Smoky Mountain Classic

Resmondo/Specialty Tank/Worth wins the prestigious Smoky Mountain Classic in beautiful Maryville, TN. The sod boys defeated Long Haul/Phonemasters/Miken two times to win this one. Resmondo had beat Long Haul in the winner’s bracket finals late Saturday night. The sod boys then waited to see who would come back through the losers bracket. The question was would it be Dan Smith or Long Haul? It was Long Haul as they sent Smith to the house in the losers bracket finals. Resmondo and Long Haul got it on for the second time in this year’s Smoky and it was a very good game. Long Haul was down 10 going to the bottom of the 7th. They scored 8 , came up short and Resmondo wins the 2009 Smoky. Congratulations to Resmondo for winning the Smoky. Good luck in the Conference Championship and the USSSA Worlds.

Long Haul/Phonemasters/Miken gets the runner-up spot in the 2009 Smoky. The truckers gave a great effort after their coach Gary Jost was taken to a Knoxville hospital after complaining of not feeling well on their flight from Minnesota. Gary was told he had a blocked artery and needed a stent put in. He was released Sunday and flew back to Minnesota to have more tests done. Good luck Gary, the good softball family has you in their prayers. Long Haul has proven that they are for real after winning the Dudley and now taking 2nd. at the mighty Smoky. I will tell you all, make no mistake this is a very good super softball team who will be a force in the conference and the USSSA Worlds. Congratulations on your great weekend, and good luck in the two big ones.

Dan Smith/Menosse/Combat finished in third place this past weekend. The Smith boys, who won two NIT’s in Seattle without the other super teams, have fallen on hard times the last couple of NIT’s when they were entered. I’m not quite sure what’s going on with the Smith team, but I do know they will have to pick it up a whole lot if they want to repeat as the USSSA World Champion. Congratulations on your weekend and good luck in the last two big ones.

T&R /Stucco/Elite/Worth got back on track this past weekend as they finished in fourth place. The Stucco boys had a little let down last week at the Pepsi Classic in Little Rock, but turned it around in this year’s Smoky. The T&R boys have been the class of the A division so far in 2009. I really believe that this year’s Class A worlds will be one of the best ever. T&R, Jean Shoppe, Taylor Made, GTL, Wood Law and Bud Light are all very close. I hope Donnie will use a good ball on those 305′ fields at Disney. I know this, if the ball is good and with those great teams it will be a war to see who comes out on top, I guarantee you. Congratulations to T&R on another great weekend. Good luck the rest of the way.

I would like to commend Joe Huff and his staff on another Great Smoky. The Smoky is what bigtime softball should be. The best of the best in major softball, with big crowds in the most beautiful setting in all of softball located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. I can tell you all, it doesn’t get any better than this. Once again, congratulations to Joe and his staff and good luck in the future.