The annual First Responders Cup girls softball tournament finished Sept. 8 in Arlington when four age-group champions were crowned at different Barcroft Park fields to complete the two days of competition.
For the third straight year, the event was run by the Marymount University women’s softball team, with players and coaches from the program volunteering to work the tournament.
“Our entire team took turns working and doing different things,” Marymount head coach Leigh Murray-Winstead said. “It’s a lot of work, but this is a great event for Arlington.”
The Sept. 8 championship games were played at Barcroft Park.
In the 12-under division, the second seed Maryland InteGRITy Mills defeated the Starz Gold, 11-2, in the championship game.
In the 14-under bracket, the second seed Great Falls Sharks topped the Virginia Glory, 5-1.
At 16-under, the top seed Virginia Glory National nipped the No. 2 seed Tri-State Thunder Gold, 4-3. The defending champion Arlington Impact (a 15-under team) played in that age group and finished third against older players. The Impact had big wins over Rock Gold and Maryland Fever.
In the oldest 18-under category, another top seed Virginia Glory team blanked the third seed Ashburn Shooting Stars, 12-0.
There were 22 teams that played in this year’s tournament, which began in 2002. Games were played at Barcroft and Jennie Dean parks. There was an early-morning Sept. 7 opening ceremonies at Barcroft.
Of the teams entered, three were from Arlington – the 12-under Arlington Sage, 16-under Arlington Impact Gold and 18-under Arlington Impact Gold.
The Marymount softball team hosted a skills clinic as part of the event on Sept. 6 at Barcroft from players age 8 through 12.
The tournament began on Sept. 11, 2002 to honor the heroism of the Arlington fire and police, who were the first emergency crews at the Pentagon following the deadly terror attack that morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Proceeds raised from the tournament are donated to the Pentagon Disaster Relief Charities.
The names of the tournament-championship teams each year are inscribed on the large First Responders Cup, which is displayed at Arlington’s Central Library.
Arlington County and the Arlington Girls Softball Association are sponsors of the tournament
