Some teams go years before winning a major tournament and others never win one. Not so with the JOLICO SR 65’S who in their initial entry into the SPA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS August 19-23 at DALTON, GEORGIA’S HERITAGE PARK, claimed the top prize.
JOLICO took no prisoners, going 3-0 in bracket play outscoring their opponents 69-29. In their win over the SPA 2017 65 WORLD CHAMPS OHIO CARDINALS, they collected 40 hits in a 32-10 win.
“The hitting was just contagious in that game,” JOLICO 65 Coach JAN SANDER said. “We had never hit like that in a game before, it was unreal.”
“Everybody was hitting throughout the tournament,” SANDER said, “Our Catcher ROSE BOLONE had her first ever home runs, one a grand slam. Everybody had big hits.”
JOLICO wrapped up the tournament beating the SR DIAMONDS 17-6 and 20-13 in the title game.
It was JOLICO 65’s second SPA TOURNAMENT title this year. Earlier they won the TWITTY TOURNAMENT at HENDERSONVILLE, TENN. They have also won a pair of non-SPA tournaments.
“We have had a pretty good year so far and it hasn’t just been our offense which has carried us, our defense has been just as good,” SANDER said.
JOLICO 65’s are not done for this year, they have the HUNTSMAN GAMES and the NATIONAL SENIOR OLYMPICS still left to play.
Other teams in the SPA 65 WORLDS bracket were runner-up SR DIAMONDS, OHIO CARDINALS, MN LADY LOONS and SMOKEY MOUNTAIN STARS.
Individual awards taken home by JOLICO were CHRIS SCHNEIDER SPA MANAGER-OF-THE-YEAR and MVP NANCY NEWKIRK.
Selected to the ALL-AMERICAN team were MARGARET VAN ECKOUTE. PAT BAKER. CJ TAYLOR, CHERYL JAMES, ROSE BOLONE and JANET PFAU.
Members of the 2018 SPA 65 WOMEN’S WORLD champs are: SANDER, SCHNEIDER, VAN ECKOUTE, NEWKIRK, BAKER, TAYLOR, BOLONE, JAMES, PFAU, JUANITA GRANDSTAFT, PENNY ZIELINSKI, PATRICIA WEILAND, SANDRA NYENHUIS, JANICE STROZIER,MARY TWEEDY, POPATI WING, CYNTHIA MCCARTHY and ELLEN BOWERS.