Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament Information

Gaithersburg Post 295 travel details for the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament, Colonial Heights, VA (South of Richmond)

Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament
Colonial Heights, VA
August 14-18, 2008

Team will arrive on August 13, for checkin and tournament dinner.

The team will be travelling by bus and will be staying at the

Holiday Inn - Richmond South
401 E. Roslyn Rd
Colonial Heights, VA
804-520-5880

Host web site is http://mysite.verizon.net/legion284/ brackets

TEAMS:
DELAWARE, MARYLAND, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, PENNSYLVANIA,
VIRGINIA, WEST VIRGINIA

TICKETS: $8.00 PER SESSION
(2 SESSIONS PER DAY - MORNING & AFTERNOON)

FOR GAME INFORMATION: http://mysite.verizon.net/legion284 or
www.terrysisisky.com (live tournament game feed and commentary)

2008 Maryland State Champions

Gaithersburg Post 295 defeated Francis Scott Key Post 11, 10-2, in the Championship Game of the 2008 American Legion State Baseball Tournament.

Gaithersburgs Mike Ryan, picked up the Batting Trophy and the "Phil Robbins" MVP Trophy, with a tournament slugging average of .533!

Congratulations to all of the Team members, the coaching staff and thier parents and friends.

Post 295 will now represent Maryland in the Mid-Atlanitc Regional Tournament in Colonial Heights, VA begining on Aug 14 with a game against the winner of the PA State Championship.

American Legion Maryland State Tournament

Check out the box on the right for more scores

All games played at McCurdy Field, Jefferson St, Frederick, MD

Results of the double elimination the State Tournament.

Day 1: Friday
Game 1: Oakland (0-1) 9 - Gaithersburg (1-0) 10
Game 2: Cecil (0-1) 6 - Chaney (1-0) 8
Game 3: Mt Airy (1-0) 8 - Salisbury (0-1) 0
Game 4: Frederick 11 (1-0) - Pasedena (0-1) 0

Day 2: Saturday
Game 5: Salisbury (1-1) 6 - Oakland (0-2) 4 (Oakland out of tournament)
Game 6: Cecil (1-1) 8 - Pasedena (0-2) 3 (Pasedena out of Tournament)
Game 7: Gaithersburg (2-0) 18 - Mt Airy 11 (1-1) (2 hr rain delay)
Game 8: Chaney (1-1) - Frederick (2-0)

Day 3: Sunday
Game 9 - 10 am: Salisbury (2-1) 12- Cecil (1-2 & out) 6
Game 10 - 2 pm: Mt Airy (1-2 & Out) 6 vs. Chaney (2-1) 7
Game 11 - 7pm: Gaithersburg (3-0) 17 vs. Fredrick (2-1) 4 (Mercy rule used to end game in 7th inning)

Monday
Game 12 9 am: Gaithersburg (4-0) 8 vs Chaney (2-2 / out) 7
Game 13 noon: Frederick (3-1 / Out) vs Salisbury (2-2 / out)

Tuesday: Championship Game
Game 14 10 am : Gaithersburg (5-0) 10 vs Frederick (3-2) 2
Game 15: (If Necessary)

Maryland winner to play Pennsylvania winner in Colonial Beach, VA on August 14th in Game 2 at Shepard Stadium.

http://www.baseball.legion.org/region_2_pairings.php

For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette

Montgomery County Commander
Commander Post 295
Chef de Gare Localle 265

Mike Celenza, Post 295 Hitting it BIG at Salisbury State

YORK, Pa. - The Capital Athletic Conference announced its weekly conference
athlete of the week awards and Salisbury University sophomore first baseman Mike Celenza (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince
Orchard) was named the baseball recipient for the week of April
28. This is the second time the slugger has received the honor this season.
Celenza slammed two home runs for fourth-ranked Salisbury as the Sea Gulls
came away with an 8-3 in-region victory against Christopher Newport University.
Celenza hit his first two-run home run in the fifth inning to tie the game at
two. He later added a second two-run shot, his sixth of the year, in the eighth
to hand SU some insurance runs. For the season he is batting .392-6-52. He is
tied for second on the team in home runs and RBI.
Celenza is
the fourth Sea Gull baseball recipient of this award for the 2008
season. He won the award back on March 17 when he crushed two home
runs and knocked in seven RBI in three contests against Villa Julie College.
Will Evans (April 14) and Justin Armiger (February 25) are the two
other previous award winners

For more stories on Mike Celenza visit Salisbury State University

Post 295 Alumni Signs with Orioles

BLUEFIELD, W. Va. - Former Tiger baseball standout Brian Conley, a 17th round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles, has gotten off to a good start to his professional baseball career with the Bluefield Orioles of the Appalachian League. In his first eight games for Bluefield, he is batting .259 with a team-leading six runs scored. He also has a double, one home run and two runs batted in. Full Story

Conley Played for Post 295 for a number of years and is a graduate of Quince Orchard High School

State Tournament Details

Gaithersburg Post 295 opens the tournament with a 9am game friday the 25th at 9am against the winner of the Western Maryland Division.

Should Gaithersburg win the next game will be on Saturday at 4pm. If they should lose (not likely) Gaithersburg's next game in the loser bracket will be on Saturday at 9 am.

Teams Statistics

• Team Record 32-3
• Won five of the past six Montgomery Division Championships
• The lineup has a .364 batting average, scoring 9.5 runs per game
• The Pitching staff has a combined 1.25 earned-run average, with 255 strikeouts in 241 innings.

Batting Leaders:

• Matt Civetti (.433, 37 RBI, 12 doubles)
• Spencer Pearman (.413, 37 runs, 26 RBI)
• Nick Loftus (.402, 33 RBI)
• Kyle Ehret (.389, 32 RBI, 14 doubles)
• Jeff Flax (.364, 43 runs, 26 RBI)
• Gary Schneider (.359, 33 runs, 22 RBI)
• Kevin Johnson (.342, four home runs, 27 RBI)
• Kyle Judson (.324, 33 runs, 28 RBI)
• John Brauch (.304, 31 RBI).

Pitching Leaders:

• Charlie Cononie (7-0, 0.61 ERA)
• Dominick Vattuone (6-0, 0.33)
• Matt Sliwiak (4-1, 0.82)
• Kevin Johnson (3-0, 1.24)
• Mike Loeb (7-0, 2.70)
• Mike Ryan (3-1, 0.31)

Post 295 wins the County Title, on to the State Tournament

On Sunday, Post 295, dropped Cissel-Saxon Post 41, 19 to 1 in 5 innings. Post 295 scored 19 runs, with 4 home runs, and multiple base hits. Post 41 was only able to field a team after having to start a player with an injured hand.

What I can say about our team is that we do have depth. Post 295's senior American Legion team has 18 members. The maximum allowed under the rules. Post 295's pitcher, Charlie Cononie (7-0, save, 0.35 ERA), hit a double and played 3rd base for the last inning.

After going up 10-0 in the second, Post 295's coach Rick Price started rotating players who did not start, there were enough substitutions and hits to keep the scorers busy.

The first game of the Maryland American Legion State Tournament is Friday morning at 9am. All games will be palyed at McCurdy Field in Frederick. http://www.cityoffrederick.com/departments/Recreation/parksManual/mcCurdyField.htm

The State Tournament is a double elimination format with 8 teams.

See you there!

For the Veteran! Bob Ouellette

It is post time for Legion baseball County tournament begins and finishes this week

Post 295 is 2 –0 and will play Sunday at 12 noon at Damascus Regional Park. Come out catch the game. Post 295 beat Post 41, 10-0 on Tuesday and beat Post 171, 3-2 in a well played game tonight. Post 268 lost to Damascus on Tuesday leaving, Post 268 and Post 41 to play in the loser bracket, the winner of that game will play Post 171 on Saturday. Post 295 will have to be beaten twice to lose the tournament. The State Tournament begins Friday, Aug 1 in Frederick at McCurdy Field.

Bob O....

It’s post time for Legion baseball County tournament begins and finishes this week
by James Peters | Staff Writer

For the past five years a team from Gaithersburg has walked away with the Montgomery Division tournament crown and with it a trip to the Maryland State American Legion tournament, which this year is being played in Frederick from July 25-30.

Considering how strong Gaithersburg Post 295 (31-3) has played this season — it dropped just one game in league competition (25-1) — that trend could certainly be extended for another year as the county’s four-team, double-elimination American Legion baseball tournament begins and concludes this week.

Of course, possibly capturing a county championship is nothing new for Post 295, which won four straight from 2003-06 before having that run snapped last year by Gaithersburg Post 104, which failed to qualify for postseason play this summer with a 7-17 record.

The rest of the field consists of No. 2 seed Damascus (17-10), No. 3 seed and surprise Wheaton (15-12) and No. 4 seed Cissel Saxon Post 41 (13-14). The tournament began Tuesday in games played too late for this edition and runs through Sunday with the championship game slated for noon at Damascus Regional Park.

‘‘We’ve been pitching well all year keep so we need to keep doing that for sure,” Post 295 manager Rick Price said. ‘‘And our defense has been very good so if we do those couple of things we’ll be OK.”

Saying Gaithersburg, which won state titles in 2003 and ’04, has been pitching well is an understatement. The team is holding opponents to an average of 1.26 runs per game and has struck out 225 strikeouts in 222 innings. Charlie Cononie (7-0, save, 0.35 ERA), Dominick Vattuone (6-0, save, 0.35 ERA), Mike Loeb (7-0, 2.70 ERA) and Kevin Johnson (3-0, 1.24 ERA) have powered a staff that has seen seven pitchers post 17 or more innings.

Offensively, Post 295 finished the regular season with a combined .364 batting average that has helped produce 320 runs or 9.4 per game. Every player who has recorded at least 36 at-bats was hitting above .300, led by Matt Civetti (.459, 36 RBI), Spencer Pearman (.412, 32 runs, 24 RBI), Jeff Flax (.366, 40 runs, 25 RBI), and Nick Loftus (.400, 31 RBI).

Those impressive numbers helped translate into a regular-season sweep of the three other playoff teams, including Tuesday’s first-round opponent, Cissel Saxon. The team’s only league loss was a 4-1 setback to Sandy Spring Post 68 on June 12 after Post 295 had scored an 18-1 victory over Post 68 two days before.

‘‘295 just kicked our butts as they have just about everybody else,” Saxon manager Scott Dunlap said, ‘‘but I think we’re peaking at the right time. It all depends if we hit. You’ve got to hit in this league. Pitching and defense can only take you so far. ... If our sticks are on, we can hang with anybody in the league. Taylor Schallhorn, Tommy Cunningham and Brandon Grove are the heart of our order.”

Dunlap’s squad entered the final week with a chance to capture the third seed but two wins by Wheaton Sunday against Post 104, including a forfeit as Post 104’s pitcher in the second game of the doubleheader was ejected for hitting five batters, leaving Gaithersburg with just eight players, gave Post 268 an insurmountable two-game lead. Saxon, however, won eight of its final 11 games after opening the season with five losses in its first six games.

Damascus also has a deep pitching staff to work with, including a starting rotation that consists of Schallhorn, Cunningham, Ryan Rehman, Paul Graves and Travis Hart.

While Saxon comes in on a hot streak, Damascus dropped its final two games to continue its streaky season that included four straight victories prior to Saturday’s losses to Post 295 and Laurel Post 60. The squad also enjoyed an eight-game winning streak earlier in the season. Post 171, which last won a county title in 2000, is paced offensively by A.J. Bowman, Lee Hertel, Tom Gilchrist, Alejandro Colon-Acevedo and Mike Serafinas and on the mound by Drew Hoffmaster and Kyle Blackwell.

Maryland Legion Convention Begins

The 75th Maryland convention opened at the Ocean City Convention Center. Henderson-Smith-Edmonds Post 86’s National Champion color Guard Posted the Colors. Past Sons of the American Legion Dept Commanders, Bob Trublood and Joe Bieden presented the Star Spangled Banner as a barbershop duo rendition.

After the introductions of Department Officers of the American Legion and the Auxiliary the next National Commander David Rehbein. Legionnaire Rehbein harkened back to when the Army Expedition Forces fresh from their victory in WWI returned with pride and in the next 12 years the American Legion grew from 0 members to 1 million members. Their pride and the pride of the Legionnaires who have followed in there footsteps is what he hopes to rekindle in all legionnaires. The Legionnaires in the room are the sparks that will rekindle the flames of pride in the American Legion.

Upon return from France the new American Legion organization focused on Americanism, National Security, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Children and Youth. The American Legion’s Veterans Affairs “A System Worth Saving” inspection program has completed it’s inspection of VA Hospitals. Commander Dave said that now it is time for the VA to open the system to Category 8 veterans.

Commander Dave continued his talk of pride. He wears his American Legion belt buckle everywhere. He shows his pride, and he is encouraging every American Legion member to show theirs. Display you Legion Pride. We have stood tall for 85 years and those who are on active duty and are serving today will need our help in ensuring their benefits are still there when they need them.

The new GI Bill was signed, almost restoring educational benefits to where they were after WWII. When this new GI Bill takes effect, soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines will no longer have to pay $100 a month to receive educational benefits. The benefits are now going to be transferable! A big benefit that was not available in days past..

More tomorrow....

2 MIA's in Iraq Identified

DoD Announces Change In Status Of Army Soldiers

The Department of Defense today announced the deaths of two soldiers
previously listed as "Missing-Captured" while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On July 10, the Armed Forces Medical Examiner positively identified human
remains recovered in Iraq July 9 to be those of two soldiers who had been
previously listed as "Missing-Captured."

Killed were:

Sgt. Alex R. Jimenez, 25 at the time of his capture, of Lawrence, Mass.

Pfc. Byron J. Fouty, 19 at the time of his capture, of Waterford, Mich.

Jimenez and Fouty were part of a patrol that was ambushed by enemy
forces south of Baghdad on May 12, 2007. They were assigned to the 4th
Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain
Division (Light Infantry), Fort Drum, N.Y. The Department of Defense previously
announced the names of soldiers killed in the attack. They were Pfc. Joseph J.
Anzack, Jr., 20, of Torrance, Calif.; Sgt. 1st Class James D. Connell, Jr., 40, of Lake
City, Tenn.; Pfc. Daniel W. Courneya, 19, of Nashville, Mich.; Cpl. Christopher E.
Murphy, 21, of Lynchburg, Va.; and Sgt. Anthony J. Schober, 23, of Reno, Nev.

The incident is under investigation.

If you have questions concerning the 10th Mountain Division (Light
Infantry), please contact Mr. R.D. Murphy at (315) 772-5461.

Soldier Missing In Action From the Korean War Is Identified

IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 587-08 July 11, 2008

Soldier Missing In Action From the Korean War Is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is Sgt. John H. White, U.S. Army, of Long Island, Ala. He will be buried on Saturday in Bryant, Ala. Representatives from the Army met with White's next-of-kin to explain the recovery and identification process, and to coordinate interment with military honors on behalf of the secretary of the Army. In November 1950, White was a member of H Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division then occupying a defensive position near Unsan, North Korea, north of a bend in the Kuryong River known as the Camel's Head. On Nov. 1, elements of two Chinese Communist divisions struck the 1st Cavalry Division's lines, collapsing the perimeter and forcing a withdrawal. White was reported missing on Nov. 2, 1950, and was one of the more than 350 servicemen unaccounted-for from the battle at Unsan. In April 2007, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (D.P.R.K.), acting through the intermediary of New Mexico Governor. Bill Richardson and former U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi, repatriated to the United States six boxes of human remains believed to be those of U.S. soldiers. One box also included two military identification tags with White's name on them. The D.P.R.K. reported that the remains were excavated in November 2006 near Unsan in North Pyongan Province. Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from JPAC and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory also used mitochondrial DNA and dental comparisons in the identification of White's remains. For additional information on the Defense Department's mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO Web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

2008-2009 Legion Year

Fellow Legionnaires,

Welcome to the 2008-2009 Legion year. We accomplished quite a lot this past year. We are now the 2nd largest American Legion Post in Montgomery County with 480 members! Just six years ago the Post had 27 members! We successfully raffled our Tribute Bike, held our annual Golf Tournament, cancelled our Casino Night, but rescued the Auction Portion of it and we are in the middle of another successful baseball season.

Membership for 2009 is off to a good start, already we have renewed or recruited 30% of our membership goal of 480 members. Early Birds renewing before the 1st dues notice can pay $25. After the dues notices are out dues are now $30. All members should pay their dues prior to December 31st to be current for 2009. To be an Early Bird, mail your check, payable to AL Post 295 for $25 to: Bob Ouellette, 17300 Chiswell Rd, Poolesville, MD 20837

Your officers for the 2008-2009 Legion Year:
• Commander Bob Ouellette
• 1st Vice Commander Nelson Torres
• 2nd Vice Commander Mary Ann Van Petten
• 3rd Vice Commander Tom Finnin
• Adjutant/Treasurer Rick Price
• Chaplain Chris Glass
• Historian John Hardy
• Sgt at Arms Tom Rufty

Montgomery County officers for the 2008-2009 Legion Year:
• County Commander Bob Ouellette (Post 295) Past County Commander 2002-2005
• 1st Vice Commander Levelle Ferrell (Post 86) Past County Commander 2005-2006
• 2nd Vice Commander Will Trotter (Post 171) Past County Commander 2006-2008
• County Adjutant Will Trotter (Post 171)

As you can see many of the people who volunteer their time are the same ones, if you suddenly desire to help come to a meeting and speak up.

I will not volunteer anyone against their will. If you just want to hang out with others who share a common bond that is good too!

During the coming year, please come out to at least 1 meeting if you are capable of driving. Should you need transportation please contact the commander. You should not be disappointed. Check the web site for meeting locations. Gathering is 6:30, we order dinner at 7pm, then conduct our business and socialize.

On the agenda for the June meeting will be fundraising for Operation Provide Comfort, Baseball, Boy Scouts and other Legion programs.

In particular, we will be discussing a new raffle. We have been offered a 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Police Edition that was a Montgomery County Police Bike that had been in a minor accident for $5,300. One of the issues is that we do not have the funds to purchase the bike outright. So the Post either needs get donations to buy it, or secure a loan. The idea for the new raffle is, 1st prize motorcycle, 2nd prize Hot Tub, 3rd prize flat screen TV. Tickets would be 1 for $10 or 3 for $20. Each member would be asked to at least buy 1 tickets and attempt to sell $100 worth. So, 480 members at $10 would bring in $4800 and almost pay for the bike. So come out on July 10th to discuss and vote on this issue.

I would like to continue our effort to assist those who have been wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. While, Operation Provide Comfort has been acknowledged by the American Legion Department of Maryland as an outstanding Veterans Affairs Program we need your assistance, any donations are tax deductible. Volunteers are also needed. I cannot continue this without your help.

I have also been collecting items for care packages to send off to Post members. Contact me for specific items to send, as always cash donations are acceptable,. If you have a loved one in theater please forward his/her address to me so that we can send them a package. Also if YOU are in theater the same applies to you. We will send you a package that you may distribute to your comrades.

Post members who are business owners and would like to market other Post members may do so only through the Post Directory. The Directory will be provided to all members of the Legion, Sons of the American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary, free of charge. Cost for a 1 page ad is $150, half page is $75 and a Quarter Page is $50. Business card add's are available for $35 each. Non-Post members, full page $200, Half page $100, ¼ page $75, business card size for $50. Mail your advertisement to Post 295, ATTN: Directory, PO Box 690, Germantown, MD 20875

For the Veteran!

Bob Ouellette
Commander