Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing Champions

Sixteen Teams Participated At Forest Hills Diamonds In Rockford

ROCKFORD: Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing (7-1) from Rockford came charging out of the loser's bracket winning five straight games including a double dipping of Sports Page / High N Tight from Rockford 7-6 & 7-5 to win the sixteen team Illinois USSSA Men's Class E Great Lakes National Tournament Qualifier played at Forest Hills Diamonds in Rockford on July 22nd & 23rd. Harlem Road Automotive (3-2) from Rockford took home third place with Stateline Motors (3-2) from Rockford finished in fourth place with both Guerilla Graffix (4-2) from Rockford and Compak (4-2) from Rockford finishing in tie for fifth place at this tournament.
Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing opened tournament play with a first round 11-6 win over Pain Management & Rehab Center from Rockford. In their second game on Saturday it was Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing over TR Excavating from Rockford 4-3 to put Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing into the semifinal of the winner's bracket on Sunday morning. TR Excavating had won their first round game 9-2 over BSI from Rockford.
On Sunday morning it was Harlem Road Automotive upending Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing 13-6 to drop Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing into the loser's bracket.
In their first game in the loser's bracket Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing stopped Compak 11-6 to advance in the bracket. Next to exit this tournament at the hands of was Stateline Motors who forfeited their game to Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing by a final score of 7-0. Now sweet revenge raised her pretty head and Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing took full advantage of their second chance of playing Harlem Road Automotive who had put them into the loser's bracket earlier in the day by beating them in a close game 10-9. Now only unbeaten Sports Page / High N Tight stood between Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing and the tournament title. Need to win twice over their unbeaten opponent Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing went to work and posted a 7-6 win to even the tournament at one loss each and force the need to play the 'if necessary game' between these two ball clubs in order to determine which of would be the champion on this day. In that winner take all game it was Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing over Sports Page / High N Tight in another close game 7-5 to give Northern Illinois Optical / Ken Z Roofing the title and the berth to play at the 2006 USSSA Men's Class E Great Lakes National Tournament to be held in Rockford over Labor Day Weekend.
High N Tight made it to the championship game by winning the winner's bracket as they started their weekend off with a 12-10 win over Fatty's Pub from De Kalb in the first round of tournament play. In their second game on Saturday it was Sports page / High N Tight slipping past Rock River Siding from Loves Park 5-4 to advance them into Sunday morning semifinal round of the winner's bracket. Rock River Siding not defeated the Splitters from Rockford 15-8 in the first round to advance into this second round contest with Sports Page / High N Tight.
On Sunday morning Sports Page / High N Tight tangled with Stateline Motors and hung another victory onto the bracket board by a final score of 15-3 to put them into the winner's bracket undefeated game. Stateline Motors had opened play with a first round win over Guerilla Graffix by a score of 4-2 before stopping Michlig Ag from Manlius 11-1 in the second round to earn a date with Sports Page / High N Tight in Sunday morning's semifinals of the winner's bracket.

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