Octorara townlively.com
JANUARY 19, 2022
SERVING THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES SINCE 1954
VOL XXXI • NO 47
School Hosts “Night Of Champions” Wessner, as well as Octorara’s winning basketball players. Both Octorara coaches and To celebrate a 50-year span of Octorara boys’ basketball champi- alumni returned to visit their alma ons, Gene Lambert, the current mater and enjoy the festivities. Octorara Junior-Senior High Basketball champions were recogSchool varsity boys’ basketball nized for their accomplishments coach, arranged a “Night of in the high school gymnasium durChampions” event on Dec. 17. The ing the break between the boys’ celebration honored Octorara junior varsity and varsity basketcoaches Gary Wetzel and Ray ball games. “I look at myself as being very fortunate to have been coached by Gary Wetzel and Ray Wessner and baseball coach Roy ‘Sonny’ Skiles,” said Lambert, an Octorara alumnus. “As the current coach, I felt that this was a special place because of those three men who put a lot of time into the student-athletes here.” All three current Octorara boys’ basketball teams played at home in the high school gym on Dec. 17, starting in the afternoon with an eighthAmong those who attended Octorara Junior-Senior High School’s “Night of grade game followed by the Champions” were coach Gary Wetzel junior varsity and varsity boys’ (third from left) and former players (from basketball games. BY FRANCINE FULTON
Octorara Sets Annual Wiffle Ball Tournament The 10th annual Octorara Invitational Indoor Wiffle Ball Tourpectators may not hear the crack nament will be held in the Octorof the bat as they do at a tradi- ara Junior-Senior High School tional baseball game, but the and Intermediate School gymnaupcoming wiffle ball tournament siums on Friday, Feb. 25, from planned at Octorara will feature just 5 to 11 p.m. and on Saturday, as much excitement and competition. Feb. 26, beginning at 8 a.m. The game, often called a simplified version of baseball, is played indoors using a lightweight bat and wiffle ball, which is hollow and made with plastic. As part of the tournament rules, teams are made up of five players, and like baseball, the goal is to score the most runs. According to Phil Capotrio, one of the event organizers, the first Octorara Wiffle Ball Tournament was held in A group of dads took part in the Octorara Wiffle Ball Tournament in 2011. “The tournament March of 2020. BY FRANCINE FULTON
far left) Jim Brown, Mark Barnett, Ronald See “Night Of Champions” pg 2 Toole Jr., Ty White and Chucky Cooper.
Exploring Trails In Chester County BY FRANCINE FULTON
Those looking for new areas to explore in Chester County are invited to view a new interactive trailfinder map that was unveiled by the Chester County Planning Commission. The map illustrates all the county’s publicly accessible trails and nature preserves, representing more than 550 miles of trails. Nearly 70 miles of trails are multi-use,
See Wiffle Ball Tournament pg 5
See Exploring Trails pg 6
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE STRIVE Toward Better Mental Health . . . . . . . . . .3 Business Directory . . . . . .4 Community Calendar . . . .5 TLC Posts 2021 Highlights . . . . . . . . .8 House Of Worship . . . . . . .9 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . .9
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founder was Phil Rudisill from the Octorara Baseball Boosters. (It was held) as a way to raise money for the junior high and high school baseball teams,” Capotrio said, noting that the event was canceled in 2021 because of the pandemic. “Missing last year really hurt us, as the tournament is one, if not the largest, fundraiser for the baseball team. So participation and turnout are more important than ever.” Each year, about 30 to 40 teams take part in the tournament. “We are hoping for the same turnout, if not more,” Capotrio said. Each team will play at least two games in the tournament. Age brackets include the Rookie Circuit, which is open to students in fourth through sixth grades, and the Junior Circuit, which is for students in seventh and eighth grades. There is also a Senior Circuit, which is open to ninthgraders through adults.
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The Octorara Invitational Indoor Wiffle Ball Tournament is played inside the gymnasiums at Octorara Junior-Senior High School and Intermediate School.
