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Clairemont Hilltoppers Little League Poker Tournament Deals Lots of Fun!
Our third annual Poker Tournament, held Saturday, October 24 at the Best Western Seven Seas, was another roaring success and enjoyed by all who attended. An evening of music, food, fun, camaraderie (and even a little card playing), was capped off with the championship going to Larry Perkins. Larry won the grand prize of a two-night stay at the beautiful Bristol Hotel in downtown San Diego. Dozens of Clairemont Hilltoppers parents, friends and relatives turned out for what has become an annual social highlight for our Hilltoppers community. Congratulations to the others who reached our "final table" and walked away with prizes: Denise Pelletier, Will Bechtel, Ed West, Kevin Bonner, Dan Fauth, Bebe Pearson and Henry Garnett. A big thank you to league parent Joe Tocyzlowski for providing the venue once again, as well as our grand prize. Thanks also to Cathy Campbell and the rest of the hotel staff who made our event run so smoothly, and to all those who donated our fun and wonderful prizes. Appreciation also goes to our fine dealers, who worked tirelessly throughout the evening, along with tournament directors Roger Otterson and Troy Keltner. If you missed the tournament this time, to someone who was there and hear just how much fun it was. Be sure to look for our announcement in the spring of our next tournament (probably in April), and come out and join the party!
Royce Ring Offering Lessons/Clinics
Former San Diego State and San Diego Padres pitcher and Clairemont resident Royce Ring is now offering private instruction to individuals, from children to adults. Royce has seven years of Major League pitching experience, and just completed the 2009 season as part of the Triple-A Pacific Coast League champion Memphis Redbirds. He is offering private lessons on throwing, catching and warm-up techniques. He is also offering clinics for four or more individuals at a reduced rate. For more information, click on the flyer handout below, or call 619-316-6265.
Handout: Royce Ring Winter Ball Is Underway!
With games starting on Sunday, September 13, the 2009 Winter Ball season is now in full swing at Clairemont Hilltoppers. This year, we have teams in the Farm, Minors (3), Majors (2), and Juniors divisions. There is still room for additional players in both the Majors and Juniors divisions, so if you have not yet signed up, please contact Mike Van Cleave (858) 274-6420 or Ken Cicalo (858) 586-1861, and we can still get you on a team in those divisions. The season runs until November 23, with games only once a week on Sunday afternoons, This fun, instructional season is a great opportunity for players to try new positions, adjust to a higher division, or work on things that they learned during the regular season. Games will be played with some of our neighboring leagues, including Clairemont Mesa, Mission Bay, University City, Presidio and a few others. It's a lot of fun and a great way for your kids to keep enjoying the fun and friendships they developed during the regular season. Even if you're not playing this season, click on the handout below for a complete list of winter ball schedules, and come out and enjoy some games!
Handout: 2009 Winterball Schedules WORLD CHAMPIONS
Park View's Little Leaguers, from Chula Vista, CA, are champions of the Little League world.
With a come-from-behind 6-3 victory over Chinese Taipei on Sunday, August 29, Park View captured the Little League World Series, becoming only the second team from San Diego County to ever reign as World Champions. This capped a weekend where they won the United States Championship with a dominant 12-2 victory over San Antonio, Texas, the only team to defeat them during the tournament in Williamsport, PA.
With wins in all six of their games at the West Regional in San Bernardino, Park View dominated the tournament, scoring double digits in all six games they played. The championship game, televised nationally on ESPN2, was very close for four innings, before Park View erupted for eight runs in the last two innings. Park View broke longstanding records in both the World Series (with 19 homers in six games) and the West Regional (where they clobbered an astounding total of 38 home runs in six games).
Hilltoppers Tournaments a Huge Success!
The District 32 tournament kicked off our month-long festivities, with games from June 27 to July 15. The winner of that tournament, Coronado, progressed to the Section 6 tournament, which we hosted from July 18-23. Mission Trails Little League, from District 33, won that tournament, advancing to our Sub-Division III tournament from July 25-29. That title was captured by Park View Little League from District 42 in Chula Vista. They have since advanced to the semifinals of the West Regional in San Bernardino, representing all of Southern California. The winner of that tournament goes to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA, and Park View is now just wins on Friday and Sunday from making that trip. This is the first time Clairemont Hilltoppers was given the opportunity to host all three of these tournaments. Thanks to our great volunteers, we had four weeks of great fun, excitement and baseball being played on our beautiful fields. Players, coaches, parents and league officials from all over Southern California were exposed to Clairemont Hilltoppers baseball and hospitality. Thanks so much to all who made this possible!
Seniors Finish Great Tournament Run! Clairemont Hilltoppers' Senior Division All-Stars (District 32 and Section 6 Champions) ended their great 2009 post-season, dropping a heartbreaking 9-8 decision to Spring Valley Little League on July 28.
The loss eliminated Hilltoppers from the Subdivision tournament, hosted by Canyon Springs Little League in the Moreno Valley/Riverside area. On July 27, Rialto Park Little League posted a 10-1 victory that was Hilltoppers' first loss of the season by more than one run. It was an amazing season for this team, and great thanks go to coaches John Milisitz, Ross Majam and Randy Darman for all of their tireless efforts with this team. Thanks also to the parents and friends of the team, who lent such wonderful support throughout this exciting season. This group of kids has a lot to be proud of, and went where no Hilltoppers team has been in 25 years... to District and Sectional titles!
Hilltoppers Seniors Win Sectional Tournament!
Clairemont Hilltoppers' Senior Division All-Star team became the first Hilltoppers Sectional champion in 25 years, posting a 13-2 win over Poway on Tuesday, July 21. Already champions of District 32, the Hilltoppers team captured the Section 6 tournament with three consecutive wins, and now advances to the Subdivision III tournament near Riverside beginning July 25. Getting five strong innings of pitching from Alejandro Zavala, the Hilltoppers were tested early in the game, but then exploded for 11 runs in the final three innings to pull away for the win. The team got another great all-around performance from centerfielder Jesus Zerpa, whose hitting, fielding and baserunning stood out in the tournament. Ernesto Zavala topped the offense with a three-run homer, his third in as many games. Once again, solid defense, timely hitting and clutch pitching marked the Hilltoppers wins. Their win on Sunday, July 19 over Poway's Senior All-Stars, 9-3, catapulted them into the tournament final. That game was keyed by home runs from Justin Waney, Efren Olivas and Ernesto Zavala, along with a key two-out, two-RBI single from Zak Darman. Michaelray Duran pitched six strong innings to pick up the win. The Hilltoppers began Sectional play with a convincing 12-4 win over Serra Mesa on Saturday, July 18. Led by great pitching from Efren Olivas, and timely hits from Michaelray Duran and Kyle Holder, the Hilltoppers jumped out to an early 3-1 lead. In the top of the fourth, they exploded for six more runs, capped off by a grand slam homer by Ernesto Zavala. In District play, a solid 10-2 victory over Mission Bay on Thursday, July 16, captured the tournament flag and brought the right to advance to the Sectional tournament. The 15- and 16-year-old squad, managed by John Milisitz and coached by Ross Majam and Randy Darman, began tournament play with a victory over Scripps Ranch American on Wednesday, July 8, followed by additional victories over Peninsula and Mission Bay. Their only blemish came on July 14, when they had an opportunity to win the championship outright with another victory over Mission Bay. A nail-biter ended with Mission Bay edging our team 1-0. That forced the deciding championship game.Congratulations to Mark Bial, Jose Bobadilla, Chris Bonner, Zak Darman, Michaelray Duran, Austin Farmer, Kyle Holder, Efren Olivas, Mark Otero, Jordan Souza, Justin Waney, Alejandro Zavala, Ernesto Zavala and Jesus Zerpa for representing Clairemont Hilltoppers with style and pride. Click on the headline above to get updated results as they continue to progress. Schedule for the Subdivision tournament will be posted here as soon as it is available. Come out and root our kids on as they go for the next flag! 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
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. 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.
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.
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.
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. 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.
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