Left to right top row: Coach Jon Jessen, Coach Zach Sibbel, Charlie Kellum, Nolan Jessen, Tyce Parks, Dawson Kluver, Wyatt Drueke, Dominique Krysl, Coach Matt Ickes and Coach Aron Parks.
Bottom row left to right: Kolt Sibbel, Brooks Kelly, Kale Kelly, Jasper York, Hugh York and Crue Ickes.
O’NEILL – The O’Neill Irish 12U travel baseball team brought home the championship title this past weekend at the Capital City Baseball Tournament held in Pierre, South Dakota.
After going 1-1 in pool play on Saturday — with a loss to the Capital City Crushers and a win over the Box Elder Bombers — the Irish came ready to compete on Sunday. Tournament play kicked off bright and early with a 7:30 AM matchup against the Pierre Snappers, where the Irish exploded with 23 hits and a 23-6 win, including home runs by five different players.
In Game 2, the team faced the top-ranked Pierre Cobras and battled to a hard-earned 7-4 victory, backed by clutch at-bats and solid defense.
The championship game brought a rematch against the Capital City Crushers — and the Irish rose to the occasion, avenging their earlier loss with a 3-1 win to take home the gold.
A huge thank-you goes out to the dedicated families, the incredible group of kids, and the coaches whose time, effort, and leadership continue to help these players grow and compete at a high level. It was a great weekend of baseball and an even better display of heart, hustle, and team pride.
