All-Stars begin play

Mike Sciacca

Fielding what he calls a “baseball savvy” group, Manager Cary Hyden

will lead the Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division All-Star

team into the opening day of the District 55 All-Star Tournament

Saturday.

Laguna’s first-round opponent will be San Clemente.

The teams square off Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Wagon Wheel Sports

Park.

The double-elimination tournament is hosted by Trabuco Canyon

Little League.

Laguna’s Majors Division All-Star team is composed of 15 players.

“I really like this group of 11-year-old All-Stars,” Hyden said.

“They are a very “baseball savvy” group who are fundamentally sound,

very coachable and are tough, scrappy players.

“They are also great kids, so it has been a real pleasure for me

to have the privilege of serving as their manager.”

Thirteen of the 15 players on the All-Star team played at the

Majors Division level during the regular season; the other two,

played AAA Division ball.

“As a team, our strength is our defense,” Hyden said. “We have a

very capable defense anchored by Keaton Jones at shortstop, Jake

Glazer at third base, Tyler Pierce and Jack Clark at second base,

Michael Hyden at first base and Stevie Contursi behind the plate.”

Hyden said that since there is no dominant pitcher on the roster,

the team’s ability to make defensive plays will be a key in games.

“Offensively, we are going to need to manufacture runs by

stringing base hits together, as we don’t have a tremendous amount of

power hitters,” Hyden said. “Stevie Contursi, Michael Hyden and

Taylor Preston can hit the ball deep, but we can’t expect to rely on

round trippers to generate runs.

“Travis Sampson and Jake Glazer provide some speed that we will

try to use to manufacture runs.”

Laguna teams do not have a long history of success in District 55

postseason tournament action, although the league has developed a

tradition of success by becoming competitive in the past six years.

Laguna has never won a district Majors Division All-Star

championship.

Four years ago, Hyden and Kevin Meehan coached a 9/10 year-old

All-Star team that made it to the winner’s bracket championship game

but lost a heartbreaker.

Two years ago, Steve Contursi managed a 9/10 All-Star team that

reached the semifinal round.

“Although we are still waiting for a District 55 championship, we

certainly have shown an ability to be competitive playing against

some of the best All-Star teams in Southern California,” Hyden said.

“Almost all of this year’s 11-year-old All-Star players gained

valuable experience playing on the 9/10 All-Star team last season,

and I expect that experience will help us in this tournament.”

District 55 is composed of Little Leagues from Aliso Viejo, Ladera

Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Newport Beach,

Northwood, North Mission Viejo, Rancho Mission Viejo, Rancho Niguel,

Rancho Santa Margarita, Saddleback, San Clemente, San Juan, South

Irvine, South Mission Viejo, Tijeras Creek, Trabuco Canyon and Viejo.

“District 55 is literally one of the toughest Little League

districts in the country,” Hyden said.

Four District 55 All-Star teams have gone on to represent the

western United States region at Williamsport, Penn., home of the

Little League World Series, since 1988.

Two of those teams have won the Little League World Series title.

Hyden said it’s difficult to pick a favorite for this year’s

tournament title, but noted that the various Mission Viejo leagues

have outstanding programs.

He also said that Lake Forest, Saddleback and Rancho Niguel field

strong teams.

“Our first round opponent, San Clemente, is always very tough, so

we will definitely have to play our best to compete,” he said.

“This is my fifth of sixth straight year to manage or coach a

Laguna Beach All-Star team and I’ve enjoyed every team, but no team

has worked harder than this group. I am very proud of these guys who

have really worked hard to become a ‘team’ in a short period of time.

No matter how we do in the tourney, I will be very proud of the

effort these kids have shown. They are definitely winners in my

book.”

The Laguna Beach 11-year-old All-Star team is composed of Alex

Bekken, Alek Burk, Jack Clark, Stevie Contursi, Spencer Freidenrich,

Jake Glazer, Michael Hyden, Keaton Jones, Tyler MacRae, Matthew Neev,

DuRoss “Bo” O’Brien, Sawyer Pierce, Tyler Pierce, Taylor Preston,

Travis Sampson and coaches Chris Clark and Ron Jones.

Laguna’s 9/10 year-old All-Star team, managed by Taylor Pillsbury,

opens District 55 tournament play Saturday against defending champion

Aliso Viejo.

The teams play at 7:30 p.m. at Heroes Park in Lake Forest.

Laguna’s 9/10 All-Star team is composed of Grifan Fair, Blake

Hester, Austin Hilleman, Alex Iannotti, Cole Kessler, Brandon Lewis,

Robbie McInerny, Austin Paxson, Santi Pierini, Norton Penney, Jack

Pillsbury, Derek Reigel, Larry Stewart, Brian Vail and coaches Mark

Lewis, Dan McInerny and Ron Paxson.