Senior All-Stars take part in opening ceremonies

Before facing Europe-Africa champion Lazio, Italy today, the CNMI Senior All-Stars joined nine other teams in the opening ceremonies for the 2015 World Series last night at Shawn T. Mansfield Stadium in Bangor, Maine.

The team coached by manager Greg Camacho and head coach Lawrence Camacho took its place with other regional champions of Canada, Europe-Africa, Latin Americaa U.S. West, U.S. Southwest, U.S. Central, U.S. East, U.S. Southeast, and host Maine.

According to 2015 Senior World Series’ official website (www.worldseries.bangorinfo.com), the opening ceremonies started at 7pm with the Anah Temple Shrine clowns engaging the crowd. At 7:30pm, Maine District 3 champions in softball and baseball were recognized.

At 8pm, all 10 World Series teams, plus the 12 umpires, then paraded onto the field. In all, five national anthem were sang during the opening ceremony for the teams from Italy, Netherlands Antilles, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Canada, and the United States.

The ceremonial first pitch was then set off at 8:40pm, before the ceremonies concluded with a fireworks display at 8:45pm.

The Commonwealth’s hopes in this year’s edition of the summer classic for senior leaguers rest on the more than capable shoulder of Joaquin Jose Chong, Franklin Jay Lizama, Aurel Joe Mendiola, Nathan Camacho, Jobe Reyes, Craig Aguon, Franko Nakamura, Brandon Pua, Virgil Secharmidal, Anthony Agulto, Aurel Mendiola, Ethan Babauta, Lorenzo Sebaklim, Henry Lizama, Roke Tenorio, and Richard Atalig.

The 2015 Senior World Series’ official website said a record five teams, including the CNMI, are returning from last year’s Senior World Series.

Since the series moved to Bangor in 2002, five champions have returned in the Senior World Series the next year in an attempt to repeat. According to the official Senior World Series website, only one—Paraguana L.L., Falcon, Venezuela, which won the series in 2006—made it back to the title game.

It also noted that this is the first time five teams are returning to Bangor from the previous year. The previous record was four teams, in 2010, when Aruba South L.L., San Nicolas, Aruba; Bangor East/West L.L., Bangor, Maine; South Vineland L.L., Vineland, New Jersey; and West University returned after playing in the 2009 series.

Joining the teams that are returning from last year’s series are Lazio League, Lazio, Italy, which won the Europe-Africa regional on July 17, Nogales L.L., Nogales, Arizona, which won the U.S. West regional on Monday, Upper Moreland L.L., Upper Moreland, Pennsylvania, which won the U.S. East regional on Wednesday, East Holmes L.L., Holmes County, Ohio, and Old Town L.L., Old Town, which won the Maine District 3 title on July 21.