Gowanda Sports Report for Aug. 12

Gowanda resident Nick Crassi Jr. won his second checkered flag at the Holland Intentional Speedway on July 21, and followed that up on July 28 with a third-place finish to close within two points of the leader in the Late Model division.

Crassi is vying for his first championship in this division. Racing at Holland concludes the first week in September.

Gowanda Recreation will close out their six-week summer program with a trip to Coca-Cola Field on Aug. 16 to see the Buffalo Bisons play Lehigh Valley. The transportation to and from the event was sponsored by the Gowanda Kiwanis Club.

On the following day, a talent show and awards ceremony is scheduled at St.John Park beginning at 12:30 p.m. The program will be held in the Gowanda Middle School if the weather does not cooperate.

Except for a handful of games left in the summer travel leagues, Gowanda baseball has all but wrapped up another season that started for most players back on March 5. A few local college baseball players will return to school next month and begin fall practices. The Gowanda Merchants, members of the Men's Senior Baseball League, will continue with playoffs through the middle of September.

The 2012-13 school year "officially" begins on Monday, Aug. 13 with the opening day of fall sport practices. This is one of the earliest start dates for fall practices on record. Everything has been moved up over the years due to the State playoff system that was enacted 20 years ago.

The old rule of thumb for the beginning of fall practices back in the 1960s, '70 and '80s was exactly two weeks before the first day of school. That meant players reported for their first workouts around Aug. 22 or 23. Go back even further and the first practice followed the opening day of school. The varsity football program will play five games before Oct. 1 this season.

A fall co-ed soccer league will begin on Monday, Sept. 10 at the George Dispenza Memorial Field on Broadway Road. Children ages 5-12 are eligible to participate. The program will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for five consecutive Monday evenings. Previous soccer experience is not mandatory. Call Mark Benton at 532-4053 or e-mail hidibenton@aol.com for more information.