George Lewis is certainly living the life these days. The manager of the Washington Park Little League 11-and-12-year-old All-Star team can’t believe the fortune that he and his never-say-die bunch of little warriors are enjoying right now.
“I can’t believe it,” said Lewis, whose team was just one win away from claiming the Little League Section 2 title and earning a berth in the state Little League championship, a first-ever appearance for Washington Park.
“I have to pinch myself every day,” said Lewis, whose team defeated Livingston, 4-3, in the first round of the Section 2 tourney in Secaucus, then defeated Rutherford, 5-4, in the second round to advance to the winner’s bracket finale. “We’re one win from the state tournament. I just never thought we’d hear that in one sentence. Not putting any other teams down, but it had become a routine, winning perhaps one game, then lose two and be out.”
But the Washington Park All-Stars don’t know how to lose. Take for instance Monday night’s game against Rutherford, a team that had defeated Washington Park a year ago in the 11-year-old tournament.
“We were losing 3-2 in the third inning and we loaded the bases,” Lewis said. “One of our players hits a swinging bunt and the third baseman threw the ball away and three runs scored.”
Anthony DeJesus was the Washington Park player who hit the slow roller.
“I just ran as hard as I could,” DeJesus said. “I couldn’t believe it happened. It felt like it was meant for us to have it happen. Definitely, fate is on our side.”
It sure seems that way.
“How can you explain it?” Lewis said. “I can’t. I just know for these kids to be battling the way they’re battling, it’s tremendous. This is all our last shot at Little League. As coaches, it’s the last shot to do it with these kids. These kids are fighters. I’ve never seen anything like it. They just keep fighting. I’m really at a loss for words. It’s amazing.”
“Our team has worked hard to get to this point,” said Aaron LaRusso. “It’s been fun working with them. We might get down, but we’re confident that we’re coming back. This team hadn’t won the District [7] title since 1969 and we did. We have never won the sectional. Fate is with us.”
Justin Valenzuela agrees.
“You can’t imagine how much fun it is,” Valenzuela said. “It’s great that we’re doing this.”
The players were all asked if they knew where Hammonton was. That’s the location of the Little League state tournament that begins next Thursday. No one knew.
“I know it’s pretty far away,” Valenzuela said.
That’s correct, more than two hours away from their homes in the Jersey City Heights.
“But I know our parents and fans will come, because there are a lot more people coming and cheering for Washington Park,” Valenzuela said.
“We have such a good team,” DeJesus said. “We can go pretty far. We’re all excited about it. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.”
Lewis knows what the great postseason run has meant.
“I think we’re helping to put Washington Park on the map,” Lewis said. “Other kids will see this and want to come to play here. It will help with registration for the league. Kids will want to play.”
Lewis said that the team collectively said that they were headed to the Little League World Series in Williamsport after losing their first game in the District 7 tourney. Well, they won the District title and now they’re one win away from the Section 2 banner as well with a trip to Hammonton and the state tourney.
“All 14 kids on this team believed that Williamsport was going to be where they ended up,” Lewis said. “There’s no doubting them now. As coaches, we just put them on the field and we just sit in the dugout to watch. They’re giving us heart attacks, but this has been a lot of fun for all of us. And as long as the kids are having fun, then that’s all that matters. It’s all we can ask for. The kids are all loose. They’re having a lot of fun. I don’t think a lot of them understand the importance and understand what they’re doing.”…
Two West New York youth teams competed recently in the National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series in Knoxville, Tennessee after winning their respective state championships.
The West New York 17-and-under team won three games in Knoxville, before being eliminated in the medal round by the Karn Beavers of Tennessee. They defeated the D.C. Metro Senators of Virginia, the Brooklyn Bonnies and the Heritage Mountaineers of Tennessee in pool play.
“We went 17-2 in the regular season,” said WNY U-17 head coach Eddie Morales. “We defeated Allendale to win the state championship. It was a very successful run by the team. They got good experience. Everyone stepped up and did their jobs.”
Morales said that it was “a little disappointing” that the WNY U-17s did so well in the pool play portion, then lost right away.
“To lose one game and be out is tough,” Morales said. “But it was a great experience for them. A lot of them had traveled to other places before, so they had that experience. But this helps down the road. Hopefully, next year, we’ll do more.”
Memorial pitching ace Chris Reywas the team’s top hurler. He was joined on the staff by Memorial hurlers Kevin Mojica, Derek Fernandez and Roldan Gil. The catcher was Alberto Munoz, with Fernandez at first, Daniel de la Rosa at second, Gregory Cuevas at shortstop and Dauri Genao at third.
Noel Rodriguez was the left fielder, Anthony Martinez was the centerfielder and Gil in right.
The WNY 16-and-under team also captured the New Jersey title to move on to Knoxville. Both teams drove to Tennessee together in vans provided by the town.
“I still couldn’t believe we were there,” said head coach Anthony Valdes. “Our kids loved it. They had the time of their lives. Unfortunately, we didn’t win a game there, but we had a great time.”
Valdes said that his team was comprised of players all 15 and under, but played a year older.
“We played up a level, so that’s quite an accomplishment,” Valdes said.
Alberto Rosario was the team’s top pitcher. He’s going to be a freshman at Memorial in the fall. Michael Hernandez and Diony Hernandez (no relation) were the other two pitchers.
Rosario and Diony Hernandez shared first base. Andre Trujillo was at second base, Joshua Casado at shortstop and David Fernandez at third. Raymond Herrera was in left field, Michael Hernandez at centerfield and John Ojeda in right.
“Memorial is going to be stacked for the next few years,” Valdes said. “I talked to other coaches and they were able to draw from players from a 30-to-50 mile radius. We took kids from one town. We did fairly well to get there.”
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