Courtesy Dennis Dosman. This weekend the elite meet in Tavistock. Top-ranked fastpitch teams will be competing at the Cephas Roth Memorial. Every team is on its way to the ISC World Tournament in Wisconsin #ISCWT2023.
Hill United Chiefs, always at the semis or finals this season, Bear Creek Express, 2nd at the Mitchell ISC Qualifier, and 3rd in Simcoe, and the Niagara Stompers 3rd in Simcoe and winners in Mitchell, are strong challengers for the top spot in this mid-season tournament.
You can expect the Grande Prairie Pirates, Toronto Batmen and Waterdown Hammer to be very competitive. The Batmen were unrated in early ISC rankings and Waterdown is stronger than their ranking of 17. Circle Tap Dukes and Alvinston Aces round out the field of 8.
Circle Tap finished 3rd in the Boys of Summer last weekend in Wisconsin. Hill United beat the Dukes in the semis and in turn the Chiefs lost in the championship to the Gremlins.
Alvinston Aces, also unranked, could knock off a contender spoiling some teams weekend in Tavistock. Grande Prairie have multiple Canadian national team players on their roster, led by Zach "Zippy" Pierce.
Big news for all area fastball fans:
* Circle Tap Dukes are making the trip from Wisconsin for the weekend. The Dukes are here to take a reading on the fastpitch competition. They host the ISC World Tournament in their home ball yard in Denmark Wisc. just outside Green Bay,
*The Tavistock U23 team is the Canadian Champion for 2022. They recently requalified to represent Ontario at the Canadians later this summer. The U23 team is also OASA champions for 2023 and will play a double header tonight, the first against Tavistock Hops men's team and then the Hickson Astros.
*Friday evening, players and coaches from the Hallman Twins will receive their 2022 ISC World Tournament Championship rings from sponsors Jim and Sue Hallman.
*Saturday evening there will be a live band playing at Queens Park.
A big weekend with lots to do and see in Tavistock.