December 27 - Loudoun South Little League’s 9/10 American All-Stars have been named the magazine’s 2016 Little League/Cal Ripken Team of the Year as part of our year-end feature honoring Northern Virginia’s top teams.
The team, coached by Sean Lizama, went 14-1 over the summer en route to District 16, Virginia state and Southeast Region championships, becoming the first area team in their age bracket to win a regional since 2005.
“This is truly a special team,” Lizama said. “The team battled through adversity … all 14 kids contributed to this championship run with different kids stepping up in many different games. It was great to be part of this experience with such a great group of kids and families.”
Loudoun South outscored opponents 48-12 while going 4-0 in the district tournament, then piled up 71 runs while going 5-1 en route to Loudoun South’s second consecutive state title (the league’s National team won in 2015). At the Southeast Regionals, a tournament featuring the champions from eight states, the team went won all five of its games by a combined 71-28 and set a tournament record for runs scored. Loudoun South beat South Carolina state champ Northwood, 9-7, in the regional final.
Despite losing one of its top players, Troy Koerner, to a broken leg in the district championship game, Loudoun South was able to win its three tournaments in dominant fashion. Chad Yates stood out both at the plate and on the mound, hitting .533 with two home runs, 28 RBI and scoring 24 runs while compiling a 1.60 earned run average and striking out 33 over 18 innings of work. Cameron Lizama paced the team offensively, hitting .643 - including an .857 average at the regional tournament - while Evan Duy compiled a 2.14 ERA in 14 innings to compliment Yates on the mound.
Shawn Arneja hit .500 with 16 RBI and 28 runs, Nate Hoskins hit .455 with two homers, 23 RBI and 20 runs, and Griffin Burkholder hit .452 and paced the team with six homers and 31 RBI. Loudoun South’s offense averaged 12.7 runs per game during their run.
Other Nominees:
Central Loudoun Little League American Majors All-Stars: Coached by Doug Sweeney, the team went 6-3 en route to its second consecutive District 16 championship before falling to eventual state champion Vienna American in the state quarterfinals. The majority of the team returned from its 10/11 district title-winning team in 2015, becoming the first team from the league to repeat as district champs. First baseman Michael Walsh hit .522 to pace the team offensively, while Dutch DeProspero struck out 25 and walked just one batter while pitching 21 of the pitching staff’s 47 innings during the team’s run. Luke Triplett hit a walk off home run to beat Tuckahoe American during pool play. Vienna American had also beat Central Loudoun the previous year in the 10/11 state final.
Herndon Optimist Club Minors Angels: Coached by Ian Jones, the Angels went 13-1 during the league’s spring season, winning both the regular season and tournament Minors Division championships. Daymon Powell and JoJo Palma led a pitching staff that surrendered 30 fewer runs than any other team in the division, while Brayden Humphreys led the team in hitting and hit a walk off single in the championship game. The majority of the team’s core remained together during a three-year run in which the team compiled a 33-5-2 record.
Greater Manassas Baseball League Blue & Gray 9U All-Stars: Coached by Colby Poteat, the team went 26-7 while playing together in three travel tournaments before knocking out defending state champion Stafford in the Cal Ripken Division’s District 8 Tournament and going on to become the first Greater Manassas Baseball League team to win a state title in 13 years. After starting the season 6-6, the team went on a 20-game winning streak before falling in the semifinals at the Cal Ripken Division Southeast Regionals, losing by one run in extra innings. Luke Sullivan was the magazine’s Player of the Week after going 11-for-16 with 12 RBI and nine runs and earning a win on the mound in the state tournament, and Grady Lenahan, Luke Shearin, Jackson Poteat and Eli Laughman were all among the team’s leaders on offense. Laughman was the Blue & Gray’s top pitcher throughout their run. “This is a special team,” Colby Poteat said. “It was like 13 brothers pushing each other to do better each and every day. Between rec ball and All-Stars, these kids couldn't get enough baseball. These kids worked hard and it showed them when you do that, it pays off.”
Greater Manassas Baseball League Blue & Gray 8U All-Stars: Coached by Matthew Eidemiller, the team went 23-4 and swept all seven games en route to Cal Ripken Division District 8 and state championships, joining the Greater Manassas Baseball League’s 9U team as the league’s first state champions in 13 years. The team piled up 85 runs during the district and state tournaments, beating New Kent, 9-1, in the state final before going 1-2 at Southeast Regionals. "This group of players exemplifies the true meaning of team,” Eidemiller said. “One through 12, they work together and play for each other. They fought through deficits time and time again to show what they are made of. I couldn't be more proud of each and every one of them.”
Vienna Little League American Majors All-Stars: Coached by Chris Leggett, the team went 12-2, sweeping its 12 games en route to the District 4 and state championships before dropping its two games at the Southeast Regionals. In the state championship game, the Vienna American knocked off District 10 champion Annandale-North Springfield, 7-5, after shutting out two other local champions - District 16 champ Central Loudoun American and District 9 champ West Springfield American - in the first two elimination rounds. Vienna American outscored its opponents 134-37 during the district and state tournaments, and its closest game came in district pool play against Vienna National, a 12-11 win.
Note: All nominees were submitted by league administrators or team coaches.
Photo courtesy of Loudoun South Little League
