Emily's All Star Team -- final results

[Camping Coxes]

Hello everyone.  I just wanted to let you know the final count on Emily's All Star season.
 
We traveled to Las Cruces, New Mexico, the end of July for the Western Nationals tournament.  Only teams who placed high enough at their state level were allowed to go.  There were 46 teams present for the 12 & Under age group, 35 being from California.  
 
We had two pool play games and won both, which put us in first place for our pool.  Then we started elimination play (two losses and you're done).  We won five in a row, which put us in the top four teams at that point in the tournament.  
 
We made it through to Sunday, which was better than 38 of the teams, and we faced a very tough team from Carlsbad, New Mexico (C-Bad).  They are actually a travel ball team, which the California ASA rules don't allow, but other states allow it.  Basically the Carlsbad league didn't have the talent they needed, so they contacted a travel ball team in the area to go into the tournament representing their league -- unfair, but nothing we can do about it.  We were ahead 2-0 until the 5th inning, when we had a few mental errors (holding the ball in the outfield, not knowing where the play should be, etc.).  We lost 4-2.  We immediately had to play Canyon Hills, from Anaheim, who are a very tough team.  We had lost to them in the Cerritos tournament in June, and then beat them in the state tournament, going 9 innings.  We were up on them until the top of the 7th, when they pulled ahead by two runs.  It was a great game, but it was our second loss and we were done.  
 
We ended up placing 5th in the Western National Championships out of 46 teams.  Not too shabby. The girls had a great time and made some great memories.  After the trophy presentation and pictures, they didn't want it to end and camped out in the outfield, sitting in a circle and talking about what a great season they had.   They've asked the manager to keep the team together as a travel team, and he sounded like he's open for it, after a break of course.   They've been going hard since the beginning of May and I think we all need a little breather.
 
Emily is not too emotional or demonstrative, but when it was all over, she said, "I've never been so proud to wear this uniform."  That choked me up.
 
The final tournament results ended up that C-Bad, the team that gave us our first loss, won the tournament.  Canyon Hills ended up 4th, just ahead of us.  In between was West Agoura (WAGS) and Simi Valley.

[Dee4j]

Way to go Emily and team..That is a huge accomplishment and they should all be proud..I'm proud I know her...What's killing Dan & I is ..she's in the 12 & younger league..I thought she was a couple of years older than Kevin :yikes:

[brainpause]

Good job, Emily and team! Having played past a state championship, all the way to our world series when I was 16, I know how pressurized this can be, yet how fun! Great work!

Larry

[griffsdad]

Congratulations!! What an accomplishmnet and what great memories for Emily!!!

[Camping Coxes]

Way to go Emily and team..That is a huge accomplishment and they should all be proud..I'm proud I know her...What's killing Dan & I is ..she's in the 12 & younger league..I thought she was a couple of years older than Kevin :yikes:

Yeah, Em's my 30 YO midget (no offense intended).  She's mature beyond her years.  She's actually 13 already, and turned 13 before our regular spring season even started, but ASA rules say the age you are on January 1st is the age you play at.  So on January 1st she was 12, but by January 18th she was 13.  Definite advantage, plus she's so big for her age.  She can be intimidating on the mound.  But I have to tell you, we played against girls who towered over her!