Wasilla goes into tourney in 1st place

WASILLA — When the Alaska Road Warriors take the field Thursday to start play at the annual Todd Ryan Memorial Tournament, they’ll do so as the best American Legion AA team in the state.

At 13-1, the Wasilla-based team has built a 9-point lead in the standings with 54 points. South is a distant second at 44. But while the Todd Ryan tourney, hosted by the Road Warriors at Lou McManus Field, includes important league games for state Legion teams, it also will be a chance for the Warriors to test themselves against an Outside powerhouse program.

That’s because the Post 300 team from Napoleon, Ohio, will make the trip to play in the Last Frontier. The Ohio team last came up to play in the Todd Ryan in 2011, said Road Warriors head coach Myrl Thompson. And the program that boasts several Major League players as former members is always a tough team to play, the coach said.

“They’re the real deal,” Thompson said. “It’s nice to have that caliber of a team come up here.”

In fact, one play from the 2011 tourney still stands out for Thompson. That’s when one of the Napoleon players hit a new baseball so hard that it was permanently misshapen.

“He turned it into an egg shape,” he said. “I’ve never seen that happen before in my life.”

So far this season, the Road Warriors have also boasted a potent offense that’s made a habit of scoring runs in bunches.

Wasilla hosts East today at 6:30 p.m. at Lou McManus Field, then opens the Todd Ryan at 7 p.m., July 4 against Bartlett. The round-robin tournament will continue Friday with a 4 p.m. game against Service. Games Saturday and Sunday will be determined by results of the first two days’ games.

Todd Ryan Memorial

July 4-7, McManus Field, Wasilla

July 4

Game 1: Dimond vs. Eagle River 4 p.m.

Game 2: Bartlett vs. Wasilla 7 p.m.

July 5

Game 3: Ohio vs. Eagle River 10 a.m.

Game 4: Dimond vs. Ohio 1 p.m.

Game 5: Service vs. Wasilla 4 p.m.

Game 6: Service vs. Bartlett 7 p.m.

July 6

Game: 7: Pool A No. 3 vs. Pool B No. 3 12 p.m.

Game 8: Pool A No. 2 vs. Pool B No. 1 3 p.m.

Game 9: Pool B No. 2 vs. Pool A No. 1 6 p.m.

July 7

Loser game 7 vs. loser game 8 12 p.m.

Winner game 7 vs. loser game 9 3 p.m.

Winner game 8 vs. winner game 9 6 p.m.