All-stars ready to represent at World Series

The best hard-ballers that the CNMI has to offer boarded a plane destined for the mainland yesterday morning to put the islands on the map in the Junior and the Senior Little League World Series.

The Junior League squad is off to Taylor, Michigan to challenge the best from the international pool of teams, while the Seniors are off to Bangor, Maine to compete with Canada and regions of the United States.

Junior League first baseman Nunu Kapileo shared a little of what he was feeling yesterday morning after he finished checking in at the airport.

“Yeah, we’re ready to go. I’m really excited. It’s my second time to go, and we’re going to do our best,” he said.

Nunu smiled as he thought of the possibility of winning the World Series. “It’s going to be big if we win it.”

His teammate, Joseph Salas, said that the team was sure that they would be able to make it to the Series, adding that they maintain the same confidence that led them to victory in Guam.

The coaching staff for the Junior squad has faith in their boys, and coach Jester Garcia explained that all of the work that the boys have put in should pay off in the States.

“We should be ready to go,” he said. “With all of the hard work and practice I think we’ll do well. We might not have the same competition that they did, but I think that with their training and my experience in the past in two World Series that I competed in, I know how the competition is. We have veterans and coaches that know what the level of competition will be like, so we have adjusted the practices accordingly. I think that we’re going to be okay.”

Garcia added that the CNMI might even have an advantage over the competition going into the Series.

“We have an advantage pitching wise, teamwork and confidence is very important. They might not as big as the US team, but I think that the confidence that they have in themselves will be an advantage.”

Sonny Flores was sporting one of the custom made Asia/Pacific Champ hats that the team purchased for the trip. The blue and white caps were embroidered with each player having his name on the back. The manager for the Junior Leagues said that he couldn’t feel better than he did at that moment.

“We’re going to the World Series so I have to feel great. We didn’t have as much practice time as I would have liked because of the weather but we’re going to try our best,” he said.

What lies ahead for the players is a level of competition that few of them have ever faced, yet Flores believes that the size of his team that will not be the most important factor in the outcome of the Series.

“Two years ago when we went there we were the smallest team. The other teams were a lot bigger than us but we had speed. I think that I can compare this team with the group that I brought down two years ago. We have speed, we have good pitching, and it’s just a matter of who wants it most,” he said.

Jesse Borja, Shane Yamada, Jesus Iguel, Vince Sablan, Martin Pangelinan, Josh Arriola, Joe Salas, Thorn Sablan, Ryan Ada, Jonathan Salas, Kevin Babauta, Nicolas San Nicolas, Nunu Kapileo, and Juan Tenorio will be representing the CNMI in the Junior League World Series, and it isn’t the first major tournament in which they the boys participated together.

The squad that will represent the CNMI Senior League in the Bangor, ME consists of Oliver Secharmidal, Antione Allen, Tony Palacios, Franco Flores, Ben Tasikan, Tyrone Omar, Dan Concepcion, Jeff Saures, Zachary Concepcion, Derrick Babauta, Jesse Garcia, Thomas Guerrero, Many Ada, Peter Tenorio, and their manager Jess Wabol.

Wabol is no stranger to this kind of stage, taking the Big League to the Big League World Series in South Carolina in 2001. His focus on the task at hand is something that he is trying to pass on to the players.

“With these guys, all we’ve got to say is that we’ll give it our best,’ he said. “We’re representing the Pacific and hopefully we’ll put on a good show being the best from the Pacific. I told the kids that this is the end of the road, there’s nothing beyond the World Series so they’ve got to play hard, play smart, and whatever the outcome we have to be satisfied with the results. I believe in these guys but it’s a matter of getting them to settle down. This will be the third time for some of them. They know what to expect. It’s baseball, it’s all the same except that the level of competition is much higher.”

Wabol knows what he has in his team, and from the way he rallied his players to come from behind in Guam, he knows how to get the most out of his boys as well. This year he wants to get more from them than ever before.

“You know what I told them? I said that when we come back, I don’t want to hear about what a good learning experience that this has been for them. It’s time to do away with that. Instead of playing we have to compete, I believe that there is a difference to that. When you play, you really don’t care, but when you compete you compete—you play hard. That’s what I’m trying to have them understand.”

Finally, before the team headed up the ramp and through security, Wabol left a message to the people of the CNMI,

“We just ask for the continued support and prayers. Whatever the outcome we just hope that they are not critical. We’re putting in so much time and knowing the level of competition in the States. The players are much bigger and faster, but like I told our kids, ‘If you play hard and you play smart with your heart, we can put on a good show.’ We will try to represent the Pacific Islands.”