Kitsap Americans have title shot
Published 10:31 am Friday, July 13, 2012
POULSBO — The Kitsap Americans, a Legion baseball team, has a shot at a division title.
The team will play Monday and Tuesday at North Kitsap High School for the title. They play Olympic, followed by Gig Harbor.
The team is 22-6 overall, 9-1 in league play. The Americans have already clinched a playoff berth.
“We’ve been doing really well,” head coach Jon O’Connor said. “The whole team is playing well.”
The team has been led by its pitching. AJ Milyard is “dynamite on the mound.” And Ben Tamm continues to impress, O’Connor said.
Following the last two games of the regular season, the team will go on to the playoffs; an eight-team bracket. The winner goes on to play at State.
Central Kitsap, Olympic and Gig Harbor have been the main competition in the eight-team league this season. Olympic handed the Americans their only loss thus far. The bottom four teams, O’Connor said, have “weeded themselves out.”
Of the 13 players that make up the Americans team, 10 are from North Kitsap High School. O’Connor said one of the purposes of the Legion team is to keep players within their own community, playing ball throughout the year, and making potentially stronger high school teams.
Milyard is an example of a player looking to stay local and impact North Kitsap baseball. O’Connor said Milyard originally was headed to a select team, but opted to stay in the area.
“He took it upon himself to start a trend,” O’Connor said. “He wanted to say I’m going to be one of the leaders of this team.”
Following the team’s final two games, the Americans travel to Chehalis for the playoffs. If the team plays as it has, O’Connor said State is in the team’s sights.
