Local Little League teams play in district tourney
Two local Little League 10 and under teams worked through the competition in the county bracket of the District 5 tournament last week, with the Albany Reds beating the Albany Indians to advance to the overall district championship against city bracket winner Wylie Hooks on Monday.
The Reds lost to the Hooks in the championship game, 10-5, according to coach Clint Chapman. Wylie was the winner of the city bracket of the tournament against other Wylie and Abilene teams.
“We were ahead by two runs after the third inn-ing,” Chapman said, “but one bad inning turned the game.”
The coach said the team played well, getting hits and playing good defense.
“We had some hard hits to the outfield but right to their fielders,” Chapman said. “Aiden Vickers pitched an excellent game for us, and our defense played well.”
For the second year in a row, two Albany teams advanced through the county bracket of the tournament to end up playing each other for the county championship.
The Reds and the Indians played on Saturday at the local ballpark, with the Reds coming out on top 11-10 in extra innings.
Both teams won the first three rounds of the county bracket to make it to the county title game.
“We had a very tough bracket, and I’m very proud of our kids for beating the best league-winning teams from Snyder, Jim Ned and Sweetwater,” coach Anthony Cedar said about the Indians. “It was truly an epic run for our team.”
The Indians, who finished second to the Reds in the local league’s 10 and Under division, beat Jim Ned Thunder, 9-2, in the first round and advanced to defeat the Sweetwater Titans, 12-1, in Round 2. The Indians edged out Snyder’s Yankees, 12-11, in the third round to qualify for the county championship game.
I’m very proud of our kids pushing the Reds to extra innings,” Cedar said. “The Reds were the best team in our local league all season, and we knew we’d have to play our best but came up short.”
The Reds beat the Snyder Dodgers, 13-3, in the first game, followed by a 15-0 win over the Clyde Rail Riders in the second. The Reds blanked the Jim Ned Sod Poodles in the third round, 9-0.
“The Reds pitched well and hit the ball well all season,” said Chapman, “Every player contributed to our successful year.”
The coach said the Reds finished the regular schedule with a 9-1 record, adding four more wins in the tournament before the loss to Wylie.
Players for the Reds included Aiden Vickers, Lyle Wheeler, Clay Chapman, Jackson Shack, Brody Oliver, Wesley Gleitz, Sam Tidwell, Slayton Parsons, and Blake Britting.
Players for the Indians were Gatlin Wills, Bennett Neece, Graham Cedar, Pecos Duke, Connor Smith, Zarek Bell, Jakobi Word, Cash Edgar, and Mason McCloy.
Older Teams
In Tourney
Albany also had a 12 and Under “major” team play in their division, making it to the third round of the county bracket.
The Raiders, coached by Paul Hamilton, defeated Jim Ned, 3-2, in the first game and beat Sweetwater, 16-0, in the second round.
The Raiders narrowly lost to Snyder in the third round, 12-11.
“We beat Jim Ned behind a brilliant outing by Sam Vickers on the mound and Will LeMay coming as relief for the save,” Hamilton said.
The Albany 2 Junior League team also played in the tournament, losing to Wylie Silver in the first round, 6-5, on May 28.
Some of the local players will now play in the District 5 All-Stars tournament starting at the end of next week with pool play. Albany will have both 12 and under and 10 and under teams entered in the tournament. The all-stars are selected from all four of the local teams.
