Submitted photos – The Eel River 12U All-Stars

By Ray Hamill — They may not have won a District championship this summer, but it was an impressive showing for Eel River Little League nonetheless.

All four of the Eel River All-Star teams made it all the way to the District 26 championship games, including two that forced a second winner-takes-all championship showdown.

Last week, the Eel River 12-year-olds lost a close championship showdown to McKinleyville in Redway, falling 6-2 on Thursday.

They opened tournament play with a big 26-1 win over Arcata, before suffering their first loss against McKinleyville and then battling back to the championship round with an elimination game win over Redwood Empire.

More importantly, the young Eel River players all made some big strides with their performances this summer. 

“You know, I was really proud of them and really happy with the whole team for their performances,” head coach Trevor Maniaci said. “They played well offensively and defensively and we had some really good pitching.”

There were several standouts on a team that had six home runs in the tournament and displayed plenty of power at the plate.

Bo Stacy led the way on offense and had two home runs in the team’s four games, while Bryson Maniaci added another home run and also helped set the tone on defense at catcher.

“He was phenomenal behind the plate,” the coach said. “Nobody wanted to steal on him, which was awesome to see.”

Wyatt Shaw also made his mark in tournament play with a key home run in the championship game, while young Grady Crosswhite “pitched a gem” in the first game against McKinleyville.

Check out some highlights below of home runs by Eel River’s Bryson Maniaci, Wyatt Shaw and Bo Stacy … 

Ryder Sweaney also impressed on the mound and kept his team in contention in the championship game, while Ryker Braud stepped up on the hill against Redwood Empire to help keep his team’s season going.

Maysen Towne Fausone and Raanan Bruckner each also had inside-the-park home runs.

The young Eel River roster features plenty of speed and the team’s game plan going into the final was to utilize that speed in the outfield to try and deny a potent McKinleyville offense scoring opportunities.

And with Stacy, Townes Fausone, Dominic Lanza, Jayce Conley and Eli Albee all showcasing that speed in the outfield, it was a game plan that almost worked to perfection.

“They did a great job out there,” Trevor Maniaci said. 

Brucker and Braud each also did well at first base, while talented infielder Scotty Oldham was outstanding at both shortstop and second base and also pitched five strong innings against Redwood Empire to help get his team to the championship game.

“I tip my hat to McKinleyville,” the Eel River coach added. “They did really well and we wish them nothing but the best.”

The head coach also praised the influence of experienced Eel River assistant coach Justin Biondini.