Bridgewater LL making claim as league’s best ever
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They have yet to start junior high, but Bridgewater Little Leaguers understand history very well. Especially when it is about their league's long one.
Those players were quite aware that they were the second team in the Massachusetts league's 74 years to capture a state championship. And they understand even better they are the only one which has won a New England championship and played at the Little League World Series.
"Oh, they know. They think it's cool," Bridgewater manager Tim Zackrison said. "They are saying they are the best team ever there."
One really cannot argue that statement.
Nearly three quarters a century of teams played before them and none went where Bridgewater has gone. These are uncharted waters. Like the pilgrims landing at Plymouth Rock, Bridgewater landed at South Williamsport.
It has opened a new world of possibilities, too.
"After COVID, we saw a bunch of faces that might not have been a part of baseball come back and, continuously, Bridgewater has seen a renewal of growth over the years and seeing what these kids have achieved should only help, Bridgewater Little League President Pat Murphy said. "It's been amazing to see the interest and bounce-back."
Bridgewater's historic run ended Saturday when Ohio defeated it in an elimination game but what a run it was.
Like the pilgrims who were not the first to land in America, this team was not Bridgewater's first state champion. That 72-year drought ended two years ago when the 2024 team won that elusive state title and finished third at regionals. But what this 2026 team did was find a way to carry the torch forward and prove that Lamade Stadium is not a venue only reserved for other teams.
This is the team which showed all Little League dreams are attainable. They can go ahead and plant that flag. These Bridgewater all-stars truly have become the league's best ever.
"It's really cool. They're all super excited," Zackrison said. "They've been together, for the most part, since they were 8. They've been working and grinding it out over the past couple of summers and that all led to them getting here."
"It's the first time in our league history and for these young men and coaches and families to experience dreams coming true is amazing," Murphy said. "As a town, a community, a state, the excitement surrounding this is incredible. It's just a special team.
"When they made that final out (at regionals), it was like, 'Wow! Is this really happening?'"
It sure was. And while this team has carved out that history, the momentum created throughout this decade helped start powering the ship on course. Murphy is one of 26 board members and all have worked hard at fostering not just a competitive league, but one which helps grow the players and their love for the game.
That mission has been at the heart of the league's numbers resurgence. With strong, dedicated coaches and players in place, all the pieces started falling fitting. The 2024 Bridgewater team opened the door and this team kicked it down, completing a puzzle so long in the making.
"Looking at it under a microscope, it's really impressive what Bridgewater Little League has been able to achieve the last 15 years," Murphy said. "For these guys, reaching the pinnacle is amazing. For us as a league, though, it's not about wins and losses. We measure success by how many kids want to return and play baseball."
This team has proven from an early age that it loves playing baseball. And though not by design, Bridgewater sure played a lot of baseball while reaching the Series. Bridgewater was the only the American team which lost two games before regionals started, dropping one in the Section 2 tournament and another at states.
But that is really what makes this run especially rewarding. Because, when it was knocked down, channeled its inner-patriot and fought back. From defeat, rose three more championships and Bridgewater captured three more flags
Equally impressive, Bridgewater looked like a wrecking machine following those defeats, especially at states when it outscored the next two opponents, 17-0. That proved a launching pad and Bridgewater decimated a loaded New England field, 26-1 over three games.
The pilgrims; the Revolutionary soldiers were defined by their will and resilience. So, too, have these Bridgewater Little Leaguers.
"They are a resilient group. They support each other 100 %. I couldn't ask for anything more," Zackrison said. "How they pick each other up is amazing. As a coach, I don't have to sit and talk to bring them together a lot. They do their thing and they have a lot of confidence."
"It was something special for them to come back and work even harder," Murphy said. "They learned from it and it proved right in their process."
Bridgewater players have become both model players and students. Soon, they will be back at school. History likely will be one of the subjects.
For its league, history may change and more Bridgewater teams might reach the Series. But this 2026 squad will always be the first. This is the one which created a new world there.
And attracted so many fans along the way. Seeing the impact it has made upon those fans is something this team likely will remember every bit as much as its wins.
"It's amazing how much this community has rallied around them. We know whenever the boys return from Williamsport, they're going to have a busy agenda for the next couple months with how much they're celebrated, not just in the community but in the state," Murphy said. "What a busy time, but what an amazing time it will continue to be."