The Sweetwater Valley Little League 12U all-star team has surpassed every expectation its coaching staff has set to date, according to manager Ward Lannom. The team is undefeated at 12-0 in tournament play with four championship banners … and counting.
The Sweetwater Valley behemoth faces its next challenge with a trip to the vaunted United States Western Regional tournament that starts Sunday in San Bernardino. Win another banner and the team advances to the Little League World Series in Pennsylvania.
Sweetwater Valley has posted some incredible numbers in capturing championship banners at the district, section, sub-division and division levels thus far.
Sweetwater Valley has slammed 57 home runs, scored 179 runs (against 35 allowed) and amassed 183 hits in 359 plate appearances for a torrid .510 team hitting average.
“The most incredible stat to me is that they have hit 57 home runs and have broken 26 bats — do the math, that is $132 per home run,” Lannom offered with a smile.
But as great as the season has been so far, it could end suddenly due to the new bracket format adopted this year for the Western Regional tournament. Prior to this season, teams had been grouped in pool play before advancing to single-elimination bracket play. This year, teams will compete in double-elimination bracket play.
Sweetwater Valley opens tournament play Sunday against Hawaii champion Waipio Little League. The winner advances to play Nevada champion Paseo Verde Little League on Monday. The loser of Sunday’s game drops to the dreaded elimination bracket.
“There’s a little more pressure to win because you could go 0-2 and be out of the tournament,” Lannom said matter-of-factly.
Sweetwater Valley appears prepared for whatever may come, however. The team has been taking batting practice all week in advance of this weekend’s tournament after emerging with last weekend’s Southern California Division III championship banner by sweeping SoCal-North sub-division champion Manhattan in the teams’ best-of-three series.
Sweetwater Valley won by scores of 9-6 and 18-5 while cranking nine home runs in the two games.
“Hit, hit, hit and more hitting,” Lannom said in regard to this week’s practice at the Sweetwater Valley Little League complex.
“We have been having older kids come down and throw batting practice for the last month and a half. They pipe the ball in the mid to high 70s, which is over preparing our players for what they might see. This takes the intimidation away. At the end of the day, the kids are reminded that they are playing 12-year-olds. It’s worked!”
So, when Lannom is asked the question whether his team is ready, he said the answer is obvious.
“This team plays with a ton of heart, confidence and excitement they have for the game,” the SVLL manager explained. “They play the game the way the game should be played. They are coached about their approach and they play with a mission and sense that they are on the path to the Little League World Series. First impressions are everything, and I think we have won half the games we played before the game started. So, to answer the question, we are ready. However, there are two tournaments left. Next stop: Western Region.”
Up, up, away
Sweetwater Valley hit five home runs in Saturday’s Division III opener and four round-trippers in Sunday’s finale.
Antonio Andrade, Levi Mendez, Nate Nankil, Walker Lannom and Isaac Artalejo each homered on Saturday while Lannom, Mendez and Jake Baptista (twice) homered on Sunday.
Sweetwater Valley lived up to its reputation by striking early and often. Nankil hit a two-run home run and Lannom followed with a solo shot to put Sweetwater Valley up 3-0 in the first inning of Saturday’s contest.
But Manhattan proved to be a worthy opponent by tying the game, 3-3, by the bottom of the fourth inning. However, Sweetwater Valley once again went deep to separate the teams on the scoreboard as Andrade hit a two-run home run and Artalejo slammed a three-run shot in the top of the fifth inning to push the SoCal South Division champions out in front 8-3.
Mendez followed with a solo home run in the top of the sixth inning to make the score 9-3. Manhattan scored three runs in the bottom of the frame before closing out the game.
Mendez pitched the first five innings while Lannom pitched the sixth inning. Taking a 1-0 lead in the series was huge, the elder Lannom said.
“It was a big deal because they threw their No. 1 pitcher and we still had both Dante (Schmid) and Antonio available for Sunday,” the SVLL manager said.
Schmid pitched four innings on Sunday before being relieved by Andrade for the final two innings.
Sweetwater Valley had a bit of extra motivation in Sunday’s series ender as four players off Eastlake Little League’s 2013 United States World Series championship team were in attendance and posed for post-game photos with the SVLL team. Present were Nick Mora, Jake Espinoza, Micah Pietila-Wiggs and Grant Holman.
Is it time to hand the torch to a new LLWS representative from South County? That would be an exciting development, indeed.
Best in the West pep rally set Thursday at SVLL complex
Sweetwater Valley Little League will hold a pep rally on Thursday, Aug. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m., at the Sweetwater Valley Little League complex, 3321 Conduit Road in Bonita, to help send off the league’s 12U all-star team to the Western Regional tournament in San Bernardino.
This will be the team’s last home pracrtice before departing Friday for San Bernardino. Fans are invited to come show their support for the newly crowned Southern California Division III state champions, watch the team practice, wish them well and help send them off as the team continues to make history for the league.
For fans with appetites, it will be “taco Thursday” at the SVLL snack bar. Spirit shirts and hats also will be on sale and fans can also obtain information about the bus caravan to the games.
The team’s official viewing party will take place Sunday at Pizzo’s Pizzeria at The Shops at San Miguel Ranch, 2310 Proctor Valley Road. Guests can enjoy the game on the restaurant’s outside patio.
Sweetwater Valley 12U All-Stars
Team Roster
Players: Antonio Andrade, Isaac Artalejo, Ariel Armas, Jacob Baptista, Cameron Barbabosa, Mark Cervantes, Preston Fleming, Walker Lannom, Nicholas Maldonado, Levi Mendez, Nate Nankil, Braiz Ramirez, Dante Schmid
Manager: Ward Lannom
Coaches: Arturo Maldonado, Jaime Ramirez
Tournament Game Log
California District 42 champions
Sweetwater Valley 28, Chula Vista American 0
Sweetwater Valley 19, Park View 1
Sweetwater Valley 18, Imperial Beach 0
Sweetwater Valley 14, Park View 0
California Section 7 champions
Sweetwater Valley 10, Lemon Grove 0
Sweetwater Valley 20, Rancho San Diego 5
Sweetwater Valley 18, Rancho San Diego 7
Southern California-South Division III champions
Sweetwater Valley 12, Orangecrest 5
Sweetwater Valley 6, Encinitas 2
Sweetwater Valley 7, Oceanview 4 (7 innings)
Southern California Division III champions
Sweetwater Valley 9, Manhattan 6
Sweetwater Valley 18, Manhattan 5
Sweetwater Valley wins best-of-three series 2-0
Little League International Western Regional Tournament
West Regional teams:
Chandler National North Little League (Arizona)
Waipahu Waipio Little League (Hawaii)
Paseo Verde Little League (Nevada)
San Jose Cambrian Park Little League (Northern California)
Sweetwater Valley Little League (Southern California)
Snow Canyon Little League (Utah)
Northwest Regional teams:
Juneau Gastineau Channel Little League (Alaska)
West Valley Little League (Idaho)
Billings Boulder Arrowhead Little League (Montana)
Portland Wilshire-Riverside Little League (Oregon)
Vancouver Cascade Little League (Washington)
Gillette Little League (Wyoming)
Game Schedule
Sunday, Aug. 9
Northern California vs. Arizona (West Region), 8:30 a.m.
Wyoming vs. Oregon (Northwest Region), 11 a.m.
Idaho vs. Washington (Northwest Region), 4 p.m.
Southern California vs. Hawaii (West Region), 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 10
Alaska vs. Wyoming-Oregon winner (Northwest Region), 8:30 a.m.
Utah vs. Northern California-Arizona winner (West Region), 11:30 a.m.
Nevada vs. Southern California-Hawaii winner (West Region), 4:30 p.m.
Montana vs. Idaho-Washington winner (Northwest Region), 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11
Northwest Region elimination game, teams TBA, 8:30 a.m.
West Region elimination game, teams TBA, 11 a.m.
West Region elimination game, teams TBA, 4:30 p.m.
Northwest Region elimination game, teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12
Northwest Region elimination game, teams TBA, 4:30 p.m.
West Region elimination game, teams TBA, 7 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13
Northwest Region winners bracket final, teams TBA, 10 a.m.
West region winners bracket final, teams TBA, 6 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 14
Northwest Region elimination game, teams TBA, noon
West Region elimination game, teams TBA, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15
Northwest Region championship game, noon
West Region championship game, 6 p.m.
