Breaking News
Local Sports

‘History made’: Loyalsock majors etch their names into Sock LL history books

By JON GERARDI 3 min read

No one on Loyalsock Little League’s major baseball team had been born the last time Loyalsock won a District 12 major baseball championship. The last time it happened, the seniors who just graduated from the high school were being born.

It’s been a long 18 years where Loyalsock has had talented teams and won at various levels, including the minor division. But that elusive title at the major level kept slipping past Loyalsock over the years.

Prior to Saturday, Loyalsock Little League had only ever claimed four District 12 titles since 1980 -- in 2008, 2000, 1988 and 1980. The 2026 team can etch their names alongside those former teams in exclusive company in Loyalsock Little League history.

“100% it is (nice). All of these kids deserve it,” Loyalsock manager Jake King said of his team winning the first title in 18 years.

The last two teams which won District 12 titles from Loyalsock went on to appear in the state tournament. The 2008 Loyalsock team finished 1-2 at the state tournament, beating State College National (2-0) before falling in two games to Harborcreek (7-6) and Ligonier Valley (12-7). The 2000 team went 0-2, losing a pair of one-run games to Stroudsburg (4-3) and Franklin (4-3).

Those two teams are the only Loyalsock Little League major baseball teams to get to states via winning sectionals in league history, which dates to 1948.

After the District 12 final concluded, Loyalsock manager Jake King was in the dugout along the third-base line talking to his players, telling them how proud he was of them. He also noted that there’s still more to accomplish and the mission isn’t done yet.

Time will tell if the 2026 team can match the 2008 and 2000 teams by reaching the state tournament and further etching their name in history. The Section 3 tournament is up next this upcoming weekend in Berwick as Loyalsock plays its first game Saturday.

“It's huge (to win the title). It's been, from what I've heard, since 2008 that Loyalsock had a title like this. I told boys before I'm uber proud of those guys,” King said. “They've been grinding for almost two months now and to have this as the ending for it, to win a district title here at this place? You can't ask for anything more.”

Loyalsock’s players immediately celebrated on the infield at Volunteer Stadium after beating East Lycoming. They also took the obligatory run around the outfield, holding the District 12 championship banner as a team together. They were excited to be crowned the league’s best and keep their summer going.

It surely hasn’t yet sunk in what they were able to accomplish for the league, and it may not sink in for a while. But nonetheless, they’re among a short list of champions since 1980 at Loyalsock Little League.

Starting at /week.