By Bob Nuse, Sports Editor
The group of players that make up the West Windsor Little League 12-year-old all-star team has enjoyed plenty of success on the field.
But that’s now what made the team special.
“We have the quintessential team,” West Windsor manager Eric Laskey said after his team fell to Bordentown, 4-2, in the District 12 final on Sunday at HTRBA. “When one guy isn’t producing, another guy is going to come up and get their back. They are all playing together as a team. And to know as a team if you are not hitting that day that another guy has your back is what makes them so successful.
“And the other thing is every single game and every single practice this group has fun together. Little League is fun. This is the end of their Little League career. Little League is about fun and this team has fun together. When they are having fun they are playing loose.”
West Windsor reached the championship round of the District 12 tournament for the third straight year. As 11s they fell to Bordentown and as 10s they fell to Robbinsville. In this year’s tournament, Bordentown scored 41 runs in its first two games before topping West Windsor in the final two games.
“We played them tight this game,” Laskey said. “We knew if we came out with quality pitching and hitting we would have a chance to play them well. These guys played a great game. I told them all at the end of the game that they should be incredibly proud of the season they have had. All three years, as 10s, 11s and 12s, they were in the district finals and that is an incredible accomplishment. We’re the only team that has done that.
“Since they were 9 years old they have been in every single finals of every single tournament.”
West Windsor was tied, 2-2, late in the game thanks to a run-scoring doubles by Cooper Athey and a sacrifice fly by Justin Guest. But Bordentown used a pair of home runs, one by Hun School student Carson Applegate and the other by Marco Mannino, to pull out the win. Applegate struck out the final four batters of the game on the mound.
But even with the loss, Laskey and his coaches left the field feeling as proud of their players as they have after any other game.
“This team plays for each other, which is what is incredible to me,” Laskey said. “All three coaches, we said just how proud we are to have coached them and watch them develop since they were 6 and 7 years old into this great team that plays for each other. It has been such an honor for us.”
This time around they just ran into a Bordentown team with plenty of weapons at the plate and on the mound.
“They have a big team,” Laskey said. “But we beat them last year and we came in thinking we were going to beat them this time. It didn’t exactly work out the way we wanted, but the kids played a strong game. They could not have done anything more to make us proud.
“We played them tight. We have a lot of respect for that Bordentown team. They are a great team and we wish them luck in the sectionals and beyond.”
West Windsor had one more tournament to play together as they started the late 12 tournament at HTRBA on Wednesday.
“Our first championship as 9-year-olds was (at HTRBA) and we’re hoping to close it out with another championship to end our Little League career,” Laskey said.
