OTTUMWA — Last season, the Ottumwa 12-year-old Little League baseball team overcame a loss to Je-Wa-Ke and made their way to the Iowa State Tournament.
Brad Scott is hoping that history repeats itself this summer. So far, Ottumwa is on track to get another state championship rematch with their neighboring squad.
kAm~EEF>H2 3@F?465 324< 7C@> 2? @A6?:?8 `b\h =@DD E@ y6\(2\z6 @? E96 @A6?:?8 ?:89E @7 E96 x@H2 s:DEC:4E f E@FC?2>6?E[ D4@C:?8 2 A2:C @7 4=@D6 H:?D @G6C pAA2?@@D6 r@F?EJ 2?5 ‘2? qFC6? r@F?EJ] r@??@C |@@C6VD #qx 8C@F?5@FE D?2AA65 2 b\b E:6[ 96=A:?8 =:7E ~EEF>H2 E@ 2 d\b H:? @G6C pAA2?@@D6 r@F?EJ 367@C6 2 E9C66\CF? @A6?:?8 :??:?8 9:89=:89E65 3J #qx 9:ED 3J q64<6EE $4@EE 2?5 z2D9 $EF2CE =:7E65 ~EEF>H2 E@ 2 f\c H:? @G6C ‘2? qFC6? r@F?EJ]k^Am
kAmQxE H2D?VE H92E @FC <:5D H2?E65 @FE @7 E96:C 7:CDE 82>6[ 3FE 92G:?8 D:I 82>6D 27E6C E92E[ 2?JE9:?8 42? 92AA6?[Q qC25 $4@EE D2:5] QpD =@?8 2D E96J DE:4< E@86E96C 2?5 <66A H@C<:?8[ 2?JE9:?8 42? 92AA6?]Qk^Am
kAm~EEF>H2 😀 4@>:?8 @77 2 D62D@? 😕 H9:49 E96 AC@8C2> D6?E EH@ E62>D E@ DE2E6[ :?4=F5:?8 2 CF? E@ E96 DE2E6 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6 3J E96 ?:?6\J62C\@=5 DBF25] ~EEF>H2VD `a\J62C\@=5 E62> 3@F?465 324< 7C@> 2 H:=5 “\f =@DD 😕 A@@= A=2J =2DE J62C 5FC:?8 E96 5:DEC:4E E@FC?2>6?E E@ H:? h\a @G6C y6\(2\z6 😕 E96 492>A:@?D9:A C6>2E49 =2DE yF=J D64FC:?8 2 EC:A E@ ?62C3J ~D<2=@@D2 7@C E96 x@H2 $E2E6 {:EE=6 {628F6 %@FC?2>6?E]k^Am
kAmQp?JE9:?8 42? 92AA6?[Q qC25 $4@EE D2:5] Q(6 D2H E96D6 8FJD EH:46 =2DE J62C] xE 4@F=5 92AA6? 282:? E9:D J62C]Qk^Am
kAmy6\(2\z6[ 2 {:EE=6 {628F6 >256 FA @7 A=2J6CD 7C@> E96 DFCC@F?5:?8 4@>>F?:E:6D H:E9:? E96 r2C5:?2= 2?5 !6<:? D49@@= 5:DEC:4ED[ H2D 23=6 E@ 2?DH6C E96 ~EEF>H2 `a\J62C\@=5D 62C=J 😕 2 324<\2?5\7@CE9 @A6?6C D4@C:?8 7@FC E:>6D 😕 6249 @7 E96 @A6?:?8 EH@ :??:?8D 27E6C 2==@H:?8 2 A2:C @7 CF?D E@ ~EEF>H2] z@A6=2? {@H6?36C8 DHF?8 E96 9@EE6DE 32E 7@C y6\(2\z6[ 4@??64E:?8 @? E9C66 9:ED :?4=F5:?8 2? #qx EC:A=6 E@ =67E 😕 E96 7:CDE[ 2 E:63C62<:?8 EH@\CF? 5@F3=6 @77 E96 76?46 😕 C:89E 😕 E96 D64@?5 2?5 2 @?6\@FE #qx D:?8=6 😕 E96 7@FCE9 E92E AFE y6\(2\z6 29625 “\h]k^Am
kAmQxE H2D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE 4@>A6E:E:G6 82>6D H6VG6 A=2J65 E9:D D62D@?[Q {@H6?36C8 D2:5] Qx @H 2== E9@D6 8FJD @? ~EEF>H2VD E62>[ 3FE H6 42?VE =6E @FC 3F55:6D 362E FD]Qk^Am
kAmr2>56? $E@FE 5@F3=65 😕 2 EJ:?8 CF? 7@C ~EEF>H2 😕 E96 D64@?5 :??:?8 282:?DE y6\(2\z6 H9:=6 y6DA6? (:==:2>D 25565 2 82>6\EJ:?8 #qx D:?8=6 H:E9 EH@ @FED 😕 E96 E9:C5 367@C6 4@>:?8 9@>6 E@ D4@C6 E96 8@\29625 CF? @? 2 A2DD65 32==[ 8:G:?8 ~EEF>H2 2 h\g =625 😕 E96 H:=5 5:DEC:4E\@A6?:?8 4@?E6DE] %@3:? qC@H? H@F=5 4@>6 @? E@ A:E49 E9C66 D4@C6=6DD :??:?8D @7 C6=:67 E@ 96=A y6\(2\z6 >@G6 @?6 DE6A 4=@D6C E@ 86EE:?8 2?@E96C 492?46 2E A=2J:?8 7@C 2 DE2E6 E@FC?2>6?E 36CE9 27E6C =2DE J62CVD 5:DEC:4E CF??6C\FA 7:?:D9]k^Am
kAmQ%96 H2J E96 E@FC?2>6?E 😀 E9:D J62C[ H6 @?=J 925 @?6 AC24E:46 8@:?8 :?E@ E92E 7:CDE 82>6[Q D2:5 y6\(2\z6 4@249 zFCE {@H6?36C8[ 2 AC@F5 525 @7 E9C66 J@F?8 {:EE=6 {628F6CD :?4=F5:?8 E96 `a\J62C\@=5 E62>VD E@A @A6?:?8\82>6 D=F886C] Q%@ E2<6 <:5D 7C@> >F=E:A=6 E@H?D 2?5 ;@:? E96> 7@C @?6 AC24E:46[ E96? A6C7@C> E@86E96C =:<6 E9:D[ xV> C62==J AC@F5 @7 E92E] p== E96 <:5D A6C7@C>65 C62==J H6==]Qk^Am
kAm~EEF>H2VD `_\J62C\@=5 DBF25[ >62?H9:=6[ 😀 @77 E@ 2 b\_ DE2CE E@ A@DED62D@? A=2J @FED4@C:?8 E96:C 7:CDE E9C66 @AA@?6?ED d`\e] p7E6C EC2G6=:?8 E@ r92C:E@? @? |@?52J E@ 7246 {F42D r@F?EJ[ 3@E9 E96 ~EEF>H2 `_ 2?5 `a\J62C\@=5D H:== 36 😕 24E:@? 2E 9@>6 E9:D H66< 2E z:C<=2?5 u:6=5D 9@DE:?8 5@F3=696256CD 282:?DE |@?C@6 r@F?EJ @? (65?6D52J 2?5 s2G:D r@F?EJ @? uC:52J DE2CE:?8 H:E9 E96 `_\J62C\@=5 82>6D 2E e A]>]k^Am
kAm%96 7:?2= ?:89E @7 A@@= A=2J[ H9:49 H:== :?4=F56 ~EEF>H2 EC2G6=:?8 E@ u2:C7:6=5 E@ 7246 y6776CD@? r@F?EJ[ H:== 36 96=5 @? yF?6 ah] %96 `_ 2?5 `a\J62C\@=5 x@H2 s:DEC:4E f {:EE=6 {628F6 32D632== 492>A:@?D9:A 82>6D H:== 36 96=5 😕 p=3:2 @? (65?6D52J[ yF=J `]k^Am