Athletics begin trip of lifetime

Three teams, a dozen coaches, and some 50 family members affiliated with the North Country Athletics are off to Puerto Rico on Monday for a baseball experience of a lifetime.

The Athletics fly off to the Caribbean on Monday morning for a week-long adventure at the World Junior Baseball Classic. The three teams representing Team USA — 19U, 17U, 15U — consist mainly of players from Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties. They will play 10-12 games against teams from the Dominican Republic, Canada, Mexico and host Puerto Rico.

The team's first full day on Tuesday starts with a ferry boat ride to the Island of Vieques. They will be given a tour of the island and play two games.

On Wednesday, the teams head back to Puerto Rico where they will play doubleheaders on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Saturday, the Athletics will travel to Robert Clemente Stadium in Carolina, Puerto Rico. There they will attend a clinic with former major leaguers and meet Vera Clemente, Roberto Clemente's wife, and Luis Clemente, one of his sons. The 19U team will play against the champions of the RBI Program, which was started by one of Clemente's sons.

There is another doubleheader on July 5. On July 6, closing ceremonies will be followed by an International Game where teams from all countries are mixed to have some fun.

The Athletics fly home July 7.

Teams and their coaches include:

19U,Josh Cox, Watertown, Jefferson CC; Brock Roggie, Lowville; Sean Iles, Indian River; Sam Cavallario, IHC, JCC; Jarrod Mattingly, Indian River; Brandon Cavalet, Indian River; Chris Kellogg, Copenhagen; Marcus Roggie, Beaver River, JCC; Will VanHouten, Watertown; Zane Fish, Indian River; A. J. Capone, Lowville; Josh Jones, Lowville; Luis Rodriquez, North Carolina; Antonio Torres, Stafford, Va.; Chris Reece, Potsdam; Dustin Currier, Massena, SUNY Plattsburgh; Jake Roes, Lowville. Coaches, Victor Rivera, Dan Myers, Herb VanHouten, Wayne Mattingly, Andy Capone.

17U,Brock Roggie, Lowville; Sean Iles, Indian River; Jarrod Mattingly, Indian River; Matt Jenack, Indian River; Chris Kellogg, Copenhagen; Dustin Exford, IHC; Zane Fish, Indian River; Sean Scordo, Watertown; Tyler Patterson, Watertown; Patrick Caldwell, IHC; Josh Amann, Carthage; Ryan Paige, Carthage; Michael Donnelly, Thousand Islands; Nolan Bodah, Watertown; Chris Reece, Potsdam. Coaches, Chris Paige, Wayne Mattingly, Kevin Caldwell, Connor Kellogg.

15U,Justin Mattingly, Indian River; Zach Allen, Sackets Harbor; Cameron Allen, Sackets Harbor; Jordan Delaney, General Brown; Brandon Widrick, Beaver River; Reed Donnelly, Thousand Islands; George LaBarr, Watertown; Kyle Simmons, Watertown; Daniel Iles, Indian River; Alex Clark, Lowville; Calder Roggie, Lowville; Luke Simmons, Sackets Harbor; Steve Donato, Watertown. Coaches, Rex Allen, Paul Simmons, Wayne Mattingly, George LaBarr.

WIZARDS RAINED OUT AGAIN

Saturday night's New York Collegiate Baseball League game between the Watertown Wizards and the Albany Dutchmen at Bleecker Stadium was rained out.

No make-up date has been set. The Wizards have been limited to just one road game over the last two weeks and have had five of their last 10 scheduled games postponed because of rain or other reasons.

The Wizards travel to Little Falls today to play the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs for the sixth time this season. The game, weather permitting, is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.