WILDWOOD – The Wildwood Middle School WAVE 21 Program completed its seventh annual local tournament, with four competitors earning the right to represent the district.
According to a release, Wildwood Middle School seventh grader Jessica Johnson and fourth grader Michelle Gonzalez will represent the district in the National Marbles Tournament for this year.
Johnson competed last year as the 2018 Cape May County.
In the boys’ division, Wildwood Middle School sixth grade students Marco Juarez and Samuel Santiago will round out the champion entourage representing the school district. Santiago enters as a second-year champion, ending in last year’s tournament as the first Wildwood boy champion to land in a top eight semi-finals position.
Wildwood can boast of five Yankowski Sportsmanship Awards in the National Marbles Tournament.
They were earned in 2016 by Wildwood champions My’Air Henry and Kevin Cruz, a first in Wildwood marble history, with Lisbeth Garcia capturing the honor in 2017. In 2018, Henry earned the recognition for a second time, along with fellow champion Jorge Cruz.
Each champion received $500 scholarships to go towards their college education.
Each year, the National Marbles Tournament features mibsters from all over the country. They will spend their mornings at Ringer Stadium in Wildwood on June 17, 18, and 19 shooting for a winning record that will land them in top eight spot in the Boys’ and Girls’ Divisions and a chance for the championship title.
The local program began in the WAVE 21 Program held after school at Wildwood Middle School.
Students began learning the basics of playing marbles last September, with 40 students competing during April and May in this years Boys’ and Girls’ Preliminary Tournaments.
Under the tutelage of Wildwood Middle/High School Physical Education teacher Betty Harshaw and retired Cape May County Special Services Physical Education teacher Jerry Seiber, the students have been working on their techniques in hopes of making it to the national tournament.
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WILDWOOD – Every year during the third week of June, Ringer Stadium on the Wildwood Beach is abuzz with mibsters (marble shooters) from all over the country vying for the coveted title of the King and Queen of the National Marbles Tournament.
Evelyn Merino, sixth grade, and Myaira Marrow, fourth grade, are the girl champions of the Third annual Cape May County Marbles Tournament held May 11, and will compete in the National Marbles Tournament to be held June 17-20.
Jose Garcia will once again represent Cape May County (he was the first Cape May County Marbles Champion in 2017), along with fifth grade student from Glenwood Avenue Elementary School, Josiel Lopez.
The official game played at the National Marbles Tournament is “Ringer.”
In Ringer, there are 13 target marbles that are placed in the middle of the ring and in the shape of an ‘X’, one target marble in the middle with three on each leg spaced three inches apart on center.
The object of Ringer is to be the first mibster to shoot out seven marbles.
The Cape May County Marbles Tournament is under the direction of Jerry Sieber and Betty Harshaw.
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