Recently, the Catasauqua Playground Summer League began its 39th season on the court.

Catasauqua head boys’ basketball coach Eric Snyder, who took over the league in 1989, welcomed 10 teams back into the league that will run through July 2.

The playoff qualifying round will begin with fourth through 10th-seeded teams July 8, and the quarterfinals involving the top-three seeds begin the following night.

The league semifinals are scheduled July 10, and the championship is scheduled for July 11.

Defending champion Ohlson Landscaping is among the 10 teams. Other are Catty Corner, Grove Street Pub, Hockey Fire Hall, Daku’s Auto Body, The Tribe, Zone 6, Bet On Us, G&s, and Rebels Farm.

Ohlson Landscaping also won the third annual “Battle of the Boroughs,” - featuring the winners of the Catty Playground and North Catty League – with a 65-59 win over Curmaci Dental.

Ed Ohlson, who also serves as the head coach of the Parkland boys’ basketball team, led his team along with former local standouts Mark Lesko, Lucas Lesko, Tony Beers, Darryl Keckler, Ray Barbosa, Kevin Misevicius, and Kevin Hopkins. All of them are expected to be on the Ohlson roster.

Former Catty standout James Hopkins and Northampton grads Phil and Derek Hall paced Curmaci Dental/Catty Corner, and the trio will be back this summer. Aidan Elwood, another former Northampton standout, will play for Curmaci Dental/Catty Corner.

James Snyder, who is 30 and the head JV basketball coach, is enthused to participate again and has plenty of motivation.

“I’m excited to come back,” he beamed. “We pretty much have the same guys coming back with a few new additions. We’re hoping to finally get over the hump and win the Battle of the Boroughs.

“It’s nice because we’ve all played together for quite some time now, so we should hopefully pick up where we left off.”

Snyder and his teammates haven’t lost their desire and commitment, as the age of his teammates range from 22 to 40.

“I have the same drive and desire to win, all of us do,” added Snyder. “We’re getting up there in years, so we don’t know if our bodies will have that drive.

“I don’t feel sense of nostalgia because we are still playing. But it is making me feel old when we’re playing against kids we’ve coached or coached against.”

Eric Snyder also stated that his boys’ varsity team will begin play in the Whitehall Summer League May 21 against Upper Perkiomen.

Snyder added that the Catty Playground League and the North Catty League are the lone summer men’s leagues still active with the end of the Bangor League.

“We’re the only two leagues left,” said Snyder. “But we have 10 teams and we’re looking forward to a good season. We believe we have a pretty competitive league.”