Huntington Beach honors Little League champs - OCRegister
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Fame and recognition have become a part of everyday life for world champions Ocean View Little League, but some players said it's the hometown welcome and their local fans they appreciate most.
Hundreds lined Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday for a parade to congratulate the team on their Little League World Series victory against Japan on Aug. 28.
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Meet the team
Players: Eric Anderson, Christian Catano, Justin Cianca, Hagen Danner, Jack Furry, Steven Kotkosky, Anthony Martinez, Jason Mayorga, Dylan Palmer, Nick Pratto, Braydon Salzman, Ryo Takada, Trevor Windisch.
Manager: Jeff Pratto
Coaches: Tony Cianca and Jose Martinez
Team mom: Denise Cianca
The street was lined with gold and green balloons, and some parade-goers dressed their dogs in team T-shirts to show their support. The Ocean View High School band played, and cheerleaders danced down Main Street.
The players rode in the open-top Surf City firetruck waving at the crowd and high-fiving some children who stood on their toes and stuck out their hands.
Mayor Joe Carchio gave the team the keys to the city in a ceremony following the parade.
Resident Larry Cirnigliaro said he brought his children because his oldest son plays T-ball, and they wanted to support the team.
"I coach Little League, so I know how hard it is to go that far," he said. "I'm trying to tell my kids: 'They beat the whole world.'"
Ocean View Little League was up against 80 countries and 7,500 teams when they started their journey to South Williamsport, Pa., earlier this summer.
They are the first Orange County team to win the Little League World Series.
Some of the players said they definitely feel on top of the world since their victory.
"It's been great; it's totally unreal," player Steven Kotkosky said.
Kotkosky said his teachers and classmates applauded him at Pegasus School and threw an assembly in his honor.
He added the attention recently prevented him from sitting down and having dinner at the Angels game on Sept. 3 when the team was honored.
"I ordered a burger, but I couldn't eat it, because almost every second, somebody was coming up to me asking for an autograph," he said.
The team has been featured on ESPN; toured the state capitol and met the governor; are expected to be on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Wednesday and will be featured in a Disneyland parade later this month.
The players said they are also hoping for an invitation to the White House in February.
Eric Anderson, who scored the championship-winning run in the World Series, said the hometown celebrations have been the highlight.
"This, right now, is my favorite," he said of Saturday's parade. "Everyone from Huntington Beach is here."
Kotkosky agreed, saying the reception at Ocean View's field when they returned from South Williamsport, Pa., is marked as one of his favorite post-victory moments.
"That welcome back at our home field … there were so many people there," he said. "We have so many fans."
Contact the writer: 714-796-7953 or jfletcher@ocregister.com
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11 Sep, 2011
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