Great Lakes: Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores Little League
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Scouting report: After dropping its opening game of the Great Lakes Regional tournament to Ohio, Michigan won four consecutive elimination games to advance to the Little League World Series. Michigan defeated Hinsdale (Illinois) Little League in the regional championship game 6-3. ... Michigan will be playing in its 11th Little League World Series. ... The last team from Michigan to make it to Williamsport was Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores in 2013. (That team went 0-3, in Grosse-Pointe Woods Shores' only previous LLWS appearance.) ... Michigan has not won a game at the LLWS since 1982, when Pinery Park Little League went 2-1. Michigan has lost eight straight LLWS games. ... Michigan opens the 2017 LLW against Texas on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... Michigan is 6-18 all time in the LLWS.
Fun fact: PitcherWill Pflaum has not had a haircut since the regular season -- and hopes to grow it all the way down to his waist.
Location: Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Scouting report: After dropping its opening game of the Great Lakes Regional tournament to Ohio, Michigan won four consecutive elimination games to advance to the Little League World Series. Michigan defeated Hinsdale (Illinois) Little League in the regional championship game 6-3. ... Michigan will be playing in its 11th Little League World Series. ... The last team from Michigan to make it to Williamsport was Grosse Pointe Woods-Shores in 2013. (That team went 0-3, in Grosse-Pointe Woods Shores' only previous LLWS appearance.) ... Michigan has not won a game at the LLWS since 1982, when Pinery Park Little League went 2-1. Michigan has lost eight straight LLWS games. ... Michigan opens the 2017 LLW against Texas on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... Michigan is 6-18 all time in the LLWS.
Fun fact: PitcherWill Pflaum has not had a haircut since the regular season -- and hopes to grow it all the way down to his waist.
Mid-Atlantic: Holbrook Little League
Location: Jackson, New Jersey
Scouting report: The Mid-Atlantic representative has made the LLWS championship game each of the last two years. New York won the LLWS by defeating South Korea last year, while Pennsylvania fell to Japan in 2015. ... New Jersey is making its 18th appearance at the LLWS. Holbrook Little League is the first team from New Jersey to appear in the LLWS since Par-Troy East Little League from Parsippany did so in 2012. That team went 1-2 at the LLWS. ... Holbrook Little League is making its first LLWS appearance and also appeared in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament for the first time. ... New Jersey was a perfect 4-0 in the regionals, outscoring its opponents 43-15. ... New Jersey has won four LLWS titles, tied for second-most among U.S. states and trailing only California. ... For the second consecutive year, a team from the Mid-Atlantic region opens LLWS play against a team from the New England region. Last year, Maine-Endwell LL beat Warwick North LL 7-2 in the opener. Maine-Endwell LL went on to win the 2016 LLWS title.
Fun fact: Manager Robert Grano, who has coached this All-Star team for five years (since the players were 8 years old), lets the kids call their own games. He says he won't step in unless the pitcher and catcher aren't on the same page.
Location: Jackson, New Jersey
Scouting report: The Mid-Atlantic representative has made the LLWS championship game each of the last two years. New York won the LLWS by defeating South Korea last year, while Pennsylvania fell to Japan in 2015. ... New Jersey is making its 18th appearance at the LLWS. Holbrook Little League is the first team from New Jersey to appear in the LLWS since Par-Troy East Little League from Parsippany did so in 2012. That team went 1-2 at the LLWS. ... Holbrook Little League is making its first LLWS appearance and also appeared in the Mid-Atlantic Regional Tournament for the first time. ... New Jersey was a perfect 4-0 in the regionals, outscoring its opponents 43-15. ... New Jersey has won four LLWS titles, tied for second-most among U.S. states and trailing only California. ... For the second consecutive year, a team from the Mid-Atlantic region opens LLWS play against a team from the New England region. Last year, Maine-Endwell LL beat Warwick North LL 7-2 in the opener. Maine-Endwell LL went on to win the 2016 LLWS title.
Fun fact: Manager Robert Grano, who has coached this All-Star team for five years (since the players were 8 years old), lets the kids call their own games. He says he won't step in unless the pitcher and catcher aren't on the same page.
Midwest: Sioux Falls Little League
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Scouting report: South Dakota is making its fourth LLWS appearance and first since 2014, when Canyon Lake Little League posted a 1-2 record. ... Sioux Falls Little League is in its first year of existence. ... South Dakota is 1-8 at Williamsport. The state's only win came in a consolation game against the Czech Republic back in 2014. ... South Dakota is 0-7 in non-consolation games at the LLWS. ... Sioux Falls Little League was the first North/South Dakota state champion from a city other than Rapid City since 1986 (when Langdon, North Dakota, represented the region). ... No Midwest Region team has ever made the LLWS championship game. ... Since the Midwest Region was created in 2001, its qualifiers are just 10-39 in Williamsport. ... South Dakota opens 2017 LLWS play against North Carolina on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... South Dakota is 0-3 in LLWS openers. ... Sioux Falls Little League was the first state champion ever from the city of Sioux Falls.
Fun fact: The Sioux Falls Little League team stopped at Iowa's Field of Dreams to practice on the way to the Midwest Regional tournament. It must have helped; South Dakota went 4-0 in Midwest Regional play, defeating Missouri 6-0 in the championship game.
Location: Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Scouting report: South Dakota is making its fourth LLWS appearance and first since 2014, when Canyon Lake Little League posted a 1-2 record. ... Sioux Falls Little League is in its first year of existence. ... South Dakota is 1-8 at Williamsport. The state's only win came in a consolation game against the Czech Republic back in 2014. ... South Dakota is 0-7 in non-consolation games at the LLWS. ... Sioux Falls Little League was the first North/South Dakota state champion from a city other than Rapid City since 1986 (when Langdon, North Dakota, represented the region). ... No Midwest Region team has ever made the LLWS championship game. ... Since the Midwest Region was created in 2001, its qualifiers are just 10-39 in Williamsport. ... South Dakota opens 2017 LLWS play against North Carolina on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... South Dakota is 0-3 in LLWS openers. ... Sioux Falls Little League was the first state champion ever from the city of Sioux Falls.
Fun fact: The Sioux Falls Little League team stopped at Iowa's Field of Dreams to practice on the way to the Midwest Regional tournament. It must have helped; South Dakota went 4-0 in Midwest Regional play, defeating Missouri 6-0 in the championship game.
New England: Fairfield American Little League
Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
Scouting report: This is the 20th team Connecticut has sent to Williamsport, fifth-most among U.S. states. ... Of the six states that make up the New England region, only Connecticut has produced a LLWS champion. The Nutmeg State has four LLWS champions to its credit: Stamford in 1951, Norwalk [National] in 1952, Windsor Locks in 1965 and Trumbull [National] in 1989. ... Fairfield American LL is headed to the LLWS for the third time. All three trips have come since 2010. This is the first Little League from Connecticut to make it to Williamsport three times. ... Fairfield American is the only U.S. Little League to make three LLWS appearances since 2010. Japan's Tokyo Kitasuna (four) and Panama's Aguadulce Cabezera (three) are the only international Little Leagues with as many appearances in that span. ... Connecticut cruised through regionals, winning all three of its games decisively, including a 10-0 win over Maine in the title game. ... Fairfield American hasn't lost a game all summer: it is 18-0 through the district, sectional, state and regional tournaments. ... Connecticut opens LLWS play against New Jersey. It will be the first meeting between those states despite the fact that they have appeared in the LLWS during the same year five times previously.
Fun fact: Manager Mike Randazzo played college baseball at Seton Hall with future major leaguers Mo Vaughn and Craig Biggio.
Location: Fairfield, Connecticut
Scouting report: This is the 20th team Connecticut has sent to Williamsport, fifth-most among U.S. states. ... Of the six states that make up the New England region, only Connecticut has produced a LLWS champion. The Nutmeg State has four LLWS champions to its credit: Stamford in 1951, Norwalk [National] in 1952, Windsor Locks in 1965 and Trumbull [National] in 1989. ... Fairfield American LL is headed to the LLWS for the third time. All three trips have come since 2010. This is the first Little League from Connecticut to make it to Williamsport three times. ... Fairfield American is the only U.S. Little League to make three LLWS appearances since 2010. Japan's Tokyo Kitasuna (four) and Panama's Aguadulce Cabezera (three) are the only international Little Leagues with as many appearances in that span. ... Connecticut cruised through regionals, winning all three of its games decisively, including a 10-0 win over Maine in the title game. ... Fairfield American hasn't lost a game all summer: it is 18-0 through the district, sectional, state and regional tournaments. ... Connecticut opens LLWS play against New Jersey. It will be the first meeting between those states despite the fact that they have appeared in the LLWS during the same year five times previously.
Fun fact: Manager Mike Randazzo played college baseball at Seton Hall with future major leaguers Mo Vaughn and Craig Biggio.
Northwest: Walla Walla Valley Little League
Location: Walla Walla, Washington
Scouting report: Washington is making its 12th LLWS appearance and its first since 2014 (when Lynnwood Pacific Little League represented the state). ... Walla Walla Valley Little League appeared in its first Northwest Region Tournament and is making its first LLWS appearance. Washington beat Oregon in the regional title game after losing to Oregon earlier in the tournament. ... Walla Walla Valley Little League opens play against Santa Margarita Little League from California on Friday at 4 p.m. ET. This will be the first meeting between Washington and California at the LLWS. ... Washington has made the LLWS in three of the last five years (2013, 2014, 2017). ... The only Washington team to win a LLWS title was Kirkland National Little League, which defeated Chinese Taipei in 1982. Chinese Taipei had won the previous five LLWS titles. ... Washington is 20-18 at the LLWS (18-18 against U.S. States, 2-0 vs. international opponents).
Fun fact: OutfielderBilly Duncan, whom the coaches call the "toughest kid on the entire team and "the most coachable kid they've ever had" is playing on his first All-Star Districts team. He hit a key three-run homer during the state tournament.
Location: Walla Walla, Washington
Scouting report: Washington is making its 12th LLWS appearance and its first since 2014 (when Lynnwood Pacific Little League represented the state). ... Walla Walla Valley Little League appeared in its first Northwest Region Tournament and is making its first LLWS appearance. Washington beat Oregon in the regional title game after losing to Oregon earlier in the tournament. ... Walla Walla Valley Little League opens play against Santa Margarita Little League from California on Friday at 4 p.m. ET. This will be the first meeting between Washington and California at the LLWS. ... Washington has made the LLWS in three of the last five years (2013, 2014, 2017). ... The only Washington team to win a LLWS title was Kirkland National Little League, which defeated Chinese Taipei in 1982. Chinese Taipei had won the previous five LLWS titles. ... Washington is 20-18 at the LLWS (18-18 against U.S. States, 2-0 vs. international opponents).
Fun fact: OutfielderBilly Duncan, whom the coaches call the "toughest kid on the entire team and "the most coachable kid they've ever had" is playing on his first All-Star Districts team. He hit a key three-run homer during the state tournament.
Southeast: North State Little League
Location: Greenville, North Carolina
Scouting report: North State Little League is making its first appearance in the Little League World Series. ... North Carolina opens 2017 LLWS play against South Dakota on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... North Carolina made it to Williamsport for the fifth time overall and for the first time since 2004. Its best finish at the LLWS is a U.S. title game loss against New Jersey in 1998. ... North Carolina is 4-8 at the LLWS. ... The last and only Little League team from Greenville to make it to the LLWS was Tar Heel in 1998. That team made it to the U.S. championship game before losing to the eventual champions from Toms River, New Jersey, who featured future MLB star Todd Frazier ... Nine members of the 1998 team from Greenville will be in attendance here in Williamsport. ... North Carolina has won in all three of its trips to the Southeast regional title game since the region was formed in 2001. ... North Carolina went 4-0 in regionals and outscored its opponents 26-10.
Fun fact: Eighteen of North State LL's 24 hits during its four Southeast Regional tournament games were singles. The team had just three doubles, one triple and two home runs.
Location: Greenville, North Carolina
Scouting report: North State Little League is making its first appearance in the Little League World Series. ... North Carolina opens 2017 LLWS play against South Dakota on Friday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... North Carolina made it to Williamsport for the fifth time overall and for the first time since 2004. Its best finish at the LLWS is a U.S. title game loss against New Jersey in 1998. ... North Carolina is 4-8 at the LLWS. ... The last and only Little League team from Greenville to make it to the LLWS was Tar Heel in 1998. That team made it to the U.S. championship game before losing to the eventual champions from Toms River, New Jersey, who featured future MLB star Todd Frazier ... Nine members of the 1998 team from Greenville will be in attendance here in Williamsport. ... North Carolina has won in all three of its trips to the Southeast regional title game since the region was formed in 2001. ... North Carolina went 4-0 in regionals and outscored its opponents 26-10.
Fun fact: Eighteen of North State LL's 24 hits during its four Southeast Regional tournament games were singles. The team had just three doubles, one triple and two home runs.
Southwest: Lufkin Little League
Location: Lufkin, Texas
Scouting report: Texas is appearing in its 24th Little League World Series, the third-most appearances among U.S. states. Only California (48) and Pennsylvania (33) have sent more teams. ... Lufkin Little League (Texas East) went undefeated in regional play but had to grind it out against McAllister Park National Little League (Texas West) in both of their matchups. Lufkin Little League won both of those games by one run. ... Lufkin appeared in the Southwest Regional for the second time. In 2012, Lufkin reached the regional title game but lost to McAllister Park National. ... A team from Texas has reached Williamsport six consecutive years -- and eight of the last nine. ... McAllister Park American Little League from San Antonio represented Texas (West) last year in Williamsport, going 0-3. The only other time Texas went winless in an appearance at Williamsport was in 1954 (0-1). ... Texas and Louisiana are the only states that have won the tournament since the region was formed in 2002. ... Texas opens LLWS play against Michigan on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... Texas is 2-2 in its last four opening games at the LLWS. Prior to that, Texas had won 12 consecutive opening games.
Fun fact: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is from Lufkin, and San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went to Hudson High School in the Lufkin area. Both athletes have sent messages to the team.
Location: Lufkin, Texas
Scouting report: Texas is appearing in its 24th Little League World Series, the third-most appearances among U.S. states. Only California (48) and Pennsylvania (33) have sent more teams. ... Lufkin Little League (Texas East) went undefeated in regional play but had to grind it out against McAllister Park National Little League (Texas West) in both of their matchups. Lufkin Little League won both of those games by one run. ... Lufkin appeared in the Southwest Regional for the second time. In 2012, Lufkin reached the regional title game but lost to McAllister Park National. ... A team from Texas has reached Williamsport six consecutive years -- and eight of the last nine. ... McAllister Park American Little League from San Antonio represented Texas (West) last year in Williamsport, going 0-3. The only other time Texas went winless in an appearance at Williamsport was in 1954 (0-1). ... Texas and Louisiana are the only states that have won the tournament since the region was formed in 2002. ... Texas opens LLWS play against Michigan on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET. It will be the first meeting between the states in the LLWS. ... Texas is 2-2 in its last four opening games at the LLWS. Prior to that, Texas had won 12 consecutive opening games.
Fun fact: Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant is from Lufkin, and San Francisco Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went to Hudson High School in the Lufkin area. Both athletes have sent messages to the team.
