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The Central East Maui Little League Intermediate 50\/70 team poses with their banner after winning the West Regional Thursday night in Nogales, Arizona. <\/p>\n
It’s been a whirlwind past 48 hours for the Central East Maui Little League All-Stars at the intermediate level.<\/p>\n
The team of 13 players from four different Maui schools won the Little League Intermediate (12-13) 50\/70 West Regional in Nogales, Arizona, Thursday night. They defeated Southern California champions Laguna Beach Little League 12-8 in the title game.<\/p>\n
Soon after, the Maui boys were parading through the US-Mexico border town under police escort as regional champions. On Friday, they checked into their hotel in Livermore, Calif., for the 50\/70 World Series that begins Sunday.<\/p>\n
“Oh, it’s one of the coolest things in my life, you know, that these guys have a chance,”<\/span> Maui manager Chris Kish said by phone Friday. \u201cWe almost didn’t even have a team that had to come together and participate in the state tournament. It was pretty last-minute, so when the other coaches and I came in and we were able to put the roster together, it’s pretty ironic how wonderfully it’s come to fruition.”<\/span><\/p>\n The team includes players from middle schools St. Anthony, Kamehameha Maui, Iao and Maui Waena. <\/p>\n “All the guys have really gelled since the first practice,”<\/span> Kish said. \u201cIt’s a great variety of guys from different teams that have come together. The caliber of talent, it’s really solid.”<\/span><\/p>\n CEMLL took the lead early in the championship game, scoring a run in the first inning on an RBI single by Marcus Mamuad. Maui scored six runs in the sixth inning with RBIs from Malu Rosaga, Isaac Gosselin, Jayden Perry-Waikiki and Mamuad.<\/p>\n Mamuad, Perry-Waikiki, Koltyn Sergent, Riley Phillips and Kaniela Belena each had two hits to balance Maui’s 14-hit attack in the final.<\/p>\n The roster is rounded out by Alika Kish, George Dafun, Teyvon Kahalewai, Kekoa Brown, Kapono Easley and Nainoa Haban.<\/p>\n Chris Kish is assisted by coaches Koa Brown and Joseph Gosselin.<\/p>\n Maui won the world intermediate crown in 2016 and reached the semifinals a year later.<\/p>\n Maui opens play in the Intermediate World Series Sunday at 9:00 a.m. HST against East Region champion Toms River (NJ) East. <\/p>\n There are six U.S. regional champions and six international regional champions in the World Series that ends with the world championship game on Aug. 7; this game will be televised on ESPN2 at 3 pm HST. Most other games will be broadcast on ESPN+.<\/p>\n Central East Maui’s 50\/70 team joins their Senior League counterparts on the World Series stage. The CEM Seniors (15-16), who clinched their berth Wednesday, begin Senior League World Series play in Easley, SC against Fleet Park (Va.) in the tournament opener today at at 4:00 am HST.<\/p>\n All SLWS games will be available on ESPN+ except for the final, which will be televised on ESPN on August 6 at 10:00 a.m. HST.<\/p>\n * Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com<\/p>\n Today’s news and more delivered to your inbox<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n