WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Boerne Little League manager Justin Newson spoke with the media after the team’s 10-7 loss to Florida in the United States championship of the Little League Baseball World Series.
Q: How are the boys doing?
Newson: They’re good. I mean, they’re all competitors. They’re taking it a little hard. They’ll get through it. We always talk about this. It’s bigger than just baseball. We’re going through that right now. I mean, this is the beginning for a lot of them. It’s not the end. These boys are going to play a lot of baseball. They’re going to have to play a lot of other sports. They got so much life ahead of them. This was a great stage. It feels so big in the moment. And there’s a letdown — but they’re going to bounce back and bounce back.
Q: How proud were you of the effort that they put forth in a back-and-forth battle with Florida?
Newson: Who could have predicted that type of game to happen? I mean, we were like probably third or fourth inning — Julian’s cruising — looks like their ace is coming out. And then all of a sudden, some things happen. It’s life. It’s baseball. [Julian Hurst] a little sore shoulder. And then Doc [Mogford] gets hit by a pitch. Then Kole [Newson] got a little strain on his tricep, so it was affecting his arm. And you know, we went through three pitchers in one inning. But you know they fought all the way and still almost — I mean, we’re right there in it to try to make it happen that last inning. So, really proud of the boys, the resilience.
Q: How do you feel about it from your view, looking back from a coaching standpoint? Any regrets?
Newson: Yeah, there’s always going to be that like hindsight’s 2020 — I mean [Caden] Guffey we didn’t get to use. We figured we weren’t going to need to use them because [Hurst] was going, and we still were really confident with Doc and having Kole and some other options available to us. But it was just one of those things where, I mean, nothing anyone could predict losing three pitchers in one inning. So, it happened and left us a little bit exposed. And, you know, that’s kind of what happens in baseball sometimes. It’s just some of the positives from this. We’re so proud of the boys.
Q: Venezuela tomorrow. What were you thinking?
Newson: You know, we’re going to start Guffey, and we have Cooper [Hastings]. And we got a couple of other options too, if we need to go that way. We’re going to get the boys to kind of move forward. We’re about the next play and going to give Venezuela our best shot. I know they’re a really, really tough team. I haven’t looked too far ahead on what they have available pitching. But I know they got lots of really good athletes and baseball players. So it should be a good game.
Q: The watch parties were off the charts back in Boerne. How cool is that?
Newson: I mean, we’re so grateful for our community. We feel so blessed just to be able to experience this here with the boys and see pictures and videos — that means a lot to, you know, not only me, the kids, the families here. We’re just grateful for everyone’s support. And Boerne and San Antonio, you know, we’ve done our best to try to shed a little bit of light on the San Antonio baseball and Boerne baseball scene. I mean, my youngest is nine years old. And when I get back, I’m looking at scheduling Little League practices for his team this fall. And so, you know, I’ll meet a whole new group of people and looking forward to that. And that’s just what it does. And I feel like it’s a really pivotal part of not just youth baseball but a community to have great baseball.
Q: When you look back at this run, I know it’s not over yet. But can you put into words what is the winning formula of this team? What has made Boerne so unstoppable in this tournament up to this point?
Newson: You know, just having faith, even when things don’t go your way or happen the way we want them, they happen for a reason. They make us stronger. These boys got a great opportunity to be on this stage in front of that many people with cameras, lights, all that kind of stuff, and they are just getting started. I know that that’s going to help prepare them for middle school sports, high school sports, and some of them maybe even beyond that. So we’re just grateful for that opportunity for them to be able to be out here.
Q: How were you feeling before the game?
Newson: I was way more nervous than them, to be honest with you. I mean, I’m not going to lie; those kids get out there, and they just play baseball. I’m the one trying to make sure we’re doing everything we can to give them the best possible chance to win. But, you know, I enjoyed it, but I was probably the most nervous one in the group, and I’m not going to lie about that.