South Whidbey Little League team headed to state tournament

The South Whidbey team won 6-2 last week in a district championship tournament at Windjammer Park.

By Kira Erickson • July 11, 2023 1:30 am

After a victory against Sedro-Woolley, players from the South Whidbey Little League Majors Allstars Team have punched their tickets to the state tournament this weekend.

The South Whidbey team, which is part of District 11 and has a 4-1 record, beat the other team 6-2 last week in a district championship tournament held at Windjammer Park in Oak Harbor.

Head Coach Charlie Currier reported amazing starting pitching performances from Tristan Diffie, Easton Niemi, Clayton La Bar and Hudson Currier, the latter of whom pitched four innings, allowing only two runs versus a stacked Sedro-Woolley team. Relief pitcher Wyatt Broughton had a masterful performance closing out the game. The game ended on a Luke Hagen double play at second base.

Other players on the roster include Brandon Krug, Cason Sommer, Colton Biehler, Cooper Zachritz, Turner Pendell, Wyatt Bishop and Wyatt Walsh. The boys are between the ages of 10 and 12 and played on two different teams during the regular Little League season. The Allstars season began in June.

This year marks the first time since 2015 that the South Whidbey Little League Majors Allstars are headed to the state tournament. Eight of the players on the team are returning Allstars from 2022. The majority of the boys have been playing together since their early days in T-ball.

“We couldn’t be more proud of our Allstar team as they have shown us the power of unity, the strength of homegrown talent, and the joy that comes from playing the game they love with their best friends,” Currier said, who has been coaching baseball for the past seven years. He is joined by assistant coaches Evan Bishop, Brandon Biehler and John Sommer.

Over the winter, South Whidbey High School Baseball Coach Tom Fallon invited the boys to participate in an open gym two days of the week with his team. The kids took full advantage of this invitation, and their hard work finally paid off this summer.

The state tournament begins July 15 in Poulsbo, Washington. South Whidbey’s first game is against Camas Little League, the District 4 champion.

The winner of the state tournament advances to a regional tournament with champions from Oregon, Idaho and Alaska. The winner of that tournament moves on to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“There is a strong sense of community tied with Little League and these Allstars absolutely understand that,” Currier said. “They look forward to representing not only their team but the entire South Whidbey community in the state tournament.”