C&J Ales Memorial Softball Tournament

 Tournament Champions Compassionate Heart

CHAMPIONSHIP

Compassionate heart 9  Hi Hiyaah(Cloverdale) 7

Hiyaah Takes 2nd place

Ales Trasportation takes 3rd place

FORT BRAGG — The Mendocino Coast Recreation and Park District held the 22nd annual C and J Ales Memorial Softball Tournament on the weekend of Aug. 14 and 15.

There were 11 teams and 24 games were played over the two days on the Pavioni Field and Whitman Field at Dana Gray Elementary. Local businesses donated items that were given out to the players for “hella plays,” also known as home runs and defensive plays.

The first “Jess Ales Softball Tournament” was played in 1998. Jess passed away in 1997 while playing the game he loved. Jess’ father, Charley, passed away in 2016 and the tournament was renamed the C&J Ales Tournament in 2017.

“Jess and Charley loved the game of softball and never missed a tournament game,” said Carly Wells, Administrative Services Supervisor at the C.V. Starr Community Center. “Over the years, some of the team names have changed and a few have stayed the same, and there are a few of the original team players still playing.

Sunday afternoon, Ales Transportation placed third after beating Hi Star Electric. Hi-Yah played their fifth game of the day against Compassionate Heart for the championship, losing by only one run to take second place. Compassionate Heart went undefeated throughout the tournament, ultimately winning the championship.

COVID-19 canceled the Tournament in 2020, so staff and volunteers worked hard and long hours on the field to bring the tournament back in 2021. Local business showed support, including Gary Swanson, Tregoning Construction, Fort Bragg Furniture Mart, Ben Fienburgh Excavating, Lyme Redwood, Fort Bragg Electric, Savings Bank of Mendocino County, Milano Hotel and Bar, Cooper Plumbing, Woody’s Weld- All, Purity Market, Rossetto Trucking, Fort Bragg Towing, Noyo Fish Company, Dunlap Roofing, Rossi, Zoega Coffee, Anderson Logging, Rhodes Auto Parts, North Coast Brewery, Cowlicks, Safeway, Harvest, Mendocino Cookie Co, Bernillos, D’Aurillios, Piaci, Noyo Fish Co, Carol Millsap State Farm, Walker Towing, Hwy 20 Feed, Anderson Logging, Fort Bragg Little League, Fort Bragg Girls Softball, Subway, Nello’s, Figueredo’s, Moonberry, Skunk Train, Vinny’s Pizza, Paul Sweighert Edward Jones, O’Riley, Fort Bragg Electric, Willits Power, Rantala Sheet Metal, Matson Building Materials, Roundtable, Roundman’s and Colombi’s.

Compassionate Heart: All Tourneys Julian and Josh with MVP Mike Casteel

Hi-Yah! All Tourneys Matt and B Wood!

All-Tourneys for Ales Transportation Ryan Bushby and Tim Gitchel