Ronan hosts Cal Ripken 10U State tournament
Carrie Pichler
Mission Mountain All-Star Kellen McClure
Carrie Pichler
Carrie Pichler
Mission Mountain All-star Jamison Webster
courtesy photo
Mission Mountain 10U team
Carrie Pichler
Polson All-Star Brody Soderquist
Carrie Pichler
Fisher, Polson 10U pitcher
Carrie Pichler
Polson's Jarrett Wilson
courtesy photo
Polson 10U team
Carrie Pichler
Polson fans cheer their team on.
Carrie Pichler
Tournament volunteer Dickie Williamson
Carrie Pichler
Lemonade stand
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RONAN – The town of Ronan was abuzz last weekend with rubber cleated, Big League Chew bubble-blowing, future-hopeful MLB playing 10 year olds donning pin stripes, caps, and dirty knees as the Ronan-Pablo Summer Rec League hosted the 2014 Cal Ripken10U State baseball tournament.
All-Star teams from all over the western half of the state vied it out on the diamond, including a team from Polson and a Mission Mountain team with kids from Ronan, Charlo, and Mission.
The Mission Mountain and Polson teams didn’t quite make it into the Championship game, though Polson came close with a “heartbreaking loss” against Clark Fork to end their State run.
Yet they will take with them experience and be able to use what they learned in the years to come whether it be on the mound, at the plate, or making that stretch at first, according to Lisa Hales, tournament organizer/director.
Hales said she had heard the tournament was the “talk of the town,” and said it went well.
“It went pretty smooth,” she said. “Every team here has enjoyed it.”
Hales said hosting a tournament takes an enormous amount of volunteer work, starting with the coaches who dedicate their time to the young athletes.
Hales would also like to thank the community for the support they received.
“It was nice to have all the help that we had, including the city crew and the parents,” she said.
Hales also noted that the tournament brought some extra business to Ronan as families took advantage of local lodging, restaurants, and sporting stores.
Stageline Pizza in Ronan saw its share of extra business, even hosting a full team dining in together.
Stageline Pizza Manager Thomas Wallace believes youth sporting events are “pretty important” for smaller communities as it “revenues business.”
“It helps get the word out about us,” Wallace said.
As for handling the load of full baseball teams, Wallace said it was not a problem.
“The boys were very well behaved and well mannered,” he said. “They were all polite and even cleaned up after themselves.”
