|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Marbles in the News
|
Berks Mibsters Fail to Reach Final Round
|
|
|
Original Publication Date: June 23, 2006. From the "Reading Eagle," a Reading, Pennsylvania newspaper
|
|
|
|
Wildwood, NJ - None of the six Berks County mibsters playing in the 83rd annual National Marbles Tournament made it to the final round being played today.
Whitney A. Lapic, 10, a student at Gov. Mifflin Intermediate School, was the top finisher from Berks.
She missed the final round by only one place, finishing 39-19 and in ninth place. Two girls Janelle Myers of Harrison County, W.Va., and Kayla May from Mountaineer, W.Va. tied for seventh place with records of 40-18.
If Whitney had won one more game she would have been in the finals.
“Well, the good thing is you can only go up next year,” her mother, Debra E. Stanley Lapic, told Whitney.
The eight top finishers play today for the once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a national champion.
Stanley-Lapic won the 1973 national title and runs the city, county and Oley tournaments.
If Whitney had won, the Shillington family would have been the first mother-daughter combination to each win a national marbles championship.
Whitney won some tough games Wednesday, including two tight matches against Amber Ricci, a 10-year-old from Allegheny County.
Whitney and Amber have been friends nearly all their lives and have been playing marbles against each other for the past three years.
In the second of two games, Whitney won in overtime 7-6 by knocking out the lone remaining marble.
“She's just like her mommy,” Stanley-Lapic said proudly.
Ricci finished in second place.
But Whitney had tears in her eyes as she finished play.
The mibsters had played for nearly 20 hours over the past three days. They had been starting play at 7:30 a.m.
“This takes forever,” said Jeremy P. Lebo, 11, from Southwest Middle School.
Players often had to wait more than 45 minutes between games.
Organizers said increased participation had caused the tournament to take longer than in previous years.
While the Berks players lost their championship dreams, many said they will always cherish the memories of spending a week at the shore.
“I'll remember having fun and meeting all the new people,” Jeremy said.
The tournament has players from Pennsylvania, Colorado, Maryland, Tennessee and West Virginia.
There were 30 girls and 26 boys in the tournament.
Zachary T. Fisher, 12, from Oley Valley Middle School, will remember something else about his trip.
“All the girls in bikinis,” he said.
All six Berks players will have the chance to play in local tournaments again next year. The winners of the city, county and Oley titles earn the right to play in the national tournament.
Keith Moss of Allegheny County is in first place for the boys with a 39-11 record. Melissa Ashwood of Gunnison, Colo., is in first for the girls with a 49-11 record.
The other Berks results were:
Jeremy finished 27-23 and in 14th place.
Zachary was 19-31 and in 17th place.
Caleb Shrom, 9, from The King's Academy was 16-34 and in 21st place.
Yaritza Ortiz, 11, from Southwest Middle school was 27-31 and in 18th place.
Chelsea E. Wanamaker, 13, from Oley Valley Middle School was 29-29 and in 16th place.
Reading Eagle Company is sponsoring trips for the six players in the national tournament. The company has sponsored marbles tournaments since 1929.
|
|
|
|
This submission was made by Elena NY NY on October 27, 2006
|
Return to the Archives
|
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 How to Play Marbles Terms of Sale Security Privacy FAQ
Wish List
Order History Forum Switch to Mobile Contact Us
/!\ WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD
Marbles are not for children under 3 years.
|
How to Play Marbles 
