Wow, what a week.
From the Major League Baseball All-Star Game to the MLB Draft (story later) to Race Week at the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby and the beginning to Regional Play in the Little League Softball World Championships, Seminole County products and representatives have been _ or will be _ on display in national print and on television, bringing even more attention to the amazing abilities of Seminole County athletes.
The week began with former Hagerty High School standout and Oviedo resident Riley Greene making his first appearance in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday and the Detroit Tigers outfielder entered the game in leftfield in the fifth inning and had an impressive diving catch of a slicing line drive to help the American League defeat the National League, 5-3.
Earlier in the day on Tuesday, the real start of Race Week at the 86th annual FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby World Championships at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio, began with Rally Challenge Day and it was a good one for the Sanford-based Central Florida Soap Box Derby as a pair of racers with local ties finished second in their respective divisions.
Alicia Swinderman, who actually calls Rittman, Ohio, home, was runner-up in the Challenge Stock class. But the young lady and her family are well-known to the CFSBD family as she and her family make regular appearances at the Sanford Soap Box Derby Complex in Mike Kirby Park and the past couple of years have created amazing trophies and awards for the March 2-day rallies.
Also placing second was Clearwater’s Alexa Mello, who calls the CFSBD and Region VII home, in the Challenge Super Stock class.
But today (Saturday, July 20) is the day all of the racers are looking forward to, as an expected 300 competitors ages 7-20 of all genders, will take part in the World Championships in Stock, Super Stock and Masters _ both Local and Rally _ looking for a share of $36,000 in college scholarships provided by the Bill Speeg Memorial Scholarship Fund.
A live webcast of real-time coverage of all races on July 20 will be available at www.soapboxderby.org.
Here is today’s schedule:
6:30 a.m. _ Gates Open.
7 a.m. _ Champ and Car Handler Check-In - Local.
7:20 a.m. _ Champ and Car Handler Check-In - Rally.
8 a.m. _ Parade down track to finish line for the National Anthem.
8:30 a.m. _ Opening Ceremonies.
9 a.m. _ First Heat of the 86th FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby.
TBA _ Final Round of National SuperKids Classic.
7 p.m. _ Doors open for Awards Ceremony, Akron Civic Theatre, Downtown Akron.
For more information, go to _ https://www.facebook.com/CentralFloridaSoapboxDerby/ _ https://aasbd.soapboxderby.org/ _ or _ aasbd.soapboxderby.org _ and look for the link to the World Championships and Race Week.
For the first time in the history of Lake Mary Little League Softball, a team will be heading to the LLSBWS Southeast Regional in Warner Robbins, Georgia.
The 12-and-Under team under Manager John Destefano and coaches Ryan Bono and Bryan Lester, recently won the District, Sectional and Florida State Championships, and are in Central Georgia today finishing up preparations for tomorrow’s (Sunday) opening game at 2 p.m. against the South Carolina Champions.
The team was treated to an amazing Send-Off Party on Wednesday and there will be a Watch Party on Sunday at 4th Street Bar & Grill (132 North 4th Street #1200) in Lake Mary beginning at 2 p.m.
The schedule is available at _ https://www.littleleague.org/world-series/2024/llsws/tournaments/southeast-region/_ and all of the games will be streamed on ESPN+.
Go to _ https://www.facebook.com/LakeMaryLittleLeague/ _ for more information.
