On the first day of August, the Cherry Bowl Tournament, the volleyball games that have been played since 1984, took place and, playing three 25-point games, the Cherry Grove Grovettes, led by Team Captain Sue Panzer, beat the Suffolk County Police Copettes, led by Captain James Lewis, two games to one. The scores of the games, nail-biters all, were: Grovettes 25 – Copettes 18, in game one; Copettes 25 – Grovettes 19, in game two; and Grovettes 25 – Copettes 17, in the deciding game. Doreen Rallo was the referee. Mark Atten, veteran of the 1984 games, once again played for the Grovettes.
Assisted by DJ and game caller Chuck McTague, Porsche opened the afternoon, singing the “Star Spangled Banner.” Game two was halted, when, with the score at 22 to 15, Copette George, who is on duty in the Grove, fell and injured his knee, for which he was attended by Grovette and Physician Assistant Monika Kost and EMS. The cheerleading Cherry Tarts then began their half-time show, with Porsche singing “Vacation” and the others forming a pyramid, topped by Holly Dae. Game two resumed and after it, the Suffolk County Police Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, who paraded in earlier playing “When the Caissons Go Rolling Along” and “Anchors Aweigh,” took the field to give us the likes of “God Bless America,” “Over There,” “When the Saints Go Marching In,” and “Amazing Grace.” Holly reported, based on her research, that the bagpipers really were wearing nothing beneath their kilts.
Watch for the next Cherry Bowl on the first Wednesday of August 2019.

photo by Bruce-Michael Gelbert

Grovettes, Copettes & Cherry Tarts

.......................................................................................................................................................................................