Kleiber Concrete wins ?All-Night Tournament?
As children in Rogers City turned on Saturday morning cartoons last week, two softball teams were going toe-to-toe in the finals of the Presque Isle County Men?s Softball Association All-Night Tournament. It was a rematch of the 2003 final between Kleiber Concrete Pump Service and Night Hawk Inn. Night Hawk Inn took the title last year, but wasn?t able to hold off Kleiber this time around.
Kleiber, which had a mix of players from different teams in the county, blasted Night Hawk in the final game, 20-4. The tournament started in earnest at 8 p.m. Friday and concluded about 9 a.m. Saturday, about the time families were starting a new day.
?IT WAS a lot of fun,? said organizer Roger Wenzel, who played on the winning team and when the tournament had concluded, had stayed up an amazing 39 hours. Wenzel was pleased with the fans who turned out to cheer for the six teams, including two squads from Gaylord and Mackinaw City. The fans stuck around until about midnight. Wenzel discussed the tournament Monday with Rogers City police chief Matt Quaine, who had received no complaints.
Wenzel said most of the neighbors enjoyed the action and watched from their homes. The most difficult aspect of playing in the all-night yournament, which was started after a Rogers City team played in a similar tournament in Mio, is ?staying awake,? Wenzel said.
AS NIGHT turned into morning, there were more misplayed balls by the defense, which can be contributed to the fatigue of players and dew making the ground wet. During this type of event, as it gets later, winning or losing becomes a ?win-win? situation. Members of the Mackinaw City team didn?t seem too upset when they were bounced from the competition at 6 a.m. by Posen Pub.
The Mackinaw City first baseman collapsed right at the bag and sat there for a while, too tired for one last trip to the dugout. Kleiber defeated Night Hawk in a contest played at 4 a.m. and waited to see who they would face in the finals.
NIGHT HAWK and Posen Pub faced each other in the semifinals of the tournament at 7 a.m., just about the time many folks were firing up their coffee makers and looking outside to see what the weather was like. Night Hawk advanced, but could not defend its crown. Wenzel had hoped there would have been more interest for an all night co-ed tournament, but that has been postponed until next yea
THE PLAYOFFS and championship series all have been changed as well. This week?s scheduled action includes third place International (10-6) taking on fourth place Night Hawk (9-6) in Hawks. The playoff format will pit the number one and four teams on one side of the bracket and two and three on the other.
Looking to sew up the number one seed will be Greka?s (13-3), which will play Onaway Bar (4-12) in Rogers City. Second place Chuck?s Well (10-5) will play last place Posen Pub (1-15) in Posen.