For the second time in Little League history, 91原创 is going to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League Baseball World Series.
This comes after winning the Canadian Little League Championship, 11-0 against Valleyfield, Que., in the final held in North Vancouver on Saturday.
Not since 1998 has the 91原创 team of 11- and-12-year-olds represented Canada in the series, and they are ecstatic.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a fantastic feeling,鈥 said 91原创 All-Stars manager Dean Cantelon.
鈥淲e took in the win on Saturday and enjoyed every minute of it.鈥
Celebrations took place on the field as the boys proudly hoisted the large silver cup for cheering family, friends and fans in the packed stands at Chris Zuehlke Memorial Park.
But it was quickly back to work from there.
鈥淲hen it comes to game time, they are focused,鈥 Cantelon said.
The All-Stars caught an early flight to Williamsport Sunday morning to start preparing for their first game on Friday (Aug. 19) against Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
鈥淓verything has been fast paced,鈥 Cantelon said.
鈥淎s soon as we left the playing field, the boys went home, celebrated with their families and packed, getting ready to catch a plane.鈥
In the final on Saturday, 91原创 scored four runs in the first inning, and seven more in the second, to establish their comfortable lead.
Fi Fan Pan was pitcher for the entire game, allowing only two hits, while his twin brother Yi An Pan played shortstop.
Cole Cantelon, Dean Cantelon鈥檚 son, also played well, hitting a home run in the second inning.
Little League has a 10-run mercy rule, but the game needed a minimum of four innings.
91原创 advanced to the final game after winning 2-1 over host Mount Seymour in the semi-final on Friday.
Cantelon says it was a tough game on Friday, but coming out of it the boys were prepared for the finals.
鈥淕oing into the game on Saturday we felt quite confident,鈥 he said.
鈥淲e felt comfortable with our situation. When the boys showed up Saturday morning we knew they were focused and were going to come out strong. And the score supports that.鈥
This is the seventh year in a row that a team from B.C. has won the Canadian Championship, but only once has a Canadian team ever come close to winning the Little League Baseball World Series.
That was in 1965, when Stoney Creek from Ontario lost 3-1 to Windsor Locks, Connecticut in the final.
Cantelon feels confident that the 91原创 All-Stars are a strong team representing Canada.
鈥淭hese boys from one to 11 are very skilled baseball players. We don鈥檛 have any weak players on this team,鈥 he said.
鈥淎nd when one player does not produce, the other player steps up. We鈥檝e relied on that the whole season. It hasn鈥檛 been one or two players that all the time get us that win. Different players step up during different games.
The Little League Baseball World Series championship game is on Aug. 28.