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Lansing Hosts Northern Championships for Ninth Straight Season
Aug. 1, 2017
LANSING, MI – The 12th Annual Northern Championships was held here for the ninth straight season as East Lansing Sports Complex and Lake Alliance Softball Complex hosted 49 teams Aug. 17-20.
The Men’s 65 and over divisions began the tournament, playing Aug. 17-19.
Starting off with the six-team Men’s 65 AAA division, Michigan Lakers 65 ran the table in bracket play, going 4-0, including a 24-7 victory over top seed Ohio Silverados in the championship game. Michigan Lakers also defeated Ohio Silverados earlier in the bracket 16-12 to knock them down into the elimination side of the bracket. After losing their first game in the bracket, Chicago Classics Bobcats won three straight games before falling short against Ohio Silverados 19-8 in the third-place game.
Chicago Strikers swept Windsor Chiefs (ON, Canada) in a best two-out-of-three-game series to determine the Men’s 70 Major division by scores of 24-13 and 19-9.
In the five-team Men’s 70/75 Gold division, top seed Life Guard Financial/Pepco (OH), 70 AAA, avenged their 20-11 loss in the championship game against Canterbury Cruisers (MI), 75 Major, coming back to win the “if” game 14-11. Chicago Gray Sox won a pair of games in the elimination side of the bracket to eventually finish in third place.
The Men’s 40 through 60 divisions competed Aug. 18-20.
Beginning with the six-team Men’s 40/50 Major division, Team Champion Real Estate (MI) completed a perfect weekend, going 2-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play, including a 27-10 win over Motor City Thunder in the championship game. Motor City Thunder rattled off three straight wins in the elimination side of the bracket en route to their runner-up finish. Brickyard Classics finished in third place.
Team Champion Real Estate Northern Champions
Buddies Sampson Olivet Merchants (MI) defeated Lakeshore Contracting (ON, Canada) 23-8 in the championship game of the eight-team Men’s 50 Silver division. With their win, Buddies Sampson Olivet Merchants earned a TOC berth for the 50 AA division. As the highest finishing 50 AAA team, Lakeshore Contracting, who won five straight games in the elimination side of the bracket before running out of gas in the championship game, also earned a TOC invitation. Lansing Legends Softball Club (MI) finished in third place.
Buddies Sampson Northern Champions
Doug and Don’s Auto Care (MI) was victorious in the three-team Men’s 55/60 Platinum division with their 3-0 record in bracket play, including a 12-10 win over Central IL Chiefs in the championship game. Kinnco Services (IN) finished in third place.
Doug & Don's Auto Care Northern Champions
Top seed TMS Michigan put on a flawless performance in the five-team Men’s 55 AAA division, going 3-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play, including a thrilling 10-9 win in the championship game over Windsor Can Am 55 Chiefs (ON, Canada). Windsor Can Am 55 Chiefs dropped their opening game in the bracket, before winning three straight to reach the championship game. Old Stars (IN) finished in third place.
The four-team Men’s 60/65 Platinum division also saw the top seed win it all, as AMR/Clean Planet/A Special Taste (MI) finished a perfect weekend, going 3-0 in seeding play and 3-0 in bracket play, including a win over DeClaire LaMacchia Orthopedic Institute (MI) via forfeit. Motown Stars (MI) finished in third place.
Milwaukee Merchants (WI) won the six-team Men’s 60 AAA division, going 4-0 in bracket play, including a one-run thriller over Minutemen/Pepco/SFS (OH) 16-15 in the championship game. Roc City 60s (NY) finished in third place after a strong run through the elimination side of the bracket that included three wins.
Milwaukee Merchants Northern Champions
Durham Silver Stix 60’s (ON, Canada) and McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Home (OH) played a best two-out-of-three game series for the Men’s 60 AA division. Durham Silver Stix took game one, 19-11, while M-C-V Funeral Home evened the series with a 20-11 win in game two. M-C-V Funeral Home would win the rubber match, 19-2, to take the division.
