Everett, Wash.
Published: Thursday, August 21, 2008

Title dreams dashed, but Little Leaguers still No. 1 to Mill Creek

By Eric Stevick, Herald Writer

 MILL CREEK -- As the Mill Creek All-Stars played in a semifinal game for the national Little League baseball championship Wednesday night, city leaders were making plans to celebrate their accomplishments when they come home.

Mill Creek lost to Hawaii, 9-4, and was eliminated from the tournament.

Even so, their town, which is getting ready to celebrate its 25th birthday next month, is proud.

Mayor Terry Ryan wants to make sure the 13 boys, their coaches and their families are recognized by a community that has been captivated by their remarkable achievement. In a sport with practices beginning in March with more than 400,000 youngsters nationally, they were among the country's last four dozen Little League teams to be playing in August.

Ryan called the city manager last week, before the first pitch was thrown at the World Series, and said the city needs to come up with a plan to recognize the team. Since the city has not known how far the team would advance, arrangements, such as a time, date and place, were still in the works Wednesday.

Ryan could envision a parade or a community-wide celebration at the Mill Creek Sports Park in good weather or the forum at Town Center if it rains.

"We will want as many people there who can make it," Ryan said. "We are very proud of these kids."

The Mill Creek All-Stars were the Pacific Northwest representative to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

"I was kidding around with the mayor, but I told him if they win the whole thing, we better make them a key to the city," said Tim Burns, the city manager.

Burns said the city needs to talk with Little League leaders and their families before making final arrangements. Many families that could not take vacation because of Little League practices and tournaments all summer are likely to try to get away before school starts in less than two weeks.

"It will probably be in September," Burns said. "One of the difficulties we are having right now is all the Little League leadership is in Williamsport. We would like to partner with them to do something."

The team already has been overwhelmed by the support of Mill Creek fans, said parent Patricia Bartok. Her son, Duncan, plays for the team and recently received an e-mail from his first T-ball coach. Like others who've written to Duncan, he wanted the boy to know how proud he was of him, Bartok said.

She believes the team's accomplishments are bringing the Mill Creek community together and making it stronger.

"We are now in the top four teams in the U.S. and we are in the top eight teams in the world," she said from Williamsport before Wednesday's game. "It's amazing. Being Little League families we've watched the World Series on television for years and years. It's just amazing to be here."

The kids have worked for years to reach this point. This is their dream come true, but it's also tough, she said. In Williamsport, they're living apart from their families, sequestered in a training facility. The boys are learning how to conduct interviews with ESPN and reporters from around the world. They're also dealing with the stress that often accompanies such exposure.

"It's a great deal of pressure for someone who's 12 years old," said Bartok, a residential designer from Mill Creek. "'I said to my son, 'I am so proud of you and there's nothing that you could do out there that I wouldn't be proud of because you've worked so hard to get here.' I think they feel the pressure. They're playing under another layer that's tough to work with."

Pride in the team was evident at City Hall on Tuesday when Mill Creek eked past Jeffersonville, Ind., 3-2 in a day game.

The Mill Creek Business Association was providing a noon appreciation barbecue for city workers, who kept slipping away to check the scores on a 13-inch TV. Many employees had a special interest in watching KJ Neaville, whose dad, Ken, is a police sergeant for the city.

"At the end of the game, the lunchroom was packed," Burns said.

Reporter Kaitlin Manry contributed to this story.



Reporter Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446 or e-mail stevick@heraldnet.com.
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