Rockland County Little League Softball All-Stars Achieve Great Success at State Level and Beyond
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The Rock Stars
The New City team made it all the way to this year's Little League Softball World Series where they placed fifth and set a Rockland record.
In addition to the state title, the New City 11-12-year-olds, managed by Mike Herskowitz and Andy Kaye and coached by James Guevarra, Mike del Rosario, and Glenn Powers, collected the U.S. East Region champion title and went on to place fifth in the Little League Softball World Series in Oregon in mid-August-the highest any Rockland team of this age group has ever placed. The girls beat out Italy, Portland, and Puerto Rico to secure their spot.
It was clear from the start that this all-star team was one to be reckoned with: Their first game in district play was an 18-inning win (17 of those innings were scoreless) versus Nanuet, the defending state champions. Lon Hofstein, president of New City Little League, says this hard-fought four-hour game was the beginning of the team's dream tour.
"New City Little League is at a loss for words to say how proud we are of these girls," Hofstein says. "They play with all their heart. It's such a pleasure to watch them and work with them, as well as their parents."
The team was sent off to the World Series with a community-wide pep rally and were equally embraced when they returned: On August 25, the girls were introduced at a Rockland Boulders game, and on September 3 they stood side-by-side on the field with the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The Town of Clarkstown is also planning an awards ceremony for the players, and they'll attend New City Little League's champions' dinner in November. "They're like rock stars," Hofstein says with a laugh. "This is something they'll look back on for years to come."
The Returning Champs
Pearl River's junior team proved their talent again this year by taking states and missing the World Series by just two runs.
Pearl River's Juniors are no stranger to the winners' circle. Nine out of the 10 players on this year's team took the state title in the 11-12 age group in 2009 and five of the team members were on Pearl River High School's district-winning varsity softball team this year. "They're a committed bunch of kids," says Mike O'Malley, one of the team's coaches and corresponding secretary for Pearl River Little League. "Most of them have been playing together since they were 7 or 8 years old."
The all-star team, coached by O'Malley and Rick Alicandri and managed by Mike Woods, topped the state junior (13-14-year-old) division after trampling South Shore Staten Island 11-0 in just six innings (juniors usually play seven innings, but the mercy rule shortened the game). After states, the players took on nine teams at the U.S. East Region tournament, winning eight games and ultimately losing 6-5 to Pennsylvania in the finals-a heartbreaking loss, because the team was up 5-1 earlier in the game, O'Malley says. But the Pennsylvania team was a worthy opponent, having beaten Pearl River at the regional tournament two years ago and reaching the World Series for the past six years. "It was harder this year because they went further-they were only two runs away from going to the World Series," O'Malley says. "They're a talented group. They just invite us along for the ride."
The Pearl River team was honored on the field at a Rockland Boulders game September 4. Orangetown Supervisor Paul Whalen also invited the girls to a televised town hall meeting September 26, where they will receive certificates for their accomplishments.
