PEABODY — After a short layoff, the 2022 district 16 champions start sectionals tonight, the second stop in a pursuit to win a second straight state title.
West moved its way through the district tournament without a loss and will hope to do the same against some stiff competition.
Along with West, three other teams will compete in pool play format, eventually crowning a Section 4 champion. Those teams include Andover, Gloucester, and a familiar foe in Reading.
West and Reading matched up in the finals of this tournament last year, and West took the victory 4-2 after they lost to Reading in pool play 4-1.
As for the matchups, each team will play three games, and the top two teams in the standings will advance to the sectional championship game.
Specifically for West, all three of its games will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Charlie Reinfuss Field, home of Lynn’s Wyoma Little League — the site of all the tournament games.
Game 1 is tonight, where West will face off against Andover, whose program also happened to have its 11-year-olds in the sectionals this past weekend.
After battling with Andover, the rematch of last year’s championship game will take place against Reading Thursday. Finally, West will finish up Friday against Gloucester and hope it plays well enough to advance to the championship.
Currently, the championship is scheduled to take place Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in what will surely be a showcase of great Little League baseball.
As West prepares for sectionals, the run the program has been on has been undeniably great. Since 2011 West has won district 16 six times.
This run is only rivaled by, ironically, Swampscott, whom West defeated to get to sectionals. During the 90s, Swampscott owned district 16, winning each year from 1991-99.
Until 10 years ago, West was in District 15.
Not only has West made a strong push for dominance in the district, but historically it has also been a force to be reckoned with in Section 4.
Since 2000 West has won the section eight times and three times it has gone on to win the state tournament. During the same time frame, there is not another team that even comes close to West’s dominance in the section.
Tonight and beyond, West Manager Steve Lomasney and his players will look to continue what has got them here in the first place. Great pitching coupled with a deep lineup that is disciplined and pounces on hittable pitches may propel them to another sectional championship and more.
