(Editor's Note: Tim Terry, who served this past season on the Carson City Little League board as director of player and coach development, volunteered as an usher throughout the duration of the Little League World Series).
Appeal Staff Report
While Tim Terry's first allegiance was to Hawaii because he's from the West Region, he also had been interacting a great deal with the Mexican fans throughout the Little League World Series.
"You just really root for them all," said Terry about where he stood during the championship game of the Little League World Series between Waipahu, Hawaii and Matamoros, Mexico on Sunday at Lamade Stadium in Williamsport, Pa. "They're all just wonderful people," Terry said.
So Terry definitely felt badly for the Mexican players and their fans after Hawaii won the Little League World Series title with a 12-3 win.
But Terry said as is always the case, the Mexican players were able to bounce back quickly after the loss.
"Twelve-year-old boys, nothing's going to keep them down for too long," Terry said. "The parents take it harder."
The game was close through three innings before Hawaii pulled away. Terry said the Mexican parents were telling him that the team just ran out of pitching. Even though the Mexican parents spoke little English and he spoke little Spanish, Terry said he could understand, "No mas."
Tanner Tokunaga and Lolana Akau each homered and Caleb Duhay struck out seven over five innings for the win for Hawaii. Jesus Sauceda homered and Eduardo Rodriguez hit a two-run single for Mexico.
"It seemed like they didn't miss a pitch," Terry said about Hawaii. "I think they hit everything that was thrown up there. I think both teams deserve a lot of credit for getting to the final game."
Ironically, Hawaii struggled offensively in the West Regional. Hawaii was actually no-hit in a 2-1 win in the semifinals and then earned a hard-fought 4-3 win over Henderson in the finals. If not for an outstanding play by Hawaii's second baseman, which robbed Henderson of a two-run single, Henderson may have not only been the first Nevada team to advance to the Little League World Series, it may have won the whole thing.
"They've been knocking on the door," Terry said of Henderson. "It's just a matter of time before they're knocking it down."
Terry has gone to the Little League World Series for about 10 years now and he has been able to build some close relationships. Among them is one with the coach of the Curacao team that won the Little League World Series a few years ago.
Curacao advanced to the Little League World Series this year and that coach and his father served as the announcers on the radio broadcasts that could be heard in Curacao. The two interviewed Terry on the radio, although again, it was interesting because Terry speaks little Spanish.
Terry also said he was able to interact with the Hawaii fans as well.
"I treasure each year being able to see these people," he said. "It's really a little slice of heaven."