MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Southeast third baseman Garrett Rohozen fields a ground ball for a put out at first base in the fifth inning.

Lake Mary Little League teams avoided drafting Luis Calo. Football was his sport, they believed.

Garrett Rohozen just missed reaching the 11- and 12-year-old Lake Mary all-star team last year. Instead of moping, he worked … and worked and worked.

Wednesday night, Calo and Rohozen stood tall and helped Lake Mary become one of the country’s top three Little League Baseball teams. Nobody doubts Calo’s commitment anymore. There is no denying Rohozen anymore.

Calo threw 2 2/3 brilliant shutout innings against Hawaii, while Rohozen smashed a home run, producing what eventually became the game-deciding run, as Lake Mary edged Hawaii, 4-3 and reached Thursday night’s loser’s bracket final against Nevada.

Let’s start with Calo who entered with the bases loaded and one out in the fourth inning as Lake Mary clung to a 4-3 lead. Showing the power which has made him a dangerous running back and linebacker, Calo struck out the next two hitters, leaving the go-ahead runners on base.

“We put him in some tough spots and he got out of it for us. This kid is the real deal,” Lake Mary manager Jonathan Anderson said. “I’m just thinking of when he first came to Lake Mary Little League. People passed on him because they thought he was a football player and he wouldn’t play a lot. He’s so good. He’s sooo good.”

Calo is a player of few words. He has attended three post game press conferences and spoken fewer than 10 words. But a one-word response Wednesday spoke volumes about what motivates Calo and what he enjoys most.

“Winning,” he said.

Lake Mary has done that a lot since Calo started playing baseball. That goes double this season as Calo has helped Lake Mary win state and regional championships, while becoming a serious national title threat. When not pitching, Calo is an outstanding fielder who provides pop and speed in the middle of Lake Mary’s lineup.

It was his pitching, however, which took center stage against Hawaii. Entering in the most pressure-filled situation, Calo remained cool as flames circled him. Despite two outstanding at-bats by Hawaii hitters, Calo never broke and recorded his strikeouts on full counts, totaling 14 pitches.

After working a perfect fifth inning, Calo again encountered danger when Gabriel Laloulu belted a lead-off sixth inning double off the center field wall. A bunt moved the tying runner to third. Again, Hawaii had the momentum.

Lake Mary had Calo. Advantage, Lake Mary.

Calo struck out the next hitter before inducing a game-ending ground out to second baseman Chase Anderson. Entering that final inning Hawaii fans loudly chanted, “Maui!” Seemingly everyone heard them except Calo. Again he extinguished the fire.

“In the dugout we’re talking about how they’re screaming Maui and we’re talking about how we have to get a Lake Mary (chant) going and Lou is like it doesn’t bother me what they’re screaming,” Anderson said. “(He said), ‘I’m fine. I don’t care.”

Rohozen took a similar approach after being one of the final players left off the 12U team which reached the Southeast final. He did not complain. He did not think about what could have been.

Rohozen simply forged forward. Rohozen was chosen to play on the 11U all-star team but thought he could best boost his ability by relentlessly working throughout the offseason.

So that is what Rohozen did. He did everything possible to make himself a better player and developed into one of the country’s premier Little League players. Not only did he make the 12U this season, but Rohozen has become one of the team’s most valuable players, settling in as the No. 3 hitter in a potent offense, while providing steady pitching and reliable defense.

“He went and took the summer and worked his butt off to be where he is right now,” Anderson said. “He’s the three-hole hitter; the winning pitcher (Tuesday). This is the epitome of what happens when you work as hard as you can to get something you’ve dreamed about forever. He is that guy.”

Rohozen had not pitched since the state tournament entering Tuesday’s elimination game against New York, but the moment was not too big for him. It was moments like these that he worked so hard for.

Given the opportunity, Rohozen dominated, striking out five straight batters at one point and helping Lake Mary win, 6-1.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long and it just felt great,” Rohozen said afterward. “It was a dream come true.”

Rohozen lived another dream against Hawaii. This time, it came while hitting. Rohozen led off the third inning in impressive fashion, launching a no-doubt home run over the left field wall. That blast put Lake Mary up, 4-0. It ended up making the ultimate difference by game’s end, too.

“That home run is No. 1 (memory). Pitching is No. 2,” Rohozen said. “The crowd went wild. I never thought I could do it.”

Anderson did. He watched how hard Anderson worked over the last year. He saw him exemplify everything that Lake Mary Little League represents.

All those hours, all that practice led to these moments. What moments they have become.

“He’s a great, great player,” Anderson said. “Garrett just decided (last year), ‘I’m going to back to the lab and work and come back here and be the dude that he is.”