Laguna’s hopes are high

There has been a feeling of excited expectation around Riddle Field this week.

For the past four days, the Laguna Beach Majors Little League All-Star team has been put through game situations and individual instruction, all in preparation for the start of the 2006 District 55 All-Star Tournament.

With all the prep work behind them, all that’s left for this talented group of 14 players is to go out and play.

Laguna will begin what it hopes will be its most successful all-star tournament run at this level Sunday, when it battles Newport Beach National in a first-round game at 9 a.m. at Chapparosa Park in Laguna Niguel.

The double-elimination tournament gets underway Saturday and runs through mid-July, with the winner of the tournament advancing on to section tournament action.

The competition at the majors division level at Laguna this year was top-notch, All-Star Manager Cary Redfearn said, noting that players in the division hit “three times” more home runs this year, than in 2005.

With such talent to pool an all-star team from, Laguna could be primed for a great district tournament run. Expectations for the team are high and although he didn’t want to sound cliché, Redfearn said that his team will be successful if it takes the tournament “one game at a time.”

“That’s all we can do,” he said. “We have great bats, great pitching and great competitors on this team. This year was a special year in the league.”

Practices at Riddle Field have been about game situations and “team bonding,” Redfearn said, so that the players can “feel confident, that they are together.”

Although these players have seen one another ? many on opposing teams ? during the course of the regular season, Redfearn said the first day of all-star practice was a revelation for the players.

“That first day, everyone kind of looked around, saw what was there and knew what a special team this is,” he recalled. “I’m excited to have the opportunity to coach these kids. We have a really deep pitching staff, kids who are strong defensively and kids who can hit the ball.

“It does sound silly to say, ‘one game at a time,’ but it’s the truth. But most importantly, I want these kids to go out there and have fun, enjoy the experience of playing in the district all-star tournament. That’s what it’s all about.”

Tournament games will be played Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Wednesday in the upcoming week, with a break in the action on Tuesday due to the Fourth of July holiday.

Last summer, Laguna’s Majors All-Star team won its opener but then dropped consecutive games and was eliminated from the tournament. The tournament win was the first for the division in district competition since 2000.