Oceanside, NY – The Rebels defeated the host team, Oceanside American, 11-5, in the final game of the Oceanside American Summer Tournament yesterday. After a 2008 season of ‘always a brides-maid, never a bride’, this was the first championship in this Rebels team’s short history.

North Bellmore North Merrick put forth a strong, balanced, and complete effort including strong starting pitching from Nick 2 and steady offense via productive at-bats throughout the lineup.

Every Rebels batter either hit the ball hard or reached base. Jack 8, Alec 14, Nick 2, and Kevin 5 each had a multiple-hit game.

Worth noting, too, was the Rebels fine outfield play. All outfielders were exlemplary with their hustle getting to balls, backing one another up and backing up infield play. These are things that don’t always show up in stat lines but are real difference-makers just the same.

Mike 13 perfectly played a ball that was driven to the fence through the left-centerfield gap, threw a strike to the cut-off man, and held the hitter to a double (the hitter was ultimately stranded at second). He also caught every fly ball hit his way. Matt 26 made an outstanding play in right field gunning down an Oceanside player at first base, turning what appeared to be a single into an out. Matt also made a great catch on a hard, sinking line drive while looking into the sun.

The feeling from the team, coaching staff, families and fans is that this is the first title of many to come in the future for this group of outstanding 9-year-old players and young men.

The Rebels return to the South Shore Tournament this Tuesday night with a 6:00pm quarter-final match-up against Wantagh at Gunther Field.