Scott Keesal has been coaching and managing the Cherry Hill Atlantic 10U little league baseball team since many of the youngsters were 7 years old.
Four seasons later and the group came in second out of 364 competing teams across the state.
After winning the District 13 title, the team swept through all four games of sectionals before reaching the state finals, which were held in Glassboro.
Only four teams reached that level, as there are four sections in New Jersey.
Holbrook overtook the local team in the championship game on Tuesday, July 24.
“We’re still trying to get over the defeat,” said Keesal two days later.
Cherry Hill Atlantic picked their roster on June 15.
“We put together a great team of the top 11 kids,” he said. “They really bonded together.”
Seven of the kids he was familiar with, but four were new faces to the team.
After two weeks of practice, they competed in their first district game.
“We went seven and one in district play,” said Keesal, citing one loss to Haddonfield.
Once reaching the state level, they were defeated in their first game against Holbrook before winning the next three games. Though ultimately trailing in the end, Keesal said the team never gave up.
“They played with a lot of heart,” he said of the group. “They just never quit.”
All team members hail from Cherry Hill and were able to commute to the finals.
“It was great that it was within our section,” he said, pointing out that the team had beat Glassboro in section finals to reach the state level.
They were the sixth team in Cherry Hill Atlantic history to make it to the state finals.
“Only one other team has won the state finals,” he said.
Mayor Chuck Cahn recently paid a special visit to the team and took some photographs with them.
The brief season was rigorous for the team.
“If you’re not playing, you’re practicing every single day for almost two months,” he said, but added that they had plenty of fun, dinners together and parties.
Keesal said his team of coaches did a great job in getting the kids ready.
Twenty-five kids attended the tryouts and since so many were talented, a second team was formed to play in tournaments, known as the tournament team.
“They were very successful in their own light,” he said.
There are four baseball teams in Cherry Hill, two little league and two Cal Ripken teams.
Learn more about Cherry Hill Atlantic, which is located on Evesham Road, by visiting www.cherryhillatlantic.com.
“We had a lot of support from our parents, from all of Cherry Hill Atlantic and Cherry Hill in its entirety really came out to support,” said Keesal.
