21 Players Selected for the Mosquito Lakers Team!

For the past 6 months our Rotary Club has been involved in organizing a hometown basketball team called the Mosquito Lakers, which is scheduled to play against the internationally-acclaimed Harlem Ambassadors on Monday, October 29th, at 6:30 PM in the Lakeview High School Gymnasium.

This has been one part of a community-wide fund raising effort that is intended to help raise money to meet the growing needs of our local food pantry, Cortland Area Cares, which on a larger scale, is part of a combined effort of the Lakeview Local Schools, the 8 member churches of the Lakeview Outreach and Fellowship (LOAF), the Optimist Club of Bazetta-Cortland, the Kiwanis Club of Cortland, and the Lions Club of Cortland.

With the help of a past Lakeview High School star, Jim Lambert and the current Lakeview High School Junior Varsity Coach, Brandon Bakker, who serve as Co-Captains for the Mosquito Lakers, a 21-member team has been selected to go up against the skill and antics of the Harlem Ambassadors.  The Mosquito Lakers includes a number of past area high school male and female standouts, as well as former college and semi-pro basketball stars to challenge the highly skilled Harlem Ambassadors.  The team also includes several Lakeview School System teachers and is being coached by Lakeview High School's Freshman Boys Basketball Coach, Frank Newton.

The Mosquito Lakers Player Roster and their player numbers for the game are as follows:

Brandon Bakker (#55), Aaron Bernhard (#22), Greg Foster (#34)
Lawrence Herrholtz (#9), Jim Lambert (#31), John Moy (#3)
Frank Newton Jr. (#11), Marty Nosich (#2), Mark Novotny (#30)
Chad Phillips (#5), Ryan Varley (#12), Ronnie DeJulio (#38)
Cindy Dickey (#33), James Franks (#40), Austin Handrych (#39)
Mark Jordan (#23), Michael Matheny (#32), Gary Sarko (#25)
Emily Scott (#35), Scott Taylor (#36), Mike Turco (#37)

The game will include two quarters of head-to-head competitive basketball and two quarters of exhibition show basketball that will provide amazing and hilarious entertainment, along with audience participation. 

The 1st and 3rd quarters will be at a faster pace.  In these two periods, the Ambassadors want to face our best players we have.  Players with any apprehension about becoming involved in a "show" have been assured they will get an opportunity to play plenty of competitive basketball... If they are up to it!

The 2nd and 4th quarters involve more elaborate comedy routines, and the pace of the game is slower.  Participation by our most humorous and possibly "less athletic" or well-known celebrity players will help this part of the game and show be the most fun and entertaining for the viewers.  Fan particpation will also be a major part of these quarters...  If you are up for it!

Our Mosquito Lakers plan to give the Harlem Ambassadors a challenge and who knows, the might even come up winners!  Either way, this is a win-win situation for the our community and an opportunity to show that the Cortland area, truly does care!

This promises to be an evening of fun and entertainment for young and old that the Harlem Ambassadors describe as being "Better Than Your Grandfather's Basketball Show."

Sponsors are being offered for the each of the players as part of the overall fund raising effort for Cortland Area Cares and will be posted soon on the web site.  A few Player Sponsorships are still available to any business or organization wishing to join in supporting the worthwhile community event to help address the issue of hunger for the needy individuals, children, senior citizens and families within the Lakeview School District.  Player Sponsorships are available at $200, as well as, Event Sponsorships at $100 for individuals, families, groups, organizations and/or businesses wishing to support Cortland Area Cares through this community effort.  

Tickets for the Cortland Area Cares Community Fundraiser are available at our Downtown Cortland Ticket Office at the Wollam Insurance Agency, 214 W. Main Street and at all Lakeview Local Schools, as well as at the 8-member Churches of the Lakeview Outreach and Fellowship (LOAF), which includes Bazetta Christian Church, Cortland Christian Church, Cortland Church of the Nazarene, Cortland United Methodist Church, First Church of God, Harvest Christian Assembly Church, Prince of Peace Church, St. Roberts Catholic Church or through any member of the Rotary Club of Cortland, Optimist Club of Bazetta-Cortland, Kiwanis Club of Cortland and Lions Club of Cortland.

On behalf of Cortland Area Cares we would like to thank everyone who has been involved in helping to put together the Mosquito Lakers Team and helping to identifying players for our hometown team.  We are especially thankful to the players for coming forward to help with their time and basketball talents to help make this event possible!

The sole purpose of the Harlem Ambassadors Basketball Game & Show is to raise community awareness and funds for the efforts of Cortland Area Cares (CAC).

CAC is our largest local community food bank that provides food and personal care items to needy individuals and families living within the area of the Lakeview School District.  CAC is currently providing food and personal care items of need to approximately 150 individuals, families and senior citizens on a monthly basis.

"All of the profits raised from this Fundraiser will go directly to Cortland Area Cares."