Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Action from Tuesday’s TOC championship game at Hiller Park.

By Ray Hamill — McKinleyville Little League’s remarkable success in recent years is about more than just talent.

It’s about creating the right culture.

On Tuesday night, the association’s Trinity Diesel team was crowned District 26 Tournament of Champion winners for the third straight year, one night after three of the four Mack teams in the 16-team tournament reached the semifinals.

Tuesday’s showdown saw Trinity Diesel face off against Murphy’s Markets in the second straight all-McKinleyville TOC championship game, with Trinity Diesel winning 4-0.

But for head coach Quintin Carper, who has been in charge for all three recent District titles, it’s about far more than just talent.

“We always pride ourselves on having the older kids lead the way,” Carper said. “Overall, the leadership we had coming from the older kids was huge. Them being able to set the example for the younger kids, and the younger kid showing up and learning at such a rapid pace.”

Much as they learned from the older kids when they first began playing with the team three years ago, the Trinity Diesel 12-year-olds — Hudson Kapko, Teoh Arredondo, Layne McCullough and Tanner Baxter — have carried on that tradition and continue to lay the foundation for an impressive team culture.

“It’s always fun when you have good leadership, because it has to start there and we have good leadership all the way around,” Carper added. “We couldn’t have better 12-year-old example kids.”

This year’s roster of 12 featured five 9-year-olds, who have been learning the ropes from the older players and hopefully will carry on that tradition and strong team culture as they continue to grow over the next couple of years.

And it was the team leaders who set the tone in Tuesday’s championship showdown, as the Trinity Diesel bats quickly took control of the game with two runs in the top of the first inning.

And with Arredondo in control on the hill, backed by some solid team defense, there was on way back for Murphy’s Markets after that.

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Arredondo pitched all six innings for the win and struck out eight batters while giving up just four hits.

Several of his teammates also had big contributions, including Kapko and Jacob Carper, who each was 2-for-3 with a double and scored a run.

Jacob Carper, whose double drove in a run, is one of the 9-year-olds on the roster, along with Asher Kapko, Kaydee Carper and twin brothers Jaxon and Colton Mixer.

McCullough also had a big game offensively and finished 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Baxter and Asher Kapko each went 1-for-2.

In addition to his strong performance on the hill, Arredondo also drove in a run and Braden Tullis added an RBI on a second-inning sac bunt.

Tyus Scofield also had a base hit, a walk and a run, while Reece Combs had a walk and scored a run and Kaydee Carper had a walk.

The one big disappointment on the night was an injury to Murphy’s Markets starting pitcher Breyden Brock, who was forced from the game in the second inning.

Brock is a key member of the McKinleyville all-star team.

“I was super pleased with the way we played,” Quintin Carper said. “But obviously Brock getting hurt was a bum deal. He’s one of our leaders (on the all-stars) and he’s a leader all the way around. That took a lot of the fun out of it.

“He’s probably one of our most confident kids and a role model kid. Having him go down is super tough.”

Brock is one of McKinleyville Little League’s top players and “one of the top 12-year-olds in the North State,” according to Quintin Carper, along with Arredondo and Hudson Kapko.

It remains to be seen if the young standout can return in time for the all-stars’ season.

The TOC championship was the third straight for both Arredondo and Hudson Kapko, the latter of whom enjoyed an outstanding spring season and finished with an incredible 21 home runs.

“He was the big dog at the plate this year,” Quintin Carper said.

Among the other highlights from Tuesday’s game, Jaxon Mixer made a big catch for an out in left field late in the game.

The champs won all four of their games in tournament play, which opened on Saturday.

Combs, the only 10-year-old on the team, had a big day on the hill in the semifinal win over Redwood Empire and “has been throwing the ball really well for us,” according to his coach.

Tullis, one of two 11-year-olds on the roster, also has impressed all season long.

“I’m super excited to see what he can do as a 12-year-old,” Quintin Carper added.

Scofield is the other 11-year-old on the team and also impressed on the hill in tournament play, as did McCullough and Baxter, while Kaydee Carper gives the team another reliable option behind the plate as she continues to learn the position.

Baxter also had a big tournament at catcher when he wasn’t pitching.

Colton Mixer also showed his defensive talents with a big block on a well-hit ball to right field, a play that “took away a potential triple or double,” according to his coach.

Several players also stepped up for Murphy’s Markets, none more so than Blaine Martin, who took over the injured Brock in the second inning and held a dangerous Trinity Diesel lineup to just one run the remainder of the game.

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“He basically kept them at bay, and they were beating everybody by 10-plus,” Murphy’s Markets head coach Carlos Avelar said. 

Martin gave up just three hits and three walks and struck out six.

He also had one of his team’s four hits, along with Asher Avelar, Jed Meisner and Braxton Box.

“It was a good close game between the two best teams in the county,” Carlos Avelar added.

Defensively for Murphy’s Markets, Asher Avelar had six put-outs at second base, while Jared Brunner had a good game behind the plate.

“He’s one of the best defensive catchers in the league,” Carlos Avelar said. “Him and Baxter are the best two catchers in the league.”