Wednesday, July 11, 2001

Youth teams to chase
championship dreams

State tourney schedule

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Star-Bulletin staff

For a few fortunate youngsters, their "What I did on my summer vacation" essays will start with how they won a state championship and got to play baseball in Chino Hills, Calif., or Kissimmee, Fla.

The dream of winning a state championship, and a trip to the Mainland, will be on the line for hundreds of youth baseball players this month as state tournaments get under way around the islands.

"When they start little league that's what they look forward to, to get to the World Series," said Bob Kawamoto, who is coordinating the Little League tournaments.

Hilo captured the state title in the Little League 9-and-10 tournament in Waialua July 1. Maui earned a trip to Whittier, Calif., in August by beating Mililani B Sunday to win the PONY league Bronco Division championship.

Little League's older brackets take center-stage this week. The Senior League state tournament (ages 14-16) starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday at Ala Wai Field. The Junior League (ages 13-14) and Big League (ages 16-18) tournaments both start Friday at Castle High School and Maui's Iron Maehara Stadium, respectively.

PONY's Mustang Division (ages 9-10) tournament opens Saturday on Kauai. The Pony Division (ages 13-14) tournament starts July 20 in Mililani.

Teams in Little League's Major Division (ages 9-12) begin their quest to reach Williamsport, Penn., for the Little League World Series July 20 in Hilo.

Little League will not hold tournaments for softball this year and PONY's Colt and Palomino Divisions were canceled.

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State Tournament
Schedule

Little League

9-and-10 tournament

June 28-July 1
Puuiki Park
Hilo won the state tournament championship game July1 to complete the 9-10 season.

Major Division (ages 9-12)

July 20-25
Walter Victor Stadium, Hilo
The next step: Regionals in San Bernadino, Calif. Aug. 4-14. Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn. Aug. 17-26.

Junior League (ages 13-14)

July 13-18
Castle High School field
The next step: Division I tournament in Salem, Ore.; Regionals in Vancouver, Wash.; World Series in Taylor, Mich. Aug. 13-18.

Senior League (ages 14-16)

July 12-15
Ala Wai Field
The next step: Division I tournament in Vancouver, Wash. July 28-Aug. 2; Regionals in Billings, Mont.; World Series in Kissimmee, Fla. Aug. 12-18.

Big League (ages 16-18)

July 13-15
Iron Maehara Stadium, Maui
The next step: Regional in Scottsdale, Ariz.; World Series in Easley, SC. Aug. 5-11.

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Pony

Bronco (ages 11-12)

July 4-8
Kahului, Maui
The next step: Maui defeated Mililani Sunday to advance to the West Zone tournament in Whittier, Calif. Aug. 3. Bronco World Series in Monterey, Calif. Aug. 9-15.

Mustang (ages 9-10)

July 14-18
Lihue, Kauai
The next step: West Zone tournament in Chino Hills, Calif. Aug. 2; Mustang World Series in Irving, Texas Aug. 8-11.

Pony (ages 13-14)

July 20-24
Mililani, Oahu
The next step: West Zone tournament in Fullerton, Calif. Aug. 11; Pony World Series in Washington, Penn. Aug. 18-25.