High school football season reached its midpoint (already?) on Friday evening, I was at McCaskey as the Red Tornado hosted Conestoga Valley in a league-mandated crossover game. The LL League is scheduled to undergo a massive reorganization in 2022, the schools in Berks County are joining as associate members for football only and the divisional crossover games will be abolished. This will grow the league to 37 (!!!) teams in five divisions, for McCaskey it means Reading High will be on the schedule as a sixth divisional opponent. JPM entered on this night at 2-2 and exited it at 2-3 as a result of a 35-7 loss, the only score coming on a Shymere Covington kickoff return (85 yards) in the second quarter. The clubs plays its next two on the road, the next home date is October 15. On Saturday Jenny and her mother were in town at a relative's house, the family was celebrating Helen's birthday albeit ten days late. In the evening I was at the ballpark, the Barnstormers were hosting Southern Maryland (fresh from their midweek series in York). The Stormers won the Friday opener 8-0 behind seven shutout innings from Dominic DiSabatino, on this night Brent Teller got the start and repeated the feat. He allowed one hit and struck out six in his seven innings of work but didn't factor in the decision as the Stormers lost in frustrating fashion. Blake Gailen's home run over the picnic pavilion in the second inning gave the Stormers a 1-0 lead which held up until the eighth when the Crabs tied it, in the tenth SM put together a three-run inning against losing pitcher Garret Granitz and took it 4-1. On Sunday the Blue Crabs took the rubber game but as usual I was in Rothsville for week #3 at Lions Park. Township defeated Warwick via shootout and Hillside beat Ephrata in regulation time, we're back on October 3 with the rematches from week #1. Take care, thanks for reading.
