WPCNR PRESS BOX. By John F. Bailey. May 27, 2005: John Jay of Cross River behind Allie Gardiner beat White  Plains in extra innings Friday in Cross River, 2-1, ending the Tiger Sectional run.

 The Tigers went the deepest they have ever been into the Sectionals,  and gave John Jay Cross River a terrific battle. After winning the League B-1 Championship on the last day of the season outright, they won two 1-run games in the sectionals behind Kelsey Kulk, beating Arlington, 1-0 and R.C. Ketcham, 2-1, after playing a very tough schedule going 21-5, and beating upstate powerhouses in assorted scrimmages.

Among the accomplishments of the 2005 ballclub were: They won their league for the second consecutive year and 8th time in the last decade. They had the toughest schedule, by far, of any Varsity team in10 years. They overcame injuries and adversity to win 21 games including 2 upstate NY tournaments. They gave up a total of 31 runs in 26 games. Of their 5 losses, 4 were by one run and the fifth was a 3 run loss to state ranked and defending Section 1 Class AA Champion John Jay, East Fishkill. Their season ending one run extra-inning loss Friday was to the #4 ranked Class AA team in New York State.

Again -- A poem to recognize the Championship Season:

Here, Fastpitch Johnny is moved to pen a new ode to this mix of young women who overcame adversity, injuries to key players, and exemplified the Tiger ability to pull together under pressure. Congratulations to them as they head into the Sectional Championships.

But, no matter what is to come, they are Champions forever, and here from the Bard of the Basepaths, the Grantland Rice of Softball is a poem saluting the 2005 League B-1 Fastpitch Softball Champions, the White Plains Tigers:

There’s Something About  Those Tigers

By Fastpitch Johnny

There’s something about Tigers, those fastpitch fillies

In Orange and Black, serious of demeanor

Giggling teens capable of everyday sillies,

In WPHS halls, but with softball and bat, beware them, Senor!

Around windy O’Donnell’s Bluff they roam,

In serious drills under watchful eye of Teddy Ballgame,

The chessman of the bench, of meticulous preparation

Aided by Tireless Stevens, and efficient Cronk on their diamond home.

Endless hours they practice so they play on a higher plain.

With flowing locks and orchestrated pigtails

They take the field to create glory days like before

When their diamond days are done, matching the feats

Of fastpitchTiger legends of yore.

With cries of “Three Outs,” “Three Down,”

“Nobody Gets Around,” they take their stations in the softball sun.

To shine on the Elysian Fields of Tiger renown.

Conquering adversity, growing by game they emerge champs when season is done

Behind the plate is Sandra of wicked arm and deft catcher’s glove,

Agile Ashley at first of elegant stretch and efficient fetch,

The acrobatic Abbotts, Candace at keystone sack , she of catlike coverage to love.

With sister Carrie strong to the hole, quick to her left the shortstop ketch.

Dena The Dreama on hot corner, with lightning reflex and rifle arm

To snare the killer liner, smother every bunt, and in cloud of dust nail the OUT!

Anchored by the Incredible Kulk in pitcher’s circle, with risers that snarl

Curves, changes, drops that bedazzle with elegance and rack up the strikeout!

In the far reaches on the glorious green, the rangy Christine

Nabs screamers to right with unerring eye, turns ground singles into outs.

In straightaway unerrin’ Erin drifts back to haul towering drives and gappers between.

Juliana, the Little Engine in left, given the call rises tall to the occasion bringing shouts.

Lest we forget the Redoubtable Danielle Third Sackerrette struck from lineup

By injury in heat of play. Her presence every game inspired

Scoring pitch by pitch when she’d rather be playing,

With encouragement and word-up ,

Unselfish, a leader to her team,  helped create the play desired.

From Killer Kel’s relentless bat, blasting drives of Babe Proportions,

To Lauren’s laced liners, to Dena’s leadoff deuces and rally starters

Ashley’s up-the-middles, Bailey’s pinch sacs and baseline darts,

From Cookie’s slashes to Cristine’s bashes, every hitter was a contributor

Each won a game with their bat and with their leather

On the bench, fresh talent awaited ready to fill

If one Tiger went down, another was waiting to warm up

 From Egypt’s puttin’ it in play to move ‘em, Meghan's pinch hits

To Kailey’s hitting behind the runner, they are a team together.

One by one, their turns came to be the heroines and the savers.

From Kelsey’s perfect game, to Ashley’s Inside-the-Parker to rock New Ro.

Erin’s three bagger that yanked one from Yorktown. Dena’s double to take North Ro.

The Little Engine’s squeeze to closeout Voorhees. Christine’s Crush on Mechanicsville

Each took their turns giving their fans a thrill.

The hits to remember stud the scorebooks of another championship season.

Frederick’s 3 RBI Day knocking down North Rockland;

The Kulkster’s 3-run dinger to win the flag.

Sandra's deadly sweep tag.

Now another extraordinary Tiger season of stress, challenge, choice and strife

Fades into memory.  Another team photograph goes up in Tiger Hall,

Commemorating the unlikely Tigers with mix of vets and new life.

They stayed together, grew together, played together to hang another banner on the wall

Another Tiger season is done, fulfilling the fastpitch tradition on old  O'Donnell's Bluff,

Where girls stride on to the diamond and young women come off.

They discover their depths in the clouds of March's crust

On the basepaths of glory, the rich green where memories of their stuff

Set goals for the little girls who come after them to take the test of the dust.

Congratulations, Tigers from The CitizeNetReporter!