Liverpool softball drops sectional final to B’ville

By PhIl BlACkwEll

Day had turned into night, the hour was late. Once again, the Liverpool softball team found itself trailing Baldwinsville in the Section III Class AA championship game, attempting to stage a memorable comeback.

In 2022, it worked, the Warriors down to its last strike but somehow able to win in nine innings. But this year’s edition of the sectional final had a different conclusion as the Bees, banishing the demons that may have still persisted from 2022, prevailed 9-4 and got the program’s first-ever sectional title.

They had played twice in the regular season, splitting those games as superb pitching efforts marked both meetings. And here, B’ville pitcher Bella Hotchkiss set the night’s tone, striking out the side – Maya Mills, Ava Falvo and Mackenzie Frani, in that order. in the top of the second. Then the Bees took a 2-0 lead when, with two out and two on, Hannah Caughey recorded an RBI single and, after another Warriors error, no. 9 hitter Ella Amato singled home another run.

Even when the Bees saw a third-inning run taken off the board when Layla Trendowski left third base too soon on a one-out fly ball and Liverpool cut the margin to 2-1 on Falvo’s RBI

From Super Bowl to…

Golf course owner

I have wanted to be an owner of a golf course since I was President of the Edison Club in Rexford ,NY (Albany area) back in the 1980’s. I have tried over 15 times and came close to becoming an owner 3 times, but never got to smoke the “Big Cigar”, as Red Aerubach used to do when he was coach and General Manager of the Boston Celtics (9 time NBA Champions).

When Aerubach was certain the Celtics were going to win a game, he would light a cigar before the game was over, to celebrate the victory. I am still trying to buy a golf course so I can finally light that “Big Cigar”.

I recently read a wonderful story about a former NFL player and Super Bowl player who dreamed about becoming an owner of a golf course since he was in high school. Before I expose his name and story, I would like to have you try to guess his name before I complete the article. Remember the TV show, “Name That Tune”? The contestants had to guess the name of the song in so many “notes”. Let’s play, “Name That Player” before the “11” hints below….

1) He was born and raised in Lackawanna, NY and used to sneak over a fence to play golf at a 9 hole course near his home.

2) He was a three-sport standout in high school.

3) He was a stand-out player for Youngstown State University in Ohio.

4) He was drafted in the 2nd round by the Los Angeles Rams in the draft of 1973.

5) Two years later he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles and became a starter.

6) He and a teammate “leased” a 9 hole golf course near Philadelphia in 1979.

7) He lead the Eagles to the NFC Championship in 1980 but lost the Super Bowl to the Oakland Raiders.

8) In 1980 he (nickname Jaw’s ) was UPI’s NFL Player of the Year

9) He closed out his career as a backup “quarterback” for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.

10) After his football career, he was a successful color commentator for ESPN on Monday Night Football.

11) He continued to “lease” golf courses with a new partner and currently owns or manages “7” very successful courses in New Jersey and Pennsylvania under the name…Ron Jaworski Golf Management.

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU

TO..”NAME THAT PLAYER”?

Jaworski is now 72 years old and still CEO of his company, but his son BJ now runs the day to day operations. Ron brags constantly about getting former teammates Randell Cunningham and Mike Quick into the game of golf. Ron and his wife Liz are also very much involved in philanthropy and supporting the communities where they own or manage the golf courses. Their “Jaw’s Youth PlayBook” family foundation has worked to improve the health and wellness of at-risk youth in the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area for many years…raising more than $7.5 million. Keep up the good work Mr. Jaworski.

DID YOU KNOW…

In 2015, Stevie Williams, Tiger Woods caddie, said this about a PGA Tour golfer… single, it never lost its focus or poise.

“Once in a great while a player comes along who hits the ball the way it was meant to be hit. Powerful, piercing, the perfect trajectory. Of the young players I’ve see out there, one I’ve seen has that special ball flight. We were paired with him at the Open last year and from his first tee shot on, I thought, this kid is special. Obviously he’s searching to find the other parts of the puzzle, but I haven’t seen a ball flight like that since Tiger”.

His name…BROOKS KOEPKA !

In the fourth, B’ville chased Liverpool starter Cassie Wiggins from the game. With the bases loaded and one out, Jenna Martin, followed by Trendowski and Hotchkiss, all delivered run-scoring singles to make it 5-1.

Frani, now pitching, left the bases loaded in the fourth and tossed a scoreless fifth. But when the Bees tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth, stretching the margin to 7-1, it seemed safe - until the Warriors almost provoked the ghosts of 12 months ago to return in the bottom of the sixth.

Two walks and a single loaded the bases. A ground ball thrown home was not in time for a force play and Lauren Ragonese’s sacrifice fly made it 7-3 before Joelle Wike was hit to load the bases again.

At this point, said Hotchkiss, she had “a lot of flashbacks” to the 2022 sectional final, but she regrouped and, against pinch-hitter Tristen LaForte, coaxed a grounder back to her. Hotchkiss threw home for one out, and VerSchneider got the ball to first in time for an inning-ending double play.

Fired up by this, B’ville got two more runs in the seventh, and despite some difficulties getting the final out and another Liverpool run, Hotchkiss fanned Gracie Zankowski and, at last, the Bees were champions.