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40 November 2 • 2017 jn T he Homeruntachens did it again. They won their second con- secutive Inter-Congregational Men's Club fall softball league championship Sunday, defeating Kosher Ribs 14-5 in the playoff title game at Drake Sports Park in West Bloomfield. It was a long, cold day for the play- offs, but nobody complained, said league organizer Steve Achtman. The playoffs were scheduled for the previous Sunday, when the weather was almost summer-like. But league games were postponed Oct. 15 follow- ing heavy rains, pushing the final week of the regular season and playoffs back a week. "Except for Oct. 15 and Sunday, the weather was great all fall," Achtman said. It certainly was a good fall for the Homeruntachens, who plowed through the five-week, 10-game regular season and playoffs winning 10 of 12 games. "I think the key to our success is we don't take things too seriously," said Homeruntachens player-coach Ben Watson. "We're a bunch of guys who don't want to stop playing softball for the year when summer is over." Fall league rosters have some turn- over each year because one of the pur- poses of the league is for players from different temples and synagogues to get to know each other. Ten of the 13 players on the Homeruntachens' roster were back from 2016 including Watson, 27, and his older brothers Andrew, 35, and Jason, 29. Ben Watson is the youngest of six children in his family. The Homeruntachens suffered their lone regular-season loss and tie this season when two of the Watson broth- ers were absent. Also on the roster: Brad Goldman, Grant Kravitz, Adam Eisenberg, Garret Segal, Gregg Schultz, Kevin Ptocsky, Jonathan Frohlich, Adam Ossipove and Ross Niskar. The league's final regular-season league standings: 1. Homeruntachens 8-1-1, 2. Marble Rye 7-3-0, 3. Jeters 4-5- 1, 4. Kosher Ribs 4-6-0, 5. Bad News Jews 3-6-1, 6. The Sandlot 2-7-1. Kosher Ribs defeated the Bad News Jews 11-3 and The Sandlot beat the Jeters 16-4 in first-round playoff games. Homeruntachans beat The Sandlot 17-3 and the Kosher Ribs sliced Marble Rye 9-5 in semifinal games, setting up the championship game. This was the fifth season for the fall league. There have been six teams each season. "It was a good season," Achtman said. "It looked like everyone had fun." AWARD WINNERS Michael Klinger from Temple Israel No. 6 was the winner of the Inter-Congregational Men's Club Summer Softball League's Jeff Fox Sportsmanship Award. The other nominees were Loren Blumberg (Temple Israel No. 1), Kenny Walters (Temple Israel No. 2), Brad Rosen (Temple Israel No. 3), Kevin Ptocsky (Temple Israel No. 4), Howard Wintman (Congregation Shir Shalom No. 1), Evan Kline (Shir Shalom No. 2), Jeff Sandler (Adat Shalom Synagogue No. 1) and Marc Wasser (Adam Shalom No. 2). Also, Gary Yashinsky (Congregation B'nai Moshe), Bruce Sable (Congregation Beth Ahm), Scott Litt (Congregation Shir Tikvah), David Banooni (Congregation Shaarey Zedek), Andrew Broder (Temple Beth El), Steve Dines (Temple Kol Ami/ B'nai Israel) and Shalom Michlin (Bais Chabad Torah Center). The annual award is named for a former Shir Shalom player who died Dec. 22, 2011. Jeff Fox was loved by his teammates because of his sportsman- ship and team spirit. Mitch Kline from Shir Shalom No. 2 was the winner of the Michael Yendick Pure Heart Award, presented for 17 years in memory of a former longtime B'nai B'rith Great Lakes Region softball league player who died in 2000. The B'nai B'rith league disbanded after the 2016 season and many play- ers joined the Inter-Congregational league. Al and Bernice Yendick, Michael's parents, were at the award ceremony along with Inter-Congregational league directors Steve Achtman and Michael Betman.• Send sports news to stevestein502004@ yahoo.com. Another Fall Title Al Yendick, Michael Klinger, Mitch Kline, Steve Achtman and Michael Betman at the Inter- Congregational Men's Club Summer Softball League's awards ceremony STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER sports 'CTN[%JKNFJQQF%GPVGTCIGUű&C[5EJQQNITCFGU- /KFFNGDGNV4QCFű(CTOKPIVQP*KNNU/+ *KNNGN&C[QTI 1958-2018 Hillel Day School K-Grade 8 Daytime Open House Come watch imaginations soar. Thursday, November 16, 9:30 a.m. Tour our learning communities Observe classes in action Meet our teachers, parents, and students Learn about the application process and our generous tuition assistance program RSVP to mweber@hillelday.org or (248) 539-1490.