East Sweeps All-Day, All-Age Basketball Tournament

The Tosa East Red Raiders swept all six games Saturday over Tosa West in a booster tournament pitting teams from sixth grade up to varsity. But the real lesson was not in rivalry on the court but in sentiment and character on the sidelines.

East's Raider Athletic Booster Club hosted the tourney to give young players a chance to feel what it's like to be on the big court. But the night was dedicated to awareness of cancer and the memory of Michael Landisch, who was both a player for East and a coach for West.

Landisch's jersey and number as an East player was retired and displayed during halftime of the nightcap varsity game, which East won 61-39. Landisch was a highly successful coach at West who succumbed to kidney cancer Sept. 25. He left behind a wife and two young children.

"It was a great day and night," said organizer Linda Cupertino. "Everybody was focused on giving."

The American Cancer Society was on hand to help raise awareness, offer information and accept donations. Landisch's legacy was in part that of a very difficult cancer to detect and treat, meaning that fancer research stilll has a long way to go.

East prevails

The Raiders boosters also held their own fundraising spaghetti dinner the same night, but the main focus of the day was on hoops. And Tosa East swept the field.

Beginning at 10 a.m., the Junior Raiders and then ultimately the seniors won:

• Sixth-graders, 33-27, East over West
• Seventh-graders, 51-31, East over West
• Eighth-graders, 44-39, East over West
• Freshmen, 53-49, East over West
• Junior Varsity, 36-32, East over West
• Varsity, 61-39, East over West