Chester Little League hosts state championship

By Frances Ruth Harris
The Chester Little League recently hosted the New York State Intermediate Division Little League Baseball State Championship at Carpenter Field.
This was the first of three years that the league will host the state tournament. To qualify, teams must win district and section titles.
Three teams were section winners — Penfield (Rochester area), Syracuse, and Montgomery — and they came to Chester to play at the state-level tournament on July 10. Montgomery won the final game by 24-3 — beating Syracuse in four innings — and the New York State Intermediate Division Championship.
New York is broken up into various Little League districts. Chester's district, District 19, is the second-largest in the state, covering Orange, Ulster, and Sullivan counties. District 19 has 25 leagues and plays the most games in all of New York — 212 games from June 17 to July 16.
Montgomery is another District 19 team. Members said it was extra exciting that a local district team won the state championship.
District 19 helped the state tournament committee put things together. George Serrano is the District 19 administrator, Douglas Pulver is assistant district administrator for the intermediate division, and Frank Policano is umpire-in-chief for the East Region of the United States. These three men helped out, along with some of their staff.
Chester Little League was also a huge part of the endeavor. All involved are volunteers.
The team members told The Chronicle it was a privilege and an honor to host the state tournament.
Chester Little League is always looking for a sponsors to help defray the cost of running the league. And bolunteers are always needed.
Sean Robie handles fundraising. Call Jeff Gati at 860-256-9138 to volunteer or donate to the league.
The tournament committee thanks the town of Chester for all of its support and assistance, especially Kristen Palmer, Orlando Perez, and Kris Grohl.
In the past, some Chester teams have been lucky enough to attend state tournaments in other parts of the state. The team said it's a great experience for players, coaches, and families.
Tournament co-coordinators Joe Laura and Jeanne Lusignan said they're lucky to attend state tournaments with their own sons, a rewarding experience the boys and their families remember forever.