LYNN — With every championship game comes the sweet taste of victory and the agony of defeat.
For Swampscott, a valiant run fell just short Thursday at the hands of Peabody West.
Due to an opening-game loss during the District 16 Tournament, Swampscott’s 12-year-olds were playing with their backs against the wall to even get to the brink of a championship.
“The pain of the moment is a little bit pressing right now, but all I can say is these boys, as I have told you guys a few times, there is more grit in those 13 young men than you can count. These guys fought every day. Came out; five games in six days that they had to put up, and everybody did their role.” said Swampscott Manager Jeremy Kacuba.
He added, “Today we had a few little breakdowns and those momentum shifts, and against a team like Peabody West, they are so strong they are going to exploit that, and they did.”
The fortitude Swampscott showed should leave its players, coaches, and fans with their heads raised high.
Swampscott brought down two powerhouse teams during its run in Peabody and Saugus, both of whom came close to giving the eventual champs what would have been their only loss of the tournament.
The boys from Swampscott finished off the tournament with a 5-2 record, and Kacuba says it was gratifying to get the opportunity to compete for a championship.
“Having the opportunity to earn this spot, last year some of this group was on the 11s, some were on the 12s, both teams lost to the Peabody team, so none of them made it to the finals or the semis last year. So this year, it was real special to see what they did and put together to get here,” he said.
He added, “To beat Peabody was special; they are a tough club, and to have a chance to play against a state champion — that is a memory they will not forget.”
When asked further about the run and if he had a good time coaching this year’s team, Kacuba said, “The best. Joy of my life. I love these kids; it means everything to be able to try and teach them something about baseball and life.”
Regarding the message to the team, who were obviously heartbroken at last night’s result, Kacuba said, “You know what God put our eyes in the front of our head, and that is where we look forward. That is it; God put our eyes in the front of our head, so we look forward.”
