SPY's Newsletter 8/24/25

 SPY’s Community Newsletter

#376

(8/24/25)

Farmer’s Picnic Report #2

This Farmer’s Picnic Report is the second of a series of Newsletter reports that will follow in the next couple of days.  So, stay tuned.

This was the 54th Annual SPYs Charities Softball Tournament.  There was a Men’s Division with 8 teams, and a separate COED Division with 6 teams competing.  Both divisions played a round robin format to start---then single elimination tournaments.  

Due to the weather, on Saturday, the Men’s Tournament games were called off.  The Coed Tournament finished up on Sunday and found Aftermath, the first-place team, came out on top for the championship.

 Pictured are the Aftermath players Ryan Kowalcyk (front), (Second row from left), Krystal Hernandez, Alyssa Spangler, Kacie Owen, Jeralee Huntoon, Sarah Kowalczyk.  (Back row from left), Hunter Wilson, Adan Ruiz, CJ Swift, Chase Senters, Chaz Arizola, Austyn Dawe, David Arizola and Shane Arizola

Most Valuable Player Awards in the Coed Tournament were awarded to ­­Jayna Pohl (middle) and Chase Senters (left). 

A fan favorite feature of the tournament weekend is the Home Run Derby Contest.  This year there were eleven entries in the long-ball jacking event.  This year’s champion was Austyn Dawe, who hit some serious rockets.  Second place honors went to Jason Dickinson.

On an interesting side note concerning the Home Run Derby, Tournament Commissioner Craig Cappon announced the Derby would here-after be named the “Dylan Kemp Memorial Home Run Derby”.

For those of you that live in the area you may recall the terrible construction accident that took place this past June.  Steel trusses were being erected on the new gymnasium at the Potterville High School.  Something happened and the trusses fell killing Dylan Kemp and critically injuring another worker.  Dylan was just 27.  He was a tremendous softball player.  Dylan was a regular contender in the Derby since it’s inception.  He would usually sing-up and pay two entry fees.  He would then compete, first hitting right-handed and then switch to left-handed.

Frog Jumping Contest

The Frog Jumping Contest had two categories this year, those that collected and brought their own frog and those that used frogs from the communities’ bucket that were collected by Stephanie Brummette.  There were 28 children participating in the frog jumping contest; 10 children brought their own frog.  Maverick Hough had the largest frog and Levi had the smallest frog.  The Best Named frog was chosen by the Grand Marshal Robert “Bob” Sandborn and was awarded to RJ for “Bob”.  Winners for those who brought their own frogs included Quinn Brummette with a total of 96 inches jumped by her frog; Levi at 76 ¾ inches and Maverick Hough at 68 inches.  Winners for those who borrowed frogs from the community collection included Jax V. with a total of 173 inches jumped by his frog, Waylyn at 123 inches and Ava at 111 inches.