CURWENSVILLE – The Curwensville Teener League 15-and-16 All-Stars are going to the VFW Teener State Tournament after all.
Area VI director Les Edmundson of Clearfield informed manager Denny Johns Thursday night that Curwensville, which finished second with a 2-2 record in the Area VI Tournament, will be one of the eight teams at Bellwood next week.
State tourney brackets show the Area VI runner-up as one of the qualifiers, but Johns was told that was a misprint and the Area VI Tournament was played with the misunderstanding that only the champion would advance.
So, the Curwensville coaches and players believed their only hope after losing 7-0 to Philipsburg-Osceola Wednesday night was for Punxsutawney to win at Philipsburg Thursday night and score at least four runs in the process. If all three teams wound up 2-2, Curwensville would have had the advantage in the first tiebreaker, fewest runs allowed.
That didn\’t happen. P-O pulled away in the late innings to triumph 12-4 for a 3-1 record to claim the title outright. Punxsy ended the double-round robin tourney at 1-3.
With six area champions and a host team, a runner-up from one area is needed to fill out an eight-team bracket for the double-elimination state tourney, and that berth is rotated around the areas annually. This is the year for Area VI to send a second team.
Johns said the Curwensville players and coaches are excited they will have the opportunity to continue their season.
\”It\’s good news,\” he said. \”We\’re going to work real hard to show up and play Curwensville baseball next week.\”
Curwensville is scheduled to play the Area V champion, which will be either Bald Eagle Area or Bellefonte, on Aug. 2 at 3 p.m.
Altoona is the host team, so runner-up Hollidaysburg will be the Area IV representative.
