It was three years ago this coming summer, that Huntington Beach took center stage nationally and internationally, on the youth sports scene.
In late-August of 2011, the Ocean View Little League All-Star team (11-12 year-olds) made it all the way to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League Baseball World Series. Ocean View not only qualified for the tournament, but also won the coveted title.
Since that time, the 13 members of that memorable squad have all moved on. Each, now, is in high school, several at the same school, Huntington Beach High, and although not all are walking the halls on the same campus, they all have one thing in common: all 13, are still playing baseball.
"That's pretty rare," said Jeff Pratto, the manager of the World Series-winning team. "All 13 of these kids are still in the game."
Pratto, and coaches Tony Cianca and Jose Martinez, were part of a gathering at the Ocean View Little League Major division field Sunday that brought together 12 of the 13 members of the 2011 All-Star team. The players lined up to take a new team photo in their respective high school uniforms, reprising a pose captured in a photo taken in their Ocean View All-Star uniforms at the Little League World Series that August.
