After six days of baseball, the Goochland Majors All-Stars walked away with a trophy, a title and a trip. The team, comprised of 11-12 year olds, won the League Tournament held at Hidden Rock Park and earned a spot in the Dixie League State Playoffs.

  The tournament ran a day over its scheduled end time due to thunderstorms that moved through the area on Wednesday night.

  But the weather couldn’t hold off a determined group of players, who approached the tournament like a team on a mission. They outscored their opponents 52-6 in the competition, and made short work of Buckingham in the final game 16-0.

  Team manager Jay Poling said the performance was a pleasant surprise, and added this team could have what it takes to excel at the state level.
  “I think this is a really special group of kids,” Poling said following the game. “They played well as a team and they gave a complete performance, hitting, pitching and defense. That’s what we like to see.”

  The team will take a few days off and then begin preparing for state competition that begins July 17 in South Hill.

  “We’re going to continue to work hard,” Poling said. “We basically have to ramp up everything we do. Our competition will be stepped up so we have to step up our practices.”

  The All-Stars recorded big wins in the first two games, but Poling feels the chemistry didn’t mesh completely until the third game. “The last two games, we’ve really seen what this team is capable of,” he said. “All 12 kids are great hitters, great fielders and good kids.”

  Catcher Hunter Mills was named the tournament’s most valuable player for his contributions behind and at the plate. “He caught every single inning for us and a tough at-bat every time he came up,” Poling said. “He also ran the bases well and had a great tournament,” he added.

  In addition to the talented players, Poling said this year’s squad benefits from a coaching staff that boasts years of experience. According to Poling, it shows. “I can’t say enough about my coaches,” he said. “They’ve done a tremendous job with these kids.”

  Rain delayed play for two days of the tournament that started last Friday. Other than that, tourney director Lon Ragland said it was smooth sailing. “Thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, everything went off smoothly and we haven’t had many problems,” he said.

  The heavy rains made for a challenging job for the volunteer grounds crew, but they met the assignment and worked diligently to get the field ready for the final game. “There were six or seven or them out here early this morning working to prepare the field. They’re the ones who should really get the credit,” Ragland said.

  For the players, it was time to celebrate their victory and begin thinking about further post-season play.

  Colby Noel said the tournament was a lot of fun, especially the scoring runs part. He said he’d prepare for the upcoming state competition in his usual manner. “I’ll just go out and hit some more rocks with the broom stick.”