The San Carlos Little League 10-under All-stars set history this summer with a magical and exciting undefeated All-star run through District 33 and sectional competition. This was the first sectional title for SCLL at the 10-U level.
This SCLL 10u All-star team earned a berth as one of the top 10 teams in the Southern Cal State Tournament. Both San Carlos and Chula Vista Little League were the only represented teams from San Diego County at the state competition. In the first round of competition, SCLL was able to notch a comeback victory against Glendora American LL by a score of 11-8. SCLL fell just short in a very close game losing 4-3 to Palos Verdes Little League. Palos Verdes LL also ended up continuing on to win the So Cal Title. The benefit of being this strong at 10u is that this group of youth athletes will have a chance to compete again at 11u next season and ultimately at the 12u level which offers a broader opportunity past state and potentially into the Little League World Series.
The SCLL 10-under roster includes: Diego Castro, Ryder Karlson, Noah Kreisler, Jack Bakke, Jackson Masuhr, Rocco Merrill, Owen Newlands, Vinny Vitale, Jackson Walker, Koen Rydell, Cashton Hazlewood, Gage Weisskopf, Hudson Gendron; Manager Cory Hazlewood; Coaches: Jared Merrill, Mario Vitale; Assistant Coaches: Jason Bakke, Nick Weisskopf.
“This was great team of talented, focused young athletes to manage,” Cory Hazlewood commented. “Having the support within the community, our Little League and from the families helped keep this team on track. These boys have more left in the tank and I believe they are hungry for what is next.“
It also was a memorable mustache summer for San Carlos Little League.
In today’s youth sports, competition has become a fierce part of the game and at times can place too much pressure on youth athletes and eventually derail a team’s momentum. But not this SCLL team.
With some motivated parents, fans and coaches, the mustache look was developed to be a key part of the clubhouse excitement, humor and rally tool with focus in “keeping the games fun during highs and lows”. “It was our team’s dugout tradition and swag chain celebration,” Cory Hazlewood stated.
Each victory these boys would reveal another mustache from a coach or a parent willing to participate. So much that the contagious look of the mustache had this 2022 fan base and coaching staff looking like a historical group of MLB ball players from the 1970’s.
This motivational humor and fun could be heard within the dugout during games with chanting “Mustache, Mustache, Mustache”. Keeping any sport fun is sometimes missing in sports today, and with MLB teams reminding kids it’s good to celebrate with your own style, this SCLL team took the mustache along with a honey badger as their rally tool. The support of the coaches, families and community made this possible as they all too rocked mustaches right into the Little League state competition.
Baseball has a history in this community
While history was made this season for the 10u team, success is nothing new to SCLL.
This season, San Carlos also swept the entire District 33, earning three titles at all three age levels (10u, 11u, 12u). Over the last decade, SCLL has become a baseball powerhouse for the community, sending multiple 12-under teams into the state tournaments. In fact, the 2021 SCLL 12u team made an incredible run being just edged out by Torrance. Torrance LL ended up competing in the Little League World Series.
If you drive by the San Carlos baseball fields on any day after 3 p.m. or a weekend you will surely see kids practicing on the fields, volunteers mowing the grass, fixing the fields for safe play, and you will always see coaches offering input to enhance the development for the local SCLL youth program.
