Keybirds look to break out of recent trend in own tournament

Williston will be looking to buck a recent trend in its own Economart/Delaney Recycling Baseball Tournament at Aafedt Stadium this weekend.

The American Legion Post 37 Keybirds have settled for fifth place the past two years and look to get back into the championship for the 22nd edition of the annual event, last winning it all in 2004.

Minot has won three of the last four titles, but will not play in this year's offering, guaranting a new champion this time out.

The Keybirds will bring some veteran firepower to the field with last year's Offensive Player winner Tyler Liffrig returning, while Andy Leer also swings a lethal bat.

Williston will play in Pool A Thursday and Friday, with bracket play Saturday and Sunday.

The top two teams in each pool will play for the title, while the bottom two in each play for consolation honors.

Williston's pool includes Elkhorn, Neb.; Rapid City, S.D.; and Saskatoon Saskatchewan.

Pool B includes Mandan; Kirkwood, Mo.; Regina, Sask.; and Weyburn, Sask.

Williston plays Rapid City at 11 a.m. and Saskatoon at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, and then plays Elkhorn at 7:30 p.m. Friday in pool play.

2007 Economart/Delaney Schedule

Pool A - Williston; Elkhorn, Neb.; Rapid City, S.D.; Saskatoon, Sask. Giants.

Pool B - Mandan; Kirkwood, Mo.; Regina, Sask.; Weyburn, Sask.

Thursday's Games

Regina, Sask., Weyburn, Sask.

Williston vs. Rapid City, 11 a.m.

Mandan vs. Kirkwood, 1 p.m. Elkhorn vs. Rapid City, 3:30 p.m.

Regina vs. Weyburn, 5:30 p.m.

Williston vs. Saskatoon, 7:30 p.m.

Friday's Games

Rapid City vs. Saskatoon, 9 a.m.

Kirkwood vs. Regina, 11 a.m.

Saskatoon vs. Elkhorn, 1 pm.

Mandan vs. Regina, 3:30 p.m.

Kirkwood vs. Weyburn, 5:30 p.m.

Williston vs. Elkhorn, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday's Games

Mandan vs. Weyburn, 9 a.m.

Pool A No. 3 vs. Pool B, 11 a.m.

Pool B No. 3 vs. Pool A No. 4, 1 p.m.

Pool A No. 1 vs. Pool B No. 2, 4 p.m.

Pool B No. 1 vs. Pool A No. 2, 6 p.m.

Sunday's Games

7th place - 9 a.m.

5th place - 11 a.m.

3rd place - 1:30 p.m.

Championship - 3:30 p.m.

Delaney History

2006

Teams: Williston; Minot; Lewistown, Mont.; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Giants; Whitefish-Glacier, Mont.; Great Falls, Mont.; Mandan; Rapid City SS, S.D.

Championship - Minot 15, Whitefish-Glacier 0

Third place - Great Falls 8, Saskatoon 0

Fifth place - Williston 16, Lewistown 2

Seventh place - Mandan 16, Rapid City 6

2005

Teams: Williston; Kirkwood, Mo.; Valley City; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Giants; Minot; Great Falls, Mont.; Mandan; Rapid City SS, S.D.

Championship - Minot 8, Mandan 3

Third place - Kirkwood, Mo. 7, Saskatoon 2

Fifth place - Great Falls 6, Williston 4

Seventh place - Valley City def. Rapid City SS

2004

Teams: Eureka, Mo.; Mandan; Rapid City Split-squad, S.D.; Minot; DePere, Wis; Valley City; Sidney, Mont.; Williston.

Championship - Williston 10, DePere 3

Third place - Eureka 12, Minot 7

Fifth place - Mandan 12, Rapid City SS 4

Seventh place - Valley City 9, Sidney 5

2003

Teams: Valley City; Wahpeton; Dickinson; Rapid City split-squad, S.D.; Sidney, Mont.; Eureka, Mo.; Minot; Williston.

Championship - Minot 12, Eureka 3

Third place - Sidney 5, Williston 4

Fifth place - Rapid City SS 5, Dickinson 2

Seventh place - Wahpeton 6, Valley City 5

2002

Teams: Havre, Mont.; Glendive, Mont.; Minot; Rapid City split-squad, S.D.; Valley City; Sidney, Mont.; Dickinson; Williston.

Championship - Dickinson 14, Williston 10

Third place - Minot 10, Valley City 1

Fifth place - Glendive 3, Havre 2

Seventh place - Rapid City 7, Sidney 3

2001

Teams: Sioux Falls East, Sioux Falls West, Havre, Mont., Moose Jaw, Sask., Great Falls, Mont., Gillette, Wyo.; Rapid City SS, S.D.; Valley City; Sidney, Mont.; Dickinson; Minot; Williston.

Round Robin (rain shortened)

3-0 - Dickinson, Minot, Sioux Falls East

2-1 - Williston, Rapid City SS

1-1 - Moose Jaw

1-2 - Havre, Sidney, Sioux Falls West

0-2 - Great Falls

0-3 - Valley City, Gillette

2000

Teams: Sioux Falls, S.D.; Crookston, Minn.; Estevan, Sask.; Havre, Mont.; Gillette, Wyo.; Rapid City, S.D.; Valley City; Sidney, Mont.; Dickinson; Williston.

Championship - Dickinson (4-0), Havre 2nd (4-0).

Third place - Estevan (3-1), Rapid City fourth (3-1).

Fifth place - Williston (2-2), Gillette 6th (2-2).

1999

Teams: Valley City; Richland Co., Mont.; Dickinson; Excelsior, Minn.; Gillette, Wyo.; Williston.

Round Robin

Championship - Excelsior (4-1), Williston 2nd (4-1).

Third place - Gillette 3rd (3-2), Valley City 4th (2-3).

Fifth place - Dickinson (2-3), Richland Co. 6th (0-5).

1998

Teams: Laurel, Mont., Cloquet, Minn.; Valley City, Gillette, Wyo.; Northern Hills; Williston, Team Manitoba.

Championship - Laurel 11, Cloquet 7

Third place - Team Manitoba 15, Williston 7

Fifth place - Valley City 14, N.H. 5

1997

Teams: Team Manitoba, Cloquet, Minn., West Fargo, Sturgis, S.D., Gillette, Wyo., Valley City, Laurel, Mont., Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Valley City won on coin flip over Manitoba.(Game called during third inning due to rain)

Third Place: Excelsior, Minn. 5, Cloquet, Minn. 1

1996

Teams: Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Twin City (Scottsbluff&Gering) Nebraska; Bismarck Amvets; Laurel, Montana; Regina Amtrak; Gillette, Wyoming; Helena, Montana; West Fargo; Williston Royals; Williston Keybirds

Championship: Gillette, 4, Williston 1

Third place: West Fargo on coin flip over Twin City

1995

Teams: Sioux Falls, S.D.; Gillette, Wyo.; Regina, Saskatchewan; Helena, Mont.; Minot; Devils Lake; West Fargo; Williston Keybirds

Championship: Sioux Falls 3, Helena 2, 9 inn.

Consolation: Williston 10, West Fargo 5

1994

Teams: Claremont, Calif.; Escanaba, Mich.; Gillette, Wyo.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Laurel, Mont.; Bismarck; Fridley, Minn.; Manhattan, Kan.; Williston Royals; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Manhattan 7, Bismarck 6

Third place: Fridley 6, Williston 2

Fifth place: Sioux Falls 11, Escanaba 0

Seventh place: Laurel 7, Claremont 3

1993

Teams: Bellevue, Wash.; Escanaba, Mich.; Laurel, Mont.,; Aberdeen, S.D.; Cody, Wyo.; Bismarck; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Gillette, Wyo.; Regina, Saskatchewan; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Bellevue 4, Sioux Falls 1 (9 inn.)

Third place: Williston 8, Cody 7

1992

Teams: Bellevue, Wash.; Alliance, Neb.; Sioux Falls, S.D.; Bismarck; Green Bay, Wis.; Gillette, Wyo.; Aberdeen, S.D.; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Great Falls, Mont.; Regina, Saskatchewan; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Bismarck 8, Great Falls 6

Third place: Bellevue 12, Gillette 0

Fifth place: Williston 11, Sioux Falls 1

1991

Teams: Devils Lake; Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Grand Forks; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Thief River Falls, Minn.; Regina, Saskatchewan; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Grand Forks 10, Detroit Lakes 4.

Third place: Williston 11, Medicine Hat 8

Fifth place: Saskatoon 20, Regina 2

Seventh place: Thief River Falls 13, Devils Lake 0

1990

Teams: Detroit Lakes, Minn.; Edina, Minn.; Grand Forks; Billings, Mont.; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Williston Keybirds.

Round Robin: 1st, Billings (4-0); 2nd, Edina (3-1); 3rd, Williston (2-2).

1989

Teams: Northwest All-Stars; Regina, Saskatchewan; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Rapid City, S.D., Bullets; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Williston 2, Moose Jaw 1

1988

Teams: Minot; Thief River Falls, Minn.; Medicine Hat, Alberta; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; Grand Forks; Rapid City, S.D.; Northwest All-Stars; Williston Keybirds.

Championship: Medicine Hat 11, RC Bullets 1

Third place: Grand Forks 7, Thief River Falls 5

Fifth place: Williston 7, Minot 6

Seventh place: Moose Jaw 11, All-Stars 0

1987

Teams: Grand Forks; Sturgis, S.D.; Rapid City, S.D., Bullets; Williston Keybirds.

Round robin: 1st, Williston (3-0).

1986

Teams: Ray; Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; Regina, Saskatchewan, Blue Jays; Williston Keybirds.

Round robin: 1st, Williston (3-0).