Detroit Receives Positive Reception at 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games
August 1st, 2008
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Baseball | Baton | Beach Volleyball | Field Hockey | Jump Rope | Swimming | Track & Field | Trampoline & Tumbling | Wrestling
By Matt Pocket
DETROIT – As the 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games begin to wind down, here is the recap for July 31, 2008.
PUERTO RICO WINS GOLD
The team of Camila Rosado and Marla Delgado defeated Iulia Cerbu and Danielle Vortisch of Canada to win the gold medal at the AAU Junior Olympic Games Beach Volleyball competition. The competition open to qualified teams in the Girls U16 Division had teams from the USA, Canada and Puerto Rico. Camila Rosado in her fourth AAU Junior Olympic Games finishing with the silver medal in the U14 Division in New Orleans Junior Olympic Games in 2005, finally earned the gold medal and the Joel Ferrell Outstanding Athlete Award. In perhaps the most difficult match of the day was the opening round against another Canadian team, Taylor Simons and Julia Hamer in a match that went three games.
The competition was close with several three game sets in the medal round playoffs. Finishing with the Bronze Medal was Ashley Standish and Kathryn Conner from Southern California.
2008 Beach Volleyball Joel Ferrell Winner – Camila Rosado
Grapplers continue competition on the mat
Team championship play begins Thursday evening from the Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, MI. The Michigan Fire and Ice continued their solid performance, beating University, 47-19. The Fire and Ice controlled the middle weight classes, winning every class from 125 to 171. During the course of the wrestling competition at the Rock Financial Showplace, many of the out-of-state athletes have had the opportunity to enjoy Detroit. “It’s been really nice. We haven’t had any issues with anything. It’s been a lot of fun. It’s been fun coming here to wrestle every day,” said wrestler Mike Reinold, from Colombus, OH. Reinold also talked about how he enjoyed the facilities of Rock Financial Showplace. “It’s a really nice facility, it’s really big, and I like that they were able to fit more than just wrestling in here, like all the events. It’s really nice.” Championship play continues through Friday, with the final matchup at 12:30 p.m., with the extra match, if necessary, at 2:30 p.m. at the Rock Financial Showplace.
Taking it outside
Good hockey is being played outdoors, but it might be sooner than you think. Field hockey began play at Ocker Field at the University of Michigan on Wednesday. In Pool A, the Magenta team played a doubleheader, winning their match at 9:30 a.m. against the Green team. Later in the day, the Magenta crew blanked the Aqua team, 4-0. Pool play runs through Thursday, leading to the beginning of the tournament on Friday. Tournament play begins at 8 a.m. on Friday morning at Ocker Field.
Hardball Roundup
The MGBA Eagles won the 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games baseball championship by the final score of 2-1 in a thriller from Henry Ford Community College. The Braves entered the championship game with a 5-1 record, tied for first place with the Eagles. The Eagles also won 6-5 when the faced each other Tuesday. Still, the Braves felt confident in their ballclub entering today, and knew they wouldn’t back down without a fight in the championship game. “It’s been sort of a surprise to make the finals, but it’s a sign that champions never quit,” said Braves manager Chris Hansen. The Braves held the lead 1-0, until the Eagles, down to their last strike, tied the ballgame at 1-1. In extra frames, D’Monte Grissom, son of head coach and longtime Major League Baseball outfielder Marquis Grissom, pounded out a base hit, allowing the winning run to score on an error.Â
In other sports
- Track and field and Swimming continues at Eastern Michigan University
- Trampoline and tumbling had their first day of finals after prelims yesterday
- Solos and struts were on the agenda at Baton Twirling, which is taking place at Novi Middle School.
Welcome back to the D
Former Detroit Lions Wide Receiver Mark Nichols, the 16th overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, returned to the Motor City this week, as the coach of the Bakersfield (CA) Greyhounds track team. Nichols, along with several members of the Greyhounds, visited the Detroit Lions training camp facilities in Allen Park, MI on Wednesday. The young athletes got the chance to meet with current Lions players and coaches, getting a distinct look into the past, present, and future of the organization.
AAU Junior Olympic Games Fuel Local Economy
Various local hotels ranging from Washtenaw County’s Four Points By Sheraton to the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest hotels in Ann Arbor are enjoying significantly increased occupancy. Other businesses such as the Rynearson Stadium/Olds Marshall Track concession stands at Eastern Michigan University and Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor have enjoyed a strong boost to their sales. In Oakland County, the Paradise Park amusement center and Rock Financial Showplace in Novi, Mich., have also welcomed the AAU Junior Olympic Games athletes and families with open arms.
“The AAU Junior Olympic Games is the largest youth multi-sport event in the world. This event has contributed significantly to the local hospitality industry and, based on estimates in other previous host cities, will generate an estimated $48 million in economic impact,” said Dave Beachnau, executive director of the Detroit Metro Sports Commission that is the Local Organizing Committee for the 2008 AAU Junior Olympic Games.
