Clarendon Hills hosts watch party for Little League World Series game against Las Vegas
Local 12U baseball team will represent Great Lake again Saturday after losing debut game Wednesday
CLARENDON HILLS, Ill. (WLS) -- Clarendon Hills rallied together to cheer on their very own in their first game of the Little League World Series tournament Wednesday.
The Clarendon Hills baseball team advanced to the Little League World Series last week after defeating an Ohio team becoming the Great Lakes Regional Champions.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
It is a historic appearance in the Little League World Series from the 12U baseball team out of Clarendon Hills. It's the first appearance ever for the team, and the people of Clarendon Hills are embracing the young ballplayers back home.
The team is representing the Great Lakes Region in Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series, taking on a Las Vegas team representing the Mountain Region.
Mountain won the game over Great Lakes Wednesday with a final score of 16-1.
The euphoria over a historic win last week spilled over into downtown Clarendon Hills.
"They just don't give up," Clarendon Hills coach Brian O'Malley said. "They work super hard and we tell them luck is when preparation meets opportunity and they've definitely put in the work this year."
Coach O'Malley says hard work is paying off.
"Just to see the joy on their face is what it means to be here," O'Malley said. "It's the ultimate kid dream. It's like Disneyland for kids."
Betsy Striltschuk's son, Luca, is on the Clarendon Hills team.
"We literally have the best community ever," Striltschuk said. "We are a really small town. Everyone knows each other.
A jumbotron was set up in downtown Clarendon Hills so fans could watch together at the intersection of Park and Prospect. Just down the street, Dillon Walentin, owner of The Open Door taproom, got ready for his own game time party.
"The boys have been battling so hard, their families," Walentin said. "You know, we're all one here in Clarendon Hills."
Regardless of the game's outcome Wednesday, it has been such an exciting time for the people of Clarendon Hills. With a population of just about 9,000 people, everyone there said this Little League team embodies everything that is great about the community.
"It is so unbelievably exciting we are just over the moon," said Carol Neff, general manager of Vintage Charm.
Local businesses near the downtown plaza all rallied together for the watch party.
Elementary school students in Clarendon Hills don't start school until next week, Wednesday offered the perfect atmosphere for families to come and enjoy the game.
"It's really cool to watch them on TV and hoping it will be us one day," a 10-year-old Little League player named Travis said.
Many kids received some team gear as they all packed the plaza right in front of the jumbotron to cheer on their friends.
"It motivates us a ton because we want to follow in their footsteps," a 10-year-old Little League player named Andrew said.
The Clarendon Hills team came into Wednesday with the worst odds to win the Little League World Series. Village President Eric Tech says that underdog mentality is nothing new for them.
"We're always gonna be underdogs because we play against programs that are significantly bigger," Tech said. "We have about 50 kids in our program... so this all star team of 12 is drawn from a relatively small group when you think of these larger communities."
The historic run from the baseball team has brought their entire community together.
"I think it's amazing," resident Molly Solik said. "I don't even have any horses in the race, but I think this is awesome."
The LLWS tournament is double elimination, so the local team will have another crack at it on Saturday.
