It’s that time of year again–when 20 teams descend upon South Williamsport in pursuit of being crowned the best Little League team in the world. We take a comprehensive look at the ten teams from the United States and their journey so far. LSV Sports will be covering games live in South Williamsport from Wednesday until at least the following Monday.
Southeast – Lake Mary, Florida(13-0)
Miles from South Williamsport: 1,036
Last Regional or State Title: 2023 State Champions; Southeast runners-up
Next: Wednesday vs Midwest, 7:00
Unfinished business is often a motivator in life, and for Lake Mary, Florida, that unfinished business was getting to Williamsport after a Southeast title game loss in 2023.
The road began in Florida’s District 19, where Lake Mary outscored its opponents 74-2. DeMarcos Mieses provided a two-run home run in the opener against Palm Coast. In that game, Lake Mary produced eight runs in the fourth inning, all as part of a two-out rally. Pitchers Garrett Rohozen, Christopher Chikodroff and Lathan Norton struck out 8 and allowed one hit. This type of domination continued against DeLand in a 17-0 victory. Lake Mary blasted four home runs in the game and Chikodroff had 4RBI. Pitchers struck out seven and no hits were allowed over the abbreviated thee inning game. In the next meeting with Palm Coast, Landon Bono and Rohozen each went yard twice as the team put SIX baseballs over the fence. Rohozen in that game alone had 6RBI as Lake Mary cruised to a district title.
The section 3 tournament saw similar results. Lake Mary cruised by Merritt Island and St. Augustine by a combined score of 25-2. Chase Anderson had a 4RBI effort against Merritt Island and both James Feliciano and Luis Calo went yard. Feliciano struck out 11 in four innings of work. Bono knocked a 3-run homer against St. Augustine and Lake Mary held their opponent hitless on their way to the state tournament.
At states, Lake Mary dominated their pool. In another run-rule game, Sarasota was held hitless, while Lake Mary racked up 17 runs and ten hits. Feliciano and Calo each had 3RBI, while seven Sarasota batters were fanned. Against Miami Springs, the score was lower, but the result the same, as Lake Mary won a 4-2 contest. Liam Morrisey hit a ball up the middle and an error at short scored the go-ahead run in Mieses. Calo was 2-2 with all 3 RBI of the contest. The final pool play game saw an eight inning thriller against Boca Raton. An error in the top of the fourth allowed Anderson to score and a solo shot by Boca Raton tied the game at 1 in the bottom of the inning. Rohozen kicked off a 5-run eighth inning with an RBI triple. Bono drove him in with a hit to center and Lake Mary went on to win 6-2. Boca Raton batters were struck out twelve times, eight times at the hand of Feliciano.
Feliciano got things going in the state title game with a two-run shot to center, putting his team up 2-0 against Charles/Capitola. Bono followed with a solo shot to push the lead to 3-0. The lead grew to 8-1 and Jacob Bibaud struck out two of the final three to close the door. For the second consecutive year, Lake Mary advanced to the Southeast region tournament.
Lake Mary got a tough test against Irmo, South Carolina. There was no scoring until Florida finally broke through in the fourth inning with four runs. After two walks, Feliciano cracked a triple to right and Mieses doubled home Bono. On the mound, Calo struck out six. The offense picked up in an 11-4 victory over North Carolina. Mieses hit a three-run bomb, adding to a few runs scored on bases loaded walks and a hit by pitch.
Power and pitching would be the name of the game in two games against Goodlettsville, Tennessee, a program familiar with making it to South Williamsport. Bono and Mieses went back-to-back in the fourth, building a 4-0 lead in the winnersb racket final. Bibaud threw a complete game four-hitter, striking out six and walking two.
With a spot in the title game secured, Lake Mary was one win from the Little League World Series, in the same position as 2023 when they fell to Tennessee. This time, Florida barged through the door with five runs in the first inning and six more in the fourth. Mieses’ 2RBI double in the first was key. Feliciano pitched all four innings of the mercy rule 11-0 win, giving up one hit and striking out seven.
Lake Mary’s high flying offense, batting .405 as a team, with their 0.72 staff ERA and 119 strikeouts, will open up World Series play against South Dakota on Wednesday night at 7:00.
Southwest – Boerne, Texas(14-0)
Miles from South Williamsport: 1,723
Last Regional or State Title: N/A – First-ever state and regional titles
Next: Thursday vs Pennsylvania, 7:00
Boerne, Texas is a new program to South Williamsport, clinching their first ever Texas West and Southwest regional titles in 2024!
The journey got started in Texas’ District 26, as Boerne used an early home run barrage to bust through the tournament. Julian Hurst, Caden Guffey, Jett Matthews and Gray Collins each knocked one over the fence in a 16-0 victory over Ingram in the district opener. All of those came in a nine run third inning. Collins and Cooper Hastings combined to strike out eight and throw a four inning no-hitter. Districts concluded with back to back wins over Medina Valley, in which Boerne outscored the opponent 28-1. Guffey, Doc Mogford and Dylan Burke all went yard, In the first game, Hurst was 2-3 with 3RBI. Guffey threw four innings of no hit ball, fanning twelve. Mogford and Hurst combined on another four inning no-hitter in a 17-0 district championship victory. Aiden Munoz knocked in four runs and Hastings had three.
Boerne then entered a tough section 3 tournament, with recent champions McAlister Park and Eagle Pass part of the four team field. Boerne was not phased, quickly blowing out San Angelo Northern 17-0. Hastings and Kole Newson combined for the fourth consecutive no-hitter. Newson went 3-3 and contributed 4RBI. The team finally allowed its first hit of the postseason in their next game against Eagle Pass. Despite that hit being a three-run home run, Boerne won 15-3 behind another impressive offensive performance. Hurst was 3-3 with 2RBI and a home run. Hastings went 2-2 with 3RBI. Mogford took the mound and struck out eight over three and two-thirds.
McAlister Park mustered another hit against the stellar pitching staff and Boerne won again 12-0. Hurst fanned eight in four innings of work and Guffey went yard twice, racking up 6 runs batted in. Boerne defeated San Angelo Northern again in the section title game, 18-2. Guffey threw all three innings of another mercy rule game and struck out five. Collins and Munoz had three RBI apiece.
Kole Newson got the Texas West State tournament going early, crushing a first inning two-run home run to put Boerne up 3-0, on their way to another blowout, 11-0. Doc Mogford added a grand slam in the fourth to make the score 7-0 at the time. The story remained the same in a 13-2 win over Midland Northern in the winners bracket final. Julian Hurst struck out 13 in the game. The state title game was another offensive explosion, as Boerne poured on 16 runs and 15 hits against University-Fort Worth. With the 16-2 win, Boerne was on to the Southwest tournament for the first time ever.
Against Junior Deputy, Arkansas, Boerne put up five early runs in the first two innings and went on to win 7-2. Kaleb Christ ignited a two out rally in the second inning with an RBI single and Gray Collins added a 2RBI single to left. In the semifinals, Roadrunner, New Mexico gave the team a stiff test. With the score knotted at 1 in the fifth, Jett Matthews hit a two out 2RBI double and Julian Hurst provided insurance with a solo shot out to center an inning later.
Boerne finished off their run by defeating Greater New Orleans in the winners final and title games. The first meeting was a 4-1 victory, A wild pitch, bases loaded walk, and two singles by Munoz and Kaleb Christ completed a four run top of the second.
In the title game, Louisiana held a 3-0 lead into the fourth inning before Boerne exploded for six runs. Doc Mogford provided the big hit with a grand slam and then struck out the last two batters of the game to secure the berth in South Williamsport.
Boerne, Texas will enter the Little League World Series with a .434 batting average and staff ERA of 1.24. 117 batters have struck out against the pitching staff and the team has hit 20 home runs to this point, marking them as one of the most powerful teams on the American side of the bracket. Caden Guffy has five of those, while Kole Newson has four.
Great Lakes – Hinsdale, Illinois(13-0)
Miles from South Williamsport: 633
Last Regional or State Title: First-ever Regional title; 2021 and 2022 State Champions
Next: Friday vs New England/West, 3:00
Hinsdale, Illinois won their third state title in four years this season, but had not been able to get through the Great Lakes regional. 2024 was the year they broke through and will make their first ever appearance at the LLWS.
The District 11 hosts started their run with four big district tournament victories. The first was a 19-2, three inning drubbing of Plainfield. Hinsdale capitalized on ten errors and both Emiliano Nepomuceno and Grant Wanless hit home runs. Both finished the game with 3RBI. Leadoff hitter Fred Sackley went 2-4, scoring two runs and knocking in two more. The team followed this up with a 10-0 one hitter against Naperville National. Sackley and Dillon Phelan each worked two innings and struck out five. Shane Behar hit a two-run homer. In the winners bracket final, Hinsdale racked up another 14 hits and 19 runs in a 19-1 win over Naperville Continental. Phelan went 2-3 with 4RBI, while Jimmy Macri, Ethan Chan and Nepomuceno all batted in two runs. The two met again for the district title and Hinsdale won 8-1. Phelan pitched four and two-thirds innings and struck out 12.
With the district title in hand, Hinsdale advanced to the 14-team Illinois State tournament. The team first pounced on East Side, winning 15-0 in three innings. Five RBI hits in the first inning built a 7-0 lead out of the gate. Wanless and Michael Kipnis each finished the game with three runs batted in. The team continued pool play with a three inning 15-0 victory over Archer Manor. Phelan and Wanless combined for a no-hitter and fanned seven. Kipnis and Phelan each finished with 3RBI in the rout. The team completed pool play with a 6-0 victory over Elmhurst and secured the top seed for the elimination portion of the tournament. Macri, Kipnis and Phelan all homered, accounting for five of the runs.
In the state quarterfinals, Hinsdale opened up with a 13-0 shutout of Sterling. Nepomuceno and Wanless again combined on a one-hitter, fanning seven along the way. Sackley homered and the team took advantage of three errors. In a 9-1 semifinal victory over Champaign East in the semifinals, Wanless went deep with a three-run home run in a seven-run fifth. Champaign was held to just one hit. Hinsdale then defeated Elmhurst for the state title, 11-3. Phelan pitched five innings and struck out seven.
As Hinsdale moved to the Great Lakes tournament, scoring went down significantly, but the results remained the same. Indiana became the latest victim of stellar pitching performances from Sackley, Phelan and Nepomuceno, who combined on a one-hitter. Sackley’s RBI double in the fourth would be the winning run and a bases loaded hit by pitch provded insurance, as Macri wore one. Indiana only mustered two base runners in the game, never threatening. Illinois then trailed Kentucky 2-0 in the winners bracket final, needing late heroics to get the victory. Sackley’s RBI double in the sixth provided the first run and the game was tied on an E2. Back-to-back doubles in the bottom of the seventh by Behar and Nepomuceno put Hinsdale into the championship.
In a second meeting with Indiana, Indiana, it seemed like Hinsdale would run away with the game. Illinois led 6-2 after five innings. Alex Vivanco provided an RBI single in the second to make it 3-1. Dillon Phelan hit a two-run shot in the third. Indiana would fight back. An E4, hit by pitch and single would load the bases with one out and three more RBI hits would give Indiana a six run inning. With two in scoring position, Roan Hechelbech flew out to Goodwin in center to send the teams to the bottom of the inning, Indiana leading 7-6. Sackley led off with a single and was brought home by an RBI double from Kipnis. The team went to extra innings. In the seventh, neither team could score, setting up automatic runners on second base in the eighth. After holding Indiana off the board, Illinois’ Vivanco doubled home Ethan Chan, sending Hinsdale to South Williamsport for the first time ever in a thrilling 8-7 victory.
As they head to Williamsport, the team is batitng .396 and has only committed six errors, making them one of the best defenses in the tournament. Only eight earned runs have gone against Hinsdale pitchers and Dillon Phelan has only allowed seven hits in 25 innings of work.
The team will await the winner of the West and New England regions. Hinsdale has done an excellent job managing its pitching–no pitcher has more than 25 innings thrown(Dillon Phelan) and all five on the staff have pitched at least eight innings to this point, with a staff ERA of 0.72. The champions of the Great Lakes region join the Northwest with the most off-time at the front end of the tournament.
New England – Salem, New Hampshire(14-2)
Miles from South Williamsport: 408
Last Regional or State Title: First-ever Regional title; 2023 State Champions
Next: Wednesday vs Hawai’i, 3:00
Salem, New Hampshire will be another first-timer at South Williamsport in 2024. Following a 2023 state title, the team was looking to take the next step. Pool play in District 1 was their first stop, as they defeated all five opponents to claim the top seed. Salem got started with a 19-0 victory over Nashua, taking advantage of eight errors by their opponent. Nolan Dupuis was 2-3 with two runs scored and two batted in. Jacob Guerrero-Lomba had identical production. Goffstown, three-time defending state champions from 2017 to 2019 was the next opponent and Salem dispatched them 15-0. Colton Johnson’s two 2RBI singles and three innings of shutout ball propelled the team to victory. Manchester was the first team to get a hit against Salem in a 20-3 defeat. In a game that was 3-3 after an inning, Salem exploded for nine in the second, aided by a Guerrero-Lomba three run shot. Brayden Miller added a two run bomb in the third that made it 19-3. The team then defeated Mount Monadnock 13-1; Guerro-Lomba homered again, bringing in two runs, joined by 2RBI days from Johnson, Zach Bolduc, Jackson Lamire, and William Briggs. Bedford provided the first significant challenge in districts. With the game tied at 1, two wild pitches brought in two runs in the third, getting Salem the 3-1 victory. Johnson pitched six innings of six strikeout ball.
With pool play over, Salem entered the double-elimination bracket portion of district play. Salem defeated Goffstown 10-0 in the opening round, with Briggs pitching a three-hitter and fanning eight. Guerrero-Lomba homered twice and knocked in five. Salem then tasted defeat, falling to Bedford 6-1. Salem loaded the bases in the second inning but could not score, Salem struck out nine times in the game and allowed two home runs. In elimination play, they met Mount Monadnock again, beating them 13-0 in four innings. In a familiar scene, Guerrero-Lomba homered and this one was a grand slam.
For a district championship, Salem would have to defeat Bedford twice. And they did just that, by counts of 11-1 and 5-3. In the second game, Bedford loaded the bases in the fifth but Owen Griffin got two huge strikeouts to stem the tide and then got Bedford out in order in their final turn at-bat.
With a grueling district tournament in their rearview, Salem advanced to a best two-of-three with 2021 state champions Manchester-Hooksett. The first game saw Colton Johnson struck out twelve in a one-hitter. Despite that, the game was nip-and-tuck, tied 1-1 into the fifth. Owen Griffin laid down a sacrifice bunt, scoring Wes Boudreau. Johnson, on the mound, struck out the next five he faced while his team added five runs in the sixth to secure a 7-1 victory. Game two was much of the same, with Boudreau striking out nine in a four inning no-hitter. Manchester committed six errors, allowing Salem to come away with the 10-0 victory and a state championship.
At Bristol, Connecticut, Salem’s offense was silenced in the opener. Maine won 2-0 and just like that, New Hampshire was in the elimination bracket. Vermont was the first opponent, and the game was knotted at four late. However, Guerrero-Lomba, as he had done so many times before, hit a home run to put Salem ahead 5-4 in the fifth. With a 6-4 win, Salem advanced to the elimination final against Massachusetts. Three consecutive walks to New Hampshire batters led off the game to immediately load the bases, and all three were plated on a Boudreau 3RBI single into left. Salem would score their fourth and final run on an error in the third and hang on late. Nolan Dupuis struck out the side in the sixth to secure the 4-3 victory and berth in the New England championship game.
Maine would be the opponent once again, and Salem had revenge on their mind. In the third, Patrick DeFrancesco laid down a bunt to first, allowing Zach Bolduc to score the first run of the game. Lemire’s RBI single in the fourth scored Grayson Buckley, and that’s all Salem needed to win their first ever regional championship. Johnson shut down the Maine offense, allowing only three hits and fanning seven.
Entering the LLWS, Jacob Guerrero-Lomba has cracked seven of his team’s ten home runs, bringing in 25 runs. On the mound Colton Johnson has struck out 41 and walked just three, while the pitching staff has struck out 102 overall with a 1.23 ERA.
Northwest – South Hill LL – Puyallup, Washington(11-1)
Miles from South Williamsport: 2,678
Last Regional or State Title: First-ever Regional and State Titles
Next: Friday vs Southeast/Midwest, 7:00
South Hill clinched their first-ever berth in the LLWS and became the fourth consecutive team from Washington to win the Northwest tournament.
Washington’s District 10 has previously produced a state champion in 2022, when Bonney Lake advanced to the LLWS. South Hill’s run began in the opening round of a double-elimination tournament, defeating Chinook 17-2. In that game, South Hill smashed five home runs. Easton Stolmeier’s two long balls netted him 3RBI, tying the production of teammates Rawly Jennings and Brayden Blair. South Hill then defeated Soundview 13-1, behind 10 strikeouts from Kohen Wills and one hit allowed over four innings. The score was just 4-1 late, until South Hill scored nine in the fifth. In the winners bracket final, Jennings hit a home run in his third consecutive game, notching a 2RBI day in a 10-3 victory over Federal Way National. Blair struck out ten over five innings of work. The boys from Puyallup then met up with those 2022 state champions in Bonney Lake in the district title game. Jennings led the bottom of the first off with a solo shot to right and Aaiden Brown wore one with the bases loaded to force in another run. A couple of errors and a wild pitch allowed South Hill to score four more in the third and they would come away with a 6-1 victory.
Washington’s state tournament consusted of a 14-team double-elimination bracket, in which South Hill received a bye into the quarterfinal round. The opponent would be North Kitsap, who had won by ten the previous day. This time, Puyallup’s Jennings once again led the game off with a solo bomb to center field and the team chipped away, scoring in all five turns at-bat for a 6-2 victory. They then rolled over Asotin County in the semifinals, as Deegan Rowley hit a grand slam and Blair cracked a three-run shot. North Central(Seattle) would be the opponent with a berth in the state title game on the line. Blair hit a home run in the second at-bat of the game. Jett Taylor also went yard for a two-run blast and South Hills won going away 7-1. Stolmeier fanned seven over his five and two-thirds innings pitched. The two rematched for the state title, with North Central needing to win twice. A wild pitch gave North Central the early 1-0 lead, but South Hill quickly tied it, with Taylor scoring on a passed ball. Kohen Wills got a hold of a 2-0 fastball and drilled it to out of the park to deep center, scoring Blair and providing the winning and insurance runs their team needed for the championship win, 3-1. Blair fanned 11 Seattle batters and Rowley struck out three more.
Things got dicey quickly in regionals, though. Despite building up a 3-0 lead, Idaho countered with five in the fifth on two hit by pitches, three walks, an error, and a wild pitch. South Hill did put two on in the sixth, but Connor Morey popped out and Idaho won 6-4. Puyallup then faced Abbott-O-Rabbit Little League of Anchorage, Alaska and rebounded, scoring eight in the first three innings on their way to an 11-4 win. Blair hit a grand slam on an 0-2 pitch that broke the game open.
The elimination bracket final featured a dazzling comeback by South Hill. They trailed 5-0 in the fifth. Connor Morey led off with a single and Stolmeier walked. Kohen Wills then tripled into right to score them and was brought home on a Jett Taylor double into left. Antonio Foster hit a sac fly into center and it got by Chase Johnson to score two runs and tie the game. Washington was far from finished in the inning, however. Jennings scored two on a triple to right and Blair homered. When it was all said and done, South Hill had scored eleven times. Wills and Taylor both went yard in the sixth for good measure, capping a 14-5 comeback and putting Washington in the region championship game.
A rematch with Idaho loomed. A bases loaded walk in the second followed by a sac fly put Idaho up 2-0. Jennings’ RBI double in the third tied the game up at 2, but Braden Louwsma belted one out of the park in their half of the inning and Idaho emerged with a 5-2 lead. The see-saw affair continued when Jett Taylor came up huge again, doubling to center and scoring two. He would come around to score on an error and tie the game at 5. A wild pitch in the fifth put Idaho back on top 6-5 and it seemd like that would be all Idaho needed to advance. Jaxon Jacobs struck out and Zander Hoover grounded out back to the pitcher to open South Hill’s sixth inning. Rawly Jennings took a strike and swung and missed. With Idaho needing just one strike to close it out, everything changed.
Jennings doubled to left and Blair would walk on four pitches. Morey tied the game on an RBI single and Stolmeier kept the floodgates open with an RBI hit of his own, putting Washington back in front 7-6. Jett Taylor bombed a three-run home run and when the inning finally ended, it was 13-6 Washington. South Hill committed three errors in the bottom of the inning, but Idaho could only rally for one and Washington was off to the Little League World Series in stunning fashion, 13-7.
South Hill enters the tournament with 20 home runs; six of those belong to Brayden Blair and five go to Rawly Jennings. Seven different players have hit at least one. The Washington pitching staff has walked 49 but struck out 111 and the team overall has shown an incredible ability to fight back in elimination spots, providing a huge intangible advantage.
Metro – South Shore LL – Staten Island, New York(17-2)
Miles from South Williamsport: 198
Last Regional or State Title: 2009 State and Regional Champions, US semifinalist
Next: Thursday vs Nevada, 3:00
It’s been a while since South Shore’s last trip to Williamsport, but the 2024 squad, led by some simply stellar pitching and timely hitting, made its way through a grueling postseason schedule and is ready to make a big splash. The team from Staten Island played nineteen games in their All-Star season, the most of any American team to make the LLWS. Add to that that South Shore was a New York semifinalist last year and the year before, and this team was hungry to take the next step.
The lengthy run began in New York’s District 24 pool play. Like many other teams on this list, South Shore rolled through the opening round in a district that has produced three LLWS teams since 2000. The first game came versus Mid Island, a program that went to Williamsport in 2006 and 2018. Steve Grippo kicked off his fantastic postseason of pitching by striking out 13 over a six inning shutout and South Shore won 10-0. From the leadoff spot, Vincent Ruggiero went 2-3 with two runs and 2RBI, including a two-run homerun. Next up was a three inning no-hitter thrown by Ruggiero against Great Kills in a 15-0 victory. Grippo hit a grand slam and Alex Torres was 3-3 with 3RBI. Ruggiero knocked in three more runs on two hits. The third pool play contest was a much closer 5-2 win over Snug Harbor. Grippo and Joe Iraci combined to fan 14 batters and a first inning three-run homer by Nick Mclean helped lead the team to the win. Ruggiero stuck out 13 more in his next outing against Staten Island. Peter Giaccio provided a two-run home run in the fifth to break a scoreless tie and it would be enough to hold up. The two teams had a rematch in the district semifinals and this time, it wasn’t close. South Shore pounded out eleven runs in the first two innings to win 11-1 in four. Staten Island was struck out eight times. South Shore then saw Mid-Island again for the district championship game. Grippo fanned 14 in a complete game two-hitter, using all 85 pitches allowed. Ruggiero homered in the 6-0 win and South Shore was on to sectionals.
Section 3 South play began against Pelham, in which South Shore took a 7-1 win. The team continued to be good at nickel-and-diming their way, scoring their seven runs over four innings. Torres and Ruggiero each had 2RBI. Against Greenwich Village in the winners bracket final, Grippo and Irachi combined on a no-hitter, fanning ten. Grippo and Ruggiero came up big again from their positions atop the lineup, each with a solo shot and combining for 6RBI in a 16-0 victory. Greenwich Village flipped the script in the championship series, however, and beat South Shore 2-1 to force an if-necessary title game. Despite being outhit 7-1, Greenwich Village was able to strand 11 South Shore runners on base. Pitching prevailed in the if-game, though, for the boys from Staten Island, as Grippo was again the man, striking out 12 in a one-hitter. He also knocked a three-run home run in the 7-0 section win.
South Shore did not have to go far for states, as all games took place on Staten Island. South was the only undefeated team in pool play, going 3-0. They began with a nail-biter, prevailing over Greenbush-Castleton 4-3. Trailing 3-1 into the sixth, Ruggiero provided and RBI double and Grippo’s 2RBI single put South Shore ahead. Jake Romero, who had not played during districts or sectionals, struck out the side in the sixth to close it out. The next pool game was a 10-3 win over North Shore in which Torres and Ruggiero combined to fan 13 batters. A four-run top of the fifth secured a 10-3 win. Pool play concluded with a 9-0 win over Massapequa Coast, the two-time defending state champions. South handled them with ease in a 9-0 rout. A five run fifth inning propelled South to a 6-0 win over Auburn in the state semifinals and Grippo struck out the side in the sixth for the berth in the state title game. In the state championship game against Harrison, Romero threw five one-hit innings, allowing three runs and striking out seven, as Shore built an 8-1 lead. Ruggiero went yard twice and the team survived a four run rally in the top of the sixth to advance to the Metro tournament.
Offense was on display for the first game in Bristol, as the boys from Staten Island put 17 runs and 14 hits on Rhode Island, after initially falling behind 4-1 in the first inning. Rhode Island pulled within 9-7 late, but New York hung another crooked number with eight in the bottom of the fifth; Joe Iraci’s 2RBI single toright invoked the mercy rule. South found themselves on the short end of a crooked score in their next game, though, as New Jersey hung 11 runs and 12 hits in an 11-1 win. Facing elimination, New York entered a game against Connecticut and fell behind 5-3 after four innings. It could have been worse, as Connecticut loaded the bases in the second with nobody out, but only came away with two runs. A two-out rally sparked New York on in the fifth, as Giaccio doubled to right, scoring Ruggiero and Romero singled up the middle, tying the game on Giaccio’s run. The game went to extra innings and Staten Island got a double play in the top of the seventh, on a line out 4-6. Dylan DeGaeta walked on a full count pitch to open the bottom of the inning and was bunted over by McLean. Jason Rocchio struck out on a foul bunt and Ruggiero was intentionally walked. Grippo walked on a full count pitch to load the bases and Giaccio placed one in left field to win the game and put New York in the Metro title contest.
On a rainy afternoon in Bristol, New York and New Jersey met once again, this time for all the marbles. With a rain delay in the mix and conditions fairly ugly most of the day, the teams were scoreless into the fourth. New York broke through in that inning on a pickoff play at first in which Giaccio headed home for the first run. With two outs in the fifth, Staten Island rallied again, as two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases. McLean wore a pitch and the second run came in. Giaccio tripled in the sixth, bringing in two more and South Shore went on to win 5-0 on a rain-soaked afternoon.
South Shore enters the LLWS with some eyepopping pitching numbers. Steve Grippo, in over 42 innings, has struck out 90 batters and walked just ten. The staff has struck out over 200 batters(yes, two-hundred), for an average of nearly 11 per game.
Midwest – Sioux Falls LL – Sioux Falls, South Dakota(10-2)
Miles from South Williamsport: 1,198
Last Regional or State Title: 2023 State Champions and 2017 Regional Champions
Next: Wednesday vs Florida, 7:00
Sioux Falls comes to Williamsport for the second time in seven years. The group from 2017 went 0-2 and lost a couple of tough games to Washington and North Carolina. The 2024 team has dreams of going on a run, with good pitching depth and a well-balanced lineup.
Sioux Falls opened District 1 play with a 10-0 victory over Capital City(Pierre). Tait Ready and Kinnick Noble combined on a two-hitter and struck out nine. Bode Biteler homered to right as part of a five run first inning. The team wrapped up district play via a 17-0 win over Huron. Luke Fenton and Griffin Sommer combined on the abbreviated three inning one-hitter and struck out eight more batters. Nine players shared 14RBI, with Kennyel Flores knocking in three.
Adversity would come into play abruptly in the state tournament. With a 9-2 lead going to the fifth, it seemed Sioux Falls would cruise by Canyon Lake in the state opener. However, Canyon Lake, a program that went to Williamsport in 2014, put up seven runs and took the 10-9 win. Sioux Falls had five errors on the game and two came in the final inning and directly led to the winning run coming across the plate. Sommer’s 4RBI game would have been the story had Sioux Falls held on. Facing elimination from here on out, Sioux Fals responded with a 16-0 victory over Capital City. Both Ryan Henry and Devin Cargin each went yard twice, racking up 8RBI. The team then exacted its revenge on Canyon Lake via a 10-0 blowout in five innings. Cargin and Henry again each hit a home run and combined for five more runs batted in. Henry took the mound and pitched a three-hitter, fanning eight.
The job was still not done. Sioux Falls needed two wins over Rapid City to advance. In the first game, Sioux Falls built a 7-0 lead and won 8-3. August Vorthems produced three runs on a homer and Flores hit a solo shot. In the decisive game, Sioux Falls poured it on harder, winning 16-2, powered by a nine run fourth. With the state title firmly secured, it was on to the Midwest regional.
Cargin, Sommer and Noble combined for a one-hitter in an 11-1 drubbing of North Dakota to open play in Indiana. Sam Wurth came through with a 2RBI double as part of a five run first that set the tone. Ryan Henry got the start in the next game against Minnesota, striking out eight and holding the opponent scoreless through four and a third. Again, a five run first inning set the tempo and all of those runs scored on just two hits, as there were also two errors in the inning. South Dakota took the 12-0 victory and went on to the winners bracket final against Webb City, Missouri. Webb City showed why they are a perennial power in the Midwest, knocking off South Dakota 6-4 despite being outhit 10-6. South did fight back in this one, tying the game at 3 in the fifth, but giving up three in the bottom of the inning. Sioux Falls again faced elimination when they took the field against Iowa, but Ryan Henry was on point once again. He threw 5.2 and struck out nine, giving up two hits. The teams remained scoreless into the seventh. South loaded the bases with no outs and a bases loaded hit by pitch brought in the first run. Luke Fenton doubled, scoring two more and Sioux Falls won 3-0, advancing to the title game.
South Dakota finished off the Midwest tournament by taking revenge on Webb City. They built a 6-0 lead and scattered seven Missouri hits in the 6-1 win.
Sioux Falls will be one of the hardest-hitting teams entering the LLWS field, with a team batting average of .453.
Mountain – Paseo Verde LL – Henderson, Nevada(11-1)
Miles from South Williamsport: 2,367
Last Regional or State Title: First-ever Regional title; 2022 State Champions
Next: Thursday vs New York, 3:00
Paseo Verde ripped through Nevada, outscoring their district and state opponents 77-5 over seven games. They kicked off districts with an 18-0 victory over Silverado. Russell McGee hit a three-run home run in an eight run second. Noah Letalu finished with 3RBI, as did Dominic Laino. Wyatt Erickson tossed a three-hitter against the next opponent, Henderson., also striking out nine. Paseo Verde loaded the bases in the fourth with no outs and Laino singled home two runs. Jimmy Foss brought in another on a sac fly and a fourth run scored on a wild pitch to cap a 5-0 win. In the third and final pool play game, Paseo Verde beat Moapa Valley 15-0, behind a combined no-hitter from Letalu and Oliver Johnson. McGee hit a home run two batters into the game and nine runs scored in the first inning. Paseo Verde met up again with Henderson for the district title, defeating them 11-1. Gunnar Gaudin threw five innings and allowed five hits, striking out eight. Parker Soranaka cleared the bases on a triple to right, as part of s seven run third.
With the district title in hand, Paseo Verde set their sights on a state crown. They opened with a 6-4 win over Summerlin, scoring three in the first and three more in the third. Erickson kicked off the scoring with an RBI double and dropped third strike and Oliver Johnson sac fly brought two more in. In the semifinals, they faced Elko and rolled again, 10-0. Gaudin again pitched a gem, allowing just two hits over five innings and striking out eight. For a pitching staff encoure, PV’s Erickson threw a no hitter in the state title game against Reno National, as the boys from Henderson went on to cruise, 12-0.
Nevada got a tough welcome to the Mountain region tournament, falling to Montana 7-1, despite striking out eleven Montana batters. Five runs scored in the fifth, aided by three Nevada errors. With their backs against the wall, it was gut-check time for Paseo Verde. They responded as such, dropping 24 runs on Wyoming in a 24-4 victory. Liam Sparks was 2-4 with 6RBI and Johnson knocked in four. The team from Torrington, Wyoming was charged with eight errors and allowed an eleven spot in the top of the sixth. The four runs Wyoming scored would be the last Nevada allowed in the tournament. Next up was a rematch with Montana in an elimination semifinal. McGee and Sparks combined for a four-hitter in a 6-0 shutout. Nevada scored five in the first inning to put Montana on their heels early, and all five scored with two outs. Nevada would face Colorado in the elimination finals, with a spot in the championship game on the line. A ground out and wild pitch helped Paseo Verde score two runs, as they went on to win 4-0. Gaudin threw a complete game two-hitter to send Nevada to the championship. Against Dixie, Utah, it was Erickson’s time to shine, throwing an no-hitter. Noah Letalu’s first inning RBI single scored McGee and Laino scored on a groundout by Foss for the 2-0 final.
Paseo Verde begins their World Series run Thursday against Staten Island. While they only have two home runs in the postseason, batters have racked up 125 hits and scored 114 runs. Erickson and Gaudin have combined to strikeout 51 opposing batters, while all pitchers combined have only had twelve earend runs go against them.
West – Central East Maui LL – Wailuku, Hawai’i(11-2)
Miles from South Williamsport: 4,740
Last Regional or State Title: 2019 State and Regional champions; US finalist
Next: Wednesday vs New Hampshire, 3:00
They’re back again! The incredible success for teams from Hawai’i continues, as Central East Maui makes it five times in six years that the state has represented the West in the LLWS.
The run began once again in Hawaii’s District 3 tournament. Molokai was the first team to fall by a final score of 11-1. Pitching would be a theme, as Evan Tavares and Brextyn Hong combined to strike out sixteen Molokai batters. Kanon Nakama hit a two-run single in the third, building a 5-0 lead. Molokai mustered just one hit and was charged with six errors. The most lopsided game for any American team in district play came when CEM racked up an astounding twenty hits and 27 runs against Kihei. All 12 players had at least one RBI in the four inning rout. Nakama, Cam Kaneshiro and Kaiehu Miller all had three hits. Hayden Takahashi and Kamalei Santos struck out ten in a no-hit bid. The shutouts continued, as CEM defeated Maui Upcountry in the winners bracket final. Opponents continued to commit several errors, and this game was no different. Upcountry was tagged with seven errors in a 12-0 loss. Nakama gave up one hit over five innings and struck out nine. The second meeting for the district title was similar, as CEM won 14-0 and Tavares threw the complete game shutout this time, striking out ten more.
The Hawai’i state tournament was no easy road. CEM opened with Waipi’o, a program that went to South Williamsport in 2010 and was the runner-up, falling to Japan. Maui put up seven runs in the second inning, propelling them to a 9-2 victory. This time, the bottom of the order came through huge, as Matthew Yang, Gabriel Laloulu, and Kamalei Santos combined for 5RBI. Gauge Pacheco, Tavares and Nakama combined to strikeout 15 more batters. Kaneohe was able to get by Central East Maui, 5-2, putting Maui in the elimination bracket. A 2-2 tie was broken in the bottom of the sixth on a walk-off three-run home run. Honolulu was the next opponent, a program that was the world champions in 2022 and United States runners-up in 2021. Central East Maui exploded with power, hitting four home runs. Those home runs brought in eleven runs. Evan Tavares was 2-3 with 5RBI and was one of eight batters to knock at least one run in. To win the state title, CEM would need to defeat Kaneohe twice. Nakama and Tavares did their part, each going yard and combining for 9RBI. Tavares’ shot to deep center was a grand slam, part of an eight run fifth inning in a 13-0 rout. Tavares also struck out 15 batters. They kept the pressure on in the decisive championship game with five runs in the first. Hong hit a 2RBI double and Nakama brought him home in a triple to right. With an 8-2 win, CEM had survived the tough road through their home state, moving on to San Bernardino.
The West region tournament was full of talent, and like so many times before, this one came down to Hawai’i and California. Tavares got the start in game one against Northern California, striking out 14 Land Park batters and allowing two hits. Maui only got five hits, but one was a solo shot from Laloulu and Nakama got a first inning RBI single, which would be all Hawaii needed in the 2-0 win. Eastvale, California got the best of CEM in the next game, defeating them soundly 11-3. Hawaii was within striking distance, only trailing 4-3, until Eastvale put up seven in the fifth to slam the door. CEM piled on runs in their elimination bracket final against Litchfield Park, Arizona, scoring six in the first and three each in the next two innings on their way to a 13-8 win.
With everything on the line, Central East Maui faced Southern California once again. The teams exchanged early runs, as Tavares scored on a wild pitch. He struck out the side in the first, but Jack Mette scored in the second off a sac bunt by Carson Tatum. Hayden Takahashi broke through in the fifth, as neither team had mustered a threat to that point, when he singled to left and scored Tavares. Tavares struck out the side again in the fifth and Southern California got a single in the sixth but the runner was stranded and Hawaii advanced, 2-1.
Central East Maui now makes the nearly 5,000 mile trip to South Williamsport, where they will actually have a fairly low batting average of .315 when compared to the other nine teams. However, it’s well known that the state of Hawai’i plays some of the best Little League baseball in the world and a pitching staff that has struck out 135 batters will be more than formidable against their mainland opponents.
Mid-Atlantic – Council Rock Newtown LL – Newtown, Pennsylvania(18-0)
Miles from South Williamsport: 184
Last Regional or State Title: 2010 State Champions; 2005 Regional champions;
Next: Thursday vs Texas, 7:00
We have saved our most familiar team for last. LSV Sports has covered Council Rock Newtown extensively since their section 6 tournament in Holland, Pennsylvania and have broadcasted that and the PA state tournament with the Eastern PA Sports Network. You can find many more articles about Council Rock Newtown and in-depth recaps of their run to South Williamsport on this site by clicking “Inside LL All-Stars” at the top of the page.
Pennsylvania District 30 uses both pool play and a double elimination tournament to crown a champion, so CR Newtown needed to win eight games just to get out of their district. Gavin Caudill homered twice in the opening pool play game against Council Rock Holland, amassing 3RBI. Tyler Neeld quickly showed he would be a key factor on the mound, striking out five over three innnings and allowing two hits. Wes Esteves also emerged early in the bottom of the lineup with two runs batted in. After that 10-3 victory, the Blue Dawgs shutout Lenape Valley 15-0 and Plumstead 10-0. The first was a Tyler Wexler three inning no-hitter and the latter a Sav Longo no-no with nine strikeouts over four innings. The shutouts continued as Newtown concluded pool play with a 16-0 win over Warwick. Brayden Peiffer racked up 4RBI on two hits and Ryan Uhl had a home run as part of a 3RBI day. In bracketp lay, opponents again struggled to score. Runs came from all over the middle and bottom of the order in a 13-0 win over Lenape Valley, with Will Siveter, the only returning player from the year before, coming up with a 2RBI hit. Four other players had multi-hit outings. Sav Longo went yard twice in the winners bracket semifinal, leading his team to a 13-2 victory over Deep Run. Longo, Neeld, and Dean Hamilton combined to fan 11 batters. Longo took the mound in the winners bracket final against Northampton and fanned ten. Nine players batted in at least one run. Longo pitched the district title game, throwing a complete game one-hitter with 12 strikeouts, as Newtown won 5-0 to claim the championship. He also accounted for 3RBI.
The team experienced an offensive lull in their section 6 games. They were able to win, but didn’t score in gobs like they had to that point. A four run top of the fourth lifted them past Franklin Township 5-2, despite being outhit 9-6. Then came a turning point for the team. In a tightly contest contest with Southern Lehigh, Newtown trailed 3-2 into the final turn at-bat. Sav Longo hit a two out single, bringing up Greyson Gage. Gage doubled to the wall in left-center, and Longo scored easily to tie the game. As the ball came in, the infielder bobbled, and Gage took off for home. The throw home was made in time, but umpires ruled obstruction at the plate and the winning run scored. Fresh off the heart-stopping victory, Newtown won the section title, 4-1 over Franklin Township, scoring three times int he first inning.
The offense cranked it up for the state tournament, played in Newville. Sav Longo hit a three-run shot to deep center as Newtown built an 8-2 lead on Greencastle in the opening round. The next contest came against Northern Lebanon, a program that had defeated Newtown in the 2023 state tournament when Newtown went, surprisingly, 0-2. This time was very different, with the Blue Dawgs winning 10-0 in five innings. Neeld and Wexler held Northern Lebanon to one hit, while Rocco DaBronzo had a 2-3 day with 2RBI. CR Newtown held a 1-0 lead into the fourth when they exploded for four in that inning and five more to invoke the mercy rule in the fifth. The best two teams then met in the state winners bracket final, as a powerhouse in Back Mountain National had also been undefeated to that point. Back Mountain, from Dallas, PA, had been hitting home runs left and right and took a 5-2 lead in this game with the help of a three-run Nick Federici shot. Ryan Uhl brought Newton back into the lead on a two out 2RBI double to center in the fourth. Peiffer and Neeld doubled in the next inning to extend the lead to 9-5 and Neeld struck out two in the sixth to close it out, 9-6. The two met again for the state title on a Monday morning. Back Mountain walked the first three Blue Dawgs’ batters to load the bases and Newtown capitalized with a couple of runs to go up 2-0. The drama piqued in the sixth, as Tyler Wexler came on and was quickly tagged for a single and double. it seemed as though Back Mountain was going to at least tie the game, if not for a decisive second contest. However, manager Brad Hamilton pulled the right strings and brought in Tyler Neeld, who would have started the second game, making him ineligible for a potential second matchup. Neeld struck out two. However, Back Mountain scored on a bunt single to pull within 3-2. Neeld faced Carter Samanas, the leadoff batter for Back Mountain, and got him to popup to Peiffer at short. Peiffer secured the ball and the state title.
Newtown kept the momentum going in the Mid-Atlantic opener, defeating Capitol Hill, Washington D.C. 13-1. They then zipped by West Salisbury, Maryland 11-1. After a bit of an upset in the elimination round, with D.C. beating Maryland 6-0, Capitol Hill was looking to become the first ever team from D.C. to go to Williamsport. The game was played on Friday at 10:00AM, moved up five hours to try and beat the remnants of Hurricane Debbie. Sav Longo once again took the mound and was opposed by Rhys Toney. The two matched scoreless innings through the first two. After Longo walked two in the third, and was having trouble gripping the ball due to driving rain, the first one-hour rain delay came. When the teams came back, Brody Gage reached on an error in the third and came around to score on a hit by Will Siveter. Capitol Hill responded in kind, as Rhys Toney doubled to right, scoring Brady Thomas. Longo was again struggling, with frustration showing. Manager Brad Hamilton came out and gave him encouragement. Sav responded by striking out the next batter and inducing a grounder to get out of trouble. In the bottom of the fourth, Newtown took a chance. Brayden Peiffer and Tyler Neeld attempted a double steal and Peiffer stole home on the catcher’s throw back to the mound. Neeld was tagged out but Newtown led 2-1 and the heavy rain again began to fall, causing another one hour delay. Tyler Neeld came on in the fifth and struck out the side. Rhys Toney stayed in the game for Capitol Hill and Newtown broke through with three in the fifth. Council Rock Newtown won the soggy affair 5-2 and will head to Williamsport with an 18-0 record.
Council Rock Newtown enters Williamsport with many strengths. Being led by Brad Hamilton, who pitched for Temple, is certainly one of them. His emphasis on pitching and station-to-station hitting, along with mental toughness and humility, has gone a long way to strengthen his team. Sav Longo has also been a top performer, striking out 86 batters over 40 innings of work. Nine players have racked up double digits in RBI, making the lineup a constant threat, and Brad’s son, Dean, has come up big from his leadoff position.
Some images courtesy of Little League
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