First Posted: 3/6/2013
The Back Mountain 10-year-old, all-stars rolled through the 2012 district and section Little League Baseball Tournaments, capturing a pair of titles.
By the time the playoff run came to an end in the state tournament, the team members and their families had decided they were not done playing together.
“After that, the parents decided to get together as a group and form our own travel team,” said coach Joe Phillips.
The Back Mountain Bombers have stuck together with all 12 members of the Little League all-star squad.
“It was because of the camaraderie from going to all the tournaments and of the parents getting along so well and the kids getting along so well,” Phillips said.
The team continued into travel tournaments last summer, has already begun taking batting practice together at an indoor facility in West Pittston and is looking ahead to the possibility of playing as 12-year-olds in 2014 at the Cooperstown Dreams Park in upstate New York.
Along with practicing and playing together before and after the Little League season, the 12 team members and their families are working on fundraising for the group to help pay for the Cooperstown trip.
A Comedy Night was held last weekend and plans are underway for a golf tournament May 5 at Mill Race Golf Club in Benton.
The team’s on-field success continued beyond Little League last summer. In their first attempt at a wooden-bat event, the Bombers advanced to the championship game in Chester, N.Y. before losing by one run.
Phillips is assisted by Al Finarelli and Joe Nocito.
The team consists of Jake Connolly, Justin Finarelli, Christopher Langan, Jack Lukasavage, Matt Maransky, Will McCrum, Lucas McGeehan, Sam Nocito, Frank Nockley, Brett Ostroski, Todd Phillips and Dylan Schuster.
The golf tournament will be a captain-and-crew event beginning at 12:30 p.m. on May 5. Entry fee of $100 includes, greens fees, cart, food and beverage on the course and after the tournament, a gift, trophies and prizes. Tournament and hole sponsors are also being sought.
The Black Mountain Bombers formed a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax deducitble.
For more information on the golf tournament, contact Ray at 690-8444.
Cooperstown Dreams Park hosts up to 104 teams a week in the summer for tournaments. According to its website, cooperstowndreamspark.com, it brings in more than 1,350 teams of 12-and-under players each summer. The experience includes a chance for the players to visit the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
