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Celebrating Our 53rd Season In 2009!
Friday, June 26
It's All-Star Season!
Click the headline above to follow the progress of all of our Hilltoppers teams in All-Star tournament play. Check back often, as results will be updated regularly. Not only will we have five teams of All-Stars competing in various tournaments over the next few weeks, but Clairemont Hilltoppers has the honor of hosting three levels of 11- & 12-year-old All-Star play at our fields. The District 32 tournament kicks off our month-long festivities, with games from June 27 to July 15. The winner of that tournament will progress to the Section 6 tournament, which we are hosting from July 18-23. And, finally, the winner of the Section tournament will advance to the Sub-Division III tournament, which we will host from July 25-30. This is the first time Clairemont Hilltoppers has been given the honor of hosting all three of these tournaments. We look forward to great fun, excitement and baseball being played on our beautiful fields over the next month. Volunteer opportunities are still available. Please come to the field and see any board member if you would like to sign up and join in the experience. Help us show all of Southern California why we are all so proud to be Hilltoppers!
Follow Hilltoppers Teams in Tournament of Champions
Click on headline above to see updated results of how Hilltoppers teams are faring in the District 32 Tournament of Champions.
All-Star Teams Announced
All-Star teams in every division except Seniors were announced on June 15. Managers are contacting players who have been selected. Seniors division selections will be announced at the end of June, as they are still in regular season play. Opening games and rosters for our All-Star teams are as follows:
9/10-Year-Old All-Stars: Tuesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. vs. either Presidio or Rancho Penasquitos South. Tournament hosted by Clairemont Mesa Little League.
10/11-Year-Old All-Stars: Sunday, June 28 at 12 noon vs. Coronado. Tournament hosted by Mission Bay Little League.
11/12-Year-Old All-Stars: Tuesday, June 30 at 5:30 p.m. vs. either Scripps ranch American or Rancho Penasquitos South. Tournament hosted by Clairemont Hilltoppers Little League.
Juniors All-Stars: Sunday, June 28 at 3 p.m. vs. Presidio. Tournament hosted by University City Little League. Seniors All-Stars: Wednesday, July 8 at 5:30 p.m. vs. Scripps Ranch National. Tournament hosted by Mission Bay Little League. Congratulations to all. Be sure to come see our kids in action. These are some of the most exciting games of the year!
Closing Day Wraps Up Great Season!
Ceremonies began at 1 p.m., with trophies to all of the league’s players, our annual elections, special awards and surprises. The champioinship games which were played that day were both very exciting games, with the Phillies edging the Marlins for the Farm Division title and the Padres slipping past the Rays for the Majors Division crown. Our delicious barbecue lunch and jumpers for the kids, kept everyone entertained until it was time for ceremonies. Thank you very much to Bill Salonius, Troy Keltner, Chris Carlson and Joel and Rene LeBlanc for making those things run smoothly.
At Closing Day, we honored all of our players and coaches for a great 2009 season, but singled out a few who really made this a year to remember. Managers Ruthie Lestikow and Jose Hurtado received Coach of the Year awards, while players Andrew Costelow, Simon Griffin, Estevan Gonzales, Joshua Tan, Evan Luckett, Benito Hurtado, Kyle Eaton, Christian Arroyo, Greg Heath and Brianna Leigh-Pink received the Spirit of Hilltoppers award for their dedication, hustle, attitude and heart. Ten-Year Awards were also handed out to Jeb Faudoa, Garret Albers, Andre Wagner, George Marvin, Brian Ruthenberg and Warren Woolery. The six were recognized for having played ten years at Clairemont Hilltoppers; from T-Ball through Juniors. Our elections were also held on Closing Day. Elected to positions for the 2010 Hilltoppers Board of Directors were: President - Bill Salonius, Vice President - Mike Van Cleave, Secretary - Robin Bechtel, Treasurer - Rene LeBlanc, Player Agent - Chris Carlson, Senior Player Agent - Linda Camus. Congratulations and thank yous to all of these people for steeping up to take on these roles. A dozen kids also walked away with great prizes from our drawing, with winners receiving things like bats, posters, boogie boards, gloves, gift certificates, etc. Morgan Albers won the grand prize, which was a cornucopia of summer fun (water park tix, movie passes, candy, towels, beach gear and more). Thanks to all who made 2009 a season to remember. As we head into our tournament season and another six weeks of fun and excitement at the ballfields, we will look back and remember fondly the memories of the year we had.
Playoff Winners Decided!
End-of-the-season playoffs have concluded. Here are results and schedules for each division. Come see our Minors, Majors and Juniors Champions in District 32 Tournament of Champions play.
Farm Division
Minors Division
Majors Division
Juniors Division
Seniors Team Off To Great Start
Our Seniors Division season is well underway, with the group of 15- and 16-year-olds racing out to a 5-0 start to their season. Senior teams do not begin regular season play until the beginning of June, as they wait until high school baseball seasons have completed. Many of the players on this year's team have been longtime veterans of Clairemont Hilltoppers. With 17 players on the roster, it is a juggling act at every game, but so far the kids have put together two wins each against teams from Peninsula and Scripps Ranch American, along with their most recent success, a 4-0 decision over the Presidio team on June 13. Home games are played at the East Clairemont Seniors Field on Mt. Acadia in the old Balboa neighborhood.
Upcoming games include: Come out and see these guys play the top brand of baseball Clairemont Hilltoppers offers. An All-Star team representing the league will also be selected and go into tournament play beginning on July 8.
Hilltoppers Teams To Compete In Little Stars Tournament June 19-20
Two teams of 8-year-olds from Clairemont Hilltoppers will be playing in a fun postseason tournament called "Little Stars," to be hosted by Mission Bay Little League, June 19-20. This will be the fourth time that Clairemont Hilltoppers has entered teams in this tournament, and the kids and parents who have participated in previous years have all had a wonderful time. Both of our teams will play two games on Saturday and one on Sunday in this fun, unscored event. We have a great group of 8-year-olds in our league this season, and we are confident that they will represent Clairemont Hilltoppers very well.
Team 1 will be managed by Pat Kinshofer, and they will have the following games:
Team 2 will be managed by Ladd Carlson, and they will have the following games: Good luck to all these kids. Come out and root them on!
San Bernardino Trip A Season Highlight For Majors Teams
Our three Majors Division teams spent the May 15-17 weekend in San Bernardino, at the Western Region headquarters, playing on the same ballfield that will be used in August to select the West and Northwest Region representatives for the Little League World Series. Arriving on Friday evening, the Rays, Padres and Angels (along with the Clairemont Mesa Giants), enjoyed a barbecue for players and their families at the complex, then went out to the stadium and enjoyed a Home Run Derby contest under the lights. Ken Waldichuk of the Padres was the eventual winner of the contest. Players spent both Friday and Saturday nights in the same dorms used by the players for the Regional tournaments each summer. This was a great bonding opportunity for our kids, who also had a chance to hang out with the great kids from Clairemont Mesa on the ballfield, in the pool and in the cafeteria. On Saturday, four ballgames were played in the morning and evening, with the middle of the very hot day enjoyed poolside for most of the kids. Sunday morning included two more ballgames, and all of the kids went home exhausted, but with special memories of the weekend. This was also a great opportunity for families of our players to spend the weekend together, and parents, grandparents and siblings had great fun at the BBQ, hanging out at the ballpark, and visiting at both the regional complex and their hotels. A few brave souls even attempted a round of golf on Saturday afternoon. Many thanks to West Region Director (and former Hilltopper) Jim Gerstenslager and his regional staff for hosting our kids and giving them such a rich experience. This was our fourth trip to San Bernardino, and quite possibly the best. We are hopeful to have the opportunity to do this again next year. Thanks also to Ken Britt, Les Van Cleave, Roger Otterson and Danny De La Torre for making the trip and umpiring all the games, and also to Kelly Grant from Clairemont Mesa, who staffed the microphone and announced all the ballgames. And finally, thanks to all the parents who made the trip, helped organize events, kept the kids hydrated, chaperoned in the dorms, and made this a weekend our kids won't ever forget.
Softball Tournament Hits a Grand Slam!
Nine teams of Hilltoppers parents, coaches, families and friends battled their way through a long day of food, fun and even a little softball on Sunday, May 3rd in the 13th Annual Never on Mothers Day Softball Tournament.
The B.S. team coached by Hilltoppers President Bill Salonius, finished in third place, with defending champions Whitey Wietelmann finishing fourth.
Poker Tournament Deals Fun For All!
Clairemont Hilltoppers' First Annual Texas Hold 'em Tournament, held last November, was a big success and generated a lot of interest in a sequel. Even the most optimistic among us, however, probably could not have envisioned what a smash hit the Second Annual Tournament would be on April 4. More than 80 Hilltoppers parents and friends gathered at the Best Western Seven Seas Hotel in Hotel Circle for a fun evening of cards, food, drinks and prizes. This represented more than a 30% increase in attendance from the first event, and the excitement and enjoyment was evident, as everyone went home with a smile on their face. First place in the tournament went to Vonnie Craig-Parker of the District 32 staff, who won a two-night stay at the beautiful Best Western Seven Seas. Second place was won by league parent Will Bechtel, who took home a $100 Sports Authority gift card. Other winners who made the final table included Audrey Bonner, Scott Hartwell, Darren Stigers, Ed West and Brendan Cain. Many thanks to The Cottage Restaurant, Morton's Steakhouse, Viejas, Bob Faudoa, Mike Van Cleave and Rene LeBlanc for supplying our great prizes. Best news of all, was that Clairemont Hilltoppers raised over $1,500 that night, thanks to the generosity of all who participated. This has definitely become a can't-miss Hilltoppers event.
Special thanks to league parent Joe Toczylowski, for providing the space to hold the event. Thanks also to our fine dealers Kelly Gorman and her friend Yoshi, Anna Fellers, April Fellers, Kris Stoermer, Sean Daniels, Mike Boisvert, Lori Petchauer and Roger Otterson. Thanks also to Danielle Pestana, Judy Salonius and Karen Keltner for help with setup and staffing the front table. And finally, a big thank you to tournament organizer Troy Keltner, whose tireless efforts made this all possible. From planning and organizing, to collecting prizes, to recruiting players and dealers, to working as a dealer throughout the evening, Troy made this event full of fun and camaraderie for everyone. If you weren't able to attend this time, look for another opportunity this fall when we will see if we can top the results from this tourney. It's about as fun a night out as you can have, and it's always great to spend time with our Hilltoppers extended family.
Clairemont Hilltoppers Hall of Fame
Named as Charter Members were 17 individuals whose achievements, contributions and leadership will forever be recognized with this honor. A permanent plaque listing the names of all current and future Hall of Famers hangs in our scorebooth building.
These members were recognized for their contributions in one or more of these four categories: Inspirational, Leadership, Volunteer and Special Recognition. Future members will be selected by a committee of current and former Hilltoppers.
Snack Bar Building Gets a Facelift
In addition to tearing off the old roof, repairs were made to the structure along with replacing all of the old fascia boards. With the new roof installed over the Christmas holidays, it doesn't look much different than it did in the past, but it's in much better condition – and will no longer leak! Many thanks to the Hilltoppers volunteers who gave of their time at what was already a busy time of year. Special thanks to our crew chief Martin Iniguez for his many hours of work on the project. Thanks also to Bill Salonius, Dave Granfors, Troy Keltner, Bob Faudoa, Joel LeBlanc, Chris Young, Mike Van Cleave, Pat Kinshofer, Aaron Granfors and Casey Granfors.
Mike Winters Visits Hilltoppers
The Rays are managed by Hilltoppers Vice President Mike Van Cleave, who played and umpired with Winters when they were growing up in Clairemont back in the '70s. Winters graciously spent close to an hour with the kids, coaches and parents, answering questions, telling stories and letting the kids know how a former Hilltopper made it to the Major Leagues. His donation of umpire gear will also be put to good use by Hilltoppers umpires this season. As a 19-year veteran Major League umpire, Winters has umpired in a number of playoff, World Series and All-Star games, and is looking forward to his 20th big league season in 2009. A charter member of the Hilltoppers Hall of Fame announced in 2006, he was also our guest on Opening Day in 2007, where we celebrated his accomplishments by retiring his number 33 (look for his banner on our outfield fence on the Padres field). All of us at Clairemont Hilltoppers take great pride in having "one of our own" working in the Major Leagues. We look forward to future visits from Mike, and hope he can always be proud of being a Hilltopper.
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