A historic win: North Regina's 2023 Little League World Series appearance remains one for the history books
North Regina’s Little League World Series run may have come to an end over the weekend. However, the team is leaving the competition having done something no team from Regina has done before – win a game.
North Regina’s journey to Williamsport, Pa. began on home turf with an unlikely comeback at the Little League Canadian Championships in Regina.
After three straight losses off the hop – North Regina was forced to win out – and they did.
“We had like a team meeting out on the field when we lost and everybody said, 'Let's go boys, we're gonna win this boys,'” Nickson Hjelsing, told CTV News on Aug. 10.
"We just kept grinding, winning one game at a time, one pitch at a time," Braeden McQueen added.
With their ticket to the Little League World Series punched, they packed for Pennsylvania – becoming just the second team from Regina to ever make it there.
The first came in 2002 where the team was competitive in each of its games but was unable to pick up a win.
A little rain on the parade in Williamsport was not nearly enough to dampen their spirits.
"The boys are just soaking in this event, the opportunity that's in front of them," Coach Dean McQueen told CTV Morning Live on Aug. 16.
The team’s first opponent on the international stage was a difficult one in Chinese Taipei.
Regardless, the squad was optimistic at the start of the game.
“[We’re feeling] pretty good. We're here now – just gonna go out there, throw my best, do my best, do what I can," Jaxon Weir told TSN on Aug. 17.
Despite facing a team that finished in the finals of the international bracket in 2022, North Regina held Chinese Taipei to six runs.
The loss put them in a must-win situation against their next opponent – the Czech Republic.
The team played well – shutting out the Czechs 3-0 and making history as the first Regina team ever to win a game at the World Series.
Unfortunately, the journey came to an end the following day in the squad’s matchup against Mexico – resulting in a 10-1 loss.
The players were left with a glimpse at big dreams – taking in the MLB Little League classic later that night – creating memories that are sure to last a lifetime.
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