CLEARFIELD — Four teams from Clearfield and one from Emporium will be attempting to short circuit the perennial champion Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies’ bid for a record seventh title in the milestone 25th annual Clearfield “Past-Your-Prime” Modified Fast-Pitch Softball Tournament at Bucky Strunk Memorial Field Saturday and Sunday.
Potter’s Bricklayers set the standard with seven championships in the first 13 tourneys for players 40-and-over, but the Philipsburg crew cannot fill a lineup after having competed in every previous year.
In their 10 trips up I-99, the Over-The-Hillbillies claimed the champion trophy six times, shared it once and settled for second place on three occasions.
They’ve reigned in five of the last six years and reached the finals in the other. Rain washed out the 2016 title game, so Bedford and Bob Boob’s Garage of Clearfield were declared co-champions.
The Clearfield entries are The Meatheads, Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub, Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar and newcomer 765-Deck.
The Meatheads showcase four championship trophies in their lodge, while Denny’s has won two and shared another with Aqua Specialists of Mechanicsburg.
Buster’s ran the table in the early years, but the Siegel/Buster’s combo has not yet prevailed.
The other titles belong to the Aqua Specialists and Legends Sports Bar and Grill of Clearfield.
All six teams, broken down into two pools, will be in action twice Saturday, starting at 9:30 a.m.
The Meatheads, 765-Deck and the Emporium Used-To-Be-Goods are in Group A. Denny’s, Siegel/Buster’s and Bedford make up Group B.
Winners for each group will receive byes into the semifinals of the single-elimination portion of the tourney Sunday. The runners-up and third-place finishers will cross-bracket in the quarterfinals, with the first game set for 9 a.m.
The championship game is booked for 3 p.m.
A concession stand will be in operation throughout the tourney, and proceeds from all sales as well as other fund-raisers being conducted both days will go to the United States Marine Corps “Toys for Tots” program sponsored by the Sgt. William L. Dixon Detachment of Clearfield.
The schedule:
SATURDAY
Game 1 – 765-Deck vs The Meatheads, 9:30 a.m.
Game 2 – Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub vs Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar, 11
Game 3 – 765-Deck vs Emporium Used-To-Be-Goods, 12:30 p.m.
Game 4 – Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub vs Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies, 2
Game 5 – The Meatheads vs Emporium Used-To-Be-Goods, 3:30
Game 6 – Siegel Engraving/Buster’s Sports Bar vs Bedford Over-The-Hillbillies, 5
SUNDAY
Quarterfinals
Game 7 – Group A-2 vs Group-B 3, 9 a.m.
Game 8 – Group B-2 vs Group A-3, 10:30
Semifinals
Game 9 – Group B-1 vs Game 7 Winner, noon
Game 10 – Group A-1 vs Game 8 Winner, 1:30 p.m.
Championship
Game 11 – Game 9 Winner vs Game 10 Winner, 3
