Girls down Middletown, 12-2, and start NYS Tournament on Thursday.  Boys' 10's win Suffern Tournament, and Boys' 9s and Girls' 10s reach Finals in their divisions. 

The PRLL 11u softball team added the Section 3N banner to its District 18 title with a 12-2 victory over Middletown on Tuesday (7/17), and now head to Smithtown on Thursday to begin the New York State Tournament, at the home field of St. James/Smithtown LL (Veterans Memorial Field 284 Moriches Road, St. James, NY). .

         Link to Pool Play portion of NYS Tournament

Locally, Suffern LL held a successful tournament this past week.  In baseball, Pearl River’s 9u team made it to the championship game and fought hard against a tough team from Stony Point. And our 10s took home the championship trophy with a great win over West Nyack! Congrats boys! 
        In softball, our 10s are playing in the championship game tonight against New City. Good luck girls!!!  

PRLL's Major Boys Team was an 8-6 winner over White Plains last night (Monday), and are now in the Championship round with Cornwall beginning tonight (Tue 7/18) at 5:45 on the Seaboldt field;  Girls' Softball 11's defeated Middletown on Monday, and try to wrap up the 2 of 3 series tonight at 6:00 (see update).

PRLL's two District 18 Champion teams are active in the NY Section 3N Tournament over the next two days.  The Major Boys (11/12) team, which opened their tournament with a 5-2 victory over White Plains, suffered a nail-biting 1-0 loss to Cornwall on July 15, but came back on Monday 7/17 to win a re-match with White Plains, 8-6.  They now get another shot at Cornwall on Tuesday 7/18 at 5:45 on the Seaboldt field in Montrose (77 Montrose Point Road).  If PRLL can win tonight, the title game will be tomorrow (Wed 7/19), same time and place.  See LINK - MAJOR BOYS 3N BRACKEThttps://leagues.bluesombrero.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1707238 for full bracket. 

PRLL takes first District 18 titles since 2018. (UPDATE: PRLL Major Boys won their first Sectional game on 7/14, 5-2 over White Plains, and will play Cornwall on Sat. 7/15 at 10:00 a.m. at Gedney Field, 856 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.)

The PRLL Major (11/12) Boys defeated Stony Point, 6-4, tonight at the Nanuet field, to win the District 18 Majors Championship. They now move on to the NY Section 3N Tournament, where they will play the opening game against the District 20 champion, White Plains, on Friday, July 14 at 6:00 at the Pat Henry Field in Valhalla, NY (196 S. Kensico Ave.).  (Link to bracket on Section 3 site).

 (UPDATE: PRLL Major Boys won their first Sectional game on 7/14, 5-2 over White Plains, and will play Cornwall on Sat. 7/15 at 10:00 a.m. at Gedney Field, 856 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains.)

The PRLL Softball 11's won their D-18 title on Thurs., July 6 (see news item of 7/6).  Next full bracket not yet available.. 

For the first time in recent memory, PRLL will host some NY State Sectional games at Anderson Field this coming week.

PRLL will be hosting a few NY Section 3N games next week, in the Baseball 11's and Softball 10's age groups. 

In the Baseball 11's Section 3N Tournament, the following games will be played on Bocket Field at Anderson:   July 13 (7:00, an elimination game); July 14 (7:00, Finals, Game 1) and July 15 (4:00, Finals, Game 2, if necessary).

In the Softball 10's Section 3N Tournament, the following games will be played on McCarthy Field at Anderson:  July 10 (7:00, Eastchester, the District 20 champ, vs. Nanuet/West Nyack, the District 18 champion), July 12 (7:00. an elimination game). 

Results are current through Thursday, July 6.  Links to the last updated District 18 schedules are included.  The PRLL Baseball Majors team can win a District 18 title on Saturday, July 8, while the Softball 11's have already taken the District title on Thursday, July 6 at home at Anderson.

Tonight (Thursday July 6), in the championship game of the D18 Softball 11s tournament, Pearl River defeated Stony Point, 8-4, to win the District 18 Championship.  The team will advance to the State Tournament in Smithtown on Thursday, July 13.  

Here's what's coming, by age group:

BASEBALL 9's:  PRLL defeated West Nyack, 4-1, on Friday, 6/30 to claim the #3 seed. In a semi-final game on July 1, PR lost to South Orangetown, 7-4. SOLL went on to win the tournament on July 5.   
                                            (LINK TO FULL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS TO DATE) 

BASEBALL 10's:  PRLL defeated Nanuet, 11-7, on Thursday, July 6, to take their pool pay record to 3-2, but was then eliminated by  NVCC in a semifinal game on Sat., July 8 at the New City field.  
                                                                        (LINK TO FULL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS) 

BASEBALL 11's:  PRLL was eliminated Saturday with a loss to New City, but played well in the District tournament.  The team will appear in West Nyack's 11 year-old tournament, which starts on Sat., July 8. They play Sat. and Sun. at 7:00 and Tues. 7/11 at 8:00. 
        (LINK TO FULL D-18 SCHEDULE AND RESULTS TO DATE)         (LINK TO WEST NYACK 11's SCHEDULE)

BASEBALL MAJORS/12's:  With a 9-3 victory over Haverstraw in the winners bracket final, undefeated Pearl River earned a spot in the Championship series. They went on to defeat Stony Point on Saturday, July 8 at 7:00 at the Nanuet field, clinching the District 18 title.  (See more recent News item dated 7/8/23 for score, a couple photos and the upcoming Section 3N bracket). 
                                                (LINK TO FULL BRACKET)


SOFTBALL 9's:  The PRLL-hosted Carolyn Sullivan Memorial Tournament (for 9 year-old girls), crowned its first champion last night (Thurs) when Nanuet/West Nyack won a back-and-forth game against New City, 7-6.  Pearl River's team played in the consolation game with Suffern. 

SOFTBALL 10's:   PRLL, playing in  the Championship game on Wednesday, July 5, in a rematch with West Nyack/Nanuet, came out on the short end of a high-scoring contest, 13-11.  The girls played a good game and had a good tournament.    
                                  (  LINK TO THE LAST UPDATED SCHEDULE) 

SOFTBALL 11's:   PRLL, which started the tournament with a 21-1 win over NVCC on Tuesday 6/27, notched another strong victory on Wed. 6/28, upending Stony Point, 17-4.  They achieved a pool play sweep on Friday, 6/30, with a 10-0 victory against South Orangetown , and now will play for the District Championship on Thursday, July 6 at 7:00 pm on their home field at Anderson (McCarthy Field) against Stony Point. UPDATE: PRLL downed Stony Point, 8-4, on July 6 to win the District 18 championship.  Photos link is on the Photos tab. The team now goes to the NY State Tournament in Smithtown.  That tournament is hosted by the St. James-Smithtown Little League, from July 20-26. 
( LINK TO THE LAST UPDATED D-18 SCHEDULE).      (LINK TO NY STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE)

SOFTBALL MAJORS/12s:  This D-18 tournament began on June 20, and ended last night (Thurs 6/29) with West Nyack/Nanuet winning the championship game, 7-6, over New City.   PRLL's team, with one win (9-1 over Haverstraw), was eliminated in pool play.
                                                            (LINK TO FULL SCHEDULE AND RESULTS TO DATE)

UPDATE 6/30/23:  THE NANUET/WEST NYACK TEAM WON THE FIRST CAROLYN SULLIVAN MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP LAST NIGHT WITH A WINNING FIFTH-INNING RALLY TO EDGE A TENACIOUS NEW CITY TEAM, 7-6.  NOTE TO PARENTS: PHOTOS HAVE NOW BEEN UPDATED THROUGH CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
                 The event had a special circumstance, with the winning manager, Stephen Vitale, and his daughter/team member Layla, being the son and granddaughter, respectively, of the late Bob Vitale, who was an indispensable PRLL leader for over 25 years, as well as a primary organizer of the Kayser-Brady Tournament, a memorial tournament for 9 year-old boys and girls that ran for 16 years, ending in 2019. 

June 20, 2023:

PRLL is proud to announce the debut of the (first annual) Carolyn Sullivan Memorial Tournament for 9 year-old girls.  It takes place this Friday (6/23), Saturday (24) and Sunday (25) at Anderson Fields.  (LINK TO PHOTO ALBUM).  The schedule is as follows (revised 6/26 - Championship Game Thursday, June 26 at 5:30):

#	Date	Day	Time			Field	Result
1	June 23	Friday	5:30	1 vs 2	New City vs. Suffern	McCarthy	NC, 14-8
2			5:30	3 vs 4	WNN vs. Pearl River	Brady	WNN, 17-8
3	June 24	Saturday	9:00	1 vs 4RAIN	Suffern vs Pearl RIver	McCarthy	RAIN
4			9:00	2 vs 3RAIN	New City vs. WNN	Brady	RAIN
	25-Jun	Sunday	12:00	Rain make-up	Suffern vs Pearl River	McCarthy	Suffern, 8-7
			12:00	Rain make-up	New City vs. WNN	McKiernan	WNN, 12-1
5	June 29	Thursday	5:30	Championship	WNN (1) vs New City (2)	McKiernan	WNN, 7-6
6			5:30	(Consolation)	Suffern (3) vs PR (4)	Brady

In September, 2009, less than a month after the community lost 12 year-old Chance Cosgrove to a drowning accident in North Carolina, Carolyn Marie Sullivan, a happy eight year-old first baseman on the Rookie Girls Blaze team, passed away after a five-month battle with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor.  After having surgery in May, Carolyn continued to attend her team’s games and pursue other aspects of her life, showing enormous courage and vitality.  A tournament that features enthusiastic young softball teams playing a game that Carolyn enjoyed is a fitting tribute to her memory. Carolyn was also connected to softball through her grandfather John (who passed in 2011), a softball coach at Clarkstown North and the fifth winningest softball coach in Rockland history. PRLL looks forward to establishing this memorial tournament as an annual tradition. 
     (Note: The Carolyn Sullivan Memorial Foundation renders assistance to sick children and their families.)

Where does our team go if they win the District 18 championship?? Here's a basic review.

Little League Summer Tournament Organization:

                The Official Little League “International” Tournament (Majors):

                                This is the most well-known Little League Tournament.  It culminates in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. , and the Little League Softball World Series in Greenville, N.C.    The teams include players from the “Majors” division, ages 10-12, and must generally survive a District Tournament, a state Sectional Tournament, a State Finals Tournament, and a Regional Tournament (there are both national and international regions).

                                There are also Little League World Series for both baseball and softball Junior (ages 13-14) and Senior (ages 13-16) Divisions, with similar qualifying tournaments.

                                The other age groups, 10u (8-10) and 11u (9-11), play in District, Section and State Tournaments.  There is a regional tournament for the 10u group.

                There are other Little League Tournaments (Unofficial or “Secondary” Tournaments) organized at the local level:

                                Within a District, leagues will often form tournaments that give a team the chance to play in a second tournament, or for age groups not specifically included in the national tournament (e.g., 8u or 9u). These are sometimes called “secondary” tournaments.  There can also be tournaments with a special theme, such as memorial tournaments.

                The Little Leagues in Rockland County form New York State District 18.  Some districts include more than one county, and a county might contain more than one district, depending upon population.

A team that wins a District 18 Tournament will play in the NY Section 3N Tournament*, and then, if successful, advance to the NY State Finals Tournament.  If a team advances to regionals, New York is part of the East Region (and a team would play in a qualifying Metro Region tournament, and then in the East Finals).

            (* NY Section 3N includes Little Leagues in Westchester, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster counties).

UCLA Bruins are Majors Softball Champs; Yanks three-peat in Majors baseball: Tigers capture AAA Title; Cardinals take AA crown; Hawks rule in Minor Girls. (Photo Link below)

The UCLA Bruins defeated a strong Notre Dame Fighting Irish team to win the 2023 Majors Softball championship. In baseball, the Tigers have won the AAA and the Cardinals the AA Division championships. The Major Boys Yankees won their third straight title (surviving extra innings against the A's). The Hawks won a walk-off thriller against the Doves to take the Minor Girls crown. 

The Pearl River community, including PRLL, lost a friend recently when Dr. Edward J. Reynolds passed away peacefully at 90 years of age.  He served our community in many ways, including serving as a volunteer umpire for over a decade in the 1960's and 1970's. 
   Below is a copy of his obituary:

Dr. Edward J. Reynolds, longtime resident and civic leader of Pearl River, New York died on Friday, June 2, 2023 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.  He was 90.

Dr. Reynolds practiced general dentistry for 50 years in the U.S. Air Force, at the International Longshoremen’s Association Clinic in Manhattan, and in his own Pearl River practice before retiring in 2008.  He was a Rotarian for over 50 years and served as President of the Rotary Club of Pearl River and in other leadership roles.  He also served as a Trustee of Rockland Community College and of Rockland Cemetery.

Dr. Reynolds was born August 27, 1932 in New York, New York to Harry Bittan and Margaret (Agnes) Costello Reynolds.  He attended Guardian Angel School and graduated from Xavier High School in Manhattan in 1950.  After attending the Jesuit Seminary at Saint Andrew’s on the Hudson for one year, he earned a Bachelor of Arts (AB) degree in Pre-Dental from Fordham University in the Bronx, New York in 1955.  He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Columbia University in 1959.

Dr. Reynolds served in the U.S. Air Force from 1960 to 1962 as a dentist assigned to the Strategic Air Command at Turner Air Force Base in Albany, Georgia, attaining the rank of Captain.

On June 14, 1958, he married Anne Marie Ryan at Saint Nicholas of Tolentine Church in the Bronx, New York.  They raised eight children together and were married until her passing in March 2004.  On June 26, 2016, he married Josephine Masulli in Orangeburg, New York.

He had lived in Pearl River since August 1962.  He was a longtime parishioner of Saint Aedan’s Church in Pearl River, where he had served as a lector and Lay Eucharistic Minister.  In addition to his service as a Rotarian, he also served as a manager/coach/umpire for Pearl River Little League.

Dr. Reynolds will long be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and good humor.  He provided countless hours of pro bono dental work to the Discalced Carmelite Nuns and members of the local Catholic religious community.  He loved following New York professional sports and was a longtime dedicated Mets, Giants and Rangers fan.  For many years, he was an avid golfer who was most proud of his hole-in-one at Blue Hill Golf Club.  He also loved reading, particularly about military history.

Thanks to all the PRLL players and family members who turned out to participate in the Pearl River Memorial Day parade!  It was one of the largest contingents in the parade. 

He was the first player drafted (by Mooney Bocket's Giants in 1954) and went on to become a Rockland County sports legend.

Charles (Chuck) Scarpulla, who as a boy was the first player selected in the first player draft of the new Pearl River Little League in 1954, died on Tuesday of this week (April 18) at the age of 81.  He became a star baseball and football player at Pearl River H.S. and at the University of Rhode Island (even drawing interest from the Green Bay Packers) and later coached football at PRHS and Ramapo H.S. (where he founded the football program and guided it for over 30 years). He served as Athletic Director at Ramapo H.S., Tappan Zee H.S. and Sleepy Hollow H.S. He has been inducted into the Halls of Fame at Ramapo H.S., Pearl River H.S. and the University of Rhode Island. In 1988 he was selected as the best male athlete ever produced by Pearl River H.S.  He was above all dedicated to his family and a man of strong faith. 

See Obituary below and use this link to see photos and articles concerning his life and accomplishments. (Note: Articles are better read on a computer monitor, as the images are too small to be read on a cell phone screen).

(Text of Obituary):

Charles “Chuck” Scarpulla , 81, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday April, 18th, 2023, while being surrounded by his family.

Chuck was born in Mount Vernon , NY on September 10, 1941 to the late Charles and Mary (Gabrione) Scarpulla. Chuck graduated from Pearl River High School in 1959.

Chuck lived a long, happy life and died peacefully after a long battle with prostate cancer. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mary Ann Scarpulla, his five children, Laurie(Vincent) Mayernik, Lisa (Thomas) Calabro, Lynn (Christopher) West, Melissa(Andre) McCormick. Chuck (Fiona) Scarpulla. He was a beloved Pop Pop to Jessica and Joe (Erin) Mayernik, Christopher (Lexy) and Taylor West, Nicole and Mason Ladlee, Michael, Matthew and Thomas Calabro, and Payton,Gavin Scarpulla and Khyan Gaddy.

Chuck also leaves behind his dear sister and brother-in-laws, Helen Jean and Pat O'Gorman and Phyllis Chalsen, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives, and a multitude of friends who loved him very much. He is predeceased by his Father and Mother Charles and Mary Scarpulla.

Chuck served his community and his Church in many ways. He was committed to St. Ann Catholic Church, in Nyack, serving as a Eucharistic Minister Chuck and Maryann also became involved in Marriage Encounter, serving as a team couple and giving weekends.

Chuck was a three sport Athlete at Pearl River High School and a two sport athlete at University of Rhode Island. He lettered in both baseball and football at URI, capturing All-East football honors in 1962 and All-New England and All-Conference plaudits in 1961 and 1962. He was All-Conference in baseball in 1962-63. He was recruited by multiple NFL and MLB teams, but he chose to complete his masters at Ithaca College. On what would have been his graduation day from Ithaca, he married the love of his life.

He went on to coach football at Pearl River High School for 2 years, then to Ramapo High School for over 30 years. He established the Ramapo High School football team and coached for 16 years. He was the face of Ramapo High School Football. He compiled a record of 85-40-3 He was asked to become Athletic Director at Ramapo in 1973. He was a three-time Rockland Athletic League football Coach of the Year and was inducted into the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the Pearl River Hall of Fame in 1989. He is considered the best male athlete to ever come out of Pearl River High School. He was inducted into the University of Rhode Island Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2018 he was honored by being the first inductee into the Ramapo High school hall of fame. His proudest coaching moment came in 2022 when he was given the Ralph Cordisco LifeTime Coaching Achievement Award in 2022. With all of his individual achievements his greatest achievement according to Chuck without a doubt was his family.

Our family would like to thank hospice for all the support and care given to Chuck during his time at home allowing his remaining time to be comfortable, peaceful, and full of family and friends.
Arrangements are entrusted to the Hannemann Funeral Home Inc

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared with the family on the obituary page of the Funeral Home website, www.hannemannfuneralhome.com

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Helping Hands, PO Box 240, Nyack, NY 10960: St Ann’s Food Cupboard,16 Jefferson St., Nyack, NY 10960

Friends may call at St Ann’s Church, on Monday, April 24, from 4-8pm, Tuesday 2-4 and 6-8 PM. A celebration of life will be held on April 26th at 11 AM at St. Ann's Church, Nyack, NY.


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CLICK THIS LINK to see photos of Opening Day ceremonies, as well as photos from a few of the games that took place afterward.

Join us for Opening Day ceremonies this Saturday, April 15 at 10:45 a.m. on Bocket Field

PRLL enters its 70th Year in 2023.  The League was founded in November, 1953, and had its first season in 1954.  This season would have been the League's 70th season, except for the lost year in 2020 (pandemic).  So technically, this is PRLL's 69th season. The weather forecast is great, so hopefully the players and their families will enjoy a beautiful day of baseball and softball.