CR Newtown Headed To Williamsport For Little League World Series

BRISTOL, CONN. — The Council Rock Newtown 12U All-Star team is headed to Williamsport and the Little League World Series.

During a rainy Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship game on Friday, the Newtown boys defeated a scrappy Washington, D.C., team to win a trip to Williamsport and a berth in the 2024 Little League World Series.

"There is just pure joy for the kids, the families, and for Newtown as a whole," said team manager Brad Hamilton of Friday's win. "We've had great support from Council Rock Newtown and all the Little League and Cal Ripken teams that we play. All of Bucks County has been reaching out and supporting us to no end. It's been a fabulous experience for all of us."

Weather played a big factor in Friday's game as rain forced officials to move up the game to a 10 a.m. start from its originally scheduled 3 p.m. time slot. Even still, the teams met in a sometimes drenching rain that forced two long game delays.

While Newtown had handily beaten the Capital Hill boys last Sunday by a 13-1 score, rainy wet conditions proved to be the "great equalizer" at Friday's game.

Newtown's star pitcher Saverio Longo started the game strong with his fastball and some good breaking balls that exploded in the catcher's mitt. He struggled a bit in the rain as the weather conditions made it challenging to keep his hand and the ball dry.

The Council Rock Newtown 12U All Stars Pennsylvania State Champions.

The score remained 0-0 until the bottom of the third when Newtown's Brody Gage scored on a bouncer past the mound and into center field by Will Siveter giving Pennsylvania the first score of the game.

The Capital Hill boys, who the ESPN announcers said have a knack for surviving games, answered in the top of the fourth when Reese Tony hit a double to send Brady Thomas home and tying the game at one.

The game changer came in the bottom of the fifth when Council Rock Newtown loaded the
bases and Ryan Uhl hit a base-clearing double to increase Newtown’s score to 5 to 1, which is where the game ended in the top of the sixth with Tyler Neeld sending the Capital boys back to Washington, D.C.

Scoring for Newtown were Brody Gage with two runs and Brayden Peiffer, Rocco DaBronzo and Tyler Neeld, each with one. Saverio Longo pitched the first four innings with Neeld finishing out the game on the pitcher's mound.

The team's play on Friday "is consistent with how they've been playing - very steady," said Hamilton. "They understand that outside the white lines, they can have fun, they can be themselves. But once they get between those lines they have a switch they are able to turn on and get the job done, which is really impressive for a group of 12-year-olds.

"That's a credit to them because they have good friendship. They have good chemistry. And they know when it's time to go to work," said Hamilton.

Pennsylvania went 3-0 in Mid-Atlantic play, defeating Washington, 13-1, on Sunday and Maryland, 11-1, on Tuesday to bring their undefeated record up to 17 games going into the championship game on Friday.

They will arrive in Williamsport on Saturday with an impressive 18-0 record.

"This is what every little boy playing in their backyard dreams about," said Hamilton. "I told them, 'You're experiencing something millions of kids have grown up wanting to do.'"

Their 2024 12U season started with an undefeated District 30 run. Competing against six local teams, Council Rock Newtown went 8-0 to secure the District 30 title. The team went on to complete an undefeated Section 6 run, 3-0.

Following their Section 6 win, the boys traveled to Newville to compete as one of the top 8 teams for the state championship. Facing tough competition from around the state, Council Rock Newtown brought the State Title home with another set of undefeated games where they went 4-0.

Most of these boys started playing together at the start of elementary school. They then started their All-Star career at 10U, where they walked away with a solid 3rd place finish in the PA State
Tournament.

In 2023, they competed as the 11U All-Stars and were able to see the PA championship game but ended the season as the PA State Runner-Up. Following their 2nd place finish in 2023, this team was determined to come back in 2024 to go after that first-place finish, putting them closer to their dream of a World Series appearance.

Council Rock Newtown Little League 12U All-Stars

Brayden Peiffer, #8
Brody Gage, #22
Dean Hamilton, #10
Gavin Caudill, #6
Greyson Gage, #5
Nick Schiller, #17
Rocco DaBronzo, #99
Ryan Uhl, #12
Saverio Longo, #20
Tyler Neeld, #11
Tyler Wexler, #30
Wes Esteves, #3
Will Siveter, #1

Manager: Brad Hamilton
Coaches: Doug Peiffer and Kyle Neeld