CALEB CRAIG/Associated Press Canada’s Davis Weibel celebrates a run with teammate Emmett Stefanson during the second inning of a baseball game at the Little League World Series against Australia on Sunday. Canada beat Australia, 12-0, the largest run-differential in a Canada win in LLWS history.

Since 1958, Canada has been a staple of the Little League World Series. It was that year in which Little League granted Canada an automatic berth to the tournament.

Ever since, with the exception of 1975 and 2021 — years where there were no International teams at the tournament — Canada has played at the World Series.

And while Canada has been playing at the Series for just more than seven decades, it was Little Mountain Little League’s all-star team this year which did something no other Canadian team had ever accomplished.

On Sunday, Canada cruised past Australia in an elimination game at Volunteer Stadium, 12-0. And that 12-run victory made history for Canada by becoming the largest differential by a Canada team in a victory.

“There’s been so many highlights, it’s been such an amazing experience,” Canada assistant coach Stephen Nantel said on Tuesday after being eliminated by Aruba. “The win against Australia, getting that win for us was a huge highlight and I understand it was the most significant amount of runs for a Canada team in Little League World Series history. That was a big bonus.”

The 12 runs by Canada is tied for the third-most runs by a Canada team at the Series (2024, def. Panama, 12-5 and 2017, def. Italy, 12-2). The most runs a Canada team has ever scored was 14 in a 14-13 win over Germany in 2009 and twice Canada scored 13 in a game (2012, def. Mexico, 13-9 and 2007, def. Saudi Arabia, 13-5).

But winning by double-digit runs? That’s only happened three times in Canada’s history at the Series, but Sunday’s win was the first ever 12-run victory, and it came in the form of a shutout.

While that was a nice milestone for Canada as Nantel said, what stood out this year for the assistant manager is the fact Canada showed it can compete with tough teams.

“Getting that kind of win made us feel like we deserve to be here,” Nantel said.

Canada has unfortunately suffered as a region its share of lopsided games in the past, from some run-ins with Chinese Taipei powers in the 1970s and 1980s, to even more recent games the past two decades.

But Canada competed well in 2024, and Nantel hopes that it shows the neighbors to the north of the United States can be among the best.

Canada only lost to Venezuela, one of the best teams in the entire 2025 Series tournament, 4-0 in the team’s opener and was in the game until the very end and kept battling.

After that 12-0 rout over Australia, Canada went up against Aruba on Tuesday in another elimination game.

While Canada lost ,6-1, it gave Aruba a game early.

“We faced some tough competition all the way to get here. We had some games here we didn’t necessarily play our best, but the boys bounced back and learned from those experiences,” Nantel said.

Canada led 1-0 against Aruba on Tuesday and even after Aruba hit a game-tying home-run in its first at bat in the bottom of the first inning, Canada kept battling.

Canada had two runners left on base in the first two innings and left the bases loaded in the fourth. A hit here, a passed ball there, and Canada maybe is still playing in the tournament.

“I think we were proud of the fact that we weren’t embarrassed in any games we played. I told the boys at the end, they went to their ace when we had the bases loaded and he shut us down,” Nantel said. “The boys were beaten by a better pitcher. It’s never a shame when you play a team that’s better than you, nothing but praise for how they battled.”

Nantel took the opportunity to reflect on being at the World Series, something every 12-year-old baseball player in the world dreams about being able to reach. The accomplishment for Canada’s players may not have fully set in yet, but Nantel knows they will appreciate it.

“We’ve talked about it all the way along this journey, every step was a step toward this goal, not only being at the Little League World Series, but being a competitive team here,” Nantel said. “It’s fine to be here, but you don’t want to come in and get soundly beaten. … What I said to them at the end of the (Aruba) game was we’re very proud of them and this is something they’re going to remember forever. It’s a great experience,

“They’ve been treated like royalty here. One kid on the team was with his parents ata restaurant with his Canada hat on and he was signing autographs,” Nantel continued. “I think they’re recognized and when they get home, it’ll set in.”

Nantel noted that following the loss and being eliminated did sting and plenty of players had some tears and were crying. It’s never easy to lose, especially in a big tournament.

“There were some tears, appropriately, they didn’t want to be eliminated, but we’re very proud of them,” Nantel said.

And so are their fans back home.