Nate Marrero
Orlando Sentinel Correspondent
It was a hero's welcome for the Little League World Series champions as they returned to the Lake Mary Sports Complex.
The Lake Mary All-Star team returned home on Monday, a day after defeating Chinese Taipei, 2-1 in overtime, in the LLWS championship game in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
“Run This Town” by Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West played in the background as the cheering crowd echoed around the stadium as they waited to crown the world champion in the 11- to 12-year-old competition.
After being separated by more than 1,000 miles, they were reunited at the same spot that served as their training ground and helped lay the foundation for Lake Mary's historic run, and Monday's celebration gave Lake Mary's players a chance to really feel the support they've received during their tenure in South Williamsport.
Lake Mary Little League player Hunter Alexander runs off the team bus holding the title plaque to the cheers of enthusiastic fans as the team arrives at its Lake Mary home field on Monday. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel)
After much anticipation and the chant of “Lake Mary” for the cameras gathered to watch the monumental moment, Hunter Alexander hopped off the bus holding a plaque that read “2024 Little League Baseball World Champions” and was quickly followed by the rest of his teammates to thunderous cheers.
“It's unbelievable,” pitcher Jacob Bibeau said, “to see all those little kids looking up to us, it's unbelievable.”
Among the crowd was Lake Mary Mayor David Mealer, in his second term as mayor, who was one of the most excited members of the crowd as the sun shone on the city's champions.
“This has been one of the most amazing journeys I can remember,” Mealer said, “and it has brought a lot of joy to this community.”
The amount of local support Lake Mary has received was apparent to the players, coaches and families in the Little League baseball mecca, as Lake Mary manager Jonathan Anderson gushed about the way the community comes together every time his team takes to the field.
“It's just awesome to be here and see the fans,” Anderson said. “Seeing the faces of our hometown fans, knowing they've been cheering us on all this time, knowing they've been watching every inning probably and waiting for us to win, it's just an awesome feeling to see them and hug them and love them.”
Michael Bolser, grandfather of Louis Caro, who hit the game-winning hit in Lake Mary's 10-7 win over Texas in Saturday's national title game, traveled an hour and a half from Scranton, Pa., to South Williamsport to see indirectly the hometown support his grandson's team received. Bolser spoke proudly of the impact the fans' support had on Caro and his teammates.
“It was unbelievable,” Bolser said. “I can't tell you how much it inspired the guys. For them to see something like that, the coaches cheering them on, everybody hearing and cheering them on, and then the guys coming out in droves to support them all week, it's just unbelievable.”
Lake Mary's celebrations don't end on Monday: The city will hold a parade for the winners at 10 a.m. Saturday down Fourth Street in downtown Lake Mary.
Along with the parade, going to school is also part of the upcoming plans for Bibeau and his friends.
“I'm really looking forward to it,” Bibeau said of the parade, “but I have to get to school first. It's a challenge.”
“I'm going to be a celebrity.”
First published: August 26, 2024, 8:37 PM
