Every year after the conclusion of the Naperville Little League season, each of the National, Republic and Continental divisions from Majors AA create a 12-player All-Star team to compete in the state little league tournament. This summer, the Continental 11U All-Stars emerged as the team to beat. Managed by Justin Cronin with assistants Jeff Papp and Billy Sawisch, the team calls themselves the Hawks because they will all likely be heading to Naperville Central once they enter high school.
A historic run for the Naperville Little League All Stars
The Naperville squad won the double elimination district championship, defeating the 2023 10U state champions from Clarendon Hills by the score of 11-9.
After a 4-1 semifinal victory over River Forest, the Continental All-Stars took on LaGrange Park in the championship game. Despite stormy weather pushing the title game back a day, the boys came out focused and ready to play from the opening pitch thanks to a full team effort from the likes of Mark Whitt, Cole Sawisch and Mason Kane.
Ryder Greene keeps the LaGrange bats quiet
Pitcher Ryder Greene took the mound for Naperville and he kept the LaGrange bats quiet through the first three innings of the game, with solid pitching and strong defense in the field behind him. Outfielder Palmer Ochenkowski made multiple clutch grabs throughout the game, while Greene himself and his catcher Gabe Vogel made a pair of nice snags on shallow pop flies to keep LaGrange scoreless through the first three innings.
In the bottom of the third, with Ryder Greene on first, Krew Kniss smashed a double into right-center field, moving Greene to third base to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
Will Papp came up next and pulled a single into left as Greene came in to score, with Kniss sliding into third as Naperville took a 1-0 lead. Kniss would later make it 2-0, scoring on a passed ball.
In the bottom of the fourth, Colin Bird reached via walk before Cash Walker slapped a single into right, putting a pair of runners on base. Two batters later, Landon Cronin split the gap in right-center to give Naperville a pair of huge insurance runs as Bird and Walker came in to score on the double. A 4-0 lead for Naperville with six outs to go.
Nolan Page shuts the door for Naperville
Nolan Page entered the game in relief of Ryder Greene, getting through the fifth without much trouble. But in the top of the sixth, LaGrange battled with its backs against the wall as Danny Perlongo singled into right with one out, moving Everett Navarro to third base to give their team a spark.
But with two outs, Page kept his cool on the mound, getting a swinging strikeout to win the game and the 11U state championship for the Naperville Little League Continental All-Stars by a 4-0 score. The team finished the 10-game tournament with a combined record of 9-1.
