Young Scrappers Ripken Rookie Division champions

Manager Lee Heintz’s 7-8-year-old Scrappers are Manatee Cal Ripken Rookie Division Champions. They are Parker Severs, Baden Wallace, Hunter Jackson, Camden Pope, Jonathan Stone, Ben Hedgepeth, Gage Hinds, Aiden Brown, Sam Heintz, Hunter Winneka, Cody Simpson and Ryan Swenson. Coaches are Brian Stone, Tim Simpson and Brian Hedgepeth.
• Diane and Howard Small’s son, David, made it back to B’town for the holidays Wednesday. The Navy lieutenant had been serving as an airborne air traffic controller with the aircraft carrier USS George Washington during Operation Damayan, the U.S. military’s relief operation in the Philippines region devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.
• Nick Zec’s North Central College Cardinals, Naperville, Ill., are in the NCAA D-III national semifinals against mighty No. 1 Mount Union in Alliance, Ohio, Saturday. Go, Cardinals!
Read more Friday in Vin's People on Bradenton.com.