Old Cardinal
07-31-2009, 03:46 PM
This was a local article to share with you folks. The following kids and parents experienced unusual hardships since these youth started Kindergarden.
Hurricanes-- Umberto, Rita and Ike have flooded and torn up their homes.
In the midst of all this, Hurricane Katrina slammed in Louisiana also. What happened after that was almost unbelievable--hoards of homeless people had just enough gas to reach this TX side of the Sabine River and run out of gas! Bridge City like all other sections of the county found themselves feeding hundreds of refuges and desperate people filled the churches, homes, and many other buildings to sleep and wait for food and provisions.
The last one was IKE like Rita, the "eye" crossed right over our town.
These kids and parents came back to homes that had flooded and they began the awful task of gutting their houses; down to the point where everything they owned nearly had to be thrown away and the houses were now "in the Dry" and ready to be totally rebuilt.
Six months later the homes are still being slowly restored.
These kids around town have become tough. There schools were gone an portable buildings are now in parking lots being used as places: teaching students.
Kids have seen and experienced heartache and stress.
Something has happened however, those youth like other kids in the town; have courage, fortitude, and resolve far beyond their years.
Below is an article as to how these Uth have learned to excel in situational settings where many would have been in dismay.
Hope you enjoy this unique and well written local article. I think it tells the story and gives the town something to cling to in these emerging times.
BCLL: Home of the Texas State Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those in attendance and those listening to KOGT didn't know how to act Wednesday morning when the Bridge City 12 year old All-Stars took a 3-0 lead in the FIRST inning of their championship game with Lamar National out of Richmond, Tx.
It was the first time in their five tournament games at the Texas East State Tournament that they grabbed the games first lead. And here they were, playing for the title after losing their first game 12-1.
After three straight singles by Chase Shugart, Blake Pruett and Jonah Watts, and a walk to Chase Rutledge, BC took advantage of three LN errors to take the 3-0 lead. And after starting pitcher Watts struck out the first three batters in the bottom of the inning, it looked like the beginning of a rout.
But this is baseball. Watts continued his mastery on the mound striking out 11 of the first 14 batters he faced. But the offense lost their swing, collecting just three hits the final five innings while leaving a total of eight on base.
LN’s Sam Herriage started the fifth with a walk. Then Trevor Parker put the ball in play and an error throw to first brought home Herriage to make it 3-1. The play of the game came from right fielder Tryce Howard who was backing up first. After the errant throw, Parker tried to stretch the play into a double and Howard threw him out at second.
It was key because after Chase Rutledge replaced Watts due to the 85 pitch count rule, LN’s Jackson Schindler smacked one over the center field fence which made the score 3-2 instead of a tie game.
BC went down in order in the top of the sixth and LN came up to the plate in the bottom with their three biggest hitters coming to the plate. But this time there would be no comeback as “Rut” struck out the side and sent those in red into a frenzy.
It was BC Little League’s first state championship. The team that has played some 400 games together in Little League and Select ball had reached a goal their coach Ronnie Shugart had set when he started coaching them at age seven.
“In Little League, it’s all about the Majors (12 yr. old division),” said Shugart. “Only the Majors get a Regional Tournament and a chance to play in the World Series in Williamsport.”
Somewhat still stunned about the victory, Shugart never wavered in his confidence. “I told you at the beginning, these kids do not quit. They have been in every situation you could possibly be in and they know how to respond.”
Of their fifteen runs scored in the five games, 11 were scored in the fourth, fifth, or sixth inning.
After losing on Saturday 12-1, they had to come back late to beat Northwest 6-1 on Sunday. Then Monday, First Colony (Sugarland) scored five in the first and led 5-1 going into the sixth before the Cardiac Cards scored four to send it into extra innings and win 7-6 in seven.
In Monday’s rematch with LN, they were down 3-0 before scoring five in the sixth to win 5-3. Bryce Carey provided the fireworks with an 0-2, two out, grand slam.
Which led us to the third and final game against LN Wednesday morning in the double-elimination tournament. This team of 13 players made up of every shape and size will head to Waco next week with seven other teams from six other southern states for the right to represent the Southwest Region as Lake Charles South did a year ago.
With parents beaming as they stood in single file and accepted their State Tournament Champion pins, they acted like little gentlemen and shook the hands of the other team and looked tough as they posed for pictures with the champion’s banner.
They signed a baseball for district director and longtime BCLL president Jerry McInnis. “Fifty years I’ve been waiting for this. This ball will have a special place.”
After a long ride home they gathered at Hitters, Inc. the indoor batting cage by the BC Little League where fans were waiting for them with signs that read “State Champs.” Again they posed for pictures while everyone told them how great they were. Then they slipped away while parents and fans were still visiting.
And as people left and the sun was going down, there they were, on the field with their jerseys untucked, full of energy, and playing what else…baseball.
Hurricanes-- Umberto, Rita and Ike have flooded and torn up their homes.
In the midst of all this, Hurricane Katrina slammed in Louisiana also. What happened after that was almost unbelievable--hoards of homeless people had just enough gas to reach this TX side of the Sabine River and run out of gas! Bridge City like all other sections of the county found themselves feeding hundreds of refuges and desperate people filled the churches, homes, and many other buildings to sleep and wait for food and provisions.
The last one was IKE like Rita, the "eye" crossed right over our town.
These kids and parents came back to homes that had flooded and they began the awful task of gutting their houses; down to the point where everything they owned nearly had to be thrown away and the houses were now "in the Dry" and ready to be totally rebuilt.
Six months later the homes are still being slowly restored.
These kids around town have become tough. There schools were gone an portable buildings are now in parking lots being used as places: teaching students.
Kids have seen and experienced heartache and stress.
Something has happened however, those youth like other kids in the town; have courage, fortitude, and resolve far beyond their years.
Below is an article as to how these Uth have learned to excel in situational settings where many would have been in dismay.
Hope you enjoy this unique and well written local article. I think it tells the story and gives the town something to cling to in these emerging times.
BCLL: Home of the Texas State Champs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Those in attendance and those listening to KOGT didn't know how to act Wednesday morning when the Bridge City 12 year old All-Stars took a 3-0 lead in the FIRST inning of their championship game with Lamar National out of Richmond, Tx.
It was the first time in their five tournament games at the Texas East State Tournament that they grabbed the games first lead. And here they were, playing for the title after losing their first game 12-1.
After three straight singles by Chase Shugart, Blake Pruett and Jonah Watts, and a walk to Chase Rutledge, BC took advantage of three LN errors to take the 3-0 lead. And after starting pitcher Watts struck out the first three batters in the bottom of the inning, it looked like the beginning of a rout.
But this is baseball. Watts continued his mastery on the mound striking out 11 of the first 14 batters he faced. But the offense lost their swing, collecting just three hits the final five innings while leaving a total of eight on base.
LN’s Sam Herriage started the fifth with a walk. Then Trevor Parker put the ball in play and an error throw to first brought home Herriage to make it 3-1. The play of the game came from right fielder Tryce Howard who was backing up first. After the errant throw, Parker tried to stretch the play into a double and Howard threw him out at second.
It was key because after Chase Rutledge replaced Watts due to the 85 pitch count rule, LN’s Jackson Schindler smacked one over the center field fence which made the score 3-2 instead of a tie game.
BC went down in order in the top of the sixth and LN came up to the plate in the bottom with their three biggest hitters coming to the plate. But this time there would be no comeback as “Rut” struck out the side and sent those in red into a frenzy.
It was BC Little League’s first state championship. The team that has played some 400 games together in Little League and Select ball had reached a goal their coach Ronnie Shugart had set when he started coaching them at age seven.
“In Little League, it’s all about the Majors (12 yr. old division),” said Shugart. “Only the Majors get a Regional Tournament and a chance to play in the World Series in Williamsport.”
Somewhat still stunned about the victory, Shugart never wavered in his confidence. “I told you at the beginning, these kids do not quit. They have been in every situation you could possibly be in and they know how to respond.”
Of their fifteen runs scored in the five games, 11 were scored in the fourth, fifth, or sixth inning.
After losing on Saturday 12-1, they had to come back late to beat Northwest 6-1 on Sunday. Then Monday, First Colony (Sugarland) scored five in the first and led 5-1 going into the sixth before the Cardiac Cards scored four to send it into extra innings and win 7-6 in seven.
In Monday’s rematch with LN, they were down 3-0 before scoring five in the sixth to win 5-3. Bryce Carey provided the fireworks with an 0-2, two out, grand slam.
Which led us to the third and final game against LN Wednesday morning in the double-elimination tournament. This team of 13 players made up of every shape and size will head to Waco next week with seven other teams from six other southern states for the right to represent the Southwest Region as Lake Charles South did a year ago.
With parents beaming as they stood in single file and accepted their State Tournament Champion pins, they acted like little gentlemen and shook the hands of the other team and looked tough as they posed for pictures with the champion’s banner.
They signed a baseball for district director and longtime BCLL president Jerry McInnis. “Fifty years I’ve been waiting for this. This ball will have a special place.”
After a long ride home they gathered at Hitters, Inc. the indoor batting cage by the BC Little League where fans were waiting for them with signs that read “State Champs.” Again they posed for pictures while everyone told them how great they were. Then they slipped away while parents and fans were still visiting.
And as people left and the sun was going down, there they were, on the field with their jerseys untucked, full of energy, and playing what else…baseball.