Little League Had Record Number of Summer Teams This Year

This year Hamilton-Wenham Little League had over 365 children playing in the regular season and over 150 children participated in organized summer tournaments.

Special recognition went to the 9-year-old District All-Star Team managed by Dave Jones, which won the Topsfield Tri-Town Tournament, the 8-year-old All-Stars managed by Phil Monahan and the 9-year-old All-Stars managed by John Evers for each winning their respective division championships in the Stan Brown Tournament.

Summer Season Summary

Williamsport – The Hamilton-Wenham Williamsport team under the new pool play format of tournament. Overall record was 4-2.

12-year-old All-Stars – The team played in the Stan Brown Tournament’s 50/70 field division and reached the Championship Game but lost to a tough Middleton/Masco team.

11-year-old District Team – The team played in the District 15 Little League Jimmy Fund Tourney and went undefeated in pool play. The team beat Gloucester American (eventual District winner), Beverly East, Boxford and Manchester-Essex. Unfortunately the team ran into a tough quarterfinal game with Gloucester National, losing 2-1. The team then participated in the Stan Brown Tourney and played in the 11-12-year-old division making it to the quarterfinals. Overall the team had a summer season record of 6-4. Each loss was by one run.

11-year-old All-Stars – The team played in the North Andover Summer Tournament and was eliminated in the semifinal round. The team also played in the Stan Brown Tourney and advanced all the way to semifinal game but lost to Andover. The team had played so well in the Stan Brown tourney that it appeared they would advance but Andover hung on to claim the win.

10-year-old District Team – The team played in the Topsfield tournament but was eliminated from the tourney after a loss in the quarterfinal round to eventual Champions Manchester-Essex. This team also played in the District 15 Little League tourney. They had some very tough teams to play in the pool play portion in order to advance. As the season wore on the team was playing great baseball and they entered into the Stan Brown Tournament, determined to do well and they did as the third seed coming out a seven team pool. They played and lost to a tough Danvers Nationals team in the quarterfinals.

10-year-old All-Stars – The team played in the Newburyport Pioneer League and was eliminated in quarterfinals. This tourney tuned the team up for their next tourney, the Stan Brown Tourney in Danvers. The team showed great game composure and made it all the way from the five team pool play into the semifinal game. They lost to a tough Andover team.

9-year-old District Team – The team played in the Topsfield Tri-Town tournament and won the Championship by defeating Danvers National 3-1.

The team then played in the District 15 Jimmy Fund tournament and did very well in a very tough division of powerhouse teams and came up short to advance from pool play. The team also played in the Stan Brown Tourney where they fared extremely well but after battling back from seven runs down to force extra innings with Gloucester, the team ended up losing a tough semifinal game and the chance to play in the Championship game.

9-year-old All-Stars – The team played in the Newburyport Pioneer Tournament but was eliminated in the quarterfinals. The team then went into the Stan Brown Tourney, determined to post a better record and they did. The team won and became champions of the 9C Division of the Stan Brown Tourney.

8-year-old All-Stars – The team played in the Topsfield Tri-Town Tournament but was eliminated after loses to the Danvers Falcons and Manchester-Essex in the elimination round. The team played in the Stan Brown Tourney where it did very well in pool play to advance. But eventually the team fell to a tough Manchester-Essex team in the quarterfinal round.

8-year-old All-Stars B – The team played in the Topsfield Tri-Town Tournament and played some very tough games against some powerhouse teams. The last game was nail biter, as the team went down in defeat and was eliminated by Danvers American, 14-13. The team then showed what they could really do when it came time for the Stan Brown Tourney, playing close games and making timely hits and defensive plays to end up winning the 8C Division Championship by defeating the team from Byfield-Newbury.

Other highlights the year for Hamilton-Wenham Little League are:

* – paid and donated by HWLL

* - paid for by HWLL

* New infield at field – paid for by HWLL

* New infield dirt for our farm league fields at in Wenham

* Concession stand at Patton Field was refurbished by HWLL and began operations - paid for by HWLL

* New field equipment shed, paid for by HWLL, allows for consistent field maintenance and storage of field equipment.

* Little League spring clinic with the Varsity coaching staff

* TOPPS Baseball Card giveaway day

* 10 “summer” season teams (most in 56 year history of HWLL)

* 12-year-old Player Graduation Banquet to be held on Sept. 12 – Sponsored by HWLL, the players will receive buffet dinner, hear comments by their manager and be presented with their graduation trophy. Two family members are also invited to attend.