By Matt Simms
Special to The Record
The South Whidbey Little League Twins dominated their South End rivals, the Phillies, early in the season.
And when the dust finally settled, the Twins held a one game advantage to win the regular season title in the majors division (ages 10 to 12).
“We had solid pitching and defense, and every player contributed at the plate,” said Phillies manager Eddie Sergeant.
“The boys’ bats were red hot the entire second half of the season, and throughout this tournament.”
The teams’ one-two finishes meant both earned invitations to play in the Andy Andrade Memorial District 11 Championship post-season tournament in Oak Harbor.
“It’s unprecedented for two teams from the same league to play in the championship,” said Twins coach Bill Patterson. “I’m very proud of them [the Twins.]”
At the conclusion of their final regular season game against one another, the coaching staffs of both squads, including Patterson and Sergeant and Twins coaches Craig Antich and Paul Divina, and Phillies coaches Henry Pope (and Shawn Eveland, pulled the two teams together in the outfield and challenged them to strive for more than just the tournament invitation.
In their Andrade bracket they knew they would face teams from Burlington-Edison, Sedro-Woolley, North Whidbey and Central Whidbey Little Leagues and would have to win at least four games to emerge as champions.
The Phillies and Twins also knew pressure-packed regular season game experiences had toughened both teams in ways that would serve them well in post-season play.
They just didn’t know how well it prepared them.
In the opening round of the tournament, the Phillies offense erupted in a 16-11 victory against the North Whidbey Dodgers. The Phillies lost to the Dodgers earlier in the season. Josiah Sergeant, Lewis Pope and Kody Newman combined for nine hits, and outfielder Kade Petty laid down a critical bunt to extend a rally that allowed the Phillies to advance.
The Twins moved to the second round with a victory over Sedro-Woolley. In the second round, the two South Whidbey teams would face each other for the first time in the district tourney.
Parker Buchanan’s and Will Simms’ pitching led Phillies’ manager Sergeant to call it, “our best performance of the year.”
Defensive plays by Phillies outfielder Tyler Heggenes held the Twins bats in check. The Phillies’ batting took over and another clutch bunt — this time from outfielder Thorin Helmersen — extended a late rally and sparked a 12-1 victory.
Relegated to the consolation side of the bracket, the Twins vowed to play their rival again.
The Phillies’ beat the Tigers, the Burlington-Edison league champions, 9-0. The Phillies tallied 14 hits, including two home runs from Buchanan. Pitchers Trenton Piehler, Pope and Simms combined for the shutout that sent the Phillies to the championship game.
The Twins needed three victories in the consolation bracket to make the final.
First, they beat a different Sedro-Woolley team, then won 11-2 against the Dodgers. Finally, the Twins beat the Burlington-Edison Tigers 5-2.
The all-South Whidbey Little League championship was marked by the same determination and resolve that defined the Phillies’ and the Twins’ respective seasons.
A triple by Simms and an RBI by Phillies outfielder Anthony Eveland in the first inning gave the Phillies an early lead they never lost. The Twins put runners on base in every inning, but Buchanan’s and Simms’ pitching, coupled with defensive stops by Phillies’ outfielders Josiah Colby and Dylan Woodward, snuffed the Twins’ rally.
In the end, the Phillies won 12-9.
Phillies batters combined to hit .472 with two home runs and 16 extra base hits. Phillies pitchers Buchanan, Simms, Piehler, Pope and Sergeant combined to record four tournament wins and 29 strikeouts.
“We have a great group of boys and this championship was a wonderful ending to a very special season.”
