Finals Set for Watertown Summer Basketball League: Donohues Kaos Club vs. Game Creek

The defending champion is out and the finals matchup is set for the Papas Elite Summer Basketball League. 

Top seed Game Time ousted the Gauchos in game three of the semi-final series of the Papas Elite League Monday night at Saltonstall Park (behind the Watertown Boys and Girls Club) with the winner advancing to the Championship Series against Donohue’s Kaos. For most of the first half, the teams were locked into a competitive close battle with multiple lead changes along the way. Unfortunately for the Gauchos, this didn’t last as the top seed launched an offensive and raced to 37-27 half time lead that it never relinquished. Led by top scorer Rob Stockwell (Bates ’07), 21 points; four threes in the first half, Game Time carried the play for the rest of the game for a well-deserved 71-48 victory. Leading scorers who contributed to the cause included; Jonah Travis (Harvard ’15) 15 points, Nick Schmiemann (Bates ’11) 11 points, and Ramon Garcia (Bates ’04) 11 points.

Fund Raising Campaign Started to Honor 2 Watertown Basketball Players

A GoFundMe campaign has been started to honor two Watertown Summer Basketball League players who died at an early age. The money would pay to purchase and install a granite bench engraved with the names of  Dave Timperio and Kenny Vincent, both of whom grew up in Watertown and were participants in the Watertown Recreation Summer Basketball League for many years. The remaining funds will be split evenly and will be given to each family for use of their choosing. Dave played for the Wire, while Kenny played for the Johnson Club, according to the campaign site. “Unfortunately, both died suddenly and tragically well before their time leaving a huge void in their family, friends and colleagues. We would like to recognize their lives and the support and participation they enjoyed in the Summer League and the many friends they made along the way,” the page said. A dedication ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, Aug.

March Madness in July! Watertown Summer Basketball Playoffs Tip Off

Watertown’s highly competitive Papas Elite Summer Basketball League has reached the postseason and Tuesday night the top squads played their quarterfinals. The best-of-three semis start Wednesday. In the quarterfinals, fourth seed Made Men fell to fifth-seeded Gauchos 70-67. Donohues Kaos, the third seeds, beat sixth-seeded Middlesex Magic 59-41. Top seeded Game Creek came away with a 59-41 win over eighth-seeded The Dream Team.

Raiders Youth Softball Team Rolling Through Season Unbeaten

By Del Furbish

The 10U Raiders are tearing up the softball diamond all over Middlesex county this summer. Already seven games into their 14 game schedule and they remain unbeaten. There are 42 teams competing in the 10U division and just four remain perfect so far.  The towns the gals have come up on top so far with are Newton, Cambridge, Somerville, Woburn, Lexington, Charlestown and Medford. Led by Coach David Reilly the roster includes Katie Haley, Abigail Bass, Katey & Marissa Cabral, Nairi Davidian, Sadie Davis, Cecelia Maillis, Katelyn O’Connor, Elizabeth Parmley, Victoria Reilly, Zana Schwab, Anna Steffens and Ava Husson.

Baseball Hall of Fame Award Winner to Wear Suit from Watertown

Legendary Boston sportswriter Dan Shaughnessey will be honored at this year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ceremonies, and will do so decked out in a suit made in Watertown. 

The Boston Globe columnist will receive the J.G. Taylor Spink Award on July 23. He will receive the award at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, N.Y. While he hails from Newton, Shaughnessey gets his clothing at Eastern Clothing of Watertown. “Dan has been a friend and customer at Eastern Clothing for many years and we are proud that he will be wearing one of our suits while being honored for the 2016 J.G Taylor Spink Award,” said John M. Airasian, who co-owns the business with his father, John S. Airasian. “He will be joining unbelievable company in the world of baseball writing with this well deserved award. We wish him continued success on his remarkable 35 year career.”

Watertown Field Hockey Coach Up for USA Today Coach of the Year

USA Today High School Sports is looking for the high school coach of the year and Watertown High School field hockey coach Eileen Donahue is one of the 20 nominees. Besides receiving the honor of being coach of the year, if Donahue wins the WHS athletic department would receive $1,000. The school of the second place coach gets $500 and the third place one gets $250 for the athletic department. Donahue and the Raiders have compiled quite a resume, with seven straight state titles and the national record for the longest unbeaten streak, that stands at 160 after the end of the 2015 season. Voting began on Thursday and runs through Thursday, July 21, 2016 at 2 p.m.

To vote, go to: http://contest.usatodayhss.com/

Town Seeking Volunteers to Serve on Victory Field Renovation Committee

After a two-year hiatus, the town will begin looking at renovating the track and tennis courts side of Victory Field, and Council President Mark Sideris seeks community members to serve on the committee. 

There will be nine members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Victory Field Renovations, including five people appointed to represent different parts of the community. The one stipulation the committee must abide by is that the renovation will include a natural grass area inside the track, not artificial turf, because that was the biggest area of concern, said Sideris at Tuesday’s Town Council meeting. Three members of the general public will be selected, including one direct abutter of the field, Sideris said. The two others will represent field users, but are not related to school athletics or youth sports, he added. Additionally, there will also be one member representing Watertown youth sports groups who will be selected by the Council President.