Sports

Newton Little Leaguers Going Where Few Have Gone Before

Newton SouthEast is only the fourth team from the city to become state champs.

Newton’s Little Leaguers have reached rarified air for the City, and have the chance to do what only a handful of teams from Massachusetts have done.

By winning the State title on Monday, Newton SouthEast becomes just the fourth team from Newton to represent Massachusetts at the regional tournament.

The last team was Newton North in 1998, then you have to go back more the three decades to 1962 when Newton North became state champs. They won two years after Newton West took the title.

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Newton SouthEast Coach John Taft said the congratulatory phone calls have been pouring in.

"I’ve been involved with Newton Little League for five years now. Prior families I’ve coached were all reaching out after we won the state title to congratulate us,” Taft said. “A lot of them came out to the state title game to support the kids.

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“The Little League community in Newton has been very nice to our team. And it’s not just Newton Southeast. We’ve had support from North, West and Central. The people at Parkway (West Roxbury) where district and states were played were like a second family for us, and that's a team that is our 'rival.' It's been amazing to see."

No Newton team has won the regional tournament. From 1957 to 2000 Masschusetts competed in the Eastern Region, and since 2001 the state is part of the New England Region.

Only six teams from Massachusetts have won the regionals, and with it a ticket to Williamsport for the Little League World Series.

The first was Andover in 1998, and then Middleboro in 1994. In 2002, Jesse Burke Little League out of Worcester won the New England Title, followed by Saugus American the next year. Walpole American took the title in 2007 and the most recent team from the Bay State to win at regionals is Peabody Western in 2009.

Were you on the 1998 Newton North team that went to New England Regionals? Do you have memories or photos from the tournament? Share them with Patch by sending an email to Charlie.breitrose@patch.com.


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