Niagara Falls 13U Capture 'AA' Provincial Gold!

After capturing the OBA 'A' Championship in 2023, the Niagara Falls 13U Falcons were victorious this weekend and won the OBA ‘AA’ Provincial Championship in Mississauga, Ontario, with a record of 6-1.

The Falcons avenged an earlier tournament loss to the St. Thomas Cardinals, winning game #1, 10-6. A stellar pitching performance by Owen Bender, Ethan Goodman, Jackson Lostracco, and Noah Rapp capped off an impressive offensive performance by Ethan Goodman (Game MVP), who hit 2 home runs and batted in 5 runs.

The Falcons faced off against Guelph Royals in game #2, unfortunately losing by a score of 13-5. Cole Meger, Joshua Lagrotteria, Macy Roberts, and Jackson MacLeod provided solid pitching against a tough Royals squad. Ethan Goodman (Game MVP) led the offense for the Falcons with 3 hits and 1 run batted in.

In their first elimination game, the Falcons edged out the Leaside Leafs 10-9, thanks to a 2-run home run by Porter Swick (Game MVP). The Falcons erased a 2-run deficit and held onto the lead thanks to an impressive pitching performance by Leo Mannella, Joshua Lagrotteria, and Luca Lizzotti. Macy Roberts provided 4 incredible innings on the bump to help seal the win.

Game #4 saw the Falcons bats come alive against the Sarnia Brigade, propelling them to a 14-6 win. Leo Mannella led the offensive charge with 4 hits and 5 runs batted in. Noah Rapp (Game MVP) provided 4 stellar innings of pitching to shut down a heavy-hitting Sarnia team.

Championship Sunday started with a positive result for the Falcons who beat the Whitby Canadians, 16-5. The game was blown open in the second inning after Cole Meger (Game MVP) hit a grand slam to launch the Falcons into the lead. A combination of top-notch pitching from Owen Bender, Josh Robins, Jackson MacLeod, Porter Swick, and Jackson Lostracco helped seal the win.

Championship game #1 saw the Falcons face off against the Guelph Royals again. The Falcons showed their skill on the bump and at the plate to earn a 14-4 win. Owen Bender saved his best pitching performance of the season for this game, striking out 6 against a strong Guelph squad. Luca Lizzotti (Game MVP) hit a 3-run home run in the first inning, and the Falcons never surrendered the lead moving forward.

The Falcons beat the Royals, 13-3, in the final "Winner Takes All" game. Ethan Goodman overwhelmed the Royals on the rubber and at the plate, pitching a 5-inning complete game, striking out 5 batters while only giving up 1 run, and going 4 for 4 at the plate, hitting a Grand Slam in the third inning. Owen Bender started the scoring, crushing a 2-run home run in the first inning.

Our coaching staff, including Head Coach Bruno Lizzotti and Assistant Coaches Matthew Meger, Michael Mannella, and Kerry Hedden, would like to extend heartfelt congratulations to all the players for their well-deserved victory. Each player played a crucial role in the team's overall success.

We also want to express our deep appreciation to all the parents and family members who supported our team throughout the year, helping to ensure the kids were always prepared and ready to compete.