Cal Ripken World Series Champions are, front from left, Aiden Bean #12, Tatum Vaughan – Bat Boy, Bryson Walker #2, Shawn West #10, Derrik Trybus #28, Ethan Godomsky #11, Sawyer Poland #21 and Carter Davis #5. Back, Joe Trybus – Coach, Mike Davis – Coach, Tucker Hilden – #46, Bentley Worden #15, Jacoby Boyce #19, Rowen Pulkkinen #9, Coltin Rolfe #32, Darren Boyce – Coach and TJ Bean – Coach. Submitted

WATERFORD — The Andy Valley Cal Ripken League are the 2022 World Series Champions!

It is a five-time defending state champions (only reason not 6 time is COVID cancelled all tournament play in 2020) and defending New England Regional champions.

They lost the first pool game 2-1 to Weymouth, Mass. Then the team never looked back winning the next four pool games. It won 10-0 in four innings over West Hartford, CT; Then 21-0 over Shenendoah, VA in three innings; next it beat Noble, ME 10-0 in four innings; in the final pool game the team beat Green County, KY 6-1.

It finished pool play 4-1 and clinched 2nd place in its pool. Playing in for the 6th day in a row it beat the 3rd place pool position from the opposite pool, Laguna, CA 8-3 to advance to semi-finals. In the semi-finals it beat a previously undefeated East Side, IN team 7-2.

In the championship, it got a rematch against Weymouth, MA team and used a 7-run second inning and 5-run 6th inning to beat them 12-4.

This is the first time a Maine team has ever won a Cal Ripken World Series at any age group. In addition to the championship run it started the week off by winning both team skills competitions. They won the base running relay by nearly 2 seconds and the around the horn relay by well over a second.

The regional championship marked the first time an Andy Valley team had done that prior to this year. The team is are very proud to have these first-time accomplishments. It is important to know that all 12 players contributed in so many ways to complete this journey. A journey that started six seasons ago for three of the players and 6 seasons ago for 9 of them. Each season it took another step closer to fulfilling this once in a lifetime event.

The parents have been instrumental in this process always meeting the demands of the practice and game schedules no matter where those activities might take place. The league was formed in the early 1980’s and there has been one board member still with us since its inception, that is Gary Smith of Oxford. The team is grateful to him and his wife for their commitment to youth baseball and ensuring they have a league to play in.

There were also two long time presidents who each served about 20 years in that capacity.  Carroll Parsons and Mike Marshall. The team hopes it made them proud.

The team is comprised of players from Bethel, West Paris, Paris, Norway, Oxford, Minot and Hebron. Those towns and the others that comprise Andy Valley Cal Ripken League provide the team with great programs to develop its skills to be able to compete at such a high level. The team is proud to represent all of the towns and its league.

The team would also acknowledges and thanks all of the friends, family, organizations and businesses that have contributed through the years to assist with financial support in order to make certain every team member could participate in every game played no matter what town, city or state it might be.

The World Series champions are #11 Ethan Godomsky, #5 Carter Davis, #19 Jacoby Boyce, #12 Aiden Bean, #28 Derrik Trybus, #46 Tucker Hilden, #10 Shawn West, #2 Bryson Walker, #32 Coltin Rolfe, #9 Rowen Pulkkinen, #15 Bently Worden, and #21 Sawyer Poland. Coaches are TJ Bean, Mike Davis and Darren Boyce. Manager is Joe Trybus and our bat boy for the World Series was Tatum Vaughn of Waterville.