Documenting my travels and thoughts from around the country
2022 Week 6 (Tri-State)
So, I finally got home from my three week sojourn. Last week, I was in South Dakota for three games in my semi-regular stomping ground of Aberdeen. A town I’ve previously seen summer league baseball games. But, being home meant finding games for this weekend. I had an idea and then my Saturday opened up with one game in a place I’ve wanted to see for a while. But, with games in the Tri-State, I was all over the map. Continue reading “2022 Week 6 (Tri-State)”
2022 Week 3 (Ohio & Pennsylvania)
This was another week close to home. Or, so it would seem. Over 700 miles driving around Ohio and Pennsylvania for four games. All at new stadiums. But, only one new team. The weeekend started with a decision on whether to do a New York game in Frewsburg or an Ohio game. Neither game was going to be close. Though, for the Ohio game I wouldn’t need to write anything. As I’d have a writer there. I’d also see River for the first time. So, I decided to make the drive south along the river. My Friday game was in limbo. I had planned for a single game at Blackhawk. Until I confirmed there was a doubleheader at Cupples Stadium. So, I was going to do the first game there between Carrick and Uniontown, and then head to Plum for their game against Shaler. That changed completely when I found out that Warren was hosting their home game at Youngsville. Continue reading “2022 Week 3 (Ohio & Pennsylvania)”
2022 Week 2 (Pennsylvania & New York)
After two weeks of traveling extensively, it was a little closer to home for Week 2. Still a lot of driving, however. Thursday had a lot of options in Pennsylvania. There were games at North East, Lakeview, Oil City, and Cathedral Prep.
I had originally planned for Cathedral Prep. Even though they were playing a Canadian power team akin to an IMG or Prime Prep in the US, they would be a new place for me. Until I saw that North East was also playing on Thursday. And my mind was made up instantly. Despite all the times Greenville had played North East in the past, I had never seen the Grapepickers in action. Let alone made it to a game at their home field. Continue reading “2022 Week 2 (Pennsylvania & New York)”
2021 Year In Review
After an unimaginable 2020 season, this year was a bit more relaxed. Though rushed. With the previous season ending in June, there was little downtime before the 2021 season started. This affected my usual summer plans, as well as made the financial planning a bit more precarious. I wasn’t sure, in the summer, just how much I would or could do. But, I was intent on doing as much as possible. And though a lot was ‘old’, there was a lot of ‘new’ thrown in. Including my month long trip around the middle of the country. Continue reading “2021 Year In Review”
2021 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)
What season would it be if I wasn’t at the PIAA Championships? Of course I was going to be in Hershey. And it had a semblance of normalcy this year that was utterly lacking last season. We also had a large contingent of PFN personnel there to cover Pennsylvania’s title games. Continue reading “2021 Week 16 (Pennsylvania)”
2021 Week 15 (Pennsylvania & West Virginia)
Finally back in Pennsylvania for a weekend. However, the schedule didn’t want to cooperate. For the PIAA Semifinals, only a couple of Saturday games. And nowhere was that able to be worked into a doubleheader.
I had wanted to head to New York for the state championships. It had been a while since I had been to the Carrier Dome for games. However, my media request was on the basis that there’d be a handful of Section 6 teams making the state finals. That did not happen. Randolph, Jamestown, and even Maritime/Health Sciences failed to advance to the finals. Continue reading “2021 Week 15 (Pennsylvania & West Virginia)”
2021 Week 14 (Pennsylvania)
After returning from Minnesota, I took the week off and tried to get my back in order. That somewhat worked. But I also had some personal scheduling issues crop up on Friday.
I had planned to take in one of the two days of the WPIAL Finals at Heinz Field. Another photographer was scheduled for Friday. So, I was just going to be there Saturday. And had planned to find a single available Friday night game. I was hoping to do either of the two games at Slippery Rock (preferred) or at Karns City. However, PAFN had coverage of those two games. And I offered to do the Mt. Lebanon v. McDowell game on Friday night. Continue reading “2021 Week 14 (Pennsylvania)”
2021 Week 6 (New York & Pennsylvania)
If any week didn’t go as planned, it would be this one. It started out with plans to see a Thursday night game in New York, a Friday night contest in Smethport, and then back to New York for an afternoon game between St. Joseph’s and Erie, and head back to Erie for a night game at Mercyhurst Prep. All four games would’ve been new places for me.
But, then those preliminary plans started unraveling. First, the Thursday game was cancelled when Gowanda/Pine Valley was unable to complete their game with Fredonia the week prior. And took the forfeit against Southwestern for Thursday night. Continue reading “2021 Week 6 (New York & Pennsylvania)”
2021 Week 5 (Pennsylvania & New York)
As has become a custom, this week did not go as planned. The schedule mostly went as planned. But, Saturday night threw a monkey wrench into the plans. Cochranton was hosting Northwestern. Though I’d have seen both previously, and had been to Cochranton for a rare Thursday game years ago, it worked with a trip to Panama, New York and a short drive home Saturday night. Continue reading “2021 Week 5 (Pennsylvania & New York)”
2021 Week 4 (Pennsylvania)
This week went a little off-kilter compared to the original plans. I had planned a Thursday night in Ohio. And my Saturday was a bit different. Schedule wise, things went a bit well after the initial upheaval. However, I did have some issues along the way. Mostly on Saturday. But, in the end, Pennsylvania was on tap for four games and a Browns game Sunday to cap the weekend. Continue reading “2021 Week 4 (Pennsylvania)”