The Ottawa Valley Raiders had another successful season. The Valley Raiders repeated as playoff champions of the Ottawa RA Centre, beating the Atlantic Storm in the finals.
Valley also proudly competed in a number of tournaments in 2005; here are some highlights:
• Cowboys Victoria Day Weekend Tournament (May 21-22)
o Game 1: 2-1 win over Fitzroy Harbor West Carleton Electric (2005 “C” Provincial Champs
• Manotick Lomar Printers Tournament (June 3-5)
o Lost 13-7 in semi-finals to Stittsville 56’ers (Dan Bradley and ½ of Ottawa Team Easton Thunder)
• I.S.C. II Qualifier in Blackburn (June 24-26)
o Eliminated by Manotick Lomor Printers (5th at World Masters) in a 7-4 loss
• O.A.S.A. Eliminations in Kitchener (July 29-31)
o Game 1: Lost 3-2 to Palermo Athletics (2005 Eliminations Champions)
o Game 2: Lost 10-9 to Elliott Lake (10 innings)
• Fitzroy Harbor Tournament (August 5-7)
o 9-8 Win vs Stittsville 56’ers (4/5 of Ottawa Team Easton Thunder)
o 6-0 Loss in semi-finals vs Stittsville 56’ers (4/5 of Ottawa Team Easton, including Konkle)
Individual Achievements
MVP: Will “I am a cartoon” Mood (1B/CF)
Reg. Season Avg.: 0.306
Reg. Season HR: 3
Playoff Avg.: 0.467
Playoff HR: 2
Playoff MVP: Richard “Pudge” Antunes (C/3B)
Playoff Avg.: 0.467
MIP: Tyler Cox (3B/C)
Reg. Season Avg.: 0.305
Reg. Season HR: 3 (1 Grand Slam)
Rookie of the Year: Derek Bergeron (OF)
Reg. Season Avg.: 0.286
Playoff Avg.: 0.333
Defensive MVP: Chad Milne (SS)
Team Dedication: Lukas Kamps (RF), Wayne Widenmaier (OF)
Leadership Award: Roy Black (IF), Gary Cavanagh (Coach/P), Chad Milne (SS)
Pitchers
In league play, the Valley Raiders were led by an excellent pitching staff: Gary Cavanagh, Ryan Cox, Darren Featherstone and Bud Hanlon.
• Veteran pitcher Gary Cavanagh pitched at senior level in his prime. He is still going strong at the tender age of 59, coaching and pitching on occasion. Gary plans to return next season, in his 60th year. He is an exceptional leader and a true gentleman.
• Ryan Cox is 20 year-old head-case. When pitching, he demands to be called “RC”. His best game in 2005 was an impressive 3-2 loss to Palermo Athletics at the Eliminations in Kitchener. He has led the Valley Raiders to two championships, collecting the win in the championship game two years in a row, in 2004 and 2005.
• Darren Featherstone is a strong candidate for team MVP. Darren’s offensive ability is outstanding. He batted 0.563 during the season, with 5 homeruns. When not pitching, Darren plays excellent defence at second-base. Darren’s best pitching performance was an inter-league game against Kanata Team Easton, in which he strongly battled Dan Konkle.
• Bud Hanlon is an ace and a great teammate. He overpowers most batters with great speed, and beats great hitters with excellent command. Bud was exceptional in the second round of the playoffs, allowing very few hits in Valley’s victories over the Orleans Rebels. Bud is Fitzroy Harbor West Carleton Electric’s top pitcher.
In tournaments, Valley hurlers were Ryan Cox, David Eschle, Darren Featherstone, and Jesse Milne.
• David Eschle pitches for the Mud Hens in the Oshawa City & District Softball Association. He was a welcome addition for tournaments in Kingston and Blackburn.
• Jesse Milne appeared in the lineup of the Mud Hens as well, but primarily focused on pitching for the Valley Raiders. Jesse is a left-handed pitcher who utilizes his great control and defends quite well.
Valley outfielders Brett Dugan and Bob Lewis offer strong bats and veteran experience. Brett has played some great ball, including stints with the Waterdown Hammer and Palermo Athletics. Bob is veteran RA League player who always puts his team first.
The captain and on-field manager of the Valley Raiders is Roy Black. Roy is a long-time member of the RA Centre. This season he received an award for his leadership and the countless hours he spends planning. He is the former captain of James Street Feed Co. and is a co-founder of the current Valley Raiders team.
The original founder of the Valley Raiders is Shawn Moher. Shawn is easily the most loyal member of the Valley Raiders. He fulfills many roles including sponsor, owner, base coach, and occasionally acts as catcher. He challenges his team to play hard and to play with dignity. He also enjoys bantering back and forth with his favorite pitcher and friend, Gary Cavanagh.
The Valley Raiders were proud to win the RA Centre Championship again in 2005. Also, under the leadership of Chad Milne, Valley was proud to venture further into the world of intermediate fastball tournaments. They hope to continue to improve in 2006, and welcome invitations for next year’s tournaments.
– Tyler Cox