All-Stars tournament set to begin

Eight local Little Leagues will put their best teams forward Saturday

in hopes of bringing home a championship banner.

On that day, those eight teams will begin their quest for District 62

supremacy when the 2002 Little League All-Stars Tournament of Champions

Majors Division tournament gets underway with competition at two local

sites.

The Area 1 event, featuring teams from Huntington Valley, Fountain

Valley, Westminster and Costa Mesa National, will be hosted by Huntington

Valley Little League.

The Area 2 competition will include Ocean View, Robinwood, Costa Mesa

American and host Seaview.

All eight teams open play in the double elimination tournament on

Saturday. Second round games in winner’s bracket play continue on

Wednesday and Thursday.

The “second chance” bracket continues with play on Tuesday.

Semifinal play will be held on Saturday, July 13.

The district championship series is scheduled for July 16-18 at

Huntington Valley.

“We are proud and excited to be hosting this year’s tournament,”

Huntington Valley Little League President Renee Aumiller said. “It’s a

summer tradition for our local leagues and everybody really comes out and

supports their teams.”

Two years ago, Ocean View Little League’s Majors All-Star team won the

district title and used that as a springboard to an appearance at the

Western Regional in San Bernardino.

The team came within one victory of qualifying for the Little League

World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

Below are the first round games scheduled for the Majors Division

All-Stars Tournament of Champions:

SATURDAY

Area 1

(at Huntington Valley)

First round

9 a.m. -- Westminster vs. Costa Mesa National

Noon -- Fountain Valley vs. Huntington Valley

Area 2

(at Seaview)

First Round

9 a.m. -- Costa Mesa American vs. Ocean View

Noon -- Robinwood vs. Seaview

*Note: Winners meet in second round play on Wednesday and Thursday.

Teams who lose first round games on Saturday will play an elimination

game on Tuesday, July 9.