With an 8-3-1 record against Single A, AA and AAA Tier 1 and 2 teams, the Reds, says team manager Michelle Jackson, “are a very strong group of 2003 born players, with many wins above their level and age group.” Oceanside’s Reds Mosquito A Rep team are through to the provincial championships after mining a silver medal at the Island finals.
Going into Island Championships in Juan de Fuca last weekend, a best of three against the Victoria Eagles, the Reds were 1-1 in two very close games then came up short in a hard fought battle in the championship game on Sunday, but secured themselves the second berth off the rock in the BC championships in Cloverdale Aug. 1-5.
“The thing is our Single A team is drawn from five house teams — Victoria’s is drawn from 25,” pointed out Reds’ head coach Rob McGorman, adding that over 50 per cent of the teams they’ve been playing, and beating, have a bigger drawing area and older kids.
“We’re single A and we’ve been playing AAA teams, older teams of almost all 10 year olds, which we shouldn’t even be playing, but we can’t find any (single A) teams to play, so I’ve been just taking games against anybody that’s willing to play us.
He says there was a lot of hesitation on the part of the other higher ranking teams to play them, “but once we actually started playing the bigger teams, and beating them, then other teams wanted to come and play us.
“It’s good for the kids, and they’ve definitely improved over the season — they’re fantastic,” he said of his squad of 12 players, “and the parent group is great too — it’s a lot of work.”
It’s been a great year for local baseball overall as Oceanside’s AAA Tier 2 team of 10-year-olds just qualified for the provincials as well “so we have two teams going to the provincials from one division, which is fantastic — first time ever.”
Stay tuned for more on the AAA team’s road to the B.C.’s.
FUNDRAISING EFFORTS
The Mosquito A Reds are digging in for some fundraising to help cover the costs of competing in Cloverdale, including a bottle drive in Parksville on Sunday from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Anyone able to help the team out can contact Michelle at 250-954-9760 or by e-mail:
michbail@telus.net.
