By Bill Long | The Peachtree Ridge Lions did something that the Atlanta Braves haven’t been able to do since 1995: they won a World Series title.
Long
The Lions, Gwinnett’s 10-and-under baseball team, dominated opponents from Alabama, Tennessee, East Cobb, and Texas in four consecutive games at the Grand Slam 10 and Under World Series in June at Panama City, Fla.
Rod Jones, the team’s head coach, says: “We beat the team from Houston, Texas, 9-0. The young men worked hard all year and it paid off. They were awesome in winning four games, including the championship game. In the tournament, our team scored 40 runs while holding opponents to only eight runs. While our bats were blazing, two of our pitchers threw no-hitters.”
Lleyton Jones and Dylan Lonergan both pitched no-hitters.
In one game, Lleyton Jones threw a no-hitter.
Coach Jones adds: “In the final game, our guys defeated a team from Alabama 10-0 with Dylan Lonergan pitching a no-hitter, for us again.” Jones added. “The league consisted of teams throughout the southern region of the United States with players ten years old or younger.”
The Lions, members of the Gwinnett Baseball League, play and practice at Peachtree Ridge Park. Several players on the current 10-U team played and won Peachtree Ridges’ first ever Georgia U state championship.
The current team played in six tournaments this year, winning three tournament championships and was runner-up in two tournaments. Coach Jones remembers: “I knew we had a special team when over 9-and 10-year old boys made it to the championship game in the 11-U division, losing only to one of the premiere 11U team in the state.”
Team members are, front row, Korey Walton, Jordan Grant, Brandon Sunwoo, Andy Hamil, Jack Hrastar and Michael Foster. On the second row are Miles Massengill, Cannon Duncan, Dylan Lonergan¸ Tucker Baggett, Antony Manbeck and Ali Willis-Leon. On the back row are Coaches Chris Massengill, Rod Jones, and Brent Hamil.
“One of the things I’m most proud of,” Jones adds, “is the overall attitude and passion by the kids and parents on the team. At 10 years of age, the parents really play a big part of either the success or failure of a team. The parents were supportive and trusted the coaches throughout the process as we developed the kids. I’m sure there were times that the parents wondered what we were thinking, but never complained and stayed behind me and the coaching staff. Not only was our goal as a coaching staff to produce better baseball players, but we tried to offer an atmosphere where we are building great young men that are going to be successful in many areas of life.”
Next year this championship team will move up and compete in the 11 and under division. Jones says: “They are confident they can win again because they have already competed well against teams in that division.”
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