With four teams competing, the tournament invited students from all grades to participate and with spots on the school’s all-star team on the line, players were eager to show off their skills at every at-bat or ball hit their way.

After participating in a series of ball practices at the school for the last couple of weeks, in order to balance out the teams, all students who attended were invited to participate in the co-ed tournament, according to PHS math teacher who helped organize the event, Brenda Davis.

“We don’t make any cuts,” said Davis. “We take every kid. As long as they make a commitment to come out to the practices. No kids are cut based on talent. Just if they want to come out and play ball. It’s completely free.”

With a sizeable crowd of friends and teachers filling the bleachers, teams came out swinging for the fences as spectators saw more than a couple moonshots fly by from start to finish.

A couple of teachers doled out a bunch of hot dogs and ice-cold refreshments throughout the day to keep the ballplayers and spectators hydrated and their stomachs satisfied, while others coached the kids from inside the dugouts.

Davis noted that participation rates have constantly gone up from one year to the next, as many students tend to join to the tournament at the start of every school year,

“Every year, it just grows more and more in popularity,” Davis said, noting that the best individual performers were to be selected to join a school-wide junior and senior all-star teams that will play against a team of teachers at Elwood Dale Park on Oct. 4. “It’s a really well-received sport by the kids and I think they’re genuinely sad when it’s over.”

Along with their overall playing ability, Davis explained that the kids were evaluated based on sportsmanship and attitude.

Davis said that the possibility of the school organizing a similar tournament in the spring is always up for discussion.

When it was all over, Team Red coached by Jordan Kent and Phil Sweezey came out as champions, taking home the bragging rights after defeating Team Blue coached by Brenda and Chad Davis 14-11 in the final.

The tournament’s MVP’s will be announced at the year-end athletics awards in May and all the proceeds from food and drink sales will go to the Terry Fox Foundation, Davis said.

Team Red second baseman Walker Murphy smoothly scoops up a hard roller to second.

Team Red first basewoman Monica Tanguay dashes towards the bag to make an out on a slow grounder to first.

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