The 13-under Potomac Travel Baseball team, the Generals, were tournament champions at the Columbus Day Classic held on the weekend of Oct. 10 at the Sports at the Beach Complex in Rehoboth, Del.

The Generals are comprised of players from the McLean and Great Falls area, and are coached by Charlie Ayoub. The team won the tournament championship game, 3-1, over the Woodbridge Diamondbacks of New Jersey. The Generals entered Sunday’s tournament round with a low seeding following lackluster pool play on Saturday. But they turned it around and won all four of their tournament games on Sunday, including a 7-4 victory over the top-seeded Long Island Prospects in a quarterfinals game. That victory avenged the only loss the Generals had suffered over the weekend - a 7-6 setback in their first game on Saturday.

The championship game win over Woodbridge was fueled by the dominant pitching of Billy Gerhardt, who allowed one run while striking out 16 in a complete game (7 innings) effort. Gerhardt was awarded the Tournament MVP trophy for his outing. The Generals also benefitted from fine pitching performances over the weekend from Grant Newsome, Colin Morse, Cam Hester, Matt Spidi and Felix Propp. Big hits came off the bats of Caleb Beatty, Cam Hester, Grady Paine, Grant Newsome and Kennedy Dunn. Fine defense was provided behind the plate by Caleb Beatty and Grady Paine, and in the field from Colin Morse, Felix Propp, Mike Gannon, Grady Paine, Cam Hester, Grant Newsome, Alex Shapiro and Billy Gerhardt.

Westfield High will once again be hosting the Eighth Annual Bulldog Bash Holiday Basketball Tournament Dec. 28-30. There will be both a boys and a girls tournament.

Along with teams from Northern Virginia, there will also be teams from Roanoke as well as Pennsylvania.

The boys’ field of teams will include Langley, Centreville, Flint Hill, Woodbridge, West Potomac, Freedom (Loudon County), Patrick Henry (Roanoke) and defending tournament champion Westfield.

The girls’ bracket will include James Madison, Potomac, Flint Hill, Centreville, Freedom (Loudon County), St. Hubert’s (Philadelphia), and last year’s champion McDowell High of from Erie, Pa.

Admission for the Bulldog Bash will be $6 per day. A three-day tournament pass will be available for $15. Free admission will be granted to children under age six, adults over 60 and any travel or house youth basketball players wearing their uniform tops who are accompanied by a paying adult.
For more information on the tournament, check out the tournament website at www.bulldogbashtournament.com.

Mario Guillen, a coach within the McLean Youth Soccer organization, was a recent recipient of the Champions of Character Awards in ceremonies held on Oct. 6 at the Fairfax County Government Center.

Members of the Fairfax County Athletic Council and the Fairfax County Department of Community and Recreation Services presented the honor to Guillen and other members of the athletic community throughout Fairfax County.
Guillen has coached 44 seasons for McLean Youth Soccer in addition to running the entire youth sports program for five years and coaching youth basketball for several years as well. One of his key strengths is that he focuses on the personal development of a young athlete. He understands that the sport of soccer can impart important life lessons on all of its participants. These lessons include understanding the responsibilities that come with being part of a team or community; what it means to support those around you, including the competition; and what it means to take pride in accomplishments, in victory or defeat.

Guillen has coached youth soccer from the under-14 to under-19 age groups. At an age where many kids drop out of organized athletic activities, Coach Guillen has been able to retain his players. That is because parents realize that Guillen is helping prepare them for the real world, not the
World Cup. On Guillen’s teams, every player is equal, regardless of skill, and worthy of respect.

"Youth sports play a key role in youth development,” said Mark Meana, Chairman of the Fairfax County Athletic Council. “The relationships kids build with adults and peers through sports, and the lessons they
learn on the playing field, are integral to keeping kids safe from gangs, violence, drugs, and other problem behaviors. Fairfax County values the benefits youth sports programs provide our community."

For more information about the Champion of Character Awards or a complete list of all recipients, please contact Jesse Ellis at 703-324-5704.