Shelby Little League Teams Take Swing at States

Little League will be well represented this weekend in the softball state tournaments. 

Three teams will compete in their respective championship tournaments this weekend and all three cannot wait to hit the road.  The teams are comprised of girls hailing from both Shelby and Macomb.

Here's a snapshot of the state-bound teams and their coaches' outlooks:

U14 - This is the first time ever that the 14s are headed to the state tournament, this year in Lexington, MI, and coach Joe Miodonski sees it as a fun learning experience for the girls.

"I'm actually a little surprised that we made states this year," Miodonski said. "We don't have a ton of talent, but we play with a lot of heart and we win with a lot of heart. I'm proud of them. We have a couple of younger girls that have been playing in the league for three years and they are our strengths right now.

"Down the road we will be a lot better; next year should be a great year for us. If we can get a couple of wins, that would be great. We're just going to go there, have a fun time and see what we get out of it.  You never know what can happen. I love coaching these girls and I believe in them."

U12 - For the third consecutive year, coach Bob Hall's players are packing their vans for the state championship caravan. Two years ago the team went 3-2 and last year they were winless. This year, however, Hall and company have a different outcome in mind as they head to Grand Rapids.

"Our ultimate goal is to win the whole thing this year and I think we have a chance," Hall said. "We are excited and are looking forward to representing Shelby Township. We have quite a few strengths this year. I believe we have some of the best bats around and all of our kids can hit the ball. Pitching is another area where we are strong, too. 

"I'm pretty happy with our progress and hopefully we'll put it all together when we get there. Good pitching, good defense and putting runs on the board will be the key to advancing in the tournament. This is a great group of girls and they play as a team."  

U11 - Coach Patrick Delaere is taking his U11 team to the state tournament for the second year in a row. Last year, the team did not win a game, but the experience was invaluable for the girls.

"Last year's tournament was definitely a learning experience for us," Delaere said. "The best thing that came from it is that the girls now have a goal, something to shoot for. This year we are a small-ball team and our strengths are pitching and defense. We are a defensive-oriented team and we've worked hard for the past two years on our defense."

The 11s are peaking at the right time, too. Last week they won the Romeo Round-Robin Invitational.

"The girls have a lot of confidence from their win last weekend," Delaere said. "I think we have a very good shot at advancing."