Journal Gazette from Mattoon, Illinois • Page 9

WHAT'S--onbecdnd Inside today's sports section SCCHEC3AR3 CLYTF lCSuHUIHfNtlMMINtMC3 NASCAR immmB4 L'SHE: U.S. Olympic basketball team upset by Puerto Rico. DEK1SB3 AXST16, 2C04 Srnrnu n. 3 LEE PU BLICATIONS, IN QUESTION OR COMMENT? CONTACT US AT WORLD SERIES FINAL: MATT00N 7, ISELIN, N.J. 3 JJI.

Mill- 1 1 7 BRIAN NIELSEN TffirnK it Home team wins Babe Ruth 12-U World Series if I i- Cue W) 7 i -xmp'' Jf Mattoon players run to get their championship banner after winning the Babe Ruth Iselin, N.J., Saturday. Ken TrevarthanStaff Photographer 12 and under softball World Series final over V7 p. BY BRIAN NIELSEN Sports Editor MATTOON Yes, Wade Bradley did get scared. "I woke up this morning and I know you shouldn't have negative thoughts but I thought 'what if we lose said the coach of Mat-toon's team that needed to win only once Saturday to capture a Babe Ruth 12-and-under softball World Series championship. After six domi- "I knew one natms wins' could a championship nin Wasn't that most previous doubters had sud-gOttlg tO denly come to expect be crum- Deat US.

bled away in one disastrous day? Mattoon Coach When Olivia Wade Bradley Mintun lined a 1 1 shot directly into the glove of Iselin, N.J., first baseman Danielle Bemis, who stepped on first base for a double play in the first inning and then Iselin scored an unearned run in the top of the second, were the seeds of worry growing? "Not really," Bradley said. "I knew one run wasn't going to beat us." Sure enough, Mattoon scored all the runs it was going to need in the bottom of the second. After a 7-3 win at Lawson Park, the only problem Mattoon coaches had were whipped cream pies in their faces as their players celebrated Saturday's World Series championship. "I didn't think we'd go this far," Mattoon third baseman Bailiegh Basham said. "It's really exciting." While Iselin matched the closest game in Mattoon's 7-0 run for the championship, Mattoon was not going to be denied becoming the fifth team in 161 Babe Ruth World Series baseball or softball to win when serving as the host team.

Janele Robinson, named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for her pitching and hitting, limited Iselin to two earned runs in her five innings pitched, and Mackenzie Floyd, one of four Mattoon players besides Robinson named to the all-tournament team, went 2-for-2 at the plate in the title game. Only for a moment did Mattoon look as if it might need the "if necessary" game of the double-elimination tournament. Iselin, which lost to Mattoon 10-1 on Thursday but then beat Oviedo, 3-1 on Friday to get another shot at the host team, took a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Christina Katora led off the second with a single. Daniel Bemis sacrificed her to second base and Carlisa, Jiminez put down another sacrifice bunt.

When Basham's throw sailed past first base, Katora came round to score the game's first run. Basham made the play that ended GOLF -v V. JSC) www.scorc, ixorn Instead of getting whipped, its all whipped cream Wiping whipped cream from his face was no. real problem for Wade Bradley. He never had to do that in his first year coaching Mattoon softball a decade ago.

"When we first did that I think we won about five games and lost 30," he said. That was when Bradley was coaching the youth league team for his oldest daughter Jami, who learned enough to a few years later make the University of Illinois team. Now the father whose girls are now in high school or older along with others who have contributed so much to local softball were coaching other people's daughters in the Babe Ruth 12-and-under World Series. Coaches were getting whipped cream in their faces as the 12-year-olds celebrated Saturday's 7-3 win over Iselin, N.J., to cap Mattoon's 7-0 run for the World Series championship. "We've gone from the bottom to the top," Bradley said.

How was Mattoon to know while preparing for months just to try to show as the host team and automatic qualifier it belonged on the same field with other World Series qualifiers that it in fact would dominate the teams that had come through district, state and regional play? "I didn't think we'd go undefeated, but everyone did well," said Janele Robinson, who merely became the tournament's Most Outstanding Player for this team that went undefeated in the Series. Wade's niece Sara Bradley, the all-tournament shortstop, said: "We've never played anything like this. We used to play NSA. We'd never played Babe Ruth. Our expectations weren't really high." Mattoon became affiliated with the less heralded Babe Ruth softball a few years ago and played Babe Ruth league ball this year while much of the community made all the preparations of having a soft-ball World Series after 12-and-under baseball World Series in 1999 and 2002.

"The city itself was wonderful," Wil Bertot, the coach of runner-up Iselin, N.J., said. Words can't express how I feel about Mattoon. Just a fantastic job they've dona I just hope more World Series come here. This was fantastic." NIELSENB5 in an all-star game like that. But I had to do what was best for me and my team.

"I'm doing everything at 100 percent and getting reps at running back. That was the key thing. That's why I sat out the all-star game, so I could be healthy for camp." There is room for the Green Wave's all-time leading rusher on the Panthers' depth chart, but it is a crowded picture. The other freshmen, highly regarded Norris Smith and Travarus Bess, are both from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Sophomore holdovers Vincent Webb, the leading rusher a year ago and projected starter at tailback, and Ademola Adeniji are currently at the top of if the list.

"Those two guys are pretty wjop ninning backs, and I expect WAJJCERB5 WORLD SERIES AWARDS I -1 Most Outstanding player Janele Robinson, Mattoon All-tournament team Shelby Swlck, Mattoon P-Shelby Roposa, Concord, Calif. C-Brooke Hustmyer, Mattoon IB-Mackenzie Floyd, Mattoon 2B-Ashley Bertot, Iselin, J. 3B Dany Wayt, Oviedo, Fla. SS Sara Bradley, Mattoon OF-Danl Wilson, Oviedo, Fla. OF-Vlctoria Olvesen, Iselin, M.J.

OF-Katle Pope, Stamford, Conn. Utility-Ashley McNutt, Louisville, Ky. All-defensive team P-Sidney Ciccnetti, Trail, Canada i C-Jorl Barn Concord, Calif. IB-Megan Alligood, Oviedo, Fla. 2B Marlssa Blake, Oviedo, Fla.

3B-Elitabeth Kline, Iselin, N.J. SS-Maggle Kopas, Homewood OF-Katle Bern, Louisville, Ky. OF-Chrlstlna Katora, Iselin, N.J. 1 OF-Carlissa Jlmenz, Iselin, NJ. Batting champion I Danl Wayt, Oviedo, Fla.

Sportsmanship awards American Division: Kallee Dickson, Trail, Cana- da National Division: Megan Robastelll, Stamford, Conn. Basham said. She more than did that, ripping a triple down the left field line to bring home three runs. Jordan Miller's ground out made it 4-1 before the second inning ended. "I knew we'd put runs on the board, and then we had the big inning," Bradley said.

"All week we've had the big inning." CHAMPSB5 Ken TrevarthanStaff Photographer Mattoon's Jalmee Pendergast lays down bunt during Saturday's championship game. the top of the second and kept that Hustmyer was forced out at the half inning in mind. plate on Kameron Louthan's bouncer All-tournament catcher Brook back to the pitcher, bringing up Hustmyer led off the Mattoon second Basham with one out and her team with a base hit and Jamie Pendergast still trailing 1-0. and Floyd both bunted for singles that "I just wanted to make up for the loaded the bases. run I let come in on the error," tS EASTERN FOOTBALL Ken TrevarthanStaff Photographer Mattoon High School's D.J.

Walker will be playing for Eastern Illinois University this i llfrr -L Mattoon's Walker hopes to stake claim to spot onEIU depth chart Finally a birdie and the win for Singh after PGA playoff BY RICK DAWSON Staff Writer CHARLESTON The disappointment of a disjointed summer behind him, D.J. Walker is healthy and vying with two other freshman running backs to make an impact at Eastern Illinois' football camp this week. On the advice of trainers, Walker sat out the Order of the Eastern Star all-star game in Decatur this June and the Illinois Football Coaches AssociationShriners All-Star game Peoria last month to recuperate from an injured hamstring. The leg is healed, and Walker began conditioning with his teammates before fall practice got underway on Thursday. "Of course (missing the all-star games) was a disappointment," the 5-9, 195-pound Mattoon graduate said.

"Thas an honor to be chosen off, and they stood green as Singh tapped i ii uiii i. icei tui par on the 18th for his third career major. Leonard, playing in the final group at the PGA for the third Singh time, took a two-shot lead with five holes to play with an 18-foot birdie putt. But he missed four putts inside 12 feet down the stretch, the last one dropping him into a playoff that never should have happened. Singh, who won for the fifth time this year, took advantage "It was sad to see someone win it the way I did," Singh said.

"The put- SSXSHBS HAVEN, Wis. (AP) The only birdie Vijay Singh made all day was the only one that mattered. All but counted out of the PGA Championship with a putter that failed nim, Singh took advantage of a late collapse by Justin Leonard to get into a three-way playoff Sunday at Whistling Straits, then made the only birdie over the three extra holes to win the final major of the year. It was an amazing turnaround for the 41-year-old Fijian, whose career is defined by second chances. Despite closing with a 4-over 76 the highest winning score ever by a PGA champion and taking 34 putts in regulation, Singh nearly drove the green on the first of three playoff holes and made a 6-foot putt.

Leonard and Chris DiMarco never had a good look at birdie in the play-.