The Gorham U12 Boys All-Star Little League Team’s recent experience exemplifies the definition of resilience, particularly facing unexpected difficulties and displaying toughness. Their summer baseball road has been a journey to remember. Here is a breakdown of their wins and losses on and off the field and what the team is up to now.
The All-Star team won their District 6 championship, which was no walk in the park, defeating tough opponents. This district win moved them on to compete in the State Championship. Planning on a 3 – 4 night stay in host town Machias, a four hour one-way drive, the team settled into their overnight accommodations. Gorham had two landslide wins against Old Town and York and lost 3-2 to host town Machias. This put them up against York again; with a win they would move on to compete in a championship round with Machias. Thirty minutes before the York game, the team was informed they were no longer eligible to play in the tournament. It was heart breaking news for a group that had a lot of success and just wanted to play baseball. They were disqualified due to not meeting the minimum game requirements during the regular season. Several sources say that the team faced challenges with the number of available playing days due to weather and the limited number of fields that lacked lights.
The boys and coaches had plenty of hometown welcoming and support from an entire sports community that overreached Gorham and Maine. Coach Todd Bacon, expressed; “the boys have bounced back and have shown a lot of resiliency since being disqualified from the tournament- they deserve all the support.” On July 29, prior to the GHS Varsity team Wood Bat League semi-final game; the team was recognized for their District 6 championship. They joined the Varsity team in a pre-game celebration, team photo and stuck around to watch the semi-final game.
Gorham advanced to the finals, with an eventual 3-1 win over Falmouth to clinch the title. The U12 All-Star team ballplayers are also representing Gorham again this time in its first season of their own Boys of Summer Wood Bat League. The team is undefeated and looking to win its first championship in this league. The team coached by Todd Bacon, will play a very good Lake Region team in the finals on Aug. 13. While their time may have been cut short in the Little League tournament, they remain playing together competing until the end of summer, making Gorham proud.