph shot that looked as if it nalist at the Australian Open lines and corners. Jankovic, “I played one of my best Palmisano stopped 46 shots. delight of the Bell Centre might hold up after Chara and French Open last year repeatedly covering her face matches here at the Austra- The Wolverines led 3-0 after crowd and both were winners hit 103.3 mph on his first before losing the U.S. Open or looking to her mother lian Open,” said Nadal the first period but the Spar- in the NHL’s All-Star Super- attempt. final to Serena Williams. tans scored twice in the sec- Skills competition Saturday. The 6-foot-9 Bruins defen- ond. Michigan put the game Ovechkin successfully seman drew an ovation from away when Hagelin and Sum- defended his breakaway the crowd of 21,273 after he mers sandwiched third-period challenge title as the eve- broke Iafrate’s record of 105.2 scores around Henderson’s ning’s six events were con- set at the Montreal Forum in Another X-Games gold for White first career goal. ducted independently of 1993. AssociAted Press freeskier Tanner Hall. White now has 13 over- one another, unlike previous Ovechkin scored points all medals at Winter X. from the get-go as the last ASPEN, Colo. — Snowboarder Shaun years that featured an over- White didn’t let the heavy, wet Soon after the competition ended, White all title contested by the two of the six contestants in the had to bolt back up the mountain to take part breakaway competition, wav- snow slow him down in the conferences. in qualifying for the superpipe. The finals of Hat trick ing his hand at the crowd to slopestyle event, winning his The high-scoring Washing- that event are today. draw the fans’ support. Winter X record eighth gold ton left wing played to the medal Saturday. White utilized all parts of the slopestyle crowd — with a huge assist In a nod to his supposed sparks GH feud with Malkin, Ovech- White turned in a flowing run course, even clearing a 75-foot lip on the from Pittsburgh’s Malkin free of errors, which was in stark cross-over canyon feature. He was the only — and garnered 42.8 percent kin skated over to his East Conor Fredricks made contrast to his performance the boarder to attempt the switch from one table of the fan voting via text mes- teammates before his final sure Grand Haven’s perfect day before when he barely made to the other. sages. attempt. record in the O-K Tier 3 so far it through qualifying. Malkin claimed the shoot- Malkin helped him put White SnoCross — at aspen, race favorite Tuckert Hibbert won the this season “He’s a robot,” said Scotty SnoCross event at Buttermilk Mountain — his third straight X- ing accuracy title, hitting on an outback hat — with a would not Lago, who finished second. “He does this Games gold in the competition. Ravenna’s Zach Pattyn was thrown P R E P three of four targets in a play- Canadian flag stuck to the come close to stuff all of the time.” from his sled on the sixth of eight laps in Friday night’s second quali- H O C K E Y off with Ottawa’s Dany Heat- brim — and white-framed being threat- His record eighth title broke a tie with fying race and didn not compete in the finals. ley after both nailed all four wraparound sunglasses ened Saturday. targets in four shots in the before pouring a sports drink Fredricks posted a three- opening round. down Ovechkin’s throat. goal hat trick to lead a ple- White leads South to 35-18 Senior Bowl win Boston captain Zdeno Cha- Ovechkin, a right-handed thera of Bucs goal scorers in ra broke Al Iafrate’s 16-year- shot, took Malkin’s left-hand- alabama native Pat White passed for 95 yards and a touchdown and directed two scoring drives to a 9-1 home rout of Grand Rap- old hardest shot record with ed stick before driving in lead the South to a 35-18 win over the north in the Senior Bowl Saturday night. The West Virginia ids Northview at The Edge in a blistering 105.4 mph slap while stickhandling the puck quarterback grew up in daphne, just outside Mobile, ala. If there were doubts about the strength of Holland. shot on the final attempt of with both sticks. Brendan Grevel scored White’s arm, he tried to erase them in the third quarter when he stretched the South’s lead with an the event. Ovechkin tossed his own two goals and Will Verguin impressive 39-yard scoring toss to Mississippi’s Mike Wallace in the corner of the end zone. Phoenix’s Shane Doan stick into the right corner notched a goal and two assists — Associated Press scored on four of six penalty before taking a left-handed as Grand Haven improved to 8- shot attempts to outlast Bos- shot, which was stopped 0 in the league and 9-5 overall. ton’s Marc Savard in the elim- before he slapped it home Ben Ryzenga, Josh Kooi ination shootout finale that with a second effort. and Jake Kramer each lit the featured all 36 skaters taking He then skated over to the 22nd ANNUAL CONTEST lamp once and Tyler Rusco turns against goalies Nik- left side boards and tossed got in on the scoring with two las Backstrom of Minnesota, the hat and the sunglasses Jan. 31, 6 a.m. - assists for the Bucs. Henrik Lundqvist of the New into the crowd. Haven netminder Scott York Rangers, Anaheim’s Boston rookie Blake Berry allowed just the one Feb. 14, 8 p.m. Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Wheeler was awarded the goal while recording 16 saves Boston’s Tim Thomas. YoungStars game MVP after to get the win. Montreal’s Carey Price and scoring four goals to lead the Detroit Country Day 3, Reeths-Puffer 2 Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo, rookies to a 9-5 victory over — at Oak Park, Reeths-Puffer tallied both who both recently returned the sophomores. STILL TIME TO REGISTER! of its goals late in the third period and came Registration deadline 9p.m., 1/30/09, go to: close in the final minute with a pair of shots that rang the goal post. despite the slow start for Reeths-Puffer (4-8-2-1), the Rockets sent Coach the lone representative for Red Wings www.mlive.com/shiver 12 shots in the first period but only five were The Great Lakes Bay on net. Jared Taylor and Ryan Griffin each Mike Babcock always visits his alma mater, McGill university, when Region’s largest and FOLLOW THE $10 entry fee includes a scored for Reeths-Puffer. Jared alderink he’s in Montreal. The detroit Red Wings coach longest running FREE Lindy Rattl’n Flyer Spoon posted two assists and Joey Sterritt added played in an alumni game at McGill, then helped walleye contest! one assist for the Rockets. Country day had head coach Martin Raymond at a Redmen practice $3.99 Value a 18-15 edge in shots with Carl Wobser post- ing 15 saves for Reeths-Puffer. Friday. “My groin is killing me,” Babcock said NEW THIS YEAR Saturday. But the McGill captain from the 1980s The Wally Award goes is most conspicuous this week for being the lone $5000 to the ﬁrst contestant Spring Lake girls top WMC member of the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings to IN PRIZE MONEY! to bring in a ﬁsh attend the nHL all-Star Game. His team elected to 1st Place Receives: weighing closest to, at Spring Lake, the Lakers limited LEADER BOARD keep star defenseman nicklas Lidstrom and forward $1,000 plus— but not over, 5.734 lbs. Western Michigan Christian to Babcock DAILY UPDATES WINNER RECEIVES: Pavel datsyuk out even though they were voted a 3-Person E&J® V.S.O.P. four points in the third quarter IN PRINT AND ONLINE • FREE MOUNTING OF THE FISH onto the Western Conference team for Sunday’s game at the Bell Brandy Shanty The Saginaw News, The Bay City in its 53-35 win. Tiffany Holmes Times and at mlive.com/shiver by Mid-State Taxidermy, LLC Centre. The league reacted by enforcing a new rule, borrowed from (ARV $150) • $100 GIFT CERT. compliments of Gander Mountain 9 led Spring Lake with 13 points 3 the nBa, that will bar Lidstrom and datsyuk from playing in the 2 0

The Saginaw News Shiver on the River 1 P and four assists, Morgan Keating Wings’ next regular-season game Tuesday in Columbus. Babcock Walleye Contest is co-sponsored by: With additional support from: S 1 added 12 points and annie 0 will act as an assistant to Todd McLellan of the conference-leading -

For daily contest 9 2

standings, contact: 1 Steinlage had seven steals. 0 San Jose Sharks. 9 mlive.com/shiver 0 — From local reports — Associated Press 3