After bash, city looks forward - The Woonsocket Call

C2 THE CALL SPORTS
Saturday, August 31, 2013
REGIONAL
SCOREBOARD
R.I. HIGH SCHOOL SCHEDULE
TODAY
GIRLS
Soccer
R.I. Injury Fund games, (at Exeter/West Greenwich HS): Lincoln vs. Coventry, 10:20
a.m.; Lincoln vs. Cranston West, 11 a.m.
R.I. Injury Fund games, (at Mount St. Charles): Prout vs. Cumberland, 10 a.m.; Mount
St. Charles vs. Prout, 10:40 a.m.; Mount St. Charles vs. Cumberland, 11:20 a.m.
TUESDAY
BOYS
Soccer
Central Falls at Barrington, 4 p.m.
GIRLS
Field hockey
Woonsocket at Bay View, 3:45 p.m.; Wheeler at Lincoln, 4:15 p.m.
Tennis
Lincoln at Narragansett, Rogers at St. Raphael, North Smithfield at Woonsocket,
3:30 p.m.; Smithfield at Mount St. Charles, 3:45 p.m.; Mount Hope at Tolman,
Tiverton at Shea, 4 p.m.
Volleyball
Cumberland at North Smithfield, 5:45 p.m.; Lincoln at Mount Hope, Central Falls at
Tiverton, Barrington at Woonsocket, 6:30 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
BOYS
Soccer
Mount St. Charles at Mount Pleasant, 3:45 p.m.; Middletown at Lincoln, 6:30 p.m.;
East Providence at North Smithfield, 7 p.m.
GIRLS
Soccer
Masters at Shea, 3:30 p.m.; Classical at Burrillville, Davies at Hope, 4 p.m.; Central
Falls at Rogers, 4:15 p.m.
AREA ROAD RACE SCHEDULE
Today, August 31
PAWTUCKET — PawSox 5K Race/Walk, 9:30 a.m., McCoy Stadium, 1 Columbus
Ave. (T-shirts to the first 500 registered. Prizes for top overall and age groups.)
Contact: Augusto Rojas (PawSox Charitable Foundation) at 724-7300 or email arojas@pawsox.com
CUMBERLAND — Franklin Farm 5K, 9 a.m.; Starts at Franklin Farm, 142 Abbott
Run Valley Rd. All participants welcome run/walk. There is no fee for this race. For
more information and registration forms, visit www.franklinfarmri.org or contact
Kerry Connolly at shamrock418@aol.com or at 333-3769.
Sunday, September 1
WARREN — Finish for a Guinness 5K, 10 a.m., Old Warren Marina, 66 Church St.
(Course through Historical Downtown Warren, cash prizes, party atmosphere.)
Contact: Tara Thibaudeau at thechristopherstonefund@gmail.com
Monday, September 2
WEST WARWICK — Labor Day Memorial 5K, 9:30 a.m., Portuguese Instructional
& Recreation Club, 918 Main St. (Start and finish at Instructional & Recreation
Club.) Contact: Andrea Mota at 578-0476.
Saturday, September 14
PROVIDENCE — St. Augustine Inaugural 5K, 10 a.m., St. Augustine School, 635
Mt. Pleasant Ave. (Flat course, cash prizes, raffle, tech shirt, professionally timed.)
Contact: Richard Bouthillette (St. Augustine School). 1-401-286-5260
WRENTHAM, Mass. — Crackerbarrel Classic 5K, 9 a.m., Wrentham Developmental
Center Crackerbarrel fairgrounds, 131 Emerald Street (Fundraiser for residents
of Wrentham Developmental Center. Breakfast, raffle) Contact: 1-508-384-1682.
Sunday, September 15
PAWTUCKET — Nickerson RISK 5K Run/Walk, 8 a.m., Slater Park, 401 Newport
Ave. (Event includes kids fun run, prize money, prizes, food, refreshments, and
more) Contact: Mina Khuon at 351-2241.
On The Banner
PHOTO FEATURED IN PIC OF THE DAY LAST WEEK
August 6, 2013 - Six year-old Gia Plante, of Woonsocket,
enjoys an afternoon swim at the Woonsocket YMCA
pool Tuesday. The pool is offering free swimming for
Woonsocket youth Monday thru Friday from 12:45-2:00
p.m. till the beginning of the school year. Proof of residency
is required as well a parent’s signature.
Ernest A. Brown photo/RIMG.
Playing multiple positions adds value
Continued from page C1
like ‘I’ve got to get this guy in the lineup,’”
the scout shared. “Granted the kid was athletic
enough to do it, but after that, it seemed
to me that everybody was a utility guy.”
Pawtucket manager Gary DiSarcina
experienced his own Denard Span moment
on June 6,1990. After logging 12 straight
games at shortstop, the Angels re-positioned
DiSarcina at second base so that
Dick Schofield could return to his natural
position after beginning the season on the
disabled list.
“I was overwhelmed and numb,”
recalled Disarcina, who was exclusively a
shortstop in the Angels’ farm system. “Our
position coach had me out at second base
teaching me how to turn a double play in
Kansas City in the big leagues, and I’m
thinking, ‘Oh my God.’”
***
A couple of years after Span’s horizons
were broadened out of necessity, the same
scout was in Syracuse for an eight-game
stretch. Just one player on the home team –
Justin Maxwell – played the same outfield
position all eight games.
When you observe numerous players
getting shuffled around the diamond over
the course of pretty significant sample size,
the more it becomes clearer that the days of
pegging a guy strictly as a shortstop or a
center fielder are in the rear view mirror.
Along the same waive length, the placing
of an “additional tool in the tool box” –
a phase DiSarcina has used on multiple
occasions this season – has become a staple
of the minor-league culture. The scout
noted that even the lower levels have
become just as sophisticated in handing an
outfielder a first baseman’s mitt, for example,
as the Triple-A ranks, though that’s not
to say you can’t teach a player new tricks
just because he stands one level away from
the majors.
Bradley is far from the only PawSox
position player to see time someplace other
than his customary spot this season. Jose
Iglesias and Xander Bogaerts are gifted
shortstops by trade, yet such technicalities
didn’t prevent the Red Sox from sliding
either one over to third base. Longtime outfielder
Alex Hassan has played 10 games at
first base.
To DiSarcina, having a player add a
position to his portfolio at the minor league
level contains one obvious merit – it helps
to eliminate the kind of on-the-job training
that himself and Span were forced to
endure upon reaching the top of professional
baseball’s pyramid.
“I don’t want these guys to have that feeling,”
DiSarcina said. “It’s not fair. I didn’t
like it as a player, and I don’t want them to
have that feeling. And I was playing in
California on a second-tier team. These guys
are playing in Boston in a big market with
everyone watching. And first impressions
mean everything, so get all those firsts taken
care of here. Make all your mistakes here.”
The same scout who told about Span’s
“Welcome to The Show” moment backed
DiSarcina’s thoughts when he said, “(The
majors) isn’t the place to learn.”
***
From the player’s perspective, not being
pigeonholed as a one-dimensional defender
is a distinguishable trait that can only
increase one’s worth to those entrusted with
the responsibility of forming a balanced
major-league roster.
“To be able to play all three (outfield)
spots is good because they’re able to move
you around depending on what they want
to do with you,” said Bradley, who has
played seven games in right field and four
in left field for Pawtucket this season.
Speaking about his own personal dealings,
Bradley expressed that manning the
corner outfield positions has proven advantageous.
“You definitely see things from a different
perspective and you have to act accordingly
with certain plays,” he noted. “You’re
not going to make the same throws from
left field to home plate that you would from
center field or right. Communicating your
role when you’re on the corners also
changes. You’re no longer the head honcho
like you are in center, so you have to have a
little giving.
“If you’re willing to make the adjustments,
it can be fun,” Bradley continued.
“Center field is where I’m in my comfort
zone and at first it kind of works hand and
hand with offense at first. Sometimes you
may not feel like you’re at your best
because you’re not in your spot. After an atbat
you’re thinking about going to a position
that you’re not quite as used to, but all
you can focus on is to keep working and
improving every single day.”
Not to mention continue to take steps
that will enable up-and-coming players to
avoid the same fish-out-of-water moment
that Span and DiSarcina were forced to
confront.
Follow Brendan McGair on Twitter
@BMcGair03
NBA
Odom is arrested for DUI in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Basketball
star Lamar Odom was arrested for allegedly
driving under the influence early Friday
after a California Highway Patrol officer
saw his white Mercedes-Benz traveling
erratically on a San Fernando Valley
Freeway.
The husband of reality TV star Khloe
Kardashian was stopped shortly before 4
a.m. and was arrested after a field sobriety
test
Ṫhe CHP said Odom's car was
observed traveling in a "serpentine manner"
before he pulled off the freeway.
MLS
"Mr. Odom showed objective signs of
intoxication and was unable to perform
field sobriety tests," the CHP said in a
report. Authorities said he later declined to
take a chemical test.
Odom, 33, was booked for investigation
of driving under the influence of alcohol or
drugs and jailed on $15,000 bail.
He was released Friday morning after
posting bail.
A message for his agent, Jeff Schwartz,
wasn't immediately returned.
The 6-foot-10-inch forward has played
for the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers,
the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks.
Odom broke into the NBA with the
Clippers in 1999, playing for them for four
seasons before spending the 2003-04 season
with the Heat.
He had his best years during his six seasons
with the Lakers, beginning in 2004-
05. The team won NBA championships in
2010 and 2011 and Odom won the NBA's
sixth man award in 2011.
After spending the 2012 season with the
Dallas Mavericks, he returned to the
Clippers last year. He became a free agent
at the end of the season.
Revolution battles Toronto FC to 1-1 draw
TORONTO (AP) — Andrew
Wiedeman scored the tying goal off a
scramble late in the first half to help
Toronto FC to a 1-1 draw against the New
England Revolution on Friday night.
Wiedeman flicked home the equalizer
past helpless goalkeeper Matt Reis, leaving
New England (10-9-7) winless in seven
trips to Toronto. The Revs, unbeaten in
three straight matches, earned a point to
move into the fifth and final playoff spot in
the Eastern Conference.
It was the second straight 1-1 draw for
Toronto (4-12-10), which is winless in its
last four matches overall.
Toronto captain Steven Caldwell
appeared to have won it in the 88th minute
when his header off a free kick slipped
inside the far post, but referee Fotis Bazakos
ruled he committed a foul on the play.
That was one of few scoring chances by
either side in a largely uneventful second
half.
Diego Fagundez quickly gave the
Revolution a 1-0 lead in the second minute.
Kelyn Rowe, who came in with three
goals in his last two matches, gained possession
of the ball just inside Toronto's half
and made a nice run to the top of the
penalty area, where he walked around
defender Doneil Henry and thumped a shot
off the back of Richard Eckersley. He collected
his own rebound and slid a pass
across the penalty area to a wide open
Fagundez, who tapped it into the net for
his team-leading ninth goal.
WOONSOCKET LITTLE LEAGUE PLANS
TO STAGE GOLF FUNDRAISER ON OCT. 5
WOONSOCKET — Woonsocket Little League will hold a golf fundraising outing on Saturday, Oct.
5 at Blissful Meadows Golf Course, located on 801 Chockalog Road in Uxbridge. The outing begins
at 1 p.m.
The price per person is $110 and $440 per foursome. The day includes 18 holes, golf cart, steak fry
and a golfer’s gift bag. Prizes will be awarded and raffles will be drawn at the steak fry immediately following
the tournament at St. Joseph’s Vets Association, located on 99 Louise St. in Woonsocket.
The outing is limited to the first 36 foursomes (144 players). The deadline to reserve your spot is
Sept. 17. For more information, call or text (401) 255-3731.
NORTH SMITHFIELD ADULT SOCCER LEAGUE SEEKS PLAYERS
FOR UPCOMING FALL SEASON; LEAGUE PLAY BEGINS ON SEPT. 8
NORTH SMITHFIELD — Registration for the NSASL (North Smithfield Adult Soccer League) is now
open. League games will start on Sunday, Sept. 8 and continue through October (with 6 p.m. and 7
p.m. games each week). The cost for the season is $50 per player.
This recreational, non-competitive, fun-for-all league is open only to North Smithfield residents
(over the age of 21) and school/town employees. Rules, information, and registration forms can be
found online at www.nsaa.us.com or by contacting Tony Guertin at tguertin@nsaa.us.com. The first
96 registrations will be entered into the league, and teams will be assembled in early-August.
NEW WORLD WRESTLING-EXTREME OFFERS $10 TICKETS FOR ALL
SEATS TO ‘BLOOD-N-BONES 4’ SHOW ON OCT. 5 IN WOONSOCKET
WOONSOCKET — The New World Wrestling-Extreme is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 5 and
offering special fall ticket prices of $10 across the board for its “BLOOD-N-BONES 4” show at the
American Legion Post 85 pavilion on 870 River St. in Woonsocket.
Local Blackstone Valley star "Tank the Tank" will take on for the first time ever the NWA North
American champion "Tokyo Monster" Kahagas for the NWA North American championship.
Former three-time NWW tag-team champion "Slaughterhouse" (Chainsaw & Outpatient),
"Widowmaker" Eric Shred, "Devil’s Reject" Brandon Webb, and M.O.B.'s Marquise Wright are also
expected to be in action.
For tickets, which are all $10 each, call American Legion Post 85 at (401) 766-7585 or JB Liquors
at (401)762-6422, and for more information, go to www.nwwextreme.com or find the NWW-Extreme
on Facebook. The gates open at 5:30 p.m. and bell time is 7 p.m.
THE GYM ON DIAMOND HILL ROAD OFFERS FREE SIX-WEEK
‘RUN MY FIRST 5K’ CLASSES FOR NOVANS PRIDE 5K RUNNERS
WOONSOCKET — The Gym on Diamond Hill Road will be offering free six-week “Run My First 5k”
classes for people who have registered for the Novans Pride 5K road race on Sept. 22.
The classes started on Aug. 11, but any beginner can join at any time. The class is held once a week
on 7:30 a.m. every Sunday until the race. Runners can sign up for the class with their paid Novans
Pride 5K race registration at The Gym/ on 2168 Diamond Hill Road (in the Social Security Office plaza).
For more information, call (401) 475-6000.
To register for the race go to https://runsignup.com/Race/RI/Woonsocket/NovansPride5k
GATOR’S PUB BRINGS BACK ADULT FALL VOLLEYBALL LEAGUES
NORTH SMITHFIELD — Information for the Adult Fall Volleyball Leagues at Gator's Pub is currently
available online at www.gatorspub.com.
CoEd B, 6-person and Any 4's leagues will start in September. The league runs for five weeks, plus
playoffs.
Please contact Deb at djmcgee@cox.net or 401-769-2594 for more information.
EAST COAST DRAMA, INC. RELEASES SCHEDULE FOR TRYOUTS
FOR 2014 YOUTH BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL TEAMS
PAWTUCKET — The schedule for tryouts for the East Coast Drama, Inc.’s 2014 travel softball and
baseball teams has been released by the organization, located at DH Hitting, LLC on 70 Vineyard St. in
Pawtucket.
There is no fee to try out, and all tryouts will be held at DH Hitting, LLC. The schedule is:
Every Wednesday in August and September -- Softball tryouts for the following age groups, 10U, 12U,
14U, 16U and 18U from 7-9 p.m.
Every Thursday in August and September -- Baseball tryouts for the following age groups, 10U, 12U,
14U and 16U from 7-9 p.m.
For more information, contact East Coast Drama president Scott Cooper at 401-338-1127.
PONAGANSET HIGH SCHOOL TO HOLD HALL OF FAME
INDUCTION DINNER ON OCT. 5 AT WEST VALLEY INN
FOSTER — The third annual Ponaganset High School Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Dinner will
take place Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. at West Warwick’s West Valley Inn, located on 4 Blossom St.
The inductees include Stephanie Boisvert (Class of 96), James Connealy (’65), Helene Stockwell
Desjardins (’97), Kathy Hazard, Eunice Hindley, George Jacques, John Kelly and Mark Santucci (’02).
The cost for tickets is $40 and $15 for children under 12. To purchase tickets, contact Mike Ferns
at 710-7500, ext. 2163 or pmschieftains@yahoo.com. The deadline to purchase tickets is Wednesday,
Sept. 25. (No tickets will be sold after that date.)