'We are blessed': Taunton West Little League U10 had a strong season on and off the field
TAUNTON — In sports, if you can combine talent with teamwork, you should be set for success, and that certainly was the case for the Taunton West Little League U10 this summer.
The team went a combined 18-3, with two of those losses coming just by a run as they outscored their opponents 246-68 on their way to the program's first Massachusetts Little League District 6 title since 2013. They made it all the way to the Massachusetts Little League Section 2 championship game, where they fell 5-4 in a back-and-forth nine-inning battle with eventual state champions Braintree American. They also captured the top spot at both the Free-Lake Little Fenway and Taunton East Bash tournaments.
"We had an awesome season," said TWLL U10 manager Tyler Doehler. "The growth of the kids from last year to this year, and from the beginning of the year to now, was tremendous. I could not be more proud. We have a resilient group who are really good kids. They play the game the right way and are willing to learn, and a lot of this stems from the parents who appreciate our coaching style."
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The coaching staff consists of four former college baseball players: manager Doehler and assistants Fred Martin, Christian Mills and Nate Berry, as well as Division I state champion Taunton High School assistant coach Chad Higginbotham.
The TWLL U10 team comprises Reagan Doehler, Kamron Libby-Santos, Jarrod Bridgestock, Zhakari Elliott, Blake Higginbotham, Logan Berry, Braylen Borges, Cam Mills, James Andrews, Brandon Gilbody, Bryce Martin and Wes Cunningham.
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"You spend a lot of time with the parents and children in summer baseball, and we are blessed to have a really good group of kids and parents," Doehler said.
A key to their success, according to Doehler, has been the team bonding both on and off the field, from practices and tournaments to team pool parties and an upcoming trip to the Cape Cod Inflatable Park in West Yarmouth.
"These kids have had a great time on and off the field," Doehler said.
Taunton West captured the District 6 title in an all-Silver City affair against Taunton East, downing their cross city rivals 9-1 to capture their first district title in nine years and sending them to the Section 2 tournament. They defeated East Bridgewater and Braintree American before ultimately falling to the latter in extra innings in the championship game.
Still, with a couple of tournament wins including the District 6 title, it was a summer to remember for the players, coaches and parents alike.
"I am really proud of these kids," Doehler said.
Taunton Daily Gazette sports reporter Cameron Merritt can be reached at cmerritt@tauntongazette.com. You can follow him on Twitter at @CamMerritt_News. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to the Taunton Daily Gazette today.
This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton West Little League U10 celebrates strong season
