The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH the crowning of its men’s champions on Saturday, the New Providence Softball Association brought down the curtain on the first-year presidency of Henry Dean.

Immediately after the C&S Hitmen completed a three-game sweep over the defending champions Commando Security Truckers in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, Dean called for a “fan appreciation give-away” for the spectators present.

Dean, who had replaced out-going president Godfrey Burnside at the beginning of the season, said it was the best way for his executive team to show their gratitude for what has been an “unbelievable” year.

“We recognise that the Hitmen are a team with a bunch of young guys,” Dean said. “Their youth proved superior, but we thought that the experience would have been able to wear them down a little, but that didn’t happen. The Truckers were no match for the Hitmen.”

From the manner in which they executed their pre-game routine, arriving to the park at least two hours ahead of their scheduled game, Dean said he knew that they were the more prepared team for the post-season.

“They deserve this win,” he said. “They proved to be the superior team in the league this year and we congratulate them. I believe that they will carry this momentum straight through the round robin and national championship.”

The Hitmen, by virtue of being crowned the new NPSA champions, will get the opportunity to join the Johnson’s Lady Truckers in competing in the Bahamas Softball Federation’s National Round Robin Tournament this weekend at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex.

The federation is anticipating that the championship teams from Grand Bahama, Eleuthera and Abaco will be in town to compete against the Hitmen for the men’s national title, while the Lady Truckers will get to face Grand Bahama and Andros on the ladies’ side.

In the meantime, Dean also congratulated the Truckers for another stellar job in getting to the final. The Truckers and the Hitmen battled right to the end of the regular season before the Hitmen emerged as the pennant winners.

Now they’ve added the NPSA title, their second since winning it for the first time two years ago.

The Hitmen, however, have never hoisted the BSF championship trophy. But Dean said if they can bring that same level of enthusiasm that they brought to the park for the NPSA postseason, they could finally win it this year.

If they do, they would become the triple crown champions.