POULSBO — The North Kitsap Little League American League All-Stars fell one win short of a trip to state this year, but that doesn’t mean the year wasn’t successful.
The team, composed of 9 and 10-year-old players, won four games in the district tournament, including a 5-3 comeback win over Bainbridge Island goal, to face off with Gig Harbor National in the final two games.
Gig Harbor National then defeated North Kitsap twice to take the district crown.
But the North Kitsap team provided plenty of highlights for fans.
In the win over Bainbridge Island, the team was down 3-1 going into the fifth inning. (Little League games last only six innings.)
Two runners got on base, and pitcher Austin Christoff hit a base-clearing triple into the outfield.
Rico LeMay blasted a two-run homer to give North Kitsap the lead, and Christoff stifled the BI batters to preserve the 5-3 win.
That’s the kind of spirit the All-Star team had all summer, manager Ken LeMay said.
“They were outstanding,” he said. “It was sad we didn’t bring home the pennant, but I look at it as a very successful tournament. They went up against tough teams and did well.”
Another highlight was right fielder Devin Kennedy’s diving catch that preserved an 8-7 win over Gig Harbor National early in the tournament.
The reaction was impressive, LeMay said.
“The kids came unglued,” he said. “Running out of the dugout, high-fiving, the whole thing.”
The team, culled from the best players in the American League of North Kitsap Little League, won its first four games, beating South Kitsap Southern 10-0, Gig Harbor National 8-7, Port Townsend 15-3, and Bainbridge Gold 5-3, before falling twice to Gig Harbor National, which had battled its way up from the loser’s bracket, 9-4 and 10-2.
The North Kitsap team included Alex Fuchs, Alex Smith, Christoff, Daniel Orr (who had two doubles in the last game), Kennedy, Jordan Seth, Nick Benish, Rico LeMay (who was a pitcher along with Christoff), Riley Anderson, Trevor Bennett, Tyler Middaugh, and Zac Smit, who caught every game and threw out several runners at second, despite being the youngest player on the team at 8 years old.
LeMay was the manager and Roy Thornoton and Rob Abrahamsen were the coaches.
