Photos by Ray Hamill/HumboldtSports.com – Liam Kilgore reacts as he reaches home plate after hitting a grand slam in Wednesday night’s District championship game.
By Ray Hamill — The Redwood Empire All-Stars are heading back to the Section tournament after a dominating run through the District 26 tournament this week.
On Wednesday night, the RELL 12-year-olds defeated rival Eel River 10-0 in five innings in the championship game at the Redwood Fields in Cutten, sending many of their players on to the Section tournament for the second straight year, having also qualified as 11-year-olds in 2025.
The championship capped a good month for Redwood Empire Little League, which also won this year’s Tournament of Champions and the 11-year-old All-Stars tournament.
“The kids worked hard the whole year,” RELL manager Tyler Conley said. “Their hard work really paid off.”
RELL won with some strong pitching, some good defense and timely hitting over the four games.
They opened the tournament with an 8-2 win over McKinleyville and would not give up another run the remainder of the way, adding victories over Arcata and Eel River to reach the championship game, where they faced off against Eel River a second time.
And no one epitomized the team’s fighting spirit and determination more than Liam Kilgore, who got the win on the mound on Wednesday and helped his own cause with a grand slam.
The Redwood Empire standout homered in all four of his team’s tournament games, as they outscored their opponents by a combined 54-2.
“Liam Kilgore has been unstoppable,” Conley said. “(He) is firing on all cylinders at the right time. He is a force, whether it’s on the mound or in the batter’s box.”
While Kilgore enjoyed a big tournament, he was far from the only standout for the District champs.
Treyce Conley also played a key role for his team on the path to success, as did Wesley Ask, who answered the call in one of the biggest moments of his young career.
The young Conley was a force at the plate and on the hill, hitting almost .700 over the four games with a home run, which was his 19th of the year.
“Treyce Conley has been a true team leader and a reliable shut-down arm,” the manager said. “With 19 home runs on the season, teams didn’t want to give him anything in the zone over the tourney, and when they did he took advantage.”
Submitted photo
Ask, who normally plays middle infield, was asked to switch to catcher for the tournament and he did not disappoint while helping his team out.
“Wesley Ask is the player every coach wishes they had,” Tyler Conley said. “The positive attitude mixed with the talent will take him a long way. He’s able to play any key position, and as the coach you know he’s going to get the job done.
“Wesley played a major role at the top of our lineup and defensively, especially all the innings behind the plate catching our higher velocity guys.”
Oliver Yoder and Ryker Bermers both also made their presence felt at the plate, while Carter Conrad made some big contributions on defense.
“Oliver Yoder consistently made positive contact all tourney,” the Redwood Empire manager said. “He didn’t strike out once and every at-bat was a positive. The small things with his at-bats made big impacts. He consistently did his job even when he got out by moving batters into scoring position.”
Yoder also saw some time on the mound and is a “big piece to our pitching staff that’s hopefully going to help carry us a long way,” according to the manager.
Bermers, meanwhile, brings versatility to the plate and speed to the bases.
“Ryker Bermers made teams pay all weekend,” Tyler Conley said. “They have to respect his bunt game, so teams played him in and he consistently hit the ball by them. With his speed he’s a major asset in center field or on the bases.”
The versatile Conrad epitomized his team’s stellar defense and is continually improving.
“Carter Conrad made some huge plays for us defensively,” the manager added. “Doesn’t matter where we put him — third, second, outfield — he’s going to get the job done. He’s a strong kid with a lot of pop and it’s been fun to continue to watch him get better and better.”
One of the strengths of this team is the depth in the lineup, and according to the manager the RELL bats are dangerous from one through 12.
And that includes Mathew Plotz, who plays the game like a seasoned pro and does so on both sides of the ball.
“Mathew Plotz is a gamer,” Tyler Conley said. “Whether he’s at shortstop or second, he’s going to make plays most kids couldn’t get a glove on.
“He’s a kid that’s never going to shy from any situation and his baseball awareness is beyond his age. He had some big hits for us this weekend to help start some momentum gathering rallies.”
Bryson Barreto and Charlie Armstrong also contributed this weekend.
Barreto is a player who obviously loves the game and shows a lot of patience at the plate.
“Bryson Barreto is another gamer who just loves the game and put his everything into every aspect of it,” the manager said. “He sees the ball well and always has great at-bats, eating up pitchers’ pitch counts.
“This is my first season coaching Bryson, and kids can learn a thing or two from watching his approach to the game.”
Armstrong, meanwhile, is the team’s Mr. Clutch and finds a way to deliver when his teammates need it the most.
“I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, he’s Mr. Clutch,” Tyler Conley said of Armstrong. “He never backs down from any situation, and when you need a big hit Charlie is going to get it done.”
Three other players — Logan Mayberry, Guido Satterlee and Oliver Rivas — round out the talented and deep roster and also made their presence felt in tournament play.
Mayberry has a strong family tradition playing at some of the highest levels of the game, with an uncle who was drafted by the Mets, and the young standout looks set to follow in that tradition.
“Logan Mayberry has baseball in his blood,” the Redwood Empire manager said. “He was a top on-base-percentage player for the tourney and consistently found ways to get on base. His uncles should be proud of the tourney he had.”
Satterlee also played a key role for the RELL Padres on their march to the TOC title, so it’s been a particularly good month for the young player.
“The kid has heart and hustle,” his manager said. “He’s never going to give up and showed that all weekend. He finds ways to get on base, and when he does he’s going to score.”
Rivas also had a big impact with the team, both as a relief pitcher and with his positive attitude.
In a relief appearance in tournament play, the young standout struck out all three batters he faced, but that’s far from the only thing he brings to the table.
“He’s another all-positive player that is a big part of baseball teams that is an under appreciated part of the game,” Tyler Conley said. “Oliver is an asset on the field an in the dugout.”
Ryan Plotz and Brian Barreto are assistant coaches with the team and Tyler Conley expressed his gratitude to each of them for the role they played this week.
“Every call an change is done as a unit,” the manager said. “The baseball knowledge between the two of them is a huge asset to the team.
“Brian knows the game and how to translate it to the players, and having Brian is like having a 13th kid in the dugout, but a kid who knows far more than anyone else on the field about the game.”
The Redwood Empire All-Stars will now turn their attention to the upcoming Section tournament, which opens in Colusa on July 17.
