Running for the Angels

It's easy to smile when you're supporting a worthy event (Pictures via Facebook)

Not many weekends go by during the summer when there isn't a 5K run in the area. If you're a little older like me and more interested in the exercise than the competition, some might even choose to walk those races. After all, most all the local 5K's support good causes. This weekend is the 26th anniversary of one of the better causes in our west central Ohio community.

The Angel Run 5K takes place this Sunday, July 16th, at 9:00am in North Star. Their cause is "Remembering All Lost Loved Ones" and the event began back in 1998 in remembrance of 1997 Ansonia alum Lynn Ann Topp. Lynn loved life and was out for a February morning run in North Star when she never returned home. To this day, many folks vividly remember the heartbreak when Lynn was found a couple weeks later after she had been killed. The Angel Run 5K salutes Lynn's life, the lives of all loved ones lost, and the proceeds from the race fund an Angel Run scholarship.

Along with the 5K, there's a 1 Mile Fun Run starting at 8:45am with each child receiving a coupon for a free taco, french fries, and ice cream courtesy of Greenville McDonalds and Taco Bell. At the conclusion of the 5K, a post-race raffle includes a long list of wonderful donated prizes for those race participants that stick around. For more details and registration, click here. To visit their Facebook page, click here. Happy running.

One lucky raffle prize winner gets this quilt made with 25 years of Angel Run t-shirts

23rd Annual Russia Alumni Tournament

Raider alums that survive three days of softball earn bragging rights for a year

Russia's co-ed alumni softball tournament is coming up August 11th-13th. The annual event has always been the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Russia Park Board, which uses proceeds for improvements and maintenance to Russia Community Park. Individual and combined classes of Raider alumni (and sometimes a wide variety of non-Russia teammates) will open the tournament on Friday with 20 teams. Those 20 will be separated into five pools of four teams. Each team will then play the other teams in their pool, guaranteeing three games for everyone. After the pool play is over, the top two teams from each pool will advance to a single elimination tournament. To earn Sunday's championship title, #1-seeded teams will need to win three games in the bracket and #2-seeded teams will have to win four. If all that sounds confusing, you can read the entire list of rules by clicking here.  

 

After the bottom ten teams are eliminated, the top ten are seeded to battle it out

Here's a few statistics about the history of the event:

• 
  The Russia Park Board hosted their first alumni tournament in 2000.
• The only year it wasn't completed was 2016 when rained forced a cancellation. 
• 2023 marks the 23rd year for the tournament. 
• A total of 16 different classes or combination of classes have won the 22 championships. 
• Despite classes that merge together for a bigger roster of players, combined classes have won just eight of the 22 titles and were runner-up just four times. 
• Only once has a class won the championship the same year they graduated and that was 2008. 

Lastly, like every year since 2000, there's no doubt many ultra competitive alumni will suffer pulled muscles and bloody knees, all for a shot at championship t-shirts and free case of beer. However, most will simply show up for the camaraderie. You can bet that former high school teammates will embellish about their glory days, old classmates will catch up together on life, and a couple generations of parents and grandparents will just enjoy watching their kids and grandkids compete like they once did for Russia High School. Play ball Raiders.

Class of 2018 - Last year's champs with their winning swag

Class of 2013 - Runner-up and smiling just as big

Russia's Raider Classic this weekend

Respect, hard work and fun are fundamentals you'll see at the Raider Classic (Picture via Twitter)

Russia's annual Raider Classic gets underway this Thursday, July 6th and runs through Sunday. It's the highlight of summer for lots of little league baseball players from the area. It's also a showcase for one of the nicest community parks you'll find anywhere. Tournaments for four divisions include 8U, 10U, 12U and 14U. To see all the brackets, click here.  

The event is hosted by the Russia Community Junior Athletic Association and is made possible by a long list of volunteers and sponsors dedicated to its success. They have everything covered for families spending their entire weekend at the diamonds and even casual spectators just stopping by for a few games. Two concession stands will offer hot foods, cold sports drinks and plenty more items. Past tournaments have even made golf cart transportation available to senior citizens and those unable to walk the entire park.

If you enjoy everything that's right about baseball, small schools and great kids, do yourself a favor and come to Russia this weekend.

More than a few future state champions have played in the Raider Classic (circa 2012)