Kingston Whig article on midget elims

Express, Cyclones gunning for title
By MIKE KOREEN, THE WHIG-STANDARD

Two local midget fastball teams feel they will be in serious contention for one of four national championship berths this weekend in Napanee.

The Napanee Grant's Insurance Express and the Sydenham Cyclones are two of 19 under-19 teams in action at the Ontario elimination tournament at the Napanee Fairgrounds and the North Fred diamonds from Friday to Sunday.

The top four squads at the double-knockout event will advance to the national championship, Aug. 8 to 14 in Fredericton, N.B.

The Express and Cyclones have wildly different background stories. The Mike Bolton-coached Napanee team is a younger squad, with half of the 14 players graduating from the gold medal-winning Napanee bantam squad at last year's eastern Canadian championships. Bolton also coached that team.

To gear up to play older teams, the Express have played in the Loughborough men's league along with the Sydenham midgets this year. While Napanee's record is just 2-5, Bolton feels the experience has been invaluable.

"I have no doubt in my mind these boys are capable of qualifying," Bolton said. "They have to get back to basics and do the little things we taught them for the last 10 years."

Home-town advantage also could come in handy.

"I think it means a lot," Bolton said. "They get to stay at home and get into bed at a decent time. There are no distractions. ... I'm sure we'll get great support, too."

Napanee opens on Friday night at 7 against the New Hamburg Heat in a rematch of last year's Ontario bantam final, won by the Express.

Cole Bolton, coach Mike's son, leads the pitching staff along with second-year midget Braden Scott. Shortstop Taylor Scott "makes 10 plays every night," Mike Bolton said.

Another 2010 bantam, Cody Brooks, has shifted to catcher from third base and is "putting some real power numbers on the board."

The Cyclones, meanwhile, have five players back from a midget squad that finished fourth at nationals in Stratford last year and second in provincial eliminations.

Two of the returnees are the team's pitchers -- ace Brandon Sands and Andy Barber.

"I think we've got two of the best pitchers in the province," Cyclones coach Norm Irwin said. "If we can score three runs in a game, I don't think we'll lose many games."

The Cyclones finished second at a highly-regarded midget tournament earlier this month in Kitchener, losing to the Wiarton Red Devils in the final. Wiarton is considered the favourite at eliminations.

Other expected contenders include the Owen Sound Selects, the Stratford Memorials, the Oshawa Double Bs and Fullerton.

While Napanee is young, Irwin expects the Express to be in the hunt. In a Loughborough League contest last week, the Cyclones edged the visiting Express 2-1. Both coaches said it was a very well-played game.

"You can never take Napanee for granted," Irwin said. "Even though they're mostly a young team, they're still a strong team."

In the draw, Sydenham was one of the teams that was put into the six-team opening round of the tournament (the other teams get byes). The Cyclones open against Ottawa Valley on Friday at 5 p.m.

The final (potentially two games if the team from the loser's side of the draw wins the opener) starts on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

Junior and bantam provincial eliminations run over the Canada Day weekend in Owen Sound and Stratford, respectively.

Penetanguishene hosts the peewee eliminations July 8 to 10.