Northerns Wrap Up 2015 TOC Season

Dec. 1, 2015 – Dave Dowell National Director

LANSING, MICH.  – The ninth annual Northern Championships returned here for the seventh consecutive year in late August as 42 teams from the Great Lakes region took to the fields in what would become a highly competitive event to mark the end of the 2015 TOC Qualifier Season. 

Play commenced on Thursday in this overlapping format at the East Lansing Softball Complex for the 13 teams aged 65 and older, followed on Friday by the remaining 29 teams starting in the 50 through 60 age groups in East Lansing Sports Complex and the Lake Alliance Softball Complex in Potterville.

On Friday and Saturday, the first session championships were decided as DeClaire/LaMacchia Orthopaedic (MI) was pushed to the “If” game in the 65-Major best two-out-of-three championship series.  They closed things out over the Windsor Chiefs (ON) by a 19-9 score after the teams split the first two games.

On Saturday, U.S. Jobs/Indy (IN) became one of only two teams to complete the tournament unbeaten as they sailed through the 65-AAA bracket as the No. 1 seed by defeating Rush Trucking (MI) 24-15 in the finale.  In the 65/70-Silver Division, the Columbus Silver Sticks (IN) defended their 2014 title with a 14-8 win over the Badger Classics (WI) in the championship game.

On Sunday, things became a bit more predictable as no division of play required an “If” game, which was fortunate for the championship game victors.  Within 10 minutes of the end of the final games at both East Lansing and Lake Alliance, torrential lightning and thunder storms, accompanied by heavy rains began.  

At Lake Alliance, Pope Transport (WI) edged Big Ten/Warner Roofing (IL) in both the 50/55-Platinum division winner’s bracket final (27-26) and the championship game (22-18).  All of the teams in this balanced bracket ended seeding pool play with 1-1 records. Also at Lake Alliance, in the 50/55-Gold division, Motor City Push/JJ Financial (MI) swept Fly Time (MI) in both the championship bracket final (20-9) and the championship game thriller (16-13).  Motor City Push/JJ Financial capped an impressive 2015 season going into the World Masters Championships with 50-AAA titles at the first (Winter World’s in Phoenix) and last TOC Qualifier events of the 2015 Season.

Back at East Lansing, the Michigan Smash completed the only other unbeaten week by handing losses to the Milwaukee Merchants (WI) in the winner’s bracket final (12-3) and the championship game (12-8) for the 50/55-Silver trophy.  The 60-Major division, Kinnco Services (IN) edged the Chicago Classics Bobcats (17-12) for the title.  

And to wrap things up, the 60-AAA championship went to the MP Components/Bomb Squad (MI) who overcame a slow start from the No. 6 seed (of seven) to sweep through the bracket unbeaten, finishing with a 19-10 win over the Cincinnati Sixties in the championship.

For full coverage of the 2015 Northern Championships, please see the Northern Championships Tournament Page at www.seniorsoftball.com.

Here are the 2015 Northern Championships, Lansing, MI All Tournament selections submitted by the teams:

Men’s 50/55 Platinum - Pope Transport:  Jeff Anderson, Scott Luke, Dave Roubal, Anthony Dimauro, Greg Prince; Big Ten Softball/Warner Roofing: Doug Barth, Michael McCullough, Kevin Price, Mark Warner; LS/Jackson Nissan:  Randy Eades, Curt Bisterfeldt, Ritchie DeLay

Men’s 50/55 Gold - Motor City Push:  Mike VanDaelen, Johnny Morris, Vinny Pizzo, Alan Schneider, Jeff Johnson; Fly Time:  ESPN2, Dave Sanecki, Brandon Lampkin, Chris Smith

Men’s 50/55 Silver - Michigan Smash:  Mike Kluka, Doug Edwards, Dave Erdmann, Scotty Wilson, Jimmy Uebbing; Milwaukee Merchants:  Don Laine, Jeff Lewiston, Bill Scansy, Randy Alf

Men’s 60 Major - Kinnco:  William Brown, Steve Rogers, John Rickey McDowell, Terry Lee, Gary Myas; Motown Stars:  Robert Scott, Ray McCoy, Ken Stuemke

Men’s 60 AAA - MP Components Bomb Squad:  Dick Aapala, Cal Lounds, Albert Russell, John Feuerstein, Jack Griffin; Cincinnati 60: Steve Feck, Terry Conn, Tom Thiel, Ted Weingartner; Minutemen: Dave Reifschneider, Drew Moston, Manny Patton; Flex Strut Ohio:  Arthur Coleman, Paul Rebillot

Men’s 65 Major - DeClaire LaMacchia Orthopaedic Institute:  Dave Rose, Larry Smith, Ralph Cole, Joe Miscavish, Dennis Schroeder

Men’s 65 AAA - Chicago Strikers:  Tony Inzerillo, Tom Vancura, Chuck Plonczynski; Life Guard/Pepco:  Joe Mazie, Phillip Biondo   

Men’s 65/70 Silver - Columbus Silver Sticks:  Don Cohron, Charles Goff, Joe Andrew, Roger Gildersleeve, Ron Cochran; Badger Classics:  Al Jorgenson, Bob Ireland, Wayne Stapleford, Larry Peterson