On January 7, Urbana High hosted the first match of the 2015 season of Special Olympics Unified bocce ball.  Linganore teams won one match and lost three.

Amy Angeletti, Alexa Baughman, Joe Morris, Sean Rieffer, Sydney Rossman, John Slaughter, Sara Weber and Michelle Weddle  beat their opponents by a score of 8 – 3.

The other participating teams did not do as well because it was their first match of the season and they were still getting familiar with bocce.

Senior Michelle Weddle said, “We had a really good time. We worked together and had a fun day.”

The school’s team is made up of over 30 special education students (athletes) and their non-special education student partners.

Bocce Ball is a strategic game, combining simple ball skills with careful planning. The object of the game is to have the team’s bocce ball closer to the ‘pallina,’ or the target, than the other team’s balls.

“I enjoy watching partners develop meaningful friendships as they have fun playing the game of Bocce ball,” said Head Coach Susan DeLizia, a special education assistant.

Every week until the end of January, the teams will play matches against other participating Frederick County schools. At the end of the bocce ball season, all high schools can send teams to compete in the county tournament. The gold medal team will represent Frederick County in the Maryland Unified Bocce Ball Championship in February.

“We are competitive and take the game very seriously,” said DeLizia.

Last year, Linganore was one of the teams that represented Frederick County in the state tournament. The tournament was very evenly matched, since it was the best of the best. LHS placed 7th overall.

Coach Cheryl Novotny said, “We should have a successful season, and we will definitely have a lot of fun along the way.”  Mark Sunkel, science department chairperson, also coaches the team.  Unified sports run throughout the school year.  The next season will be Unified track and field (beginning in March).

The next match is at LHS in the cafeteria at 4:00 p.m. on January 14.  All are welcome as spectators.