The Oglethorpe County Major League all-star team finished as district runner-up last Friday morning in Hartwell.
Oglethorpe County needed one win to advance to the state tournament in Macon, but lost to Franklin County twice to end the season.
“I was proud of them,” head coach Chuck Gabriel said. “(They should) hold their heads high and be proud of what they had accomplished.”
A Little League team from the county hasn’t advanced to state since 2019, director Michael White said.
Although the coaches and players were upset with the loss, Gabriel recognized that Franklin County was “a very good team” and he “doesn’t mind getting beaten by teams that are better than I am.”
The team included the 12 best players ages 10-12 from the regular season. They practiced three or four nights a week before the weeklong all-star tournament.
Gabriel stressed that the practices, although tough, were a good way for the boys to have fun.
“I liked for them to enjoy it,” he said. “And at the same time, learning something and getting a little better, too.”
Gabriel coached a Major League team during the regular season that ended with the best record in the league, leading to him being chosen as the head coach of the all-star team.
Peyton Carlisle, Brody Bearden and Adam Bailey were the assistants.
Gabriel started coaching his children’s softball, basketball and baseball teams about 10 years ago. Trey Gabriel, his 12-year-old son, was a player on his team this spring.
He said Trey and Leeland Bearden were standout pitchers during the tournament. Gabriel added that Griffin Foster, Jonathan Thurmond, Julian Trejo and Sam Hastie Helms were leading hitters during the tournament.
“It wasn’t just a one-man team, as far as coaches or players,” Gabriel said. “We all work together very well.”