Community sports: Event season continues at IMG
The Eddie Herr Junior International Championship tennis tournament is over after a week-and-a-half in Bradenton, and IMG Academy only gets a five-day reprieve before its latest large-scale event gets underway. The Super Y League North American Finals kicks off at IMG at 8 a.m. Friday with U16 boys and U18 boys and girls play.
The earliest slate of games includes the Ascenders' U18 girls team, IMG's only team in the tournament. IMG Academy opens the tourney against Northern Virginia Majestics-FTF. On Saturday, IMG meets Midwest United FC from Grand Rapids, Mich. The Ascenders finish group play at 8 a.m. on Sunday against Virginia's FCSC United SYL.
The tournament concludes with championship matches Dec. 15. For the U18 girls, the top two teams from group play will meet to determine the winner of the four-team field. Other age groups are larger and will have semifinal matches Monday. There are also divisions for boys and girls in U12, U13 and U14, plus U16 girls.
Freedom Softball takes final trip
G.T. Bray Park in Bradenton hosted its final Freedom Softball Adult Tournament of the year Saturday the Lawn Enforcement team from Wesley Chapel breezed its way to the 16 Bat Giveaway championship.
Lawn Enforcement went a perfect 5-0, outscoring opponents by 23 runs and average 20.6 per game. Needing a split with Winter Haven's Brute Force in the final round of the tournament, Lawn Enforcement won its first try 23-22 to lock up the title.
The Juggernauts/Rivard Buick GMC team from Tampa rounded out the top three with a 4-2 record and a final-four loss to Lawn Enforcement.
Concession Cup announces roster
The Concession Cup won't begin in Bradenton until April, but the rosters for the second biennial event were announced Monday.
The Concession Cup, which features amateur players ages 25 and older, pits a team from the United States against the best players from Great Britain and Ireland. The U.S. won the inaugural event in 2014, claiming the Sir Michael Bonallack and William Campbell Trophy with a 21 1/2-14 1/2 win at The Concession Golf Club.
Teams are split into three age groups -- eight mid-amateurs aged 25-54, eight senior amateurs 55 and older, and two players 65 and older. The United States' roster includes the top four mid-amateurs and senior amateurs in the world. Captain Scott Harvey leads the mid-amateurs Mike McCoy, Joe Alfieri and Todd White. Doug Hanzel is the top-ranked senior amateur, followed by Brady Exber, Bob Kearney and Jack Hall.
This story was originally published December 7, 2015 at 7:13 PM with the headline "Community sports: Event season continues at IMG ."