The championship run is over for White Rock’s boys of summer, but the city’s girls are just getting started.
The White Rock All-Stars’ baseball season came to an abrupt end Sunday in Nova Scotia, one game shy of the Little League World Series, after a 5-1 loss to Ontario in the Canadian Little League Championships final.
Meanwhile, just a few hundred kilometres away in Prince Edward Island, the White Rock Renegades ’97 were victorious in their national fastpitch final, claiming a Canadian U16 title after a 3-1 win over Calgary Kaizen.
The Renegades ’97 are the first of a handful of local teams taking aim at a national crown this month – the Canadian U18 championships, as well as the national U14 jamboree, are both set to hit the field in coming days.
“I said a few weeks ago that our teams have a shot to win in all (the national championships),” said White Rock Renegades president Greg Timm. “This is a good start.”
While the Peninsula natives were celebrating in O’Leary, P.E.I. Sunday, the mood was more sombre further east in Glace Bay, N.S, as the White Rock All-Stars packed up their baseball gear and headed for home, rather than for a trip south to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Until that point, White Rock had gone 7-0 in the tournament and were undefeated at provincials and district championships, too.
“It’s very disappointing, and the boys were pretty emotional after – we all know how close we came (to advancing),” said White Rock coach Jeff Crossley.
“But at the end of the day, it was a great run and we’re really proud of the kids. It’ll probably take them a little longer to reflect on this experience, but they’ll bounce back.”