DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Max Snoozy of South Dakota celebrates after getting out of the fifth inning after not allowing a run against Washington during the Little League World Series in South Williamsport.

Ryan Vavruska made quite a bold statement last June. Considering the odds of it becoming reality, it was a Joe Namath Super Bowl guarantee type remark.

“I said at our first practice to one of the reporters from Sioux Falls that we had another Gavin Weir in our lineup, that being Max (Snoozy)” Vavruska, the Sioux Falls, South Dakota manager said.

Talk about confidence. Weir became a 2021 summer sensation when he surrendered just one hit the entire summer, striking out 114 of 132 batters, and helping Sioux Falls finish fourth at the Little League World Series. From regionals through the Little League World Series, he allowed just one hit and was part of five straight no-hitters between regionals and his two Series appearances.

They were ridiculous video game numbers and it seemed highly unlikely Sioux Falls could ever produce another pitcher who could come close to matching Weir.

But then Snoozy came along. And he made Vavruska look like a prophet.

Yes, Snoozy has allowed more hits than Weir but he’s been pretty much every bit as dominant. Just ask Pennsylvania and Washington. Snoozy overpowered both at the Series and joined Weir and Marcus Phillips (2017) as the best to ever do it for Sioux Falls Little League, a league which has produced four Series qualifiers in eight seasons.

Sioux Falls finished fourth in the U.S. Field after South Carolina ended its run Tuesday night. It was only the third time since 2001 that a Midwest team finished among the country’s top four and it tied the 2021 Sioux Falls team for the state’s best Series finish ever. Had it keep advancing, Snoozy would not have been able to pitch until Sunday after throwing 85 pitches Tuesday against Washington.

The International field could consider itself fortunate.

Snoozy even resembles Weir, being a lefty and being a terrific pitcher, rather than just a thrower. Snoozy has dazzled all summer and went into overdrive at the Series, going 2-0, throwing 11 1/3 scoreless innings, surrendering just four hits and striking out 25. All that against teams who entered the Series undefeated and who had never scored fewer than five runs in any game on the way to South Williamsport.

“It feels good. The experience has been so fun here, being here with your best friends,” Snoozy said after throwing 5 1/3 shutout innings and striking out an American-high 14 batters in Sioux Falls 9-0 win against Washington Tuesday. “I couldn’t do it without these boys. They motivate me all the time. They pick up for me and they pick up the bats for me.”

That humbleness I what bonds Weir and Snoozy as well. While becoming a national celebrity for a few weeks four years ago, Weir wowed not just for how he pitched but for how he conducted himself. Snoozy is the same way.

While he has put opposing offenses to sleep, Snoozy has never shined a lot upon himself. It always is about his teammates, about those who help him. He is the consummate teammate and it’s not just his arm that makes Sioux Falls better, but his example, too.

“I didn’t feel much pressure (Tuesday). Like I say all the time, I trust my teammates. That’s all I need to know,” Snoozy said. “I have a great defense behind me. That’s all I need to know. I trust that and do my best.”

Snoozy kept Sioux Falls alive Tuesday, limiting Washington to three hits and striking out 14 in 5 1/3 fabulous innings. Washington actually started strong and had runners on second and third with one out in the first inning. From there, Snoozy again showed why the Weir comparisons are so valid.

He did not just retire the next 10 batters, he struck them all out.

Snoozy ran his consecutive outs streak to 12 and when Washington loaded the bases in the fifth inning, he locked back in and overpowered the next hitter, generating his 13th strikeout, preserving a 1-0 lead. Snoozy than fanned No. 14 to open the sixth inning, exiting after throwing his 85th pitch.

Take a bow, Max Snoozy because you left an enormous pitching impact at this Series.

“The original plan was to throw Max 20 pitches. Northwest put up a great fight against us, so we decided to ride Max the whole game like we did in Game 1,” Vavruska said. “He proved to be the difference-maker in the game again.”

It has been that way all summer, including at regionals where Snoozy struck out 17 batters in 9 1/3 innings.

Along the way, Snoozy has displayed his fierce competitiveness. He has been animated when producing big outs and often looks like a caged lion. That is in stark contrast to who Snoozy is off the field.

There, it can be hard hearing Snoozy talk sometimes. He is intelligent and well-spoken, but Snoozy also has a quiet voice and always is complimentary of others. Following a press conference after Sioux Falls defeated Washington, Snoozy shook reporters’ hands without being prompted. He then asked his teammates doing the same, saying, “Always shake their hands.”

He may be soft spoken but Snoozy remains a leader off the diamond.

“The field feels like home. I’ve been playing baseball for seven or eight years. It’s just a home to me and I just love the energy, so I feed off it,” Snoozy said. “In here, I’m soft-spoken and try to be as humble as I can.”

Mission accomplished.

Vavruska never hesitated comparing Snoozy to Weir. He has watched him play; watched him carry himself the last few years. He long ago knew what the world was about to discover. Simply put, Snoozy is special.

It has been a team effort that carried Sioux Falls this far. Still, Snoozy has helped keep the team on course. He learned from past Sioux Falls greats like Phillips and now has become one himself.

“That motivation helps; it helps a lot,” Snoozy said. “People like that (Phillips) supporting me helps so much. It’s great having people knowing I can do it, so I know that I can do it.”

Snoozy has done it all summer. And it turns out, Snoozy is not the next Gavin Weir.

He’s his own player. And Snoozy is one of a kind.

Chris Masse may be reached at cmasse@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @docmasse.