Southwest Little League from White Center and Pacwest Little League 13-year-olds head to the state tournament in Cheney, WA

by Erik Utter

A Baseball All-Star story of a different type!

Southwest Little League from White Center and Pacwest Little League from Burien formed an all-star team of 13-year-olds that swept the district tournament of the Seattle area and are heading to the state tournament in Cheney, WA. Southwest Little League has sometimes had a rough go of things, pulling from underserved communities and a small pool of players. Some years they haven’t won a single game, but they have continued training with diligence. The long-time coaches Penny Stone and Zack Reasor have really turned things around for this group of kids that will be aging out of Little League at the end of the season.

An online fundraiser has been set up to assist families with travel: https://givebutter.com/Vu375z

“This season for Southwest Little League has been fantastic!! The SWLL Dodgers played a 12-1-1 season and won the Tournament of Champions. 

Photo by Erik Utter.

We combined teams with the PacWest LL that formed the SWLL All-Star team and won the Regional (District 7) All-Star Tournament. 

We are heading to the State All-Star Championship as the Regional (District 7) All-Star Champions. The State Tournament will be held in Cheney, WA, from 7/15-7/23. 

“It’s been a long season for these players, but they are rising to the occasion. They have shown the grit and the determination it takes to go this far. This is the first time in many years for SWLL to go as far as Regionals, much less State!” said Coach Penny Stone.

“Many thanks to the parents for trusting us with their kids, the SWLL Board for believing in us, and PacWest for sharing their players. Thanks to all the work by District 7 to put together a seamless All-Star Tournament!” Stone added. “And a big thank you to one of the most knowledgeable and dedicated coaches I know, Zack Reasor!”

We are so proud of these players:

Cole Utter, Jose Cardenas, Jack Derning, Pedro Toledo-Walls, Calder Stone, Dylan Dreier, Jerome Blossom, Ian Cropley, Eli Policarpio, Josue Delgado, Emiliano Morales, Torin O’Neill, and Will Herman. 

This small league is doing big things!!

Anyone that would like to support this great group of kids, please consider donating here.