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2016 Little League Champs Play One Last Time 2016 Little League Champs Play one Last Time

By Alexis Raleigh

JACK HOPKO: It goes by in an instant, so I don’t take anything for granted

ALEXIS RALEIGH: baseball player jack hopko is now making his way to the state championship as a senior.
hopko is finishing this season with his best friends, but not just any friends,
those friends are also his teammates that helped bring a world title back to his small town.
hopko said that winning the little league world championship back in 20-16 is a core memory in his life,
that will never be forgotten

HOPKO: Its one of the most breath-taking experiences any 12-year-old can have, I mean just seeing all the teams from the international side of the world and playing baseball at that level is the highest level a 12-year-old can play at so it’s just an amazing experience overall.”)

RALEIGH: even though his younger baseball days were the best parts of his life,
hopko said that him and his teammates are ready for the next step,
and putting their focus on bringing home another title.

HOPKO: I think were all ready for a new stage of our lives and some of us are playing college baseball so, a new chapter in our lives are something we are looking forward to but looking to end it on a high note right here with a state championship.

RALEIGH:
right now, the past is behind them and the focus remains on winning another title not only for them but for their town once again.

RALEIGH: As their last few games on the diamond together inch closer, the question remains, will this team be able to bring back a title, like they did back in 20-16.

RALEIGH: Senior Micahel Mancini believes that they are capable of that indeed.
after losing the state title back in 2018, him and his teammates are ready to go.

MANCINI: I think our heads are on the right track and rewrite what we did our freshman year.

RALEIGH: this maine endwell team will be sharing their last seven innings together and chanting
family
with each other one last time.

ENDWELL, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) — The 2016 Little League World Series Champs are getting ready to hit the diamond for their last seven innings together, but this time for Maine-Endwell High School.  

 Jack Hopko, senior first basemen for the Spartans, says he is full of emotions as he takes the field with his best friends and teammates one last time.  

“It’s honestly really bittersweet, these guys are my best friends; I’ve been playing ball with them since I was five, I even won a world title with them and it’ll soon all be over,” Hopko said. 

Despite it all coming to an end very soon, Hopko said that this is just part of the game and what matters the most is the experience he has been able to capture throughout the years. 

“All good things must end, but I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to share this with,” Hopko said. 

James Fellows, another senior for the Spartans, is also looking forward to potentially taking home one more title with his best friends. 

“We’ve had our fun, we matured and the only thing that’s on our mind right now is winning a state title,” Fellows said. 

Fellows said that his experience winning a world title has been like no other but he doesn’t let it affect the way he plays today. 

“The past is in the past, yeah we won a world title, but we could lose any normal game if we let our past performances get ahead of us in any way,” Fellows said.  

The Spartans will be playing this Saturday, June 4.  The time has yet to be determined. 

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