After having finished their regular season a month ago, the Brewton and East Brewton Cal Ripken all star baseball teams will begin their tournaments Friday in Brewton and East Brewton.
The Brewton 9-10 tournament was previously a seven-team tournament consisting of Covington County, Flomaton, Opp, Evergreen, South Alabama, East Brewton, and Brewton. The tournament was set to start Friday, June 24, at 4 p.m.
Now Brewton will host an eight-team tournament beginning Friday at 2 p.m. at the Brewton YMCA Sports Park while East Brewton will host a six-team tournament that will begin at 6 p.m. Friday at R.T. Johnson Park.
In the Brewton tournament, teams include Brewton, Covington County, Flomaton, Opp, South Alabama, Evergreen, East Brewton, and new team Atmore.
East Brewton teams include Evergreen, Covington County, Opp, Brewton, South Alabama, and East Brewton.
Also, while Brewton and East Brewton will be hosting district tournaments, the two programs will also host state teams. Brewton will host the 12-year-old state tournament and East Brewton will host the 11-year-old state tournament.
“We are real excited about hosting the first ever Cal Ripken 11-12 year old tournament here in East Brewton,” East Brewton Cal Ripken league president Joey Shell said. “We are also glad that we could keep our teams in the Brewton/East Brewton area, especially with the high gas prices. A lot has been done to improve the park for this year’s tournament by the East Brewton city street department. Steve Dunaway and his workers have erected a new sign at the entrance of the park along with a flower garden. Also, signs on Williamson Street and Florida Street will help direct newcomers to the park. We had numerous volunteers during the regular season who have offered to help us with the tournament. We couldn’t do the job without them. We want to invite everyone to come out and support our kids and enjoy all star baseball.”
Brewton Cal Ripken league president David Jennings:
“We are exciting to be hosting the 9-10 district tournament,” Jennings said. “We are looking forward to having a lot of people come out to the sports park and to be able to show off our city and the YMCA fields. This is going to be a good experience and a great tournament.”
Jennings says his tournament will be an eight-team pool play tournament.
“This will give every team a chance to play more than two games,” Jennings said. “We will start and play games at 2,4,6, and 8 p.m. each day. Cal Ripken does charge admission unlike Little League. Admission will be $3 for adults, $2 for children, and children under six will be free.”
Jennings said he is thankful for the City of Brewton and to YMCA’s Keith Miller.
“The city’s funds allows us to have great opportunities here in this town,” Jennings said. “They give us a generous budget that we can work with and to be good stewards of the money. Not all cities are like this and support their teams. Our city is first class. As for Keith Miller at the YMCA, he is a one-man crew and he keeps those fields and area up and that facility looks brand-new and it is around 15 years old. I think the teams coming in to town will see how much pride he takes into keeping those areas up and it will add to a nice experience for everyone.”
In the Brewton tournament, there will be a four-team American Division pool and a four-team National Division pool.
The American pool consists of Brewton, Covington County, Atmore, and Flomaton. The National pool consists of Opp, South Alabama, Evergreen, and East Brewton.
Beginning Friday in Brewton, Brewton and Atmore will play at 2 p.m. followed by Opp and Evergreen at 4 p.m., South Alabama and East Brewton at 6 p.m. and Covington County and Flomaton at 8 p.m.
Saturday, Flomaton and Brewton will play at 2 p.m. followed by East Brewton and Opp at 4 p.m., Atmore and Covington County at 6 p.m. and Evergreen and South Alabama at 8 p.m.
Sunday will see Brewton and Covington County at 2 p.m. followed by Opp and South Alabama at 4 p.m., Atmore and Flomaton at 6 p.m. and Evergreen and East Brewton at 8 p.m.
Monday, the No. 2 seed from the American pool will play the No. 1 from the National pool at 2 p.m. while the No. 2 National see will play the No. 1 seed from the American pool at 4 p.m.
In East Brewton at the 12U tournament, Evergreen and Covington County will start things off at 6 p.m. followed by Opp and Brewton at 8 p.m.
South Alabama, who has a bye, will play the Evergreen/Covington County winner at 10 a.m. Saturday while East Brewton, who also has a bye, will play the winner of Opp/Brewton at noon Saturday.
Locally for Brewton and East Brewton in the 10-and-under tournament in Brewton, Brewton will play at 2 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday while East Brewton will play at 6 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday.
In East Brewton at the 12-and-under tournament, Brewton plays at 8 p.m. Friday. With a win Friday, Brewton will play at noon Saturday and with a loss Friday, will play at 2 p.m. Saturday.
Making all stars for East Brewton Cal Ripken League 12-and-under team are Jo Jo Booker, Connor Huskey, Tyshawn Davis, Matt Hutchins, Derrick Barton, Marcus Simmons, Weston Riddle, Aaron Bosarge, Kristen Taylor, Patrick Lovelace, Eddie Taylor and Brandon Moye.
Making the 10-and-under is: Jacoby Hawthorne, Jennings Hobbs, Kameron Cannon, Ty Williams, Matt Thomas, Sawyer Lewis, Dylan Ingram, Tucker Davenport, Tyler Pierce, Morgan Riley, Samuel Wright, and Samuel Bosarge.
The Brewton Cal Ripken League all stars for the 2011 season 12-and-under team are Hunter Brittain, Jordan Williams, Stokes Jennings, Russell Smith, Joshua Winton, Jason Konsler, Caleb Winton, Troy Lewis, Preston Townsend, Drew Williamson, Lane Clarke, and O’Neil White.
Wesley Brittain will be the head coach of the team and will be assisted by Winston Lindsey, Russell Smith, and Ed Williamson.
Making the 10-and-under is: Jaxson Flores, Joseph Blackburn, Donovan Weaver, Lyon Jernigan, Trentez Johnson, Micah Flores, Kyle Blevins, Miller Hart, Blake Jernigan, Stone Martin, Logan Bush, Todd Watson, Matt Smith, and Hunter Johnson.