Little League’s annual all-star tournaments are in full swing, with seven South County teams advancing to compete in this week’s Section 7 tournaments throughout San Diego and Imperial counties.
History will not repeat itself this year, however, as players from Park View’s fabled 2009 Little League World Series champion Blue Bombers were dispersed between Park View Little League’s older age divisions and both Chula Vista North and CV South Pony Leagues.
So which team will carry the torch this year? Will it be another South County team — Eastlake, Luckie Waller or Sweetwater Valley?
All three area Little Leagues sent teams to this year’s section tournaments, with Luckie Waller represented in three age groups: 10-11, Junior (13-14) and Senior (14-16) divisions. Eastlake (9-10) and Sweetwater Valley in Majors (11-12) also qualified for the section tournament as D42 champions.
Teams have an eye on advancing to Sub-Division III, Division III (SoCal state), and in the older age groups, the West Regional and World Series championships.
Parts of California District 66 also serve South County, most notably National City and Paradise Hills.
Teams advancing to the Section 7 championships from the District 66 finals included Twin Hills (9-10), National City American (10-11), Spring Valley (Majors and Seniors) and Lemon Grove (Juniors).
Four teams comprise each sectional tournament (with the exception of the Senior and Big League divisions), with district champions from District 41 (East County), District 66, District 42 and District 22 (Imperial Valley) participating in the Section 7 championships.
This year’s District 41 champions include Rancho San Diego (9-10, 10-11 and 11-12) and United Santee (Juniors).
District 22 champions include Calexico (9-10), Imperial (10-11 and 11-12) and Brawley (Juniors).
Section 7 tournaments are scheduled to end with championship games on Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on the double-elimination format of each age division.
Section 7 tournaments
District 42’s Sweetwater Valley Little League is hosting both the 11-12 Division and Senior Division section championship tournaments, with Sweetwater Valley attempting to defend its section title.
Lakeside National is hosting the 10-11 Division section tournament while United Santee Little League is hosting the Junior Division section championships. Sunbeam District 22 in Imperial Valley hosted the 9-10 Division Section 7 finals.
Sweetwater Valley Little League also hosted the Big League Section 7 championships July 2-5, with the Clairemont Hilltoppers District 32 All-Stars defeating the host District 66 All-Stars, 14-2, to advance to the Division III championship tournament July 7-13 hosted by Metro Pioneer Little League District 29 in Santa Fe Springs.
9-10 Division Update
Rancho San Diego captured its opening two games of the 9-10 Division tournament, defeating Calexico and Eastlake, to advance to Tuesday’s championship game. The District 41 champions are set to face Eastlake in a rematch after Eastlake eliminated Twin Hills, 10-1, in Monday’s challenger bracket final.
An Eastlake victory would force a second championship game on Wednesday in the tourney’s double-elimination format.
Eastlake kept its momentum rolling from the district championships by defeating Twin Hills, 12-2, in its opener on Saturday but dropped its next game, 6-4, to RSD on Sunday to drop to the challenger bracket. Twin Hills eliminated Calexico on Sunday to draw a rematch with Eastlake on Monday.
The 9-10 Division Section 7 champion advances to the Sub-Division III tournament hosted by District 43 in San Bernardino.
10-11 Division Update
In other opening games on Saturday, Rancho San Diego again won its opening two games in the 10-11 Division section tournament, topping Imperial and National City American, to also advance to Tuesday’s championship game. The reigning District 41 champions are scheduled to test Luckie Waller after Luckie Waller eliminated National City American, 17-15, in a challenger bracket slugfest on Monday.
A Luckie Waller victory would force a second championship game on Wednesday.
National City American pushed Luckie Waller into the challenger bracket with an opening game 11-6 victory before falling, 12-4, to RSD in the next round.
Luckie Waller staved off elimination with a victory against Imperial on Sunday to draw a rematch with NCA on Monday.
The 10-11 Division Section 7 champion advances to the Sub-Division III tournament hosted by District 33.
Major Division Update
Sweetwater Valley advanced to Tuesday’s championship game after posting consecutive victories against Imperial (14-8) and Rancho San Diego (6-5).
Meanwhile, Rancho San Diego defeated Spring Valley, 17-4, in its opener before being pushed into the challenger bracket via Sunday’s loss to Sweetwater Valley. RSD edged Spring Valley, 11-10, in Monday’s elimination contest to draw a rematch with Sweetwater Valley.
The Major Division Section 7 champion advances to the Sub-Division III tournament hosted by Tijeras Creek Little League District 68 in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Junior Division Update
In the Junior Division sectionals, Lemon Grove racked up a pair of wins, defeating Brawley and Luckie Waller, to advance to Tuesday’s championship game. Luckie Waller shut out United Santee, 10-0, in its opener on Saturday, but dropped its ensuing winners bracket game against Lemon Grove, 10-0, on Sunday.
Luckie Waller and Brawley (3-1 first-round losers to Lemon Grove) were to tangle Monday in an elimination game, with the winner facing Lemon Grove in a rematch.
The Junior Division Section 7 champion advances to the Sub-Division III tournament hosted by District 24 in Riverside.
Senior Division Update
In the lone Senior Division game played on Saturday, Spring Valley out-scored Luckie Waller 10-0. The teams were set to rematch on Monday in the best-of-three championship series. The winner advances to the Sub-Division III tournament hosted by District 72 in Corona.
TV time
The Little League West Regional championship game will be televised on ESPN or ESPN2 on Aug. 15, beginning at 5 p.m. The Little League World Series (11-12 age group) will be televised Aug. 20-29 on the ABC family of networks.
Little League Baseball: Did you know?
California District 42
South County District 42 is comprised of 10 leagues: Chula Vista American, Chula Vista National, Eastlake, Imperial Beach, Luckie Waller, Park View, San Ysidro, South Bay, Southwest and Sweetwater Valley.
The official District 42 Web site is located at www.eteamz.com/cad42.
California District 66
South Bay District 66 includes the following 10 leagues: Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, Valley de Oro, Encanto, National City American, Twin Hills, Las Palmas, San Diego American, Skyline and Southeastern.
The league’s official Web site is located at www.eteamz.com/calif66.
California District 41
East County District 41 is comprised of 16 leagues: Alpine American, Cajon de Oro, El Cajon National, El Cajon Western, Fletcher Hills, Jamul, Lakeside American, Lakeside National, Mountain Empire, Rancho San Diego, Rios Canyon, East County United, Santee Pioneer, Santana National, Singing Hills, United Santee and West†Hills.
The league’s official Web site is located at www.eteamz.com/cadistrict41.
2010 Little League
Parade of Champions
District 42
9-10: Eastlake
10-11: Luckie Waller
11-12: Sweetwater Valley
Junior: Luckie Waller
Senior: Luckie Waller
District 66
9-10: Twin Hills
10-11: National City American
11-12: Spring Valley
Junior: Lemon Grove
Senior: Spring Valley
District 41
9-10: Rancho San Diego
10-11: Rancho San Diego
11-12: Rancho San Diego
Junior: United Santee
