Organizers expand race options

from Bagel Gazette 2019

Local girls vie for Miss Teen Bagelfest, court

Bagelfest softball tourney features 45 teams

MIKE MONAHAN

mike.monahan@lee.net

Just as there is no shortage of bagels during the annual Bagel Breakfast, there is no shortage of softball games at the Mattoon Roundhouse Complex this weekend.

Forty-five teams among the five different age groups will take the field during the 31st annual Bagelfest Tournament, which runs from July 19-21 at the complex located at 311 N. 6th St.

The format for all age divisions, 8-and-under, 10-and-under, 12-and-under, 14-and-under, 16-and-under, and 18-and-under is two-pool play games that go into double-elimination bracket play.

New to the tournament this year is a home run contest for the 16-and-under and 18-and-under teams. Each team is allowed to have two participants. The event will take place on the evening of Saturday, July 20.

The Roundhouse Complex offers eight fields with room for team warm-ups and two full concession stands.

The non-sanctioned event is a very competitive tournament. Last year Premier Fastpitch, based in Mattoon, won the 18-and-under division over Team Akadema 10-2. The same organization won the 14U and 12U divisions as well. The 14U won 9-1 over the Belleville Junior Lancers, while the 12U team nipped Midstate Madness 1-0.

Teams in the 18U division are: 18U Terror-White, Blitz, Heartland Kids, Indiana Havoc 2001, Marengo Softball, Mattoon Cobras 18U BB, Mattoon Pride, Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs (Mooney), Southern Glory Softball, Vipers and WCI Fushion.

In the 16U division, teams are: Blitz 2003, Bloomington-Normal Girls Softball Association (BINGSA) Angels 2003, Chaos Elite, Highland Insanity, Mattoon Pride 16U-Black, Mattoon Pride 16U-Hopper, and SWAT.

In the 14U division, teams are: Blitz 2004, Bluff City Elite-Evola, Champaign Blue Ice, Marengo Softball, Mattoon Cobras 14U/ JE, Mattoon Pride 14U-Allison, Monticello Sages, Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs (Merchant), Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs 14U-Beaver/Reno and Tomahawks-DT.

In the 12U division, teams are: Blackwidows 2006, Central Illinois Blitz, Marengo Softball, Mattoon Pride 12U-Masse, Mattoon Pride-Friese, Midland Magic 12u Reed, Premier Fastpitch and WCI Fusion.

The four teams in the 10u are Mattoon Pride 10U, Midwest Shock, Southern Illinois Dirt Dawgs, and Total Contact-Williford.

The Charleston Chill, Cobras, Effingham Flame 8U and Lady Speakers are the four teams in the 8U division.

For the complete schedule and results go to tourneymachine.com/Public/Results/ Tournament.aspx?IDTourna ment= h20180723164843002596 4f299c41740

Contact Mike Monahan at (217) 238-6854. Follow him on Twitter: @monahanmikejgtc

JAY GRABIEC The Run for the Bagel, which this year will feature a 5k and 10k run, as well as a 5k run/walk, has been a staple of Mattoon’s annual Bagelfest event. Run for the Bagel to wind through town

JG-TC

The 32nd annual Run for the Bagel, organized by the Mattoon Area Family YMCA, now offers participants two footrace options during Bagelfest.

Angela Hampton, marketing director for the YMCA, said runners and walkers can participate in a 5K (3.1 mile) run/walk or a 10K (6.2 mile) run on Saturday, July 20. Both events downtown will start at the K.C. Summers Toyota dealership, 1913 Broadway Ave. and finish at the YMCA, 221 N. 16th St., with the 10K beginning at 6:30 a.m. and the 5K beginning at 6:35 a.m.

“We’ve listened to participant feedback over the years to develop a race that people really seem to love,” said Sarah Dowell, community events director for the YMCA. “Run for the Bagel is a fun family-friendly event that also allows for some friendly competition for people who are looking for more of a challenge.”

Hampton said both races are chip timed, which means that participants will wear a chip that will automatically record their finish time. Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age and gender division for both races. Every participant will receive a special edition tie-dyed shirt.

The Run for the Bagel offers participants a partially shaded path that will take participants through Lytle Park on the west side of Mattoon.

Registration fees will be $33 through Friday, July 19, and $35 on the day of the run. All proceeds will benefit the YMCA’s Membership for All scholarship fund.

More information, including age groups, course map, and online registration by visting www. mattoonymca.org/run-for-thebagel/ or by calling the YMCA at 217-234-9494.

JG-TC FILE PHOTO

BAGEL BUGGY

Rachel doeding, left, and lois Vonderheide show off their entry for the Bagel Buggy derby in 1989.

Bingo benefits various causes

JG-TC

With the bagels come the bingos.

The Omega Nu Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Alpha will once again offer three days of Bagelfest bingo in the air-conditioned DeMars Center at Peterson Park.

Bingo games are set for 6-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 1-5 p.m. Saturday. Terri Crum of Omega Nu said Saturday, especially in the afternoon, garners the biggest crowds over the three days.

Participants can join in the games at any point during each day and play as many games as they wish. The entry fee is 25 cents per card for a regular game. The cost is $1 per card for the blackout games, a variation of Bingo requiring participants to cover the entire board, that nets bigger prizes, Crum said.

The blackout games will take place once every hour.

Participants can purchase and use more than one card per game.

Proceeds from each game, of which are exclusively cash prizes, are split between the winner and Omega Nu. Crum said this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, fundraiser for Omega Nu. The bingo games have helped the chapter raise money for local causes, such as Camp New Hope, and for national charities, such as Easter Seals and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Crum said the games are open to participants ages 18 and older. Participants are welcome to have their children sit with them.

Cold soda and water, as well as snacks, will be sold during the games.

Contact Jarad Jarmon at (217) 2386839. Follow him on Twitter: @ JJarmonReporter

Bagelfest

From B1

the carnival. Burgett said new booths this year include Ice Ice Shavings from Mattoon, the SweeTea’z trailer from Charleston, the Dipped & Sprinkled ice cream truck from Flora, and vendors of barbecue parfaits and grilled corn on the cob.

Bagelfest and its signature breakfast started in 1986 as a way to introduce the new Lender’s Bagels bakery to Mattoon. This year, the free bagel breakfast will be held from 8-10 a.m. Saturday in the air-conditioned Demars Center at the park. The Mattoon Lender’s factory, now owned by Conagra, will continue to provide the bagels for this meal.

During the breakfast, the East Central Harmony Chorus is scheduled to perform from 9 to 10 a.m. in the Rotary Band Shell next to the Demars Center.

As the breakfast concludes, the annual Bagelfest parade will be preparing to kick off at 10:30 a.m. at Western Avenue and 21st Street. The procession will travel east on Western and then Broadway Avenue throughout downtown and past Peterson Park.

Burgett said parade participants will be decorating their floats and other entries to match the 2019 festival’s theme of “Peace, Love & Bagelfest.”

Contact Rob stroud at (217) 2386861. Follow him on Twitter: @ TheRobstroud