Cumberland Times-News

Local Sports

January 23, 2013

Multiple Miners to be honored at Dapper Dan Banquet

Mease to be given Lifetime Achievement Award

Chris Appel Cumberland Times-News

CUMBERLAND — Mountain Ridge high school will receive more than its share of recognition Sunday afternoon when six honors are to be bestowed on the Miners at the Dapper Dan Sports Banquet at the Ali Ghan Shrine Club.

Both the Mountain Ridge baseball and softball teams will be recognized for winning their respective Maryland 1A State championships in the spring. The Lady Miners accomplished the feat with a 4-3 win over Mardela to cap a perfect 23-0 season, while the baseball team finished 18-7 after beating St. Michaels 2-1 for the championship.

Carlie Lewis and Dan Strietbeck, two pivotal players who helped lead the Miners’ charge through the championship, will also be honored after Lewis won Times-News Softball Player of the Year and Strietbeck took the Player of the Year in baseball.

Two Mountain Ridge wrestlers, Jason Wright and Adam Martz, will be recognized for winning Maryland State titles. It’s the second title for Wright, who went 43-0 on his way to the 195-pound crown during his senior year, and for Martz its hopefully the first of many as he won all but one of his 44 matches on a march towards the 126-pound championship as just a freshman.

Both the Times-News Boys and Girls Basketball Players of the Year will also be at the dinner because of their achievements. Hampshire’s Hannah Carl was the area’s most dangerous scorer after averaging 18.4 points, and Southern’s D.J. Ritchie was second in the area with a 19.8 point average and was fourth in the area with 9.9 rebounds a game.

Frankfort’s Alexis Rice will be honored for being voted the Times-News Volleyball Player of the Year after leading the Falcons to yet another West Virginia Class AA State Tournament. The junior finished the season with 740 assists, 240 digs and 153 points.

Amateur Trap Shooting Champion Tucker Witt is being celebrated for winning 11 state titles. He has won the Maryland and Virginia championships every year since 2010, the Delaware and West Virginia championships in 2011 and 2012 and the Pennsylvania title in 2012.

Mike Barnhart will be awarded the 2012 Dapper Dan Little League Manager of the Year after leading the Dodgers to the championship.

Former Northern and current Frostburg State University standout Adria Graham will receive recognition for being awarded the 2011 and 2012 Capital Athletic Conference Womens’ Soccer Player of the Year.

The Dapper Dan Lifetime Achievement Award will be given to Ron Mease after 33 years of involvement with the organization. Mease began as an assistant coach in 1979 and still serves as the Dapper Dan secretary. In between he has held the office of president, vice president and treasurer and is the only member to hold all four positions at any one time.

For tickets to the Dapper Dan Awards Banquet, call 301-722-5490.

Chris is a sportswriter for the Times-News. Contact him at cappel@times-news.com.

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