Covenant House 5K attracts hundreds to the beachfront

and won the Major Division title with a 13-0 victory over the Royals at Bayview Park.

Yankees manager Mike

Franco handed the ball to pitcher Spencer Regli to bring home the championship, and the 12-year-old did not disappoint. He allowed only one hit through four innings the mercy rule took effect.

“I learned to pitch a lot better because of the training I received from Coach Mike and my dad,” said Regli, a sixth-grader at St. Mark’s School. “I played travel ball but came back to play with this team and had a great season and a lot of fun.”

Regli received plenty of support at the plate from Hunter Kreizinger, Kevin Grzeszczak and Joshua Arena. Defensively, the team was led by catcher Matthew Pearson and second baseman Michael Cespedes.

Grzeszczak, of Pompano Beach, is in his third season with Fort Lauderdale Little League. The sixth-grader at Pompano Beach Middle School plays multiple positions and is adept at all of them.

“At the beginning of the season, we had our heads down because we were losing,” Grzeszczak said. “Then we started practicing and got better and better.”

Cespedes, 10, was the player on the team.

before

youngest

“I improved a lot because I got to play with older kids,” Cespedes said. “I learned to have discipline at the plate and become an allaround player.”

Franco said the players showed strong determination to turn their season around.

“They put the effort in and turned things around,” he said. “It was nice to see them so happy, which is the best part. To see those smiles on their faces is the best ever.”

For Pompano Beach’s Ngozi Uwah, running for a good cause on the beach makes the annual Covenant House 5K something special. And winning it is a bonus. About 700 runners met in front of Fort Lauderdale’s Parrot Lounge for the start of the race that benefits the Covenant House, a shelter for homeless and runaway youths. The race was put on by the Urban League of Broward County Young Professionals Network.

Uwah finished in first place in the women’s competition, while Martin Killian took the men’s crown. Uwah is a member of the Fort Lauderdale Runners Club and is a former Rutgers University runner.

“I run for fun and to stay in shape,” Uwah said. “I have come in second in this race before, and I’m happy to come out here and support a great cause. This is a great course and a terrific atmosphere with friendly people. It feels nice to win.”

Young Professionals Network president Matthew Brennan was on hand with more than 50 volunteers. “Once you understand what a cause like the Covenant House is for, you understand the reason why you want to help out,” Brennan said.

Emmett Hall can be reached at futurevest@aol.com.