In Wildwood, playing for all the marbles

WILDWOOD - There was a hush as Emily Cavacini lined up the shot. The 11-year-old steadily eyed the final target, a navy blue marble glinting in the afternoon sun, then knocked it out of the ring with her shooter marble.

An instant later, the freshly minted girls' division champion in the 90th annual National Marbles Tournament, a sixth grader from the Pittsburgh area, was swarmed by supporters, who soaked her with water in celebration.

Emily's win also marked the conclusion of a four-day event that epitomized the wholesome image that Wildwood officials have said in recent weeks they want this resort city to project. Just last week, the city enacted a decency code, including banning sagging pants.

"It's a real family event and it brings families from all over to the Wildwoods," Ben Rose of the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority said of the tournament, which the city has hosted for much of the event's long history.

The tournament, held on the beach at Wildwood Avenue, featured 52 boys and girls ages 7 and 14 from across the country who had won qualifying matches.

Cavacini, of Shaler Township, along with the boys' champion, 12-year-old Cooper Fisher of Middletown Valley, Md., won their brackets after enduring four days of competition.

The arena was an array of 10 concrete marbles courts, or rings, off the boardwalk that constitute "Ringer Stadium." The event drew about 200 spectators Thursday.

Though the tournament has been held in other cities, it has called Wildwood home most often, including the last 30 years, said Beri Fox, owner of Marble King, the Paden City, W. Va., marble-maker that is a key sponsor of the event.

"Wildwood has been a tremendous host to us over the years. We just couldn't ask for better accommodations, the kids love it," said Fox.

Fox has been attending the tournament since the 1960s. Her father, Roger Howdyshell, worked for Marble King and later bought it. Fox then bought the company from her mother's estate in 2003.

In the boys' final, Cooper defeated his teammate, 12-year-old Luke Gaffigan of Woodsboro, Md.

Luke was born in Ethiopia, where he played marbles on the streets. He said he started playing in the United States two years ago after his adopted parents saw how skilled he was.

"I played marbles there, and when I came here, my mom saw me shoot, and then she just signed me up for marbles," he said.

Luke and Cooper are members of the Frederick County Knucklers, a marbles club in Maryland.

For these competitors, the game doesn't come easy. Leading up to the tournament, Cooper said, he practiced three hours per day every other day. Dan LaGamba, who has been coaching Emily for four years, said she worked "unbelievably hard" in the months before the tournament.

"She's practiced every day since March," said LaGamba.

And for the first time that anyone could recall, players from Wildwood qualified for the tournament, said Betty Harshaw, a teacher in the Wildwood School District.

Harshaw, 54, herself competed in the tournament in 1968 and this time helped coach the two qualifiers from Wildwood, India McClendon and William Portalatin.

She said the tournament allowed the youngsters to interact with others of different backgrounds from across the country.

"It was an enlightening experience for the kids," said Harshaw.

Each winner was awarded a trophy, medal, watch, plaque, crown - and a $2,000 scholarship.

And in keeping with tradition, the "king" of the boys' bracket gave the "queen" of the girls' a peck on the cheek.