"Thanks to John Carroll, Editor and Publisher of
Columbus Community News for permission to post these articles. Pick up
a copy for yourself as this edition contains three pages of coverage about Georgia's
state champions.
08-09-06
Northern team chases history
By John Carroll
Columbus Community News
It's the first game of the Southeast Regional in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Columbus leadoff batter Kyle Carter has a full count on him against the Tennessee pitcher.
The cool lefty digs into the batter's box and awaits the payoff pitch.
It's a fastball in his wheel house.
Crack! Carter launches the ball to deep rightfield and it soars over temporary lights set up beyond the outfield fence.
As the 12-year-old slugger rounds the bases for the first run of the game, two Columbus men calling the action live for an Internet webcast react matter-of-factly as they've seen this prodigious display of power before.
"Hard to guess how far that ball went," said Jimmy Lester, whose son Josh plays second base for the Georgia all-stars from Northern Little League in Midland. "A long way is all I know."
"OK, so the beat goes on," said Chuck Rossi, the play-by-play announcer and ardent Northern supporter.
Indeed, the beat goes on for this Northern all-star team of 12-year-olds that many observers say could be the best Little League squad ever assembled in Columbus. At press time, the Northern boys were still undefeated and driving toward a regional championship. 4-0 at district. 6-0 at state. 3-0 at region and counting.
Win region and the team makes it to the holy grail - the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.
No team from Columbus has ever made it to the Series, played annually in August since 1952. The last time a team from Georgia qualified was 1983, when a group of kids from East Marietta won the whole thing - the world championship.
It was just two years ago that another all-star team from Northern made it this far, but lost in the regional championship game to North Carolina. They were just one win away from Pennsylvania.
Kyle Carter was in St. Petersburg in 2004. Not as a player, but as a fan, rooting for his cousin Johnny Carter. He's very aware that the current team is chasing history.
"If we all work together we can make it," said Carter. "We want it real bad."
Randy Morris was an assistant coach on the 2004 team. He is now the manager of the 2006 club.
"I think this team is a little stronger," said Morris. "Our pitchers throw harder and we hit a little deeper through the lineup."
Other observers, such as Tommy Walker, a Northern board member and league groundskeeper, agree with Morris' assessment.
"I think they're deeper than the team two years ago," said Walker. "I think they have a good chance of going a long way if their pitching holds up."
Of course, who can forget the Phenix City Little League team of 1999 that made it to the World Series, won the U.S. Championship and lost the world title to Japan? That team was led by the Rasmus brothers and other great players, many of whom are now playing at the professional level. The Phenix City team returned home from Williamsport as heroes. There was even a book written about them by Guerry Clegg - "That Scrawny Bunch from Alabama."
Kyle Carter is eerily similar to Colby Rasmus, who was eventually drafted in the first round by the St. Louis Cardinals. They both bat and throw left-handed. Both played pitcher and first base. Both possess tremendous slugging ability.
Carter has hit 49 home runs since baseball started in March. He hit 10 dingers in the state tournament, including four in one game.
"It's no secret that as Kyle goes, our team goes," said Morris. "He has stepped up to be a vocal leader. Everybody looks up to him."
The coach emphasized that this Northern team is an exceptionally talented squad throughout the lineup. So remember the names of these 11 boys: Kyle Carter, Josh Lester, J.T. Phillips, Brady Hamilton, Matthew Hollis, Matthew Kuhlenberg, Ryan Lang, Mason Meyers, Kyle Rovig, Patrick Stallings and Cody Walker.
And tune in Friday night at 7 p.m. on ESPN to see if the boys can make history as the first Columbus team ever to make the Little League World Series.
"We would love to be the first," Morris said. "That's been our goal from day one and we're not changing our goals now."
08-09-06
Northern vies for Little League World Series
By John Carroll
Columbus Community News
Northern Little League blew through the Georgia State Tournament last month as champions, and now is battling for a title at the Southeast Regional in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Northern went 6-0 at state and won their games by a combined score of 66-6. The boys hit a total of 21 home runs, including 10 in one game vs. Masters City.
"We clicked on all cylinders," said manager Randy Morris. "We got hot with the bats and hitting is contagious."
Leading the way for Northern was slugger Kyle Carter who belted 10 home runs in the state tournament.
The leading hitters at state were Carter (.667), J.T. Phillips (.600), Brady Hamilton (.474), Josh Lester (.368), Patrick Stallings (.334), and Cody Walker (.316).
Strong pitching was also a hallmark of the Northern team at state. Phillips went 3-0 and recorded 11 strikeouts in a 1-hit performance in the championship game vs. Warner Robins. Carter went 2-0 and struck out 15 batters vs. Buckhead in the semifinals. Kyle Rovig also pitched well (1-0).
Other members of the team include: Matthew Hollis, Matthew Kuhlenberg, Ryan Lang and Mason Meyers.
The players are confident about their chances at region and beyond.
"I think we can do it," said Phillips. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing."
Bernard Ashley, Little League administrator for District 8, said he is very impressed with the Northern squad.
"This is one of the best all-star teams I've ever seen," said Ashley. "They have so much depth. It's not just one player, it's several players."
Ashley said he will miss the Southeast Region because he'll be on vacation, but added that his schedule will change if Northern makes it to the Little League World Series.
"I'll be in Las Vegas, but if they make it to Williamsport, I will change my plans," said Ashley.
08-09-06
Fathers and sons share baseball experience
By John Carroll
Columbus Community News
Two Northern Little League dads have a unique perspective on the Southeast Regional tournament being held this week in St. Petersburg, Fla.
Jimmy Lester and Richard Carter both played in the tournament when they were kids. Now, their sons, Josh Lester and Kyle Carter, are competing for the championship and the right to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Penn.
Both men played at the defunct Eastern Little League in Columbus. Carter was on the team in 1967 that won the Georgia state championship and qualified for region. Lester was on the 1973 team that made it.
"We were the first team in Columbus to win state," said Carter, who is now the assistant coach of the Northern all-star team. "Back then everything was single elimination."
The 1967 Georgia team lost to Florida, 3-1, in the first round of the Southeast Regional. The 1973 team made it to the semifinals where they fell to Florida, 2-1.
Monday night, the current group of Georgia state champions from Midland came from behind to beat a solid Florida team, 10-6. Cody Walker hit a walkoff grand slam to clinch the victory.
"I'm thrilled to death to be back here again," said Carter, whose son Kyle hit 10 home runs in the Georgia state tournament, including four in one game. "I can say I've played, coached and watched my son play in the Southeast Regional. And right now, I'm living through him."
Lester went on to play five years of minor league professional baseball and is now a scout with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His son, Josh, plays second base and bats second in the lineup behind leadoff hitter Kyle. Josh hit .368 in the state tournament.
"This is great for the kids," said Lester. "It's so much more popular these days. Hopefully, we can keep going farther."