Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

DUSTBALL FUN - The annual Dustball Tournament took place this weekend. Here are some photos of some games.

White Pass defends title in women's B Dustball division

One more hit was all the Bamboo and Fogcutter Bar needed to avenge a loss in last year's Women's B Dustball division.

By Jon Molson on July 13, 2009

One more hit was all the Bamboo and Fogcutter Bar needed to avenge a loss in last year's Women's B Dustball division.

However, unfortunately for the women's softball squad history ended up repeating itself and for a second straight year, the squad lost to White Pass in the B division.

With runners on the corners, the team's final hit went straight into the glove of White Pass' left fielder Teresa Wilson.

The out ended Bamboo's comeback that saw them score three unanswered runs and shutout White Pass for four innings. The final score was 6-4.

"We played really good defence, but we just couldn't hit the ball," said Bear's third baseman Amy Dunbar.

Two quick outs against White Pass started the game, but with chants of 'two out rally' coming from the bench, the Skagway team went to work.

Three singles loaded the bases and then one more single by Jen Funkhouser off the glove of Bamboo's short stop gave her team a 2-0 lead. A pop up to Dunbar ended the top half of the first.

The Skagwayans showed off their skills on defence when Megan Banner made a jumping catch on third base and then fired the ball to second baseman Sheena Lindholm, completing the double play. A foul ball on two strikes ended the inning.

White Pass once again capitalized in the second with the bases loaded, thanks to a clutch hit that drove in two more runs. The Bar, who were playing out of Haines, AK, got a run back in the second, thanks to a single by Jeanne Blancer.

However, for a third straight inning White Pass chipped in a pair of runs and had a 6-1 advantage, heading into the bottom of the third.

Bamboo's rally began in the fourth and was once again courtesy of the small ball. The group scored a couple of runs on four singles.

Haines pitcher Reba Hylton shut down White Pass' offence for a second straight inning and Abby Jones drove the ball deep into centre field, driving in the Bamboo's fourth run.

Unfortunately for Jones, she got caught in a run down after trying to make it home on the play, ending the inning.

With the bases loaded in the seventh, Hylton got the final White Pass to fly out to end the inning.

The ball game ended shortly after with Wilson's catch in left field.

"She just hit it right to me, I didn't have to move too. It was perfect," said Wilson, adding it was a relief that she didn't have to chase it down.

Wilson admitted her team was a little nervous about the comeback.

"We were definitely excited and everybody is always nervous, but it makes for a better game," she said. "They are a very strong team and it was up in the air, it could have been either team."

She credited the win to her team's chemistry.

"We have been playing as a team lately and it just came together, everybody is backing everybody up," Wilson said. "Everybody is playing as team, nobody is out there for themselves and it worked really well."

White Pass' record was 4-2 this past weekend.

Skagway doesn't have a women's softball league, so every year its players that are interested and who can get the time off work form a group, Wilson said. It draws on players from the co-ed teams.

This year a little more than half the players were returning, including Wilson, who said they come to Dustball every year for the enjoyment of playing.

Despite hoping to be in the A final, Wilson said there was some good competition in B.

"The teams were strong in B, it's really nice when everyone is kind of even and there is good competition," she said. "They were tough."

Complete Dustball Results:

Mens B:

First Place: Imperial Saloon (Juneau)

Second Place: Guns (Whitehorse) Score: 27-19.

Third Place: Salad Dodgers (Whitehorse)


Men's C:

First Place: Chico's Bail Bonds (Skagway, AK)

Second Place: Pioneer Bar (Haines, AK) Score: 26-5

Third Place: Creephawks (Whitehorse)


Men's D:

First Place: Jat's Diggers (Whitehorse)

Second Place: (Canada Flooring Whitehorse) Score: 25-19

Third Place: Coates Services (Whitehorse)


Women's A:

First Place: Yukon Gold (Whitehorse)

Second Place: Cooperator Raider Girlz (Whitehorse) Score: 19-6

Third Place: Chillers (Sitka, AK)


Women's B:

First Place: White Pass (Skagway, AK)

Second Place: Bamboo and Fogcutter Bar (Haines, AK) Score: 6-4

Third Place: Eli Building Repair (Petersburg, AK)


Women's C:

First Place: Chicks (Juneau, AK)

Second Place: Dana Naye Ventures (Whitehorse) Score: 15-1

Third Place: Pillagettes (Whitehorse)


Co-ed A:

First Place: Harbour Bar (Petersburg, AK)

Second Place: Wee Fishee Shoppe (Juneau, AK) Score: 11-9

Third Place: Whitehorse Dental Donkeys (Whitehorse)


Co-ed B:

First Place: Nuway Crushers (Whitehorse)

Second Place: Haz Gas (Juneau, AK) Score: 14-1

Third Place Minda's Marvels (Juneau, AK)


Co-ed C:

First Place: TEC Drywall (Whitehorse)

Second Place: Complete Concrete (Whitehorse) Score: 18-17.

Third Place: Kustom Kuts Wild (Whitehorse)

A record number of 77 played in this year's Dustball tournament. Plaques were awarded for the top three finishers in each division.

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