This week’s weather will try to convince us that spring is right around the corner. OK, we’ll take the bait, and remind folks that registration for youth sports leagues is upon us. Here’s a quick rundown of a few popular ones:

• Clark Park Youth Soccer

The registration deadline is March 1. The season runs March 19 through May 21. The cost of registration is $42 for one child, which includes membership in the Friends of Clark Park. Additional kiddos in the same family are cheaper. All the forms you need to make it happen are here.

Each 90-minute Saturday session includes instruction and a game. The league is open to kids 5-11.

• Fairmount Sports Association baseball and softball

Many kids from neighborhood play softball and baseball across the river in the Fairmount Sports Association youth leagues off Ben Franklin Parkway. T-Ball typically involves age groups (boys and girls) starting at 4-6 years old. Girls softball begins at the rookie level with league play for ages 6-10 years of age. There is also a junior–senior level league for ages 11-16 years of age.

Boy’s baseball begins at the Rookie level (7-9), Junior or Pony League (10-12) and Senior league (13-16). Travel teams will be made up upon coaches and players availability.

You’ve already missed the early bird registration for this one, so it will cost you an extra $10 to register now. Online registration is available here. Walk-in registration is also available at the FSA building near the fields every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon and Tuesday/Thursday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Taney Youth baseball and softball

This league headquartered in South Philadelphia is also a popular one for neighborhood kids. The league plays its games on a number of fields in Center City. Opening day is April 9. Early bird registration is closed for this one too. But be quick because there is a cap on the number of players that will be allowed to register. The league is trying to get everyone to register online here. The registration fee is $90 for the first child and $80 for each additional child. The league is open to kids ages 3-15.

The Daily News included a nice little profile of West Philadelphia High School forward Lemeir Mitchell in its report of West’s drubbing of Horace Furness yesterday 76-60.

In addition to being a basketball player, Mitchell, who lives at 52nd and Hazel, is also an artist and, for now, he is specializing in tattoo art. He has even given himself a couple, including one that runs from elbow to his wrist.

Here is the full story.

High school basketball teams from New York City swept Philadelphia teams in a top-shelf tournament at the Palestra on Sunday. The 4th annual Villa Holiday Classic featured some tight match-ups in every sense of the word, but finished with 4 NYC wins.

Here are the results (From Dylan Butler’s blog at the NY Post):

Bishop Loughlin (NYC) 63, Dobbins Tech (Philly) 54

Boys and Girls (NYC) 62, Imhotep (Philly) 61 in a heartbreaker

Rice (NYC) 69, Penn Wood (Philly) 54

Christ the King 69, Neumann Goretti 66 in overtime

Philly and New York are going head to head all day today at the Palestra (235 South 33rd St.). The 4th annual Villa Holiday Classic high school basketball tournament, which pits four teams from Philly against four from New York, tips off at noon today. Tickets are $12-$25.

At 1:45 defending Philadelphia Public League champs Imhotep willl take on New York Public League champs Boys and Girls. Both teams are nationally ranked. The line-up also includes defending Philadelphia Catholic League champs Neumann Goretti against New York’s nationally ranked Christ the King in the 5:30 finale.

The Palestra box office can be reached at 215-898-6151.

It turned out to be easier than West Catholic players ever could have imagined. West Catholic won the PIAA Class AA state title today with a 50-14 defeat of South Fayette at Hersheypark Stadium.

West Catholic dominated on the ground, rushing for 406 yards on 48 carries. West’s David Williams led the ground attack with 183 yards on 14 carries. The win will help West fans and players forget the 35-34 double overtime loss in the title game against Wilmington Area two years ago.

A few bus ride/game  tickets remain for the West Catholic football state title Saturday at Hersheypark Stadium. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for adults and include bus transportation from West Catholic (4501 Chestnut St.) for the noon game against South Fayette, an undefeated team from the Pittsburgh suburb of McDonald. The bus leaves at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Tickets must be purchased by 9 a.m. on Friday. Call the school at 215-386-2244.

A pep rally will be held at the school tomorrow at noon for students and alumni.