Lacey Twp. Middle School students compete in a speedball tournament on Thursday night, 3/24/16.
Department News – Thursday night, March 24, 2016, was a night for intense and very competitive games of speedball at the Lacey Township Middle School with 118 motivated 7th and 8th graders showing up to participate in a double-elimination tournament which culminated in the tournament champions competing against officers of the Lacey Township Police Department. The tournament, organized by the Lacey Township Recreation Department and the Lacey Township Police Department, included free team t-shirts provided by the Lacey Municipal Police Foundation, as well as food and door prizes provided by Lacey Recreation and the Municipal Alliance. The tournament involved 11 teams of middle schoolers with the police officers serving as coaches and the biggest fans and cheerleaders for their respective teams. The participation far exceeded anyone’s expectations with 118 students competing.
Speed Bombers (red shirts) and Don’t Take Candy from Strangers (white shirts) after Championship game (3/24/16).
The competition was very intense with more than 20 matches being completed before the championship game between the undefeated co-ed “Speed Bombers” team and the undefeated “Don’t Take Candy from Strangers” team. The Speed Bombers team included a group of young men and women who are clearly destined for soccer greatness. The members of the Don’t Take Candy from Strangers team distinguished themselves, not only through their public service announcement of a team name, but by not giving up a goal through the championship finals. The crew from Don’t Take Candy from Strangers squeaked out a close 2-0 victory winning the championship and earning the opportunity to compete against the officers from the police department in a full-court, Main Event match-up.
Thirteen members of the Lacey Township Police Department participated in the event: Chief David A. Paprota, Lieutenant Patrick Ganley, Lieutenant Christopher Kenny, Officer John Simonson, Officer Dimitri Tsarnas, Officer Julie Barcalow, Officer Michael Hein, Officer Daniel Ricciardella, Officer Anthony Sarno, Officer Scott Keefe, Officer Chris Meyler, Officer Jesse Dalziel, as well as Allison Price who provided the photography. The members of the police department had an amazing time serving as team coaches, interacting with the middle schoolers, and getting wrapped up in the intensity of the competition. Middle School Principal Jason King was correct in his assessment that these two classes of 7th and 8th graders are truly an exceptional group of well-mannered and engaged young men and women.
Speedball Team of the Lacey Township Police Team (3/24/16).
The Main Event was a very competitive game between a noticeably skilled and athletic “Don’t Take Candy from Strangers” team (white shirts) and the police officers. The game was tied 1-1 until the final two minutes when the police officers pulled out the victory by scoring two goals leading to a final score of 3-1.
Special thanks from all of the members of the Lacey Township Police Department to the staff at Lacey Recreation and the Municipal Alliance for all of their help in organizing and running this great event. As the night came to an end, all of the participating officers from the police department sincerely expressed their appreciation for being able to volunteer for such a worthwhile and fulfilling event.
Chief David A. Paprota addressing the group in the multi-purpose room before the start of the tournament (3-24-16).