The moment Cory Edwards knew there was something special with Paseo Verde came in a scrimmage against Spring Valley.
They hit well. They pitched well. It was the true definition of how a team should look on the field. It was one of those moments where the team fired on all cylinders and everything clicked on that day. The players were doing exactly what Edwards and coach Lynn Cowley were telling them to do.
“There was a moment of, if we can do that consistently, we have a good shot to do something special,” Edwards said.
It was in the moments that the public didn’t see that brought everything together.
There were some kids that had some defiant tendencies, Edwards said. Some who didn’t always buy in to the concept. There were moments those players would come to the coaching staff, asking for tips on their swing, their work in the bullpen on their pitching mechanics.
“It was just those small little nuggets of just trust being built. That something is changing,” Edwards said.
To get a bunch of 12-year-old kids to believe for a common goal isn’t the easiest thing. Especially when those kids have to play together, bunk together, live together for almost two months.
That includes the District 2 tournament, state tournament, regional tournament and the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.
“We didn’t really play all that well at District,” coach Lynn Cowley said. “We weren’t beating teams like we thought we were going to beat. I looked at Cory about halfway through and I was like, ‘Man, we’re going to have to change our strategy here. I think we’re going to have to be a different team than we think we’re going to be.’
“Once we did that, once we started incorporating some of those things to make that change, I think you saw us start to take off.”
Making up for what was lacking
What might get overlooked in Paseo Verde’s run to becoming U.S. champions is it’s not just a group of kids that bought in. They had to play different styles every game during their 14-0 run that landed the team one win away from a world championship.
One day it could have been dominant pitching. It could’ve been timely hitting the next. Maybe a strong defensive play here and there — to the tune of six double plays turned during the Little League World Series.
The team from Henderson that could hit for power didn’t need to during its entire run in Williamsport. Batters one through 12 did not have a single home run for the entire tournament.
They made up for it with working the pitch count. Finding the right pitches to hit at the right time.
Paseo Verde hit .363 as a team during the Little League World Series to the tune of 45 hits — 38 of them were singles, six doubles and only one triple. As a team, Paseo Verde had a quality at-bat percentage of 53.29. They had 12 two-out RBIs.
It was a team built on imperfection. Paseo Verde didn’t have the dominant pitching like Iowa. It didn’t have the star ability that was touted for Ohio throughout its run in the losers bracket.
Shining at the right time
Paseo Verde made up for it in its own way, such as a bounce-back effort from Owen Guzman against Ohio in the U.S. title game. How he went less than two innings in the tournament opener, to redeeming himself on the mound in the rematch while going 3 for 3 at the plate.
Catcher Maddox Bryan caught fire at the right time with a team-high eight RBIs and a .636 batting average that no other teammate came close to reaching. He led in nearly every offensive category including OPS (1.394), slugging percentage (.727) and hits (7).
Outfielders James Esber (.500) and Michael Kleiner (.545) hit over .500. Shortstop Logan Edwards (.400) was a key player at the plate. Carsynn Meyer delivered two of the biggest RBIs in tournament history as the 26th girl to play in the Little League World Series.
There was a contributor at every turn. Third baseman Hudson Cowley hit a walk-off single in the tournament opener against Ohio. Outfielder Brooks McFarland escaping a bases-loaded jam in the first inning against Tacoma, Washington, only to throw four no-hit innings.
Adrian Cruz, who wasn’t even on the roster when the Little League World Series began, brought good vibes and energy while replacing Theo Bingham, who missed the entire tournament with an illness.
“When they look back and kind of realize what they accomplished and what they’ve gained from here on out, I hope they shoot me a text or give me a call and just remember that it was a hell of a ride,” Edwards said.
‘The togetherness’
Edwards was the one who texted Tuesday when his players returned to school to begin their new years. He created a group chat with the players because in Williamsport, it was a trying time to get a hold of everyone.
Edwards told them to have a great first day of school, that he was proud of them and to accept all the praise they get because they deserve it.
All 12 of the players reacted with a heart.
“I don’t think that’s a typical kid-coach relationship,” Edwards said. “I think it just shows the togetherness that we had.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
