Accolades Continue For Council Rock Newtown LL World Series Team

NEWTOWN, PA — The accolades continue for the Council Rock Newtown Little League World Series team which "captured the hearts" of the Newtown community this past summer as they played teams from throughout the nation at the Little League World Series in Williamsport.

At its September meeting, Council Rock Superintendent Andy Sanko unveiled a plaque that will hang in the Chancellor Center in honor of the team's amazing season. The plaque contains a baseball signed by each member of the Blue Dawgs team.

"This group of ballplayers, made up of Council Rock and Saint Andrew students, set a high standard for teamwork and sportsmanship and in the process demonstrated that working as a team brings great reward regardless of the outcome," said Sanko. "Playing on an international stage at this age is absolutely extraordinary and it is an extraordinary experience that will last with these players and families and for all of us who watched these young play. We hope you felt the love and support from our entire community," he told the team.

On their way to Williamsport, the team captured the District Tournament Title, the Pennsylvania State Championship and the Mid-Atlantic Region Championship with an 18-0 record to punch their ticket to the big game in Williamsport where their appearances on the field were broadcast around the world on ESPN and ABC.

In Williamsport, the team lost its first game, 9-0, to the Southwest, but rebounded to defeat its next two competitors - New England and the Northwest - before being eliminated from play by the strong pitching of Hawaii.

"We appreciate the community and what they did for these boys," said Coach Brad Hamilton. "When you're 12 years old, you don't feel it, but as adults you do. The coaches felt the community really come around this team. And you could really feel it the further you got away when you really needed it.

"You set up an environment for these guys to be successful," he told the broader community. "Ninety percent of it comes from their parents, but there's that 10 percent that comes from the community. What you do is important. How you do it is important. And it shows when you have kids like this who get to the national and international stage.

"I was nervous going onto TV with a bunch of 12-year-0lds," admitted Hamilton. "And when they were interviewed in the beginning, they'd give you those mumbling responses. But as they became comfortable, you started to see that education, the community that's been around them, the support that leaned into them and helped them become the young men that they are. Watching that take hold during their Little League World Series run is a credit to their parents, to great coaching and to the whole community. And it all starts with the schools," he said.

The night before the school board meeting, the team was treated to water ice at Rita's Italian Ice in Newtown. The team members were also put to work, scooping up water ice while raising funds for the Council Rock Newtown Athletic Association.

To thank them for their work and to recognize their accomplishment, Rita's presented the team with certificates good for water ice for a year.

(Rita's Italian Ice)

(Rita's Italian Ice)

(Rita's Italian Ice)