Submitted photo – The McKinleyville players and coaches celebrate their Section 2 championship earlier this week.

The McKinleyville 12-year-old All-Stars will begin their quest for a NorCal state championship on Saturday morning after securing another Section championship on Monday night.

And the players appear ready for the challenge, with eyes on qualifying for the upcoming West Regional tournament and going as far as they can this summer.

And they should be after storming through both the District and Section tournaments with an unbeaten record of 6-0.

“The kids are feeling confident,” head coach Jaime Arredondo said. “We’re ready to go. Our boys believe they can win the whole thing.

“I love their attitude. They’ve earned this. They’ve worked hard.”

They had to work hard in the Section 2 championship round on Monday, getting the better of a strong Foothill team by the score of 1-0 for the second time in tournament play.

Teoh Arredondo set the tone on the mound and threw a three-hit complete-game for the win, with no walks and 13 strikeouts.

Arredondo also scored the only run of the game in the fourth inning.

After walking to reach base, the young Arredondo stole his way to second before being driven home on a Ty Wade double, which was McKinleyville’s only hit of the game.

But that was all McKinleyville would need, thanks to some outstanding defensive plays, including what the head coach described as “the play of the tournament.”

In the fifth inning with the game still in the balance, a Foothill batter launched a well-hit ball that could have gone for a triple but for a brilliant diving catch by McKinleyville outfielder Tanner Baxter.

“They had a shot to center field that was perfectly in the gap, and Tanner Baxter ran that down like a Major Leaguer,” Jaime Arredondo said. “That was a huge play. It was huge boost for our team. There’s no doubt that was a huge play. The play of the tournament.”

Catcher Jared Brunner also had an outstanding tournament behind the dish and caught every inning in tournament play.

Submitted photo

“He was a huge part of that win,” the coach said.

Brunner also combined with Teoh Arredondo and third baseman Lucas Ball to tag out a base runner at third base to end the first inning.

It will be a quick turnaround for the McKinleyville players, who open the NorCal state tournament in Madera near Fresno on Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m.

The Mack Town all-stars open against Land Park out of Sacramento, a team they defeated in the playoffs as 10-year-olds two years ago.

The team will travel down on Friday and hold a team practice when they get there.

In the meantime, the players have been keeping busy fundraising for the big trip, and the McKinleyville community has responded generously.

“I want to give a shout out to the community,” Jaime Arredondo said. “Our community, not just me and the parents, but the whole town of McKinleyville spends so much money (supporting youth baseball). Our baseball future is bright. Everybody’s on board. Everybody contributes. The community’s got our back.”

Details of the multiple fundraisers are available on the McKinleyville Little League Facebook page.