Underwear, 80s pop music and a softball championship prove what rivals can do together
If former heated tennis rivals John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg had never reconciled and come together to work on a new project, the world would have never been introduced to the limited edition "Bjorn loves John" underwear line, released under Borg's self-titled clothing label.
There was also the monumental announcement this past April that former 80s teen pop music divas, Debbie Gibson and Tiffany, were teaming up for an 80s themed tour across the United States, finally repairing the rift between warring factions of grown-up Valley Girls populating corners of the country both far and wide.
But illustrating the point far more effectively than either of those tongue-in-cheek examples, the Tuscarawas County Rebels 16-and-under (16U) traveling softball team – made up of natural rivals representing the Dover, New Philadelphia and Tuscarawas Central Catholic school districts – recently improved to 29-5 on the season by winning the title at the 74-team Buckeye Showdown tournament, held at Lou Berliner Park in Columbus, Friday, July 8 through Sunday, July 10.
"Even though most of the girls compete against each other during high school, they love playing with each other in travel ball," said coach Larry Mills, after watching his team go 3-1 during pool play and get seeded in the 16U Platinum Bracket, where they knocked off the Southern Ohio Cyclones, from Germantown, Ohio, and the Explosive Fastpitch Club, out of Strongsville, to advance to the quarterfinal round. "Regardless of what school they attend, the girls have become very close friends."
A group of friends that can be lethal on the softball diamond, as the Tuscarawas County contingent beat up on the St. Louis (Mo.) Espirit 6-3 during quarterfinal action, with Sarah Mills and Sami Beamer each driving in a pair of runs to lead the Rebel attack.
Beamer and Mills are part of a core group of Rebels players who have been together since 12U travel softball, including, Taylor Davis, Kayla Lowery, Maddy Shelley and Bri Sinden, and it was another member of that core who helped propel the Rebels to a hard-fought 5-4 win over MC Hammers (Dayton) in the semifinals, as Shelley homered, tripled and picked up the win on the pitching rubber.
Miranda Dessecker added a triple and Torree Corpman drove in two of the Rebels runs while legging out a pair of three-baggers, as Tuscarawas County advanced to the title game, looking to add a second championship trophy to its collection in 2011, after finishing first at the Roadrunner Super Six tournament – securing a bid to the Eastern Regionals – adding a runners-up finish at the Massillon Tigertown Kickoff tournament and finishing tied for 13th at the 62-team Amateur Softball Association (ASA) State tournament.
Sinden and Dessecker both stayed hot at the plate in the championship game, each blasting a home run to help lead the Rebels to a 5-3 title-clinching win over EMR Softball Club out of Cincinnati, with Mills being awarded the game ball and finals MVP honors from EMR's coach after making seven putouts from her shortstop position.
Corpman and Shelley combined for five singles to help spark the Rebels offense and Murphy picked up her second win from the rubber, to go along with her save against MC Hammers in the semifinal game.
Finishing atop the 74-team field, representing nine different states, the Rebels proved what great things can happen when rivals team up to tackle a common goal.
Published: July 12, 2011
