Where Are They Not?

By Rabbi Rabbs
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Updated: October 14, 2020

(Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League all-stars celebrate after winning 2019’s California District 42 championship in the 11-and-under division. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

CaliSports News recently published a weekly series of articles focusing on former Little League standouts. Those articles updated readers on players’ whereabouts. CSN called that series, Where Are They Now?. This week, we shall take a similar approach. We will switch a letter in the title to Where Are They Not?. In doing so, we shall focus on where Little Leaguers are not.

Let us begin. Consider youngsters that looked forward to competing for a chance to play in this year’s Little League World Series. Those Little Leaguers are not in South Williamsport, PA. They are not at a West Region tournament held in San Bernardino. The kids are even not at district or section tournaments leading to the Southern California championship. Don’t believe me? Just ask players that possibly would have competed in those annual events leading up to and including the Little League World Series. In this article, CaliSports News will do exactly that.

We shall never know.

Due to tournament cancellations, as described in Southern California Little League: “Season Over!”, we shall never know how far players would have reached this year into an all-stars competition. We do know that last summer, many competed at age 11. In 2019’s Little League Major 11-and-under division, two all-star teams reached SoCal’s finals. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to believe that many of last year’s 11-and-under finalists might have gone on a year later to win 2020’s 12-and-under division SoCal championship. Perhaps as 12-year-old’s this past summer, those same all-stars would have even gone on to compete in S. Williamsport.

(Eastlake first-baseman Jake Serrano records a game’s final out in the 2019 SoCal Section 7 tourney. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

In Bonita’s Bashers Win SoCal Little League Title !!, CSN mentioned that in last year’s 11-and-under Southern California championship game, all-stars representing Chula Vista’s Eastlake Little League competed. In that title match, Eastlake came oh so close, but lost by one run.

During the subsequent off-season, those Eastlake all-stars hoped with great anticipation that 2020 would bring the summer of their young baseball dreams. Those dreams included a flight to Pennsylvania. There, the boys would compete on the big stage in front of an international audience. Perhaps, the dreams even climaxed with a late-August parade held in Chula Vista. And, thousands would celebrate that city’s third United States championship in 12 years (as explained in Season Over!). However, when 2020 finally arrived, Eastlake’s summer of dreams quickly turned into a nightmare. The season got cancelled. Upon hearing that news, CaliSports News reached out to Eastlake’s 2019 11-and-under all-stars, and to their parents, for comments.

Eastlake a heavy favorite.

“I’m speechless that the season was cancelled,” Jake Serrano, Eastlake’s 2019 all-star first-baseman told CSN. “We had a great all-star season as 11-year-old’s. And, we really thought we could go far this year. This was our one year to go all the way to the Little League World Series.”

(Marc Anthony Osorio, center, with Josh Alo, left, and Matthew Chadwick, right, after winning 2019’s District 42 crown. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

One of Serrano’s fellow 2019 all-stars is Marc Anthony Osorio. Marc’s father, Marco Osorio, reported that his son shared Serrano’s sentiments regarding Eastlake’s chances of returning to S. Williamsport for that league’s first time since 2013. “They had high expectations for sure,” Marco told CSN. “They tried so hard for so many years to reach this point. But, stuff happens.”

High expectations.

Another 2019 Eastlake 11-and-under all-star is Noah “Chewy” Flores. Chewy is short for “Chewbacca”, a character in the movie, Star Wars. Flores spoke to CSN about the cancellations.

“Honestly,” he said, “I was kind of disappointed, because I wanted to play my final season of Little League.” Chewy’s mother is Celeste Flores. CaliSports News published one of her photos in Sweetwater Valley To Play In SoCal Finals !!. Celeste shared her thoughts about her son.

“Chewy was disappointed with the entire situation,” she told CSN. “Because he, the team, and the families so had high hopes of Williamsport. The families are really bummed out, because we really thought we could go all the way.” Eastlake’s community, including that league’s president, held high expectations for 2020. That president, Alis Nicolaus, shared her comments with CSN.

(Eastlake’s Noah “Chewy” Flores pitches in 2018’s District 42 championship game in the 10-and-under division all-stars. Eastlake won that game. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

“Our league was very fortunate to have this amazing group of players, coaches and families,” Nicolaus said. “Many of whom have been at Eastlake since tee ball. We have watched them dominate on the diamond since the very beginning.” In 2018, at age 10, Eastlake’s all-stars won District 42’s crown in the 10-and-under division. They then captured that year’s Southern California Section 7 banner. Eastlake’s 10’s finished in 2018 among SoCal’s top teams. Nicolaus praised those young players that won district titles in 2018 at age 10, and then in 2019 at age 11.

“It was unfortunate that they didn’t have an opportunity to earn a spot on the 12-year-old all-star team this year,” Eastlake’s president confidently told CaliSports News. “They undoubtedly would have gone deep into the post-season. And, fought for a spot in the Little League World Series.”

Disappointment.

When officials cancelled 2020’s Little League World Series, that news sent shock waves across Chula Vista. Months later, aftershocks struck throughout Eastlake’s boundaries. That was when district officials cancelled the remainder of the regular season, and all post-season tournaments.

“He [Marc] was bummed out that the Little League World Series got cancelled,” Marco Osorio said. “He kept asking for the status of Little League. And, he hoped the season would return. Until September, when they cancelled the season, plus all-stars. It was not just Marc. All the way around. Every other kid out there was disappointed.” Those who got bummed out include Jake.

(Jake Serrano, no. 5, after Eastlake won 2019’s District 42 title. Teammates left to right: Noah Cook, Aaron Corona, Josh Alo, Reece Escuro. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

Serrano told CaliSports News that “the day they cancelled the Little League World Series, I was playing PS4 [PlayStation 4] with some of my all-star teammates. We were all really sad and mad, and couldn’t believe the news.” Hmm. CSN already answered the question, “where are they not?”. Perhaps the answer to “where are they now?”, is that they are now playing video games.

Great chemistry.

Actually, hanging out together and playing games is something Eastlake’s guys have reportedly often done. “Those boys bonded,” Marco Osorio explained to CSN. Serrano agreed with Osorio.

“Our team had great chemistry,” Jake said. “Because, we are all friends and have played together for several years.” Serrano joined Eastlake Little League when he turned eight years old, according to that all-star’s mother, Traci Serrano. Whereas, Flores reportedly started playing there when that standout pitcher/shortstop was only six. Traci talked about the cancellations.

“This season was a missed opportunity,” she told CaliSports News. “Their 12U season is what they have been working towards all these years.” Chewy’s mother agreed with Jake’s mother.

(Eastlake’s Noah “Chewy” Flores advances to third base during the 2019 SoCal Section 7 tournament. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

“They were like this year’s high school seniors,” Celeste said. “They didn’t get to experience their senior year. There was no graduation for them. They missed out on their prom. It was the same thing with the 12-year-old Little Leaguers. It was like their senior year. And, they missed out.”

There is always next year.

Celeste told CSN that last year’s 11-and-under all-stars “may regroup as juniors, and make a run.” Little League’s Junior Division serves players that turned 13. Juniors offers its own annual world series. Michigan hosts that international tournament. An all-star team representing Fullerton’s Golden Hill Junior League reigns as the current world champ. CSN reported on that last year in Fullerton’s Golden Hill Wins Junior World Championship !!. Celeste said that Eastlake may set its sights on winning 2021’s Junior title. She theorized that although that championship normally lacks the notoriety of Little League’s, perhaps next year will be different.

“Because there was no world series for them as 12-year-old’s,” Celeste said. Therefore, next year’s Junior World Series could turn into a delayed 2020 Little League World Series. Thus, she suggested that 2021’s championship held in Michigan might likely generate as much interest as that for Pennsylvania’s tournament. In any event, her son’s team captured hearts of many fans.

“They are a great group of boys, coaches and parents,” Traci told CaliSports News. “It really is heartbreaking for these boys!” The youngsters impressed Eastlake Little League’s president.

(Marc Anthony Osorio bats in 2019’s Section 7 tournament. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

“They are great kids to be around,” Nicolaus said. “Eastlake Little League is proud of them. And, they all have such a bright future ahead, baseball or not. We will cherish all the fun and exciting memories they gave us. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of players to represent us.”

Teamwork makes the dream work.

Changing the topic, but speaking of Eastlake and District 42, congratulations to Ernie Lucero! That former Eastlake league president earlier this month got re-elected as District 42’s administrator. Lucero is a great guy with whom to work. He has proven to be fantastic to CaliSports News. And, he has done a bang-up job in managing what is arguably America’s most competitive Little League district. Under Lucero’s watch, starting in 2009, District 42 sent all-star teams four times to the Little League World Series. Those four captured a world championship and two US crowns. During that span, Lucero’s district has dominated SoCal in several divisions.

Finally, CaliSports News thanks everyone that shares our articles. Teamwork makes the dream work. On that note, CSN thanks Eastlake Little League, South San Diego’s Luckie Waller Little League, Calfornia District 42, and the Fields/Equipment Director for Rancho Santa Margarita’s Santa Margarita Little League, for sharing last week’s popular Umpire Inspires With Big Heart And Artificial Foot on Facebook. And with that, we conclude my ninth straight weekly article covering Little League. More promise to follow. Stay tuned !! Until then, congratulations to the players and families of Eastlake’s 2019 11U all-star team, and Lucero !! Let’s Go SoCal !!

(Celebrating 2019 District 42 11-and-under title. Left to right: Noah Cook, Aaron Corona, Jake Serrano, Josh Alo, Noah “Chewy” Flores. Photo courtesy of Jon Bigornia.)

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