Little League District tourney kicks off on Saturday
BY SEAN PEAT
Five local Little League All-Star teams are ready to take the field this weekend in the District 31 Tournament, which will put the winner one step closer to Williamsport and the Little League World Series.
The district’s majors tournament (for players 11 and 12 years old) starts Saturday, July 3 at Jesmond Dene Park in Escondido. The champion will be crowned at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13 and will advance to section play.
The district’s local Little League teams are: Poway American, Poway National, Rancho Bernardo, 4S Ranch, and Carmel Mountain Ranch. District 31 also includes teams from Del Mar, Rancho Santa Fe, Escondido, Encinitas, Solana Beach, Valley Center, and Encinitas.
Coaches say Encinitas National is considered the early favorite, after winning the majors division three years running.
All of the local coaches said their teams consist of tight-knit groups with kids who have been playing together for several years.
Poway American’s All-Stars are coached by Dave Bristow, who says his team would like to “improve on last year’s performance and get past the quarterfinals.”
Bristow said he considers Poway American to be a “pitching league,” but added that with proper work, his kids will get stronger in defense and hitting and develop into a well-rounded team.
Pete Murray coaches the Poway National squad, a group he believes is fairly balanced in all areas, with “kids that really know how to pitch” and “great hitters” who can hit plenty of home runs.
Though winning the tournament is the team’s goal, Murray said doing so would be a “tall order” and a significant achievement given the strong competition in District 31.
Rancho Bernardo’s All-Stars are coached by Philip Penn, who said his team is balanced in hitting, pitching and defense.
He added that one of the team’s strengths is that any of his players would be able to pitch if called upon.
Penn said that while winning the tournament would be great, he believes his team needs to “stay grounded” in its goals and team members need to focus on “winning their pool (first) and then the district.”
Matt Feringa coaches the 4S Ranch All-Stars. He considers his team to be “better [at] hitting” with some good pitchers, but noted that his team has “less depth” in that area.
Feringa said he likes how his team plays overall and believes that they are well-balanced. His team, like any other, would love to win the district but Feringa says their first goal is to advance further this year than last and “make it to the semifinals.”
Scott Crowley coaches the Carmel Mountain Ranch All-Star team, another that is “well-balanced,” a quality he believes is necessary in a “very competitive district.” Wanting to “play smart, hard, and fundamentally sound” and to “represent [their] league with class and sportsmanship.”
If they accomplish this, he believes his team “can live with whatever result [they] get.”
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