Bock steps up to plate

When Boron Little League was in need of having its 2010 season saved, Colby Bock Colby Bock and Newport Beach Little League stepped up to the plate.

Boron was in dire need of securing proper baseball equipment for its upcoming season and without it, Joe Sheridan, umpire and chief for both the league and Little League District 51 (North), said that there would be no organized baseball for youngsters in this Kern County town of a little more than 2,000 residents.

Opening Day for the league is scheduled for April 17.

“It’s been tough around here and we needed all types of baseball equipment, from bats to helmets to catcher’s gear, A-to-Z, in order for us to have a season,” Sheridan said. “The equipment we had wasn’t up to Little League standards. I sent out an e-mail, asking for donated equipment, and that’s when Colby and his dad, Dave, and Newport Beach Little League, stepped in and fulfilled every need on our list.

“We had contributions from other leagues but what Colby and his dad did for us, was over the top. We received, I believe, 14 bags of equipment from them. Ninety-nine percent of what we needed, came from Colby. For that, my hat is off to him. He literally saved the season for Boron. He deserves recognition beyond recognition. He and his dad are two amazing people. I can’t say enough about them.”

Colby Bock, who plays in the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. (Pony Division) and with the Newport Beach Bat Rays travel baseball team, two years ago created a community service project, Colby’s Double Play, a nonprofit organization, he said, that is dedicated to collecting and distributing new and slightly used baseball equipment to Little Leagues in need.

The donations Bock has gathered, through the generosity of Newport Beach Little League and the Newport Beach community, means that Boron Little League will be well-equipped for 2010. Those donations filled 14 bags: 56 helmets, 14 chin guards, 14 chest protectors, 14 catcher’s masks, 84 baseballs and 14 first-aid kits.

Last month, Colby’s Double Play also donated six full bags of equipment to El Dorado Little League of Lancaster.

“I talked to [Joe Sheridan] last Saturday and he was really, really excited about what we had done for them,” said Bock who played seven years in Newport Beach Little League before moving on to the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. “Every spring, for the last 10 years, I’ve played baseball. Without it, I would get pretty bored. It’s my favorite sport.

“In doing this with Colby’s Double Play, it shows me how lucky we are to have all this type of stuff for our use every day. We can take things for granted. It’s eye-opening, to see how we live, and how they live. For these leagues, like Boron, I know they’re thrilled and super-stoked to get the equipment. It’s awesome to know that I am one reason that they are able to play baseball this year.”

Joe Sheridan said that he and three other representatives from District 51 will be on hand Saturday for Newport Beach Little League’s Opening Day ceremonies at Bonita Canyon Sports Park. He will meet Bock for the first time and said it was important for him to thank the youngster and the Newport Beach community, “in person, for all they have done.” Bock also will receive a certificate of honor.

In addition to the equipment donation, Newport Beach Little League will donate half of the money raised from Saturday’s 50-50 drawing, to Boron Little League.

Sheridan said he also has “the privilege,” of being the official umpire for two Opening Day games Saturday.

“We are fortunate to live in a city where our league is able to buy new equipment and have parents who are willing to donate their old uniforms and gear, and we especially thank Colby for coordinating this effort so that we can help other kids and leagues,” Newport Beach Little League President Rick Dill said.

On Saturday, 12 collection bins will be set up at Bonita Canyon Sports Park. As inventory is needed throughout the season, bins also will set up at key games and tournaments.

“We are asking Newport Beach players and parents to dig out their old uniforms, bats, gear, etc., and bring them to our Opening Day, any time between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.,” Dill said. “There will be collection bins set up at fields 3 and 4. Colby needs to stock up for the next league in need.”

In a story that ran in the March 5 edition of the Daily Pilot, Colby’s Double Play teamed with the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. to provide needed baseball equipment to Baldwin Park Little League, a league that had had thousands of dollars of equipment stolen Feb. 5 from the league’s storage facility. NHBA led the equipment drive and Colby’s Double Play filled the bulk of the equipment need, Dave Bock said.

Big Cats win sectional title

The Newport-Mesa National Junior Basketball boys’ fifth-grade All-Net team, the Big Cats, went undefeated (4-0) at the Southern California Sectionals last weekend.

The Big Cats now advance to play in the national tournament March 26-28 in Orange County.

At the sectional tournament, Jake Jones and Collin Pipkin led the Big Cats in scoring. Chase Furey had 10 steals and Matthew McDonald had 14 rebounds. Will Ueberroth was perfect from the free-throw line and Mitchell Haly added 32 points over the weekend. Luke Vafiadis, Chase Garbers and Will Rodosky all contributed greatly to defense and hit key free throws.

Connor Kincaid, the Big Cats’ shooting guard, has been sidelined with a broken wrist, but is expected to play in the national tournament.

The Big Cats will contend with teams from Hawaii, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Northern California for the national championship March 26 to 28.

— Reader submission

Strong finish for Bruins

The Newport-Mesa Bruins sixth-grade All-Net basketball team finished the regular season with a record of 8-6.

For most of the season, the Bruins fell behind in most games, and had to play catch-up in the second half. In their final game of the season against the Brea Wildcats, the Bruins started out fast with a 24-10 halftime lead and never looked back. The Bruins won by the final score of 43-27, in what was perhaps their most convincing win of the season.

Leading scorers for the Bruins were “Smooth” Sam Kobrine and Taso “The Touch” Marcopulos who had 14 and 10 points, respectively. Joe “Jumping Bean” Alvarado added six points and sealed the deal with a three-pointer at the end of the game.

Banging the boards and playing their usual tough defense for the Bruins were Nick Bauer, Carson Poivre and Nick Premer. Controlling the ball from the guard position were Charlie Stassel and Nate Harding.

Slow start, strong finish was the story of the season. Due to multiple injuries, especially in the first half of the year, the Bruins never had all their players on the floor until the 13th game of the season. Once they got healthier, they won six of their last eight games and are at full strength heading into the sectional playoffs.

Head Coach Mike Alvarado was pleased with the strong finish to the regular season and told the boys after the Brea game, “It is not about how you start, it’s all about how you finish.”

The Bruins hope to finish the year on the last day of the national tourney.

— Mark Poivre