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GIRARD VIKINGS - DYWS 2007 Video
VIKING PRIDE !!!
Thanks to our boys for their hard work and dedication, and proudly representing our playground, our league - JPRD, our town, and our State of Louisiana in the Dixie Youth World Series.
Our neighborhood team exceeded all expections, and their Championship Runner-up achievement is something their parents, family, neighbors and friends can be very, very proud of.
Also thanks to the coaches, parents, fans and supporters, who made this unbelievable experience possible for the boys.
GO VIKINGS !!!
Sunday, May 11
Revisit 2007 Dixie Youth World Series Game Video on Youth Sports Live
 Game 16 - 8/8/07 7:30p (Alabama vs Louisiana/Girard)
Game 20 - 8/10/07 6:00p (Mississippi vs Louisiana/Girard)
CHAMPIONSHIP - 8/11/07 Noon (Alabama vs Louisiana/Girard)
Saturday, August 11
Dixie Youth World Series Championship Game
2007 DYWS CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
In the end, the big, strong Alabama team showed their muscle, but our Vikings never, never quit. What an achievement! For complete coverage of the Vikings' run, click on the Dixie Youth World Series Runner-Ups News on the left. Congrats to the Vikings.
Dixie Youth World Series Runner-ups - your GIRARD VIKINGS!!
| | DYWS 07 LIVE SCORES (click here) |
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Saturday, August 11
GIRARD / TEAM LOUISIANA DYWS BLOG
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DIXIE YOUTH WORLD SERIES BLOG
Follow your Girard Vikings/Team Louisiana here in their quest to win the 2007 DYWS in Virginia (official website) !
 See our Girard coaches and players talking about the heat on the local TV news here and further down in this blog (daily tournament reports):
http://www.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=445398&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070806-heat.wmv
1 AUG 2007
New Orleans-area team gets past Katrina by playing ball
By Ted Allen
Lynchburg News & Advance
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Located just a few miles from downtown New Orleans, Metairie, La., is still struggling to recover from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. For thousands of kids whose lives were turned upside down by the powerful storm, baseball has provided a positive outlet. No where has that been more obvious than at Girard Playground, part of the Jefferson Parish Parks and Recreation Department, where Metairie's Dixie Youth Baseball team plays.
It keeps the kids' minds off that sort of thing, said Metairie manager Derek DeLatte, whose roster includes at least a few kids whose homes were destroyed and others relocated temporarily. We were all away from our homes for four months. A couple kids on our team evacuated to Florida and Texas and went to different schools.
They are all back in their own homes now, nearly two years later, and are looking forward to making only the second trip to the World Series in the organization's history. The last time a team from our playground made the World Series was 1980 and they lost their first two games and were out, DeLatte said. No other team has made it. That hasn't put a damper on the team's optimism as it prepares to embark a 15-hour charter bus trip Friday night, accompanied by as many as 85 family members and other fans. They're sky-high right now, but they don't expect to lose, DeLatte said. They don't think anybody can beat them.
After dominating its district competition, Metairie pulled off a major upset in the state championship round, beating Ville Platte in its neighbor town of Alexandria. Metairie erased a 3-2 deficit in the sixth inning before winning 4-3 in seven innings on Saturday night. DeLatte says the team doesn't have any superstars, but finds ways to win together. We're more of a team, he said. We don't have one guy that carries us. Every game, somebody steps up to the plate in either hitting or pitching to make us click.
Louisiana Majors Metairie, La. RECORD: 29-1
COACHES: Derek DeLatte (manager), Jason Lisotta, Joe Uzee and Gary Helffrich (coaches)
PLAYERS: Zac Lange SS; K.P. Tassin LF; Matthew Calcote RF; Daniel Lahare RF; Ryan Licali 2B; Gregory Deichmann LF; Ben Harrison 3B/P; Daniel Martinez P/1B; Colin Leroux CF; Barrett Juneau C; Evan Chacon P/3B; Cory Barnes P/1B.
HOW THEY GOT HERE: After outscoring opponents 100-17 in subdistrict and district play, Metairie gave up a total of 10 hits and three runs in five games in the regional tournament with Cory Barnes pitching a perfect game over four innings in a 10-0 championship game win over West Monroe. It then won two out of three games in the North Regional state championship series against Ville Platte, rallying for a 4-3 final victory in seven innings.
CLAIMS TO FAME: Metairie is a suburb of New Orleans and sustained heavy damage from Hurricane Katrina in late August, 2005. We were directly in the storm, DeLatte said. Some of our kids' families are still recouping their houses. My mother, she's still living in a FEMA trailer in front of her house because (the renovation of) her house is still not done.
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SUNDAY
Welcome to Dixieland: Celebratory opening ceremony sets stage
By Ted Allen
tallen@newsadvance.com
August 5, 2007
First impressions can make a world of difference - at the start of a relationship or an event such as the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series.
Sunday night's Opening Ceremonies, capped by a fireworks show at City Stadium, set the stage for what promises to be a thrilling all-star tournament beginning today at the W. Glenn Ricketts Youth Sports Complex in Madison Heights.
Representatives from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas traveled hundreds and even thousands of miles over the weekend to compete against Virginia's best and help it celebrate its 50th anniversary in Dixie Youth Baseball this week.
A group of 24 Central Virginia RUSH all-star cheerleaders made the World Series guests feel welcome, with one designated to each of the 24 teams to greet them as they were introduced to the near-capacity crowd gathered at City Stadium on Sunday night.
Each one carried the state flag of their adopted team and led those players onto the field before performing two routines as a team in the pep rally-like atmosphere.
"They're very excited," RUSH all-star coach Tammy Rippel said. "They'll be down there (in Madison Heights) to cheer the teams on."
Louisiana's Majors team from Metairie Girard, a parish located just a few miles from New Orleans, returned the favor, stirring up some excitement in the crowd as well by tossing hundreds of colorful bead necklaces to the fans as they walked past the dugouts before taking the stage for their introduction.
WSET-TV Video of Opening Ceremonies:
http://new.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=445136&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070805-dixie-opening-monday-games.wmv
James Mays served as the Master of Ceremonies, at one point providing vocals for an array of coaches from various states sporting inflatable guitars, keyboards, saxophones and drums. He led them in Chuck Berry's "Johnny Be Good," with Madison Heights Majors assistant coach Mike Wright performing a guitar solo.
Hard Drivin' Grass, a bluegrass band made up of local teenagers, performed before the ceremonies and after guest speaker Bobby Richardson. The former New York second baseman who played in 30 consecutive Major League World Series games, leading the Yankees in RBIs and hits during those games, gave an inspirational message. A national leader in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes now living in South Carolina, Richardson served as Liberty University's baseball coach in the 1980s and athletic director up until 1990.
Special Edition, a quartet of Amherst High School students, later sang a rousing rendition of the National Anthem and Mays sang a Dixie version of "God Bless the USA," mentioning all 11 states participating in the series in the lyrics, before the fireworks lit up the sky.
Along with the 24 teams, 75 coaches and 288 players, there are approximately 50 national directors in town for the week, including Leroy Floyd, who was instrumental in bringing the World Series to Madison Heights for the second time in seven years.
"There will be some great teams and the community's going to really come out to see it," Madison Heights Youth Baseball Association president Ronnie Adams said.
Just as it is key to an event's success for the host town to make a positive first impression, it is vital to a team's success to get off to a good start in its 12-team, double-elimination tournament, to avoid having to climb out of the losers' bracket.
For example, if Madison Heights' Majors wins its first game against Alabama, it would advance to Tuesday's winners' bracket quarterfinal round against the winner between Searcy, Ark., which won the tournament the last time it was held in Madison Heights, and Newton County, Ga.
But if it loses, it would have to win as many as three extra games in losers' bracket play in order to advance to the championship round. Even then, it would have to beat an undefeated winners' bracket champion two times to take the title, with its opponent needing only to win one of the two finals to be crowned champions.
Madison Heights' majors (11-12) team opens with a 6:30 p.m. game against McAlla, Ala., on Field 1, before its AAA (9-10) team plays Buford, Ga., tonight at 8 on Field 2.
"They don't look that concerned about playing in the World Series," AAA manager Donnie Byers said during a batting practice Friday night at the Ricketts complex. "I'm not sure if they realize the intensity level they're going to be playing in. They're 9-10-year-old kids. They're going to have fun."
Majors all-star third baseman and pitcher Jesse Stinnett was 4 when the Dixie Youth World Series was held here for the first time in 2001. Like Jarred Bryant, Madison Heights' third-year all-star on the AAA team, he will be competing in his third consecutive World Series after traveling to Auburn, Ala., and Goodlettsville, Tenn., the past two summers for the 9-10-year-old series.
"It's going to be awesome playing in our home town," Stinnett said. "It's going to be great knowing where we play."
Tickets to the tournament are $6 for adults or $4 for children per day, with $25/$15 week-long passes available.
Games should end by about 10:30 each night, though there's no legal curfew and they could play until midnight if necessary.
All the scores of all the games will be updated every half inning on the organization's web site, www.mhyba.com, with action photos posted as well.
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TUESDAY
From staff reports
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 7, 2007
Metairie Girard (LA) 2, Salem (VA) 0
Cory Barnes drove in Daniel Martinez and Zac Lange with a hit in Louisiana's two-run second inning and Barnes and Evan Chacon pitched a shutout, allowing just four hits while striking out five Salem batters.
WSET-TV Recap of Day One:
http://new.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=445444&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070806-dixie.wmv
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WEDNESDAY
From staff reports
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 8, 2007
Metairie (LA) 4, Hanahan (SC) 2
Evan Chacon batted 2-for-3 with two RBIs to lift Louisiana to a winners' bracket win over South Carolina, setting up a winners' bracket semifinal meeting with McCalla, Ala., today at 8.
WSET-TV Recap of Day Two:
http://new.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=445729&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070807-mh-9-10.wmv
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THURSDAY
From staff reports
Lynchburg News & Advance
August 9, 2007
McCalla (AL) 5, Metairie (LA) 2
Alabama scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning off Louisiana pitcher Evan Chacon, who went the distance, suffering the loss despite allowing only seven hits and striking out 10 batters.
Ryan Licali delivered two RBIs (for us, not for them) for McCalla, which reaches today's winners' bracket final against a team from Petal, Miss., which received a bye on Wednesday.
McCalla 100 103 - 5 7 0
Metairie 010 100 - 2 1 1
A - Trent Hill, Joshua Weaver (4), Justin Patterson (5) and Phillip Davis. L - Evan Chacon and Daniel Martinez. W: Patterson. L: Chacon.
Highlights: A - Patterson 2-2, 2 runs; Weaver 1-3, 3 RBI. L - Licali 1-2, 2 RBI.
WSET-TV Recap of Day Three:
http://new.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=446044&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070808-mh-1-12.wmv
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FRIDAY
Metairie (LA) 8, Goodlettsville (TN) 5
Metairie, La., rallies behind dramatic homer
From staff reports
Lynchburg News & Advance
Friday, August 10, 2007
Barrett Juneau hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning before nearly passing (out) after crossing the plate in a Dixie Youth Baseball World Series Majors losers' bracket game loaded with drama, Thursday night at R. Leroy Floyd Field.
While Juneau was being treated for dehydration, Metairie, La., rallied for three more runs and held on for an 8-5 victory over Goodlettsville, Tenn., eliminating last year's hosts and sending Louisiana to tonight's losers' bracket final against Petal, Miss., starting at 6 (Eastern).
Juneau, who plays catcher for Metairie and is the godson of manager Derek DeLatte, was shaken up on a collision at the plate a couple innings earlier, which may have contributed to his condition.
But despite looking wobbly after swinging and missing at two pitches in his sixth-inning at-bat, Juneau mustered enough power to connect for his home run to right-center off Tennessee reliever Jay Rhoten. That scored Evan Chacon, who had led off with a walk.
"I told (Juneau) to thank God for giving him the strength to hit it," DeLatte said. "It's a moment he'll never forget."
After Ben Harrison was thrown out at first on an apparent hit to right, Daniel Martinez followed with a double to left before Zac Lange drew a walk, Gregory Deichmann (3-for-3) tripled and K.P. Tassin doubled, extending the lead.
The game was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams, with Goodlettsville taking a 2-0 lead in the third on Rhoten's two-run double, before Metairie came back to seize a 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth when Juneau was hit by a pitch, Harrison and Martinez hit back-to-back doubles, Lange drew a walk and Deichmann doubled.
But Goodlettsville responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the fifth, sparked by Ryan Kemp's two-run home run and Rhoten's RBI single.
Dixie Youth team weathered Hurricane Katrina
By Ted Allen
tallen@newsadvance.com
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Slideshow Multimedia Link for this story (GREAT):
MADISON HEIGHTS - The New Orleans Saints' march to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history last year gave residents who returned to that city in the wake of Hurricane Katrina a sense of hope as they struggled to rebuild their homes and lives.
This summer, a Dixie Youth Baseball team in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie has provided a similar inspirational story, on a much smaller scale. It is the first Majors team from the Girard Playground in Jefferson Parish since 1980 to advance to the World Series, played this week at the W. Glenn Ricketts Youth Sports Complex.
"It seems to have come at a good time," said Metairie manager Derek DeLatte, whose team won its first two games against Salem and Dentsville, S.C., before losing to McCalla, Ala., on Wednesday and taking on Goodlettsville, Tenn., on Thursday. "It seems to have raised people's spirits."
"It's big," added Zach Lange, Metairie's starting shortstop. "It's really exciting because not a lot of kids get this chance."
As much as the Saints offered a diversion for football fans in the aftermath of the storm, baseball has given youth in Metairie a positive outlet from the devastation around them.
"There was not much to do after the hurricane but go to the playground to play baseball," DeLatte said. "The mall was shut down, the movie theater was shut down. The only place to hang out was on the baseball field."
The result is a tightly-knit team that clings to and supports one another like brothers.
"These kids are connected at the hip," DeLatte said.
They are spurred on by a vocal following of family and fans, with nearly 80 making the 15-hour trip to Madison Heights and 100 more gathering in the park back home to listen to the games broadcast live over the Internet.
Metairie, which like New Orleans is located on the south bank of Lake Pontchartrain, isn't quite as far below sea level as the bigger city. But it was low enough to sustain some major flooding after the levees shielding it from the Gulf of Mexico broke when Katrina hit the coast.
"We're in the bowl," said Metairie assistant coach Jason Lisotta, whose grandfather lost his home and whose uncle's home was leveled by the storm.
"We've all learned to respect nature," Lisotta said. "The whole city was evacuated. It was mandatory. The whole city dispersed. Our playground was two to three feet under water. It took a lot of donations to get back to normal life."
DeLatte's grandmother is still living in a FEMA trailer that sits right in front of her home, which is in the final stages of renovation.
"We didn't get our home back until six months ago," said Suzy Weisdorffer, fiance of Harold Buhler, who serves as supervisor of the Girard playground and traveled with the team. "We lived in a FEMA trailer (for nearly 18 months)."
Most of Metairie's players were away from their homes for at least four months, with Lange staying in Memphis, Tenn., a couple doors down from his aunt, and others fleeing to Florida, Texas and northern sections of Louisiana for as long as a year before returning to their Girard neighborhood.
Rather than bringing their burdens with them to Madison Heights and sharing their sorrows with the other teams in the World Series, Metairie's players instilled a spirit of joy into Sunday night's opening ceremonies at City Stadium.
During the parade of teams into the stadium, the purple-clad players tossed hundreds of colorful beaded necklaces into the crowd, helping to create a festive atmosphere.
"It was fun. The kids enjoyed it. That's like Mardi Gras at home," DeLatte said. "We brought a little of our heritage to Virginia and the World Series."
The French influence is apparent on the team's roster, with names like Evan Chacon, Colin LeRoux, Barrett Juneau, Matthew Calcote and Daniel LaHare.
In addition to trading collectors' pins with other teams in the tournament, the Metairie players have exchanged Fleur de Lis pins, the French symbol on the Louisiana state flag also used as the logo for the Saints.
"It's a symbol of purity, which came from the French king," said Angela Deichmann, mother of Gregory, Metairie's left fielder. "Since Hurricane Katrina, it has symbolized the unity of the people of Louisiana and the re-establishment of (New Orleans.)"
The city's renaissance has been gradual at best.
"It's slow, but there is progress," Lisotta said. "A lot of people lost jobs because businesses just left. They weren't going to rebuild and risk losing everything again."
But the 11- to 12-year-old boys on Metairie's baseball team has given their neighborhood something to cheer about, modeling a positive work ethic and inspiring hope for the future.
WSET-TV Recap of Day Four:
http://www.wset.com/abc13videopop.hrb?
stat=wset&a=f&f=n&s=446354&file=http://video.wjla.com/wset/070809-majors.wmv
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SATURDAY
Harrison's eighth-inning HR lifts Louisiana
By Ted Allen
Lynchburg News & Advance
Saturday, August 11, 2007
MADISON HEIGHTS - Evan Chacon worked out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh inning before Ben Harrison hit a two-out, three-run home run in the top of the eighth to lift Metairie, La., to a 4-1 triumph over Petal, Miss., Friday night in the Dixie Youth Baseball World Series Majors division losers' bracket final.
It was Louisiana's second straight dramatic triumph in as many nights after rallying for five runs in the sixth inning to eliminate Goodlettsville, Tenn., 8-5 on Thursday.
"These kids don't give up," Metairie manager Derek DeLatte said. "Our team is resilient. They're at the brink of elimination it seems every night and they come fighting back. With men on second and third and one out, you think the game is over (but) they know how to win. We don't have a lot of big athletes, but they come out and play defense and have a lot of heart."
Mississippi's Haydn Lott doubled down the right-field line to put runners on second and third with one out in the seventh before DeLatte had Chacon walk sixth batter Randy Duhon intentionally to load the bases for Garren Berry. Chacon struck Berry out before inducing Seth Lacombe to ground out to Ryan Licali to end the threat.
"I've done it three times to him," DeLotte said. "I've loaded the bases intentionally three times - once at Disney World, once with the school team and here and every time he's come through. If he hits a batter or walks a batter (the game is over)."
For Mississippi, both of its losses came in extra innings after losing to Goodlettesville 4-3 on Tuesday, the only other extra-inning game of the World Series so far.
Petal escaped a couple of Louisiana rallies that could have given it the lead by making stellar defensive plays. With Metairie's Cory Barnes on third after doubling in Zac Lange with the tying run in the top of the fifth, Mississippi starting pitcher Trevor Williams fielded K.P. Tassin's slow grounder to the right of the mound and dashed to first, barely beating Tassin to the bag for the final out.
Then in the sixth, after Lange led off by beating out an infield single, Matt Calcote bunted him to second and a passed ball moved him to third, Barnes hit into an inning-ending double play when Petal third baseman Garren Berry dove to his right to snare Barnes' shot up the line, tagging out Lange in the same motion before firing to Lott for the putout at first.
"They made great plays throughout the game," DeLatte said. "Their kids and coaches are first-class, very respectful. It's a shame anybody has to lose."
But he was so happy that Louisiana win that he couldn't help but shed tears.
"When Ben hit the home run to give us the lead, I actually started to cry," DeLatte said. "It was so emotional."
Though DeLatte said before the series started that his players didn't think anyone could beat them, they weren't all so confident.
"Seriously, I never thought we'd ever make it here," said Barrett Juneau, adding he never dreamed the team would advance this far.
Juneau, who collapsed due to dehydration after crossing the plate on his game-tying home run in Louisiana's five-run sixth inning on Thursday night, was chosen by DeLatte, his Godfather, as Friday night's starter.
"Our starting pitcher, Barrett Juneau, hasn't pitched a meaningful game all year because he's our catcher," DeLatte said.
He went five innings and didn't give up an earned run, with Petal's only score coming in the third when Juneau hit leadoff batter Gregory Causey before Ron Myers laid down an impossible bunt from above his head down the third-base line. Harrison's late throw to first got away, allowing Causey to reach third, before Mississippi executed a double steal, with Myers breaking from first and Causey coming home as the throw from catcher Chacon to second bounced into center field.
Metairie advances to today's championship series against McCalla, Ala., the only team to beat it so far. Louisiana must beat Alabama twice to win the World Series title - first at noon and again at 7 p.m. - with McCalla needing only one win to clinch the crown.
"LSU and Alabama are big rivals in football, especially after losing (coach) Nick Saban to them," DeLatte said before scouting McCalla in the second game. "We're hoping to play them again (today)."
Metairie (LA) 4, Petal (MS) 1
Losers' bracket final
Metairie 000 010 03 - 4 8 2
Petal 000 010 00 - 1 6 2
Barrett Juneau, Ben Harrison (6) and Evan Chacon, Juneau (6). Trevor Williams, Larson Barkurn (7) and Randy Duhon, Haydn Lott (4), Duhon (7). W: Chacon. L: Barkurn. HR: Harrison (M), 8th inn., 2 on. 2B: Cory Barnes (M), Lott (P).
Highlights: M - Harrison 3-4, 3 RBI, run. P - Lott 2-3.
Live Internet stream debuts at World Series
By Ted Allen
Lynchburg News & Advance
Saturday, August 11, 2007
This year's Dixie Youth Baseball World Series is the first in the 52-year history of the tournament with live digital feed accessible on the internet, giving fans from visiting teams the chance to see games live from the comforts of their home computer, or from the middle of the war in Iraq.
Since filming started on Wednesday, David Childress, the supervisor of technology for Amherst County schools, has been in charge of sending the live footage from six cameras stationed around W. Glenn Ricketts' Field to the web site www.youthsportslive.com/Virginia, with a link available on Madison Heights' Youth Baseball Association site, www.mhyba.com.
"Some of the kids have parents overseas and they're getting to watch the games from over there," Childress said as a player from McCalla, Ala., made a diving stab to record an out in Friday night's game against Leland, N.C. "To be able to see a play like that, it's just awesome."
One such parent who has benefited from the web site is Brent Carpenter, who's been stationed with the 82nd airborne in Iraq since Jan. 2, aside from a scheduled leave which coincided with his son Tony's state championship game with the AAA team from Dentsville, S.C.
On Thursday, Brent's birthday, he was able to see photos of his son before its 10-6 victory over Ville Platte, La., in the winners' bracket final, including one of him holding a sign that read, "God Bless Our Troops," and another of his wife, Lesley, holding their toddler daughter.
That game, however, wasn't aired live, as it was on Field 2, rather than Field 1, which is where the championship games will be played today.
Photographers are using the same set-up they do for Major League games, with six cameras instead of the usual eight, since the field is smaller.
WSET-TV Recap of Day Five
LINK TO GIRARD PHOTO ALBUM WORLD SERIES PICTURES!
Friday, August 10
VIKINGS HEADING TO CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!
| |  | | Vikings Fans Cheer on the Team at The Bay |
GIRARD 4 - Mississippi 1
VIKINGS ARE HEADED TO THE DIXIE YOUTH WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!
The Vikings, behind the pitching of Juneau, Martinez and Chacon, held the Mississippi team to one run, but the fireworks were added by the 3 run Home Run by Ben Harrison in extra innings in the 8th, to put the Vikings into the Championship Game series vs Alabama.
The Vikings will have to beat Alabama twice on Saturday, with the first game kicking off at 11.00am New Orleans time. This game will be broadcast on Youth Sports Live: http://www.youthsportslive.com/virginia
Check out pictures from the game in The Girard Photo Album, and also further down this page in the DYWS BLOG, great writeups on the game from the local paper with the linescores!
Thursday, August 9
VIKINGS' DYWS QUEST CONTINUES WITH VICTORY!!!
GIRARD 8 - Tennessee 5
TENN is the home team - Tennessee gets 2 in the bottom of the 3rd, after a scoreless game to that point - in the 5th Girard scores 3 on a walk by Barrett Juneau, a double by Ben Harrison, a hit by Daniel Martinez, and a double by Gregory Deichmann
Tennessee comes back in the bottom of the 5th with a 2 run Home Run, now leads 5-3
top 6th, Girard's last chance - GO VIKINGS! - Evan Chacon walks BARRETT JUNEAU HITS HOME RUN TO TIE THE GAME!!! What a last 2 innings! Girard now has 2 runners on and Tennessee is putting in a new pitcher - here we go - Vikings get 3 more runs to finish the inning and hold Tennessee.
Girard will face Mississippi tomorrow (AL 7 - MS 0), Friday, 10 August @ 5pm New Orleans time. Follow the Vikings on Youth Sports Live Internet TV in tomorrow's game. Game Pictures in the Girard Photo Album.
See the newspaper story from the game on the DYWS BLOG further down on this page...
Wednesday, August 8
DYWS WINNER'S BRACKET SEMIFINAL
Alabama 5 - GIRARD 2
Our Vikings hung in there for 5 innings, tied 2-2, but gave up 3 in the 6th to pre-tournament favorite Alabama in a very close game up until that point. The Vikings will play Tennessee game on Thursday night at 5.00pm.
Thanks to Youth Sports Live, a large crowd gathered in Metairie to watch the game on a widescreen TV in one of our favorite places. Hang in there guys, we are behind you down here. It ain't over til it's over!
Tuesday, August 7
VIKINGS ROLL THROUGH 2nd ROUND WINNER'S BRACKET!!!
GIRARD 4 - South Carolina 2
Vikings explode for 3 in the 5th to take the lead, and win in their 2nd Round Winner's Bracket Game over Hanahan, South Carolina. Girard scores 4 runs on 4 hits, while limiting SC to 2 runs on 3 hits.
Evan Chacon goes 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's
Girard will now face Alabama (McCalla) - the pre-tournament "favorite", who defeated Georgia on Tuesday, in the 3rd Round of the Winner's Bracket, tomorrow on Wednesday, August 8th at 6.30pm local time in the Winner's Bracket Semifinal Feature Game. Bama has some big boys and this will be the "Test". This game is planned to be broadcast on Youth Sports Live (follow the link on the DYWS Blog on the Girard Website), so you can follow the action from your computer.
LOUISIANA vs ALABAMA! The Rivalry begins Tomorrow!
Monday, August 6
VIKINGS WIN WORLD SERIES OPENER 2-0 OVER VIRGINIA !!!!!!!!!!!
GIRARD 2 - VIRGINIA 0
COREY BARNES PITCHED 4 SCORELESS INNINGS AND DROVE IN THE ONLY 2 RUNS WITH A DOUBLE IN THE 3RD INNING. EVAN CHACON CAME IN RELIEF AND PITCHED 2 INNINGS AND STRUCK OUT 4 FOR THE SAVE.
THE VIKINGS WILL PLAY SOUTH CAROLINA TUESDAY AT 7:30.
Monday, August 6
VIKINGS ARE HUGE HIT AT OPENING CEREMONIES / OPEN UP AGAINST VIRGINIA AT 5:30 / CAN VIEW LIVE BOX SCORES AT http://www.mhyba.com/scores.htm
THE VIKINGS ENTERED THE STADIUM LIKE NO OTHER SUNDAY NIGHT. THE VIKES BROUGHT A LITTLE MARDI GRAS TO THE WORLD SERIES. THOUSANDS OF FANS AND PLAYERS WERE YELLING FOR BEADS THAT WERE BEING THROWN BY THE PLAYERS AND COACHES.
YOU CAN CHECK OUT THE LOCAL VIRGINIA NEWSPAPER FOR COVERAGE. THE LINK IS http://www.newsadvance.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=LNA%2FPage%2FLNA_SportsPage&c=Page&cid=1041611506951
Tuesday, July 31
COME WATCH STATE CHAMPS THURSDAY AT JEFFERSON 6:00 HR DERBY / 7:00 GAME
THE VIKINGS WILL PLAY A PRACTICE GAME THURSDAY AT 7:00 AT JEFFERSON PLAYGROUND. THEY WILL BE WEARING THEIR NEW LOUISIANA UNIFORMS FOR THE FIRST TIME. BEFORE THE GAME, AT 6:00, THEY WILL BE HAVING A HOMERUN COMPETITION. THE WINNER WILL REPRESENT OUR TEAM IN THE HOMERUN DERBY SUNDAY AT THE WORLD SERIES. THE VIKINGS LEAVE FRIDAY FOR THE WORLD SERIES. PLEASE COME OUT THURSDAY TO SUPPORT YOUR STATE CHAMPIONS AND LET THE KIDS KNOW HOW PROUD YOU FELLOW VIKINGS ARE OF THEM.
| | STATE CHAMPIONS | |
Sunday, July 29
VIKINGS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP / PUT AWAY GIRARD BLUE AND WHITE FOR LOUISIANA PURPLE AND GOLD / WILL HEAD TO WORLD SERIES THIS WEEKEND
THE VIKINGS HAD TO WIN 2 GAMES SATURDAY TO KEEP THEIR SEASON AND DID JUST THAT. IN GAME ONE CORY BARNES PITCHED ANOTHER GREAT GAME. HE GAVE UP ONLY 1 RUN, WHILE STRIKING OUT 7. BEN HARRISON CAME ON TO PITCH THE LAST INNING FOR THE SAVE.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
BEN HARRISON STARTED AND KEPT VILLE PLATTE SCORELESS THROUGH 3 INNINGS. IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 3RD, MATT CALCOTE HAD A HUGE 2RBI DOUBLE TO GIVE THE VIKINGS A 2-0 LEAD. IN THE TOP OF THE 4TH, VILLE PLATTE CAME ALIVE SCORING 2 RUNS. VILLE PLATTE SCORED AGAIN IN TGHE 5TH TO TAKE A 3-2 LEAD. THE SCORE STOOD THAT WAY UNTIL THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST. AFTER EVAN CHACON FLEW OUT TO RIGHT, BARRETT JUNEAU SINGLED UP THE MIDDLE. COLIN LEROUX ENTERED THE GAME FOR BARRETT AS A PINCH RUNNER AND SCORED THE TYING RUN WHEN BEN HARRISON DOUBLED TO CENTER. THE SCORE WAS NOW 3-3 HEADING TO THE 7TH. THE VIKINGS WERE IN TROUBLE ONCE AGAIN IN THE TOP OF THE 7TH WHEN VILLE PLATTE LED OFF WITH A DOUBLE. DANIEL MARTINEZ, WHO HAS BEEN "MR. CLUTCH" ON THE MOUND, STRUCK OUT THE NEXT BATTER. THE NEXT BATTER HIT A HARD GROUND BALL TO ZAC LANGE AT SHORT. ZAC FIELDED IT AND FIRED IT TO FIRST FOR THE OUT, CORY BARNES THEN FIRED IT TO BEN HARRISON,WHO APPLIED THE TAG FOR THE INNING ENDING DOUBLE PLAY. THIS PLAY SEEMED TO IGNITE THE VIKING PLAYERS AND FANS. GREGORY DEICHMANN LED OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH WITH A SINGLE TO LEFT. CORY BARNES MOVED GREGORY TO 2ND WITH A SACRIFICE BUNT. GREGORY MOVED OVER TO 3RD ON A WILD PITCH AND SCORED THE GAME WINNING RUN ON KP TASSIN'S BASE HIT UP THE MIDDLE. THE CROWD AND PLAYERS WENT NUTS, REALIZING THAT THE VIKES ARE STATE CHAMPIONS AND ARE HEADED TO THE WORLD SERIES.
AFTER THE GAME, THE BOYS WERE AWARDED MEDALS AND BRAND NEW LOUISIANA, PURPLE AND GOLD, JERSEYS AND HATS. THANKS TO ALL YOU VIKINGS WHO CAME, LISTENED ON THE INTERNET AND CALLED FOR UPDATES.
THE LOUISIANA STATE CHAMPS WILL PLAY A PRACTICE GAME THIS THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7:00. LOCATION OF THE GAME WILL BE POSTED LATER THIS WEEK.
Saturday, July 28
VIKINGS LOSE GAME 1 5-3 / WIN GAME 2 4-1 / WILL PLAY FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP TONIGHT AT 6:30
THE RADIO STATION WILL COVER THE 2ND HALF OF THE GAME ON THE INTERNET. THEY ARE BROADCASTING THE 10 YEAR OLDS, WHEN THAT GAME ENDS, IT WILL COME LIVE TO US.
| | 2007 SOUTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONS | |
Wednesday, July 25
GIRARD ALL-STARS BEAT WEST MONROE 10-0, WILL PLAY VILLE PLATTE FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!!!!!
|  | | CORY BARNES PITCHES PERFECT GAME |
FACING WEST MONROE FOR THE 2ND TIME IN 3 NIGHTS, THE VIKINGS SCORED EARLY AND NEVER LOOKED BACK ON THE WAY TO A 10-0 WIN. CORY BARNES PITCHED A 4 INNING PERFECT GAME. RYAN LICALI MADE AN UNBELIEVABLE PLAY TO START THE GAME AND CORY DID THE REST. ON THE FIRST PITCH OF THE GAME, WEST MONROE'S LEAD OFF HITTER HIT A HARD LINE DRIVE. RYAN TOOK ONE STEP TO HIS RIGHT AND DOVE, SNAGGING THE LINE DRIVE FOR THE 1ST OUT OF THE GAME. CORY AND THE VIKINGS DEFENSE DIDN'T ALLOW A BALL OUT OF THE INFIELD.
THE VIKINGS TRAVEL TO ALEXANDRIA THIS FRIDAY TO PLAY A BEST 2 OUT OF 3 SERIES VS VILLE PLATTE, WHO WON THE NORTH REGIONAL. THE WINNER OF THIS SERIES WILL BE CROWNED STATE CHAMPIONS AND EARN A TRIP TO THE WORLD SERIES. MAKE THE TRIP TO ALEXANDRIA TO SUPPORT THE VIKINGS.
GAME TIMES
FRIDAY 6:30
SAT 11:30
SAT (IF NEC.) 5:30
THE GAMES WILL BE PLAYED AT JOHNNY DOWNS IN ALEXANDRIA.
Tuesday, July 24
VIKINGS WIN AGAIN VS RUSTON, 3-2 - IN SOUTH REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TUESDAY VS WEST MONROE NORTH
Game Time is 5.30p Tuesday in Pontchatoula - the Vikings have to be beaten twice by West Monroe (if necessary, the second Championship Game will follow at 8pm).
Sunday, July 22
VIKINGS WIN 2-1 THRILLER OVER WEST MONROE
EVAN CHACON GAVE UP 1 UNEARNED AND 2 HITS, WHILE STRIKING OUT 9 TO GET THE VICTORY. HE ALSO SCORED THE GAME WINNING RUN ON A STEAL IN THE BOTTOM OF THE 5TH. THE VIKINGS WILL PLAY RUSTON AT 7:30 ON MONDAY NIGHT. WITH A VICTORY, THE VIKINGS WOULD HAVE TO BE BEATEN TWICE ON TUESDAY.
Saturday, July 21
VIKINGS CONTINUE WINNING WAYS IN PONCHATOULA WITH 8-0 VICTORY OVER FRANKLINTON
THE VIKES WILL PLAY WEST MONROE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT GAME SUNDAY NIGHT AT 7:30.
BEN HARRISON PITCHED A COMPLETE GAME SHUT OUT, GIVING UP ONLY 2 HITS WHILE STRIKING OUT 8. GREGORY DEICHMANN SUPPLIED MOST OF THE OFFENSE GOING 2-2 WITH A TRIPLE AND 4 RBI'S.
Friday, July 20
VIKINGS SHUT OUT TIOGA 3-0, WILL PLAY FRANKLINTON AT 5:00 SATURDAY
CORY BARNES GAVE UP NO RUNS ON 2 HITS AND STRUCK OUT 10 IN 5 INNINGS. THEN EVAN CHACON STRUCK OUT THE SIDE IN THE 6TH FOR THE SAVE. BARRETT JUNEAU SUPPLIED ALL THE RUNS WITH A 3 RUN HOMER IN THE 4TH.
Tuesday, July 17
PARISH CHAMPS TAKE ON TIOGA 2:30 FRIDAY IN PONCHATOULA
Sunday, July 15
VIKINGS EARN PARISH CHAMPIONSHIP WITH 10-0 VICTORY OVER MILEY
THE VIKINGS WILL HEAD TO PONCHATOULA THIS FRIDAY FOR THE START OF THE SOUTH REGIONAL TOURNAMENT. THEY OPEN UP THE TOURNAMENT @ 2:30 VS TIOGA. COPY AND PASTE THIS LINK FOR DIRECTIONS TO THE PARK. http://maps.citysearch.com/map/view/34151473
MAKE THE TRIP TO PONCHATOULA TO SUPPORT THE VIKINGS.
STATE TOURNAMENT BRACKETS (COPY AND PASTE)
SOUTH REGIONAL Pontchatoula (GIRARD'S BRACKET):
http://eteamz.active.com/ladixieybb/files/07SOUTHMAJOR.htm
NORTH REGIONAL Alexandria (JPRD-West Winner's BRACKET):
http://eteamz.active.com/ladixieybb/files/07NORTHMAJOR.htm
Tuesday, July 10
VIKING ALL-STARS SPEND DAY AT LSU
|  | | COACH SPEAKS |
THE VIKINGS WOULD LIKE TO THANK SKIP BERTMAN, PAUL MAINIERI AND THE LSU STAFF FOR TAKING THE TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY TO WELCOME THE VIKING ALL-STARS TO LSU. HEAD BASEBALL COACH, PAUL MAINIERI SPENT TIME SPEAKING TO OUR BOYS, TAKING PICTURES AND SIGNING BASEBALLS. AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH COACH MAINIERI, THE BOYS WERE TAKEN INTO THE FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOM, WEIGHT ROOM AND THEN ON TO THE FOOTBALL FIELD. THANKS AGAIN LSU!!!!
 | | TIGER STADIUM |
Tuesday, July 10
LSU
|  | | BARRETT POSES FOR HEISMAN |
2007 GIRARD VIKINGS DIXIE YOUTH ALLSTARS NEWS
Check here for information for your 2007 GIRARD VIKINGS DIXIE YOUTH ALLSTARS news and information!
Wednesday, May 21
GIRARD VIKINGS - 2008 Dixie Youth Baseball World Series Runner-ups
Click on the above headline link to see the full story of the 2008 Girard Vikings:
- Louisiana State Champions
- Dixie Youth World Series Runner-Ups
http://www.eteamz.com/girard
Monday, April 21
2007 GIRARD DIXIE YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM CELEBRATION
THE 2007 GIRARD/TEAM LOUISIANA DIXIE YOUTH ALL-STARS, WHO WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP AND FINISHED SECOND IN THE DIXIE YOUTH WORLD SERIES IN VIRGINIA, INVITED ALL GIRARD FAMILIES TO THEIR CELEBRATION ON SUNDAY, APRIL 20TH @ 5:00.
THE PARTY WAS HELD AT THE GIRARD DIXIE YOUTH FIELD, AND THERE WAS FOOD, DRINKS (WATER/SOFT DRINKS), MUSIC AND CABBAGE BALL GAMES.
PRECEDING THE PARTY THERE WERE SCHEDULED 11-12 AMERICAN GAMES. THE WEATHER WAS ABSOLUTELY PERFECT AND A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL.
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