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Getting to a Little League World Series is special

The Little League World Series. If you ever played baseball or softball as a kid, that was always the dream to be able to play in it.

It didn’t necessarily matter what level you were playing at — majors, juniors, seniors, big league — it was always the peak of the mountain for youth baseball and softball.

For the South Williamsport major softball team, they’re about to experience that high of highs when they land in Portland, Oregon, for the Little League Softball World Series.

They may not fully realize what they accomplished this year just yet, but it’ll sink in afterwards and in the coming years just truly how historic of a run they made.

Talking to a handful of players at a practice last week in South Williamsport, they all said that it hadn’t yet sunk in that they were going to the Little League Softball World Series.

It was just another tournament to play in together as teammates.

Every year, you think a team is really good and has the ability to go all the way, but often you’re caught up in the moment. How many times do you hear people at a game in districts talk about how stacked their team is only for them to lose the next game and be eliminated? It seems to happen every year at every district tournament across the country.

You saw how good South Williamsport’s major softball team was this year early on as it rolled through districts and sectionals, but even so, it wasn’t until the state tournament started that I thought this team has ability to do something.

South Williamsport did what no area team has ever done in the major softball division by getting to the World Series, and they’re just the 10th team this century to get to a World Series at any level, and the first in eight years. The last to get there? Keystone major baseball in 2011, which finished third in the United States.

It’s an exclusive club getting to a World Series, regardless which level it is. I never played Little League in the major baseball division, but I had a ton of friends who did, and you can believe they all hoped they could get to the World Series.

Every kid wants to do it.

Since it officially became the Little League World Series in 1949 — the first two years in 1947 and 1948 it was the National Little League Tournament — there have only been a handful of leagues that can say they’ve made it. Take a look at the short list:

• Lock Haven (1949 major baseball)

• Newberry (1969 major baseball)

• Williamsport area (1984 big league softball; 1985 big league softball; 1990 big league softball, 1994 big league softball; 1997 big league baseball; 2003 big league baseball; 2004 big league baseball; 2009 big league baseball)

• Lewisburg (1997 senior league baseball)

• Jersey Shore (2003 junior softball)

• Milton (2004 junior softball, 2005 junior softball; 2006 senior softball)

• Keystone (2011 major baseball)

Entering this year, it was only seven area leagues who could say they’ve ever reached the mountain top of youth baseball or softball since 1949. Now South Williamsport can add its name to the list.

And at the major division level, South Williamsport is in an even more exclusive club, as they join just Lock Haven (1949), Newberry (1969) and Keystone (2011) as District 12 teams to reach the World Series since 1949.

Only Williamsport, Jersey Shore and Milton have ever appeared in a softball World Series prior to this year.

“I think it means a heck of a lot to South Williamsport, I think it means a lot to the surrounding communities too,” South Williamsport coach Cory Goodman said.

You see that community support every time an area team gets to a World Series. Just look at Keystone eight years ago. Every game they packed the hill surrounding Lamade Stadium. Not only Clinton County fans, but fans from Williamsport, Loyalsock, South Williamsport and Montoursville, among many other areas. Fans from teams that Keystone beat through districts were there rooting on the local District 12 team.

And this year is no different. Cruise around the area and you see plenty of signs wishing the South Williamsport girls good luck in Portland.

“It’s pretty fun actually,” South Williamsport’s Alizabeth Schuler said. “I think we’re all enjoying it.”

It’s a whirlwind of emotions, especially later in the tournament. After winning states, South Williamsport had about a week to figure out logistics to get to Bristol, Conn. Once they got back from Bristol, South’s players, coaches and parents had about a week to figure out how to get to Portland.

It’s hectic with everything happening right on top of one another to say the least.

Once the World Series ends next week and the team gets back to South Williamsport, it’ll all slowly settle in and the players can sit back as school starts and reflect on just what they accomplished and likely, they’ll get a few congratulations from their fellow classmates.

“I think it’s going to be a really special experience. I can’t wait,” South Williamsport’s Lacey Kriebel said.

Win or lose though, it’s an historic run South Williamsport is on that will give the players some memories they can cherish for awhile.

Jon Gerardi is the sports editor at the Williamsport Sun-Gazette. He can be reached by email at jgerardi@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter @JonGerardi.

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