The Howell South Little League Junior League all-stars went 11-3 in tournament play this summer and became the first team from Howell South to capture a state championship. The all-stars’ successful run ended in the Little League Junior League Eastern Regional tournament that was hosted by the Freehold Township Little League. Twenty years after manager Tony Richardson led the Howell Central Little League Senior League all-stars to the Senior League World Series, Howell Township had another groundbreaking team to cheer.
The Howell South Little League Junior League all-stars (ages 14-15) won their league’s first state championship this summer and acquitted themselves well in the Little League Junior League Eastern Regional tournament that was hosted by the Freehold Township Little League from Aug. 4-9 at Michael J. Tighe Park in Freehold Township.
Howell South, which draws its players from the Ramtown section of Howell, was one win away from a spot in the regional semifinals when the all-stars succumbed to a late rally by Johnston, R.I., and lost, 7-2, on Aug. 7.
The trip to the Eastern Regional left indelible memories for the players.
“We’re family, we’ll always remember this and look back on it as one big family,” Connor Fey said.
Donovan O’Malley said, “It was pretty special. We are very proud to be the first team from Howell South to win a state championship.”
Howell South bonded as a team and as friends during their historic summer. Justin Steel said, “we played as a team this year and kept our heads up when we fell behind,”
The goal the Junior League all-stars set for themselves this summer was to repeat as District 11 champions. They won the district title in 2011 as 13-year-olds, but the competition at the age group ends there.
As Junior League all-stars, if they won the district title they would advance to play for additional crowns. After repeating as district champions, Steel said, “we kept trying to win one more game.”
That approach took the Howell South all-stars to the section and state titles and to their appearance in the Eastern Regional where they represented New Jersey as the state champion.
Howell South manager Jeff Steel said everything about the regional tournament was positive for his club.
“It was a great experience for the kids to go as far as we did,” Steel said. “The competition level was very high and we competed at a high level.”
Howell South started the Eastern Regional by defeating Dunbar Little League, the Pennsylvania state champion, in six innings, 12-0. The game had to be played over two days because of a thunderstorm that hit the area on the evening of Aug. 5. Howell was leading, 2-0, in the second inning when the game was stopped. The game resumed the next morning and Howell broke it open by scoring in every inning from the third inning on. A four-run sixth inning brought the 10-mercy rule into play and ended the game.
O’Malley led the offensive outburst with three RBI. Andrew Larsen, Fey, Russell Quinlan and Josh Venetos each had two RBI. Justin Steel’s double was the only extra base hit of the game.
Fey tossed the shutout, allowing six hits and striking out five hitters. He said it was one of the best games he has ever pitched.
Following the win over Dunbar, Howell South had to come back a couple of hours later to play Tolland, the Connecticut state champion, and lost to the well-rested team, 11-2. Fey and Steel delivered the RBI for Howell South.
The loss sent Howell to the loser’s bracket where they played Johnston, R.I., the defending regional champion, in an elimination game.
The contest turned into a pitcher’s duel between O’Malley and Johnston’s Matt Kennedy. They matched scoreless frames until the bottom of the fifth inning when Howell finally dented Kennedy for two runs.
Kennedy, a hard-throwing righty, played Houdini by pitching out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth.
It looked like he would escape one more time in the fifth. Ryan Snyder doubled and Larsen walked for Howell South. After a double steal put runners on second and third with none out, a strikeout and an infield pop held them there.
Greg McManus delivered for Howell South as he hit a chopper through the left side of the infield to score Snyder and Larsen for a 2-0 lead.
Rather than getting discouraged by Mc- Manus’ two-out single, it seemed to wake up the defending regional champions and they began to swing the bats like champions. Four straight hits led to two runs and a sacrifice fly and a base hit lifted Johnston to a 4-2 lead.
In the top of the seventh inning, Johnston tacked on three more runs, highlighted by John Willette’s two-run home run, to break open a well-played and close game.
“I’m proud of what they did,” Steel said of the players he managed this summer. “You can’t take that (state championship) away from the kids.”
Howell South went 11-3 in tournament play.
Howell South’s 2012 Little League Junior League state champions are Matt De Pomp, Connor Fey, Andrew Larsen, Matt Masone, Greg McManus, Vincent Murphy, Donovan O’Malley, Tim Preston, Russell Quinlan, Zach Rucci, Ryan Snyder, Justin Steel and Josh Venetos.
Jeff Steel’s coaching staff included Rob Fey, John Quinlan and Jeff Preston.
There were 10 teams in the Eastern Regional (nine state champions and the host district, Freehold Township).
Franklin Square, N.Y., defeated Johnston, R.I., 10-8, in the deciding game to win the regional tournament. Franklin Square (14-1) advanced to the Little League Junior League World Series being held in Taylor, Mich., Aug. 12-18.
With wins in 2005 and 2010, Freehold Township is the only multiple champion since the league started hosting the regional tournament in 2005.