North Park Little League Wins More Ways Than One!
by Courtney Daly-Pavone
What’s in a game the win, the glory, or the fight? The North Park Little League learned all the above this season, and their coach couldn’t be prouder. The team had quite an impressive season. After advancing from the Section 6 Tournament, they played in the Southern Califor- nia State Tournament, playing nine other Southern California Section champions, every city south of San Luis Obispo!
Their first tournament was held in Corona during the dog days of summer, and despite record temperatures, these kids played their hearts out winning their first game over a team from Rancho Cucamunga 17- 8. Logan Cole hit a home run, as did Phoenix Brant who hit one in the sectional tourna- ment. After their amazing vic- tory, the whole team piled into a 15 person van.
The next game was against a team from Santa Maria. “It was a great baseball game, really high level for ten-year-olds,” said Lucas Handlesman. “We came up short, losing 4-3.” The next night the North Park Little League played a team from El Segundo. “Another classic game and we came up just short again, losing 6-3. It was really amazing to see the level of base- ball at this tournament and see our boys fit right in. We could have won both games, but the ball just didn’t bounce our way. But we belonged. We were right there,” said Handlesman.
The real story isn’t the wins and losses, but the teamwork, the community that banded together in the name of youth baseball. A and B Sports sponsored the team meals, a parent Peter Milazzo paid for the van rental for the team, $3,000 was raised through a gofundme page to pay for the team’s hotel rooms. Handlesman stated, “We are sad we lost, but we couldn’t be prouder of the boys. The last time a team at this level went this far was in 1995, a team coached by legendary coach Joe Schloss. These boys will never forget those days on the field playing baseball, supporting each other, adults believing in them. Lessons they’ll carry forth in life, whether it’s in the classroom, or the boardroom, it will live in their hearts and minds forever, and that’s what it’s all about. Life’s lessons are sometimes learned on the ball-field.
