Sports Shorts

The Howell Central Rangers won the Junior Division (13- and 14-year-olds) championship on June 16 with a come-from-behind 6-5 win over the Howell Central Red Sox. With ace Ryan Keegan on the hill for the Rangers, the game was tied 2-2 until the Sox pushed a run across in the top of the third to take a 3-2 lead. The Red Sox added two more in the top of the fifth inning to make it 5-2, with the clutch hitting of Brian Blood and Will Riepe. The lead lasted until the bottom of the seventh, when with one out, Anthony Vescuso lofted a three-run home run off the scoreboard to tie the game and send it into extra innings. Eric Niziolek came in to pitch a scoreless eighth inning in relief of Vescuso, who earlier replaced Keegan. With one out in the bottom of the eighth, a determined Dominick Landriscina looped a single to right to score Jared Eisenberg with the winning run, giving the Rangers their title. The Rangers finished their season with nine straight victories and an overall record of 15-3. The Junior Division includes 13 teams from the three Little Leagues in Howell - Howell Central, Howell South and North Howell.

The Rangers were managed by Jim Niziolek and coached by Steve Cracolici, John Niemiec and Mark Eisenberg. Players include Stefano Cracolici, Stephen Dobbins, Jared Eisenberg, Mark Ferrante, Darren Finamore, Kasim Hussain, Ryan Keegan, Dom Landriscina, Michael Murphy, John David Niemiec, Eric Niziolek, Ryan Sabbagh and Anthony Vescuso.

Seven-year-old Ryan Pongrac won first place for Kata and third place for sparring at the eighth annual Black Cat Kempo Karate Championship at Lakewood High School recently.