TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Despite Defeat, Citrus Park Still Smiling

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOEY JOHNSTON

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 23, 2008

Updated: 08/23/2008 12:25 am

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - ESPN's Stacey Dales is accustomed to breaking down a college basketball game or doing a sideline interview in college football.

The Little League World Series?

That was a new assignment.

"My job is to bring out the personalities of these kids on camera," Dales said. "There might not be much interaction there, because they're hesitant or shy."

Then Dales started working with the Citrus Park All-Stars.

"What a fun group," she said. "Very charming all around. You can tell they are well-coached, but this is also a group of well-mannered boys.

"When I was first interviewing them, I was like, 'Do you want to have fun with this?' And they were all for it. They were very much at home in the moment. What a pleasure. I'm going to remember them."

In turn, Citrus Park players will always remember their Williamsport experience. Even though Citrus Park was eliminated by Lake Charles, La., 6-1 in Thursday night's U.S. semifinals, nobody wanted it to end.

"My husband Lance was a major-league player, so I was familiar with him signing autographs and being recognized by people," said Stacie McCullers, mother of fraternal twins Ryan and Austin, Citrus Park players. "But there were my sons, after leaving the batting cage, having fans come up to them and ask for autographs.

"Of course, I got a picture of it. It was an amazing memory. We were just so taken by the spirit of the place."

Citrus Park manager Joe McGuire wanted his players to experience it all. He even attempted to bring some of his players to the media interview room after losses - Little League officials won't allow that, choosing to avoid a potential emotionally harsh spotlight on a 12-year-old - but McGuire never saw it as additional pressure.

"Getting to the final four of U.S. teams was something really significant," McGuire said. "But everything along the way was special, too."

Citrus Park parents already are planning an annual summer reunion.

Undoubtedly, some families will move away. Friendships might splinter. It won't be the same. But the summer of 2008 will remain a shared experience.

"Every year in the future, when the Little League World Series comes on TV, it will hit home for all of us," said Diane Reid, mother of Citrus Park player Wyatt Reid.

Citrus Park players were staying through the weekend. In fact, they were scheduled to play an exhibition game this morning against Venezuela, a final-four team from the international pool. Then they will witness Japan face Mexico in the international final, followed by Louisiana against Hawaii in the U.S. final.

Citrus Park players and coaches will return to Tampa on Monday afternoon - their Continental flight is due in from Newark, N.J., at 2:40 p.m. - and then it's a late return to school, along with resumption of jobs for the parents.

Everyone is looking forward to reliving the game through tapes of ESPN's broadcasts.

The obvious highlight was Monday night's 8-2 seven-inning win against Shelton, Conn., when Citrus Park was two outs from elimination. Then Kevin Merrell crushed a tying home run, setting up a six-run seventh inning. Brett Wilkosz added a two-run homer - and ESPN cameras captured his jubilant father, Bob, waving a homemade sign.

That's My Boy, Brett.

"You can't explain what something like that means to a dad," Bob Wilkosz said. "For the parents like myself, some of these games were sheer terror, punctuated by jubilation and depression.

"We all feel kind of worn-out. It was an emotional roller-coaster. But at the same time, we feel privileged to have been part of it."

Before Monday night's game, Citrus Park first baseman Danny Lastra did a pregame interview with Dales on superstitions. Lastra said he wore a penny in his shoe - heads-up, for good luck - and that tidbit came in handy when Lastra slammed the go-ahead homer.

How could viewers not fall in love with that anecdote?

Thumbs-up for Citrus Park.

"There are astronomical odds against even getting here," McGuire said. "We won some, we lost some, but these kids gained something more valuable. They had a summer they'll never forget."

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT