TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Citrus Park Blasts Into World Series

Tribune photo by JASON BEHNKEN

Citrus Park advanced to the Little League World Series with an 11-0 victory against Westside (Ala.) Little League in the Southeast Regional final at Arnold S. White Stadium.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 9, 2008

GULFPORT - For the parents, who understood the stakes, it was a fantasy. For the kids, perhaps too young to feel any pressure, it was a blast.

And for everyone connected with the Citrus Park Little League, it was history.

Under the glow of ESPN's lights, in a big-time atmosphere at Arnold S. White Stadium, Citrus Park topped Westside Little League of Mobile, Ala., 11-0, to win the Southeast Regional Tournament on Friday night and earn a trip to next week's Little League World Series.

"This was like nothing else, like a dream," said Citrus Park shortstop/pitcher Wyatt Reid, who had two home runs and seven RBIs, including a two-run shot that capped a six-run fifth inning, halting the game on the 10-run mercy rule.

Now it's on to Williamsport, Pa.

"It's the pinnacle," said Greg Mills, president of Citrus Park Little League. "It's a memory these kids will have for the rest of their lives. And I'll tell you what, it couldn't have happened to a nicer group of kids and a nicer group of parents."

By all accounts, they are a normal group of young boys, mostly 12-year-olds, who enjoy wiffle ball, pingpong, ice cream, fishing, video games, competing at practically everything and enjoying the last days of summer, before entering the seventh grade.

Around the diamond, they answer to nicknames - Gilly, Huck, Big A, Big D, Ryno, Big Mac, K-Man, D-Mo, Vegas, D-Mart and Boogie.

"Just a bunch of kids having fun, ordinary stuff," said Lance McCullers, a former major-league pitcher and volunteer coach, whose two sons, fraternal twins Ryan and Austin, were among the Citrus Park mainstays.

Everything about Friday night was extraordinary.

Before the game, the team received a message from Bucs coach Jon Gruden:

Go get 'em!

"Sometimes, you feel like you spend most of your life down at the little league, watching your kids play the games," said Angel Breheney, mother of Michael McGuire, starting pitcher for Citrus Park. "When you arrive at a moment like this, though, how can it be topped?"

The Tampa Bay area has a long tradition of Little League baseball excellence. Citrus Park, in fact, is the 12th area team to reach Williamsport, joining St. Petersburg (1948); Lakeland Orange (1954); West Tampa (1967, 1969); Belmont Heights (1973, 1975, 1980, 1981); Sarasota National (1982); Northside (1989) and Dunedin National (1991).

Many of the Citrus Park players began as teammates two summers ago, when the 9-10 All-Stars won a national tournament at Ceredo-Kenova, W.Va. The parents and kids chartered a bus for the trip. Even then, the team camaraderie seemed unusually good.

"In Little League, there is always controversy or fires to put out," Mills said. "It's never completely easy. But this group, I don't know, it's hard to explain. They have meshed beautifully.

"It's amazing how it came together. These players and the parents all arrived at the same time. It's not like we went out and tried to find them. This is their time."

In the bustling Citrus Park community that has established a new-found identity - rapid development has seen the building of a regional mall, thousands of new homes and distinct neighborhoods in the past decade - the Little League has been a catalyst.

Citrus Park softball, a long-time powerhouse, has maintained its tradition. The Citrus Park Big Leaguers are headed to next week's World Series at Kalamazoo, Mich.

Now the baseball program has reached unprecedented heights.

On Thursday's off-day, when a swimming pool, video games and other recreational activities were available, the Citrus Park players headed to the field for pickup baseball.

"That's what they do," said Citrus Park coach Joe McGuire. "They are baseball junkies."

"They have a lot of dedication," said Stephanie Gilcrease, whose son, Levi, plays for Citrus Park. "All the parents kind of made a pact. None of us looked ahead, or booked flights to Williamsport. We didn't even look at the fares. We didn't want to jinx anything. The kids have been very businesslike, so we followed that lead. Now we're all scrambling for travel plans, but what a fun time this has been for everyone."

Reporter Joey Johnston can be reached at (813) 259-7353 or jjohnston@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT