Published in the July 26, 2017 edition
THE LYNNFIELD Little League 11-year-old All-Stars celebrate winning the Massachusetts Section 4 Championship. It was the first sectional championship in Lynnfield Little League’s 46-year history. (Courtesy Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
HOLDEN — Lynnfield will never forget this team.
The 2017 11-year-old All-Stars were the first team in Lynnfield Little League history to ever win sectionals and make it to the Massachusetts State Tournament. The All-Stars consist of Tyler Adamo, Daniel Dorman, Anthony Grabau, Nicholas Groussis, Cole Hawes, Nathan Lopez, Nicholas Lucich, Ryan MacEachern, Brendan Manoogian, Matthew Papagikos, Christian Rosa and Jarret Scoppettuolo.
“We are extremely proud,” said Lynnfield Little League President Robert Higdon. “This is a huge accomplishment for a small town like us.”
The Lynnfield 11-year-olds beat Salem on July 10 to secure just the third District 16 championship in Lynnfield Little League history, which began in 1971.
This same group became the second team to win districts last year as 10-year-olds. The first team to win District 16 was the 2009 12-year-olds.
The 2017 11-year-olds went on to Swampscott to play in the Massachusetts Sectional Tournament against other district champions.
Lynnfield met Andover in the Sectional 4 Championship on July 17. Trailing 5-0 going into the sixth inning, Lynnfield scored six runs to take the lead for good. Manager Matt Adamo called it “just an incredible comeback.”
That refuse-to-quit-attitude was reflected by Higdon, who thought that this age group’s competitive nature and character is one of the reasons they made it so far. Lynnfield Little League has 450 kids in the program, and 69 of them hail from the 11-year-old age group, therefore, being selected for this All-Star team was extremely difficult.
The 11-year-olds went on to the state tournament in Holden, and though they lost to Brookline, it was a journey they will always remember fondly.
For the Lynnfield Little League program, it was an important tournament run for many reasons. By bringing Lynnfield baseball to the forefront of Massachusetts’ sports, it also encourages Lynnfield’s younger generation to get involved in the game.
“For our program, this keeps us in the front window of our town,” said Higdon.
Lynnfield youth athletics is always growing. There are many great programs in town in a variety of sports, but baseball is still alive and well for a sport that is quite frankly losing young participants on a national level. Higdon acknowledged that fact and tipped his cap to this group for showing future Pioneers what can be accomplished for a hard-working team playing America’s national pastime.
Higdon also called this deep tournament run a community win. There was a ton of support from the parents of the players, the Lynnfield Little League board, and the team’s fellow Little Leaguers of all ages who showed up in droves to cheer them on. Higdon also said that Coach Adamo and his staff, including Glenn Grabau and Peter Groussis, also deserve to be credited for their dedicated work with all of the players.
In the end, it’s a great story about an extremely talented and hardworking group of players who will certainly live on in Lynnfield baseball lore forever.
“It was an incredible run,” said Adamo. “The boys have a ton to be proud of, it’s a great group of kids who love baseball. It’s a summer that we will never forget.”
