New Tampa Little League All Stars Win Sectionals, Advance to State Level

This team of 11- and 12-year-olds went 3-0 during sectionals and went on to win the district championship game 14-8. The New Tampa Little League All Stars hit five homeruns on Friday, five on Saturday and four during the district game.

The championships will take place July 29-31, and if New Tampa goes 2-1 or 3-0, the team will advance to the semi-finals on Sunday. The final game will take place on Monday at 10 a.m. in Coral Springs.

Ed Thinger, head coach and father of one of the players, said it was a great feat.

“The last two years we lost sectionals, but this year with all of the 12-year-olds coming together, we won,” he said.

Thinger said the team is like a family. “They really get along with each other. We stayed in Haines City at a hotel, and these boys hung out together constantly and had no separation,” he said.

A rival team’s father, Derrick Fish, who works at Kuhn Honda, donated a large check during fund-raising this year so that all the teams could have a chance to travel and play.

“We have a great group of parents, and we have battled with them on the field, but off the field everyone gets along,” Thinger said.

Thinger’s son Eddie plays on the All Star team and New Tampa’s travel team, the Predators. Andy Trujeque, the team manager, said many of the boys play on both of the teams, and it has made all of the difference.

The team will be practicing hard all week in anticipation for the state championships, Thinger said. The boys will be up against a team from Kendall, and two others that have not yet been named.

More Information

To donate to NTLL for their trip to South Florida this weekend, contact Ed Thinger at coach_ed71@verizon.net.