Upper Uwchlan Township, Pa.'s Gabe Mackiewicz blows a kiss to the crowd during the first inning of a baseball game against Clarendon Hills, Ill., at the Little League World Series, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in South Williamsport, Pa. (AP Photo/Caleb Craig)

Glenmoore Eagle Little League coaches and board members knew their 12-year-old all-star team made history when it captured its first state championship last June.

Each win from there was a historic one and Glenmoore Eagle cemented its status as an all-time time team when it won the Mid-Atlantic championship and reached the Little League World Series. Again, all that history was understood.

What surprised many was that the team from Upper Uwchlan Township is the first Chester County team to play at the Little League World Series. It also is the just the third Chester County squad to win a state title.

Based on the competition in that region, the shock is understandable. It also just shines a brighter light on what Glenmoore Eagle has done since it survived a perennially strong area to make history.

“That’s news to me. That’s pretty surprising because we have really good baseball down here just like they do throughout Delco, Montgomery and Bucks County,” Glenmoore Eagle Little League president Brian Podvia said. “There are a lot of strong teams and there is a lot of strong competition.”

That includes in District 28 where Glenmoore Eagle had to get by Lionville and Downingtown who often compete for championships as well as in Section 7 where Dillsburg and Greencastle often have been state title contenders.

So, while the area might not have achieved much history, it was not for a lack of effort, or quality teams. In fact, fighting through that area made Glenmoore Eagle well-prepared for when it reached the state tournament and took its crack at achieving history.

“We live in a competitive district. A lot those teams had a chance to make some noise in this age group,” Glenmoore Eagle manager Michael Shaw said. “We definitely played a lot of good teams there.”

The core of this team has been together since they were 6 and 7. It speaks volumes that the team also went undefeated throughout its area at 10 years old and won the Eastern Region championship. The previous few years, those around the team knew it was good, but this was when the Series really started floating through their minds.

Still, one or two missteps back home could have ended those dreams before they really took flight. The team had a collective target on its back, but powered through the Chester County opponents to, in turn put Chester County at the heart of the Little League map.

“That (at 10-year-olds) was when the thought was put in many peoples’ mind that the Series was a possibility. Me, being a pessimist, I wasn’t sure, but the kids kept working and grinding,” Shaw said. “Everyone came together this year and we just took it one game and one tournament at a time.”

Glenmoore Eagle doing so produced a victory for small leagues everywhere. Upper Uwchlan Township is a small town, period, and the league often is fighting to get 300 players signed up at all levels. When it comes to this team, though, numbers did not matter.

Glenmoore’s 12 might come from a little town, but they have big-time talent. That helped it pile up 17 straight wins on the way to South Williamsport, outscoring teams, 131-16. So, from a size perspective, one could call this a Rocky Balboa, Cinderella-type story. But in terms of how good and well-coached the players are, it makes perfect sense.

Neither a town or county’s size dictates the quality of teams coming from it. Glenmoore has proven that in emphatic fashion, becoming one of the world’s best Little League squads.

“It’s huge because, in the grand scheme, our Little League is pretty small. If we get 300 kids from T-Ball, to juniors were ecstatic,” Shaw said. “This is big for our league and we’re getting a lot of support from back home and the kids are really enjoying that.”

The Mid-Atlantic champions achieving what they have this summer likely will help the league well beyond this summer. It’s almost a given that a Series qualifier will see a large spike in enrollment the following year.

If that happens next season and the years beyond, a strong league likely will only grow better. And they also will have the belief that anything is possible. This Glenmoore Eagle team has proven it.

“There’s no question this will help. We’re such a small area in terms of population and draw from such a small area, but we’re just like other baseball leagues,” Podvia said. “We’re competing with other sports and travel ball. There’s no question this is will lead to a drive of increased numbers. I can’t wait to see the kids who come out in the fall and spring.”

Glenmoore’s home District 28 also could see bigger numbers next season. While Glenmoore Eagle has enjoyed the most success, the district has been well-represented throughout the different age groups this season. Five different district teams captured state championships and seven won section titles.

The message seems clear. Survive the Chester County area and one has a chance to go pretty far.

“We’re just in line with the rest of our district which is very strong,” Podvia said. “Even when teams don’t win, they’re right there. It’s not crazy to think that we were able to do this, but it’s a pleasant surprise when you go this far.”

It’s a surprise five years in the making. It’s one which has been shaped by playing challenging local rivals each season.

But it’s also one unlike both the league and Chester County have ever seen before. That is what makes it so memorable.

The ones who have made it happen now are permanently linked. They will likely go different ways later in life and play for different teams throughout their baseball journeys. Still, they will always have this summer and always be champions.

“What we tell them is when you look back at this as an adult, you’ll remember this as one of the most fun memories in your life,” Shaw said. “They will always remember reaching the Mecca of the baseball worlds. They will forever be a family.”