12 Teams Compete on Moran Bay in 'Frozen Yooper' Softball Challenge

The parking lot of Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry was converted into two softball fields for the softball tournaments. Pictured is the St. Ignace Fire Department team batting against the Alpena II team Saturday, February 16. (Photograph courtesy of St. Ignace Visitors Bureau)

The Frozen Yooper Softball Challenge featured two groups of teams this year, held at the Shepler's Mackinac Island Ferry dock in St. Ignace Saturday, February 16, and Sunday February 17, with nine teams competing in the men's tournament and three teams competing in the men's and women's tournament.

Winning the inaugural men's and women's tournament championship was Viau's/ Jobber's Market from Escanaba, which defeated Mackinac Grille of St. Ignace in a round robin tournament. The Escanaba team defeated Mackinac Grille 7-5 during their first meeting and clinched first place with a 10-5 win in their second meeting.

Finishing third was Mackinac Bridge Authority of St. Ignace.

In the men's league, Maples Sawmill of Hessel, which consisted of players from as far south as Indian River and as far north as Rudyard, took first place, beating Alpena's Bogweiser 18-12 in the championship game.

Renee Vonderwerth of the Mackinac Grille team sizes up a pitch, as teammate Jack McLean watches along third base. The backdrop of the field included Moran Bay, the downtown shoreline of St. Ignace, and, pictured here, many boats dry-docked at the Mill Slip.

A second team from Alpena, called Alpena II, took third.

Each first and second place team was awarded a trophy.

"I think it went pretty good," said Mark Sposito, coordinator of the event, which is part of a two-weekend Bayside Ice Festival. The festival continues this weekend with a pond hockey tournament and snow bowling challenge on Moran Bay. "We had more teams this year and the location was better."

Last year, the men's tournament had eight teams playing at the parking lot of the Mackinac Grille and Star Line railroad dock.

Two fields were created at the Shepler's site, which included a track along the outfield of one of the fields for dog sledding. Children and adults were able to enjoy individual rides Saturday.

The dog sled was provided by Janie Robertson of Brimley. She was assisted by team driver Jerry Willis of Sault Ste. Marie. The trail was created by Chuck Cullip of St. Ignace, and the event was coordinated by Mackinac County Michigan State University Extension.

Twenty-five volunteers helped with the softball tournaments.

C&T Factory, a band from St. Ignace, provided music Saturday.

Rain put a damper on Sunday's championship games and created more work for volunteers making the 10 rinks needed for the pond hockey tournament on the ice this weekend, said Mr. Sposito. Volunteers include firefighters from the St. Ignace Fire Department, who are helping flood the rinks for better surfacing.

"We're going to start right away and get it back to where it was before the rain," said Mr. Sposito. "The rain kind of put us back to square one."

He said the tournament is now filled with a 56-team field.

"We could have taken in 90 teams because that's how many teams wanted to play," Mr. Sposito said, "but we're sticking to 56 teams. Some of the teams that didn't make it have already signed up for next year's tournament."