They’ll be huddled around televisions in living rooms, restaurants and electronics stores. Even people who usually couldn’t care less about sports will be transfixed. They’ll be watching their athletes, after all, athletes who will be competing before millions of viewers on an international stage.
The Olympics in Beijing? Nope.
At 5 p.m. Saturday, viewers throughout Snohomish County and the state of Washington will be watching and cheering for the Mill Creek Little League All-Stars, who will be playing their opening game at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
Not since a legendary team from Kirkland won the world title in 1982 has a team from Washington looked this strong going into the championship tournament of Little League baseball. To say that these 11- and 12-year-olds from Mill Creek have dominated is like saying their hometown’s streets get a little busy during rush hour. They won all 15 of their district, state and regional tournament games, outscoring the competition by a total of 178-20. Only one final score was close, a 4-3 comeback victory over Bainbridge Island in the state semifinals.
Little League fever is nothing new to Mill Creek, which has had competitive teams in the past. And the city hosted this year’s state tournament, cheering their young heroes on to the Northwest Regionals in San Bernardino, Calif. But when Saturday’s 10-1 victory over Beaverton, Ore., stamped their ticket to Williamsport, the Mill Creek All-Stars and their fans realized an accomplishment others only dream about, and one none of them — or us — will ever forget. No matter what happens from this point on, these kids have made Mill Creek a city of champions.
They’re guaranteed at least three games in Williamsport — at 5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. Monday and 11 a.m. next Tuesday, all televised nationally on ESPN or ESPN2. If, as we suspect, they’re still playing after that … watch out, world.
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