Softball Shines Bright in The Valley of The Sun

Dec. 1, 2012 – Ross McCulligan

PHOENIX – A change of scenery provided an excellent backdrop for the 12th annual Winter World Championships here. Las Vegas had hosted the Winter Worlds for the past 11 seasons, but the popular season kick-off tournament made its way southeast this year to the Valley of the Sun.

With the switch in locations, a slight dip in attendance from previous seasons was expected, however the turnout far surpassed expectations. The field was comprised of 140 teams from 18 states ranging from Hawaii to Ohio, including a couple of teams from British Columbia.

Teams were treated to exceptional field conditions and perfect weather throughout the six-day tournament. The field preparation staff at all five complexes provided excellent accommodations with some of the best-kept fields in the country.

“It’s no surprise this year’s Winter Worlds were so popular.  Having had the World Championships here for so many years, players enthusiastically returned to enjoy the Southwestern hospitality in the Valley of the Sun and experience yet another first-rate tournament,” said Tournament Director Dave Dowell.

The Men’s 40 Masters division saw No. 3 seed, San Diego VFW, run the table in the winner’s bracket and defeat the Nor Cal Stars 23 to 21 on their way to the championship.

The Men’s 50 AAA division was the largest of the tournament with 16 teams. The 12th seeded Top Gun Thunder clawed their way into the championship game after losing their opening bracket game.

A series of close wins against the New Mexico Lasers and the Arizona Bulldawgz landed Tog Gun Thunder in the championships against No. 6 seed Avenue Towing. Despite a great effort from Top Gun Thunder, Avenue Towing proved too strong, taking the division with a 30–16 victory.

The 55 Major division was filled with close games and great competition. Doubleplay Classic, hailing from California, came out on top winning the championship by only an average of three runs.

The 60 AAA division, comprised of 10 teams, saw the top-seeded One Time fight their way to a championship after squeaking by Desperados 22–21 in the first round of bracket play.

The 10-team 60 AA division provided some of the most exciting play of the tournament. No Guts, No Glory was knocked into the loser’s bracket after falling to Git-R-Done 16–13. After a series of close wins, No Guts, No Glory would go on to defeat Bennett Property Management in an “IF” game for the championship

In the 65 AAA division, Sidewinders out of Arizona won a close battle with Marauders 28–27 to claim the division.

The healthy Men’s 80 division consisted of five teams. Fairway Ford forced an “IF” game against Arizona Prospectors but lost 15–14 in the championship.

The 10-team Women’s 40 division bracket provided some intense competition. Butch’s Beavers, seeded No. 3, won the AAA bracket defeating the Saints 18–15 in the championship game. The AA division was won by Northwest Intensity 16–10 over Madness.

Here are the results of the Winter Worlds:

MEN’S 40-MAJOR – 1. San Diego VFW (CA), 2. Nor Cal Stars (CA), 3. Monstro/USA (CA)

MEN’S 50-PLATINUM – 1. Arizona Elite (AZ), 2. OKI Players (OH), 3. Worth 50’s (CA)

MEN’S 50 AAA – 1. Avenue Towing (CA), 2. Top Gun Thunder (CA), 3. Arizona Bulldawgz (AZ)

MEN’S 55 MAJOR – 1. DoublePlay Classic (CA), 2. Arizona Rogue (AZ), 3. Top Gun III (CA)

MEN’S 55 AAA – 1. Just 4 Fun (AZ), 2. Rio Grande 55 (NM), 3. CJ & S Express (AZ)

MEN’S 55 AA – 1. Pastimers (WA), 2. Scrap Iron Coyotes (CO), 3. Scrap Iron 55 Northern (CO)

MEN’S 60 MAJOR PLUS – 1. Joe Brown’s All Stars (AZ), 2. Hendricks Sports Management (TX)

MEN’S 60 MAJOR – 1. Top Gun 60 Softball (CA), 2. Smith Electric (AZ), 3. No Dice (CA)

MEN’S 60 AAA – 1. One Time (AZ), 2. Last Call (NV), 3. Sidewinders 60’s (AZ)

MEN’S 60 AA – No Guts, No Glory (CA), 2. Bennett Property Management (AZ), 3. Git-R-Done (CA)

MEN’S 65 MAJOR PLUS – 1. Omen 65 (CA), 2. Full Circle (CA)

MEN’S 65 MAJOR – 1. Rusty’s (AZ), 2. Tharaldson’s (NV), 3. Minnesota Prize 65’s (MN)

MEN’S 65 AAA – 1. Sidewinders 65’s (AZ), 2. Marauders (CA), 3. Car City (IA)

MEN’S 65 AA – 1. Yavapai Cantina 65’s (AZ), 2. Physiomotion 65 (CA), 3. New Mexico Flame (NM

MEN’S 70 MAJOR PLUS – 1. Stark Street Pizza (NV), 2. Pinnacle Physical Therapy (AZ)

MEN’S 70 MAJOR – 1. Hawaiian Pride ( HI), 2. 1,000 Oaks Panthers (CA), 3. Team New Mexico (NM)

MEN’S 70 AAA – Sidewinders II (AZ), 2. Triple Play 70 (CA), 3. El Paseo Bank 70 (CA)

MEN’S 70 AA – KC Seniors 70’s (KS), 2. Arizona Titans (AZ), 3. Hill Contracting 70’s (TX)

MEN’S 80 MAJOR – 1. Arizona Prospectors 80 (AZ), 2. Fairway Ford (CA), 3. Scrap Iron 80 (CO)

WOMEN’S 40 AAA – 1. Butch’s Beavers (MI), 2. Saints (AZ), 3. SoCal Toxic (CA)

WOMEN’S 40 AA – 1. Northwest Intensity (ID), 2. Madness (NM)

WOMEN’S 50 – 1. High Desert Diamonds (NM), 2. So Cal Stingers (CA), 3. SWWAT (CA)

WOMEN’S 55 – 1. BOT 5 (CA), 2. Arizona Castaway (AZ), 3. California Spirit 55 (CA)

WOMEN’S 65 – 1. Dream Catchers (NM), 2. Queen Bees (AZ), 3. California Spirit 65 (CA)

Winter Worlds All Tournament Players 2012

Men’s 40Maj- SD VFW- Tony Taisacan, Barry Otis, Gil Rodriguez, Anthony Segina, Romon Johnson.Nor Cal Stars- Cory Nicewonger, Al Becker, Rich Luna.

Men’s 50Platinum- Arizona Elite- Todd Reed, Rod Gibson, Domenic Calise, Chuck Henninger, Curtis Horger.Worth 50’s- Butch Stevenson, Scott Spaulding.

Men’s 50 Maj- Doubleplay Classic- Ray Tarazon, David Sloan, Eric Overstreet, Jimmy Williams, Paul Smit.

Men’s 50AAA- Avenue Towing- Mark Ingersoll, Bobby Batis, Ellis Foots, Lionel Ortiz, Frank Carranco.AZ Bulldawgz- Richard Chiquete, Randy Tompkins.

Men’s 55Maj- AZ Rogue- Kenny Vaught, Frank Scarpelli, Chuck Monroe. Top Gun 55- John White, Todd Mason.

Men’s 55AAA- Just 4 Fun- Kevin McCoy, Pete Dellios, Gary Steen, Fred DeLeon, Tony Cabrales. Rio Grand 55’s- Robert Galvan, Steve Armstrong, John Hurst.

Men’s 55AA- Pastimers- Roger Nachman, Mark Himmelman, Bill McCommack, Ron Mulberg, Bill Brundage. Scrap Iron Coyotes- S.D.Hernandez, Rick Frahm, Rich Waldron.

Men’s 60 Maj- Top Gun 60- Scott Woltens, Tom Lewis, Jim Palecek, Dave Seitz, David McCarthy. No Dice- Scott Dillon, Scott Beaston.

Men’s 60AAA- One Time- Larry Denzler, Larry Lehman, Roger Lawrence, Angel Lopez, Steve Heath.Sidewinders- Bob Schmidt, Jim Montgomery.

Men’s 60AA- No Guts, No Glory- Jack Brunschmid, Rod Schemp, Steve Pavlinovic, Mike Feeney, Mike Daniels. Git R Done- Ray Robinson, Eddie Gestine.

Men’s 65Maj+- Full Circle- Mack Lough, Dennis Merkel, Jerry Nester.

Men’s 65Maj- Rusty’s 65- Stan Suichta, Fred Purvis, Don Joesten, Barry Sustin, Gregg Broeckelman.Tharaldsons- Bob Hough, Russ Gwynn, Lew Agius.

Men’s 65AAA- Sidewinders- Rich Collins, Dave Toepel,Darwin Pimm, Jerry Bianchi, Bob Peck. Car City- Ken Nevenhoven, Don Williams.

Men’s 65AA-Yavapai Casino- John Nicol, Bob Casden, Ernie Jones, Tom Townsen, Chuck Gibson. New Mexico Flame- Larry Gialouris, Ranison Kennedy.

Men’s 70Maj+- Stark Street Pizza- Dave Myers, Dan Minnick, Jackie Robinson, Matt Link, Marlin Campbell, Bob Gregorich.Pinnacle P.T.- Jay Larson, Jim Mollsen, Billy Kee, Howie Dielmann.

Men’s 70Maj-Hawaiian Pride- Dennis Holland, Daniel Ayala, Herbert Leite, David Belaski,Gerald Tulang.Thousand Oaks Panthers- Larry Courtright, Ron Quarantino, Dave Drummond.

Men’s 70AAA- Sidewinders 70Team II- John Vignati, Howard Schaber, John Burns, Mel Bentley, Larry Heuett.Triple Play- Glenn Fitzerald, Louie Mora, Brad Cowles. El Paseo Bank- Bill McNew, Caz Mazet.

Men’s 70AA-Kansas City Seniors- Charles Denayer, Marvin Droege, Joe Pennock, Dick Trout, Denny Schemmel.

Men’s 80Maj- Fairway Ford- Sal Cisneros, Roger Williams, Neil Barnes.Scrap Iron 80’s- Ray Keller, Don Notarmuzi.

Women’s 40AAA- Butch’s Beavers- Sue Harrington, Chris Treesh, Jan Johnson, Carolynn Harmon, Dawn Pardee.

Women’s 50-High Desert Diamonds- Joyce Helgesen, Nicolasa Maxey, Ellyn Wong, Doris Corrales, Tina Schmitt. So Cal Stingers- Alicia Embley, Karlene Schuler, Terry Bokowski.

Women’s 55- AZ Castawaz- Caroln Lavis, Yvonne Wagner, Gloria Smith.

Women’s 65- Dream Catchers- Margie Allen, Juan Cervantez, Jo Hale, Carmen Sandovall, Eve Rey.Queen Bees- Kate VonGunten, Mo Deys, Pam Bedwell. Calif. Spirit 65- Edna Allen, Lani Neer.