Rivalry Showcase

There are few things on which East County rivals Braden River and Lakewood Ranch can agree.

Each district prides itself on having the most school spirit, the best teams and the most talented athletes. But when it comes to Little League, there are two things players from Braden River and Lakewood Ranch share: Every rivalry game is a must-win game, and the more times you face a team, the harder it is to beat them.

Such has been the case this summer for Braden River and Lakewood Ranch’s 10- and 11-year-old All-Star teams because the two East County rivals are the only teams in their division of the District 26 All-Star Baseball Tournament.

“I was surprised, because we played a lot of teams last year, and now, we’re just playing one team,” Braden River second baseman Grady Martin, 11, said. “I would rather play other teams, but I like playing them. They’re a challenge to beat.”

Last month, the two East County squads learned they would only be playing each other for the division title. The news surprised both.

“I was expecting at least four teams,” Lakewood Ranch coach Ken Shanahan said. “Six would’ve been too much to ask for, but I was hoping for at least four.

“You really have to change your approach and keep the kids focused,” he said. “A lot of them play (travel ball) and see each other on the weekends, so it changes the dynamic.”

Braden River coach Richard Nelson agreed.

“I was very surprised when they told me we were just going to be playing them, and it was going to be a best of five,” Nelson said. “It’s kind of neat, though, because it’s like a World Series or a championship. That’s really what its turned out to be, so that’s been very exciting as well.

“It’s very competitive,” he said. “Every game is a must-win game. They all want to win. It’s pretty exciting, and it makes it a lot of fun.”

In the month leading up to the start of the All-Star season, Braden River and Lakewood Ranch tailored every practice and scrimmage to beating their rival.

“Getting past Braden River has been our entire focus for the past three weeks,” Shanahan said. “Every practice and scrimmage the players (envisioned) themselves facing Braden River.”

Playing the same team every night does have its advantages. The coaches know who is going to take the mound for the opposing team well before the game begins and can adjust their lineup accordingly as a result.

But if you ask the players, playing the same team night in and night out begins to lose its appeal after a while.

“It’s kind of annoying,” Lakewood Ranch pitcher Dylan Buck, 11, said. “I would rather see more pitching and other teams. It’s easier to prepare, because we see less competition.”

“I wish we played more teams because then we would have more competition,” 12-year-old Parker Shanahan said. “It’s easier to prepare because we see them in AAU, so we know how they hit and pitch.”
Braden River and Lakewood Ranch opened their series June 25 with Lakewood coming back from a 7-3 deficit to win the opening game 9-7.

In Game 2 June 27, Lakewood put up 11 runs in four innings, defeating Braden River 11-1 and taking a 2-0 series lead.

Parker Shanahan led the way for Lakewood Ranch, allowing just two hits and three walks in four innings of work. The Lakewood Ranch pitcher also went 5-for-6 at the plate with a pair of homeruns and a walk.
Buck and Adam Strawderman also had a pair of home runs in the first two games.

But rather than letting their rivals get the best of them, Braden River came out ready to play June 29. Behind the arm of pitcher Tommy Hubbard and a strong defensive performance, Braden River kept the series alive with a 4-3 victory.

After taking a 15-8 lead in a rain-shortened game July 1, Lakewood Ranch outscored Braden River 6-3 to win the division title July 2. Lakewood now will advance to the sectional tournament, which begins July 15 in Haines City.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].