(TBO) When the TBO 8u Summer Travel team first practiced back in mid-June, no one knew how the season would unfold. With Max Hagler and Judah Last the only players returning from last year’s 8u squad on the roster, in addition to being placed in the top American Division, how the team would finish was anybody’s guess.
The summer season started off against the best of the best, pitting TBO against the defending champion Oradell Gold. However, Last delivered pitch-for-pitch against the Oradell ace, and at the end of a rain-suspended three innings, TBO was tied with the powerhouse squad 0-0. This encouraging sign had TBO coaches optimistic, but after leaving runners on base in each inning, they were also searching for the big hit. The next few games continued in similar trends. TBO kept close in every game as they were led by impressive pitching performances and strong defense by Last, Elisha Rauzman, Joseph Ash and Shua Goldenberg; up-and-comer Ethan Teller behind the plate, first baseman Hagler and second baseman Dovid Siskind, matched by a deep outfield of Benny Leben, James Ladenheim and Judah Ehrenreich. But close losses to Woodcliff Lake, Oradell Black and in the continuation against Oradell Gold (1-0!) left TBO in dire need of a victory. A Sunday morning game against crosstown rival Teaneck Southern proved to be exactly that. A resounding 11-1 victory not only grabbed local bragging rights, but also picked up some much-needed optimism and proved the young squad’s capabilities.
The optimism was short-lived, though, as the tired team ran into a hot and well-rested Montvale squad and a desperate Paramus team, leaving TBO at 1-5 as they entered the crucial four-game stretch that would determine their season’s fate. On a warm summer Sunday, TBO hosted River Vale. In Rauzman’s last start of the regular season before his scheduled time away, he delivered a three-inning gem. Leadoff hitter Leben delivered two hits and three RBIs, and flamethrower Ash came on for a three-inning save, nailing down the 6-4 victory and keeping the season alive.
TBO traveled to Fort Lee next, but the optimism was quickly tempered. A last-second injury right before opening pitch had the coaches searching for pitchers, but gold-glove second baseman Siskind answered the call. In his first outing of the season, Siskind pitched two and a third incredible innings, while Teller called an incredible game behind the plate and collected a huge RBI. Goldenberg got on base twice; Tzvi Selevan scored a run and James Ladenheim led the attack with two hits and two RBIs, pacing TBO to a 5-2 victory and setting the team up for an exciting final week of the season.
On a 90-degree evening, TBO faced off against River Edge, with Siskind getting his second consecutive start. He surrendered only one run over three innings, while Last delivered a timely three-RBI base hit, topped off by three shutout innings on the mound, securing a huge 8-1 victory. As conflicts and vacation began to hit all of the teams in the division, TBO got the help they needed, and after starting 1-5, TBO finished the season on a four-game winning streak and clinched a playoff spot with a 5-5 record, far surpassing everyone’s expectations.
The excited squad faced defending National Division champs Oradell Black in the quarterfinals, and after competing for a full, tough six innings, Oradell walked off with a 5-4 victory, but not without TBO continuing to give it their all through the last pitch. TBO left it all on the field and celebrated their fun and exciting season, even though they fell just short.
Congrats to the TBO 8u summer travel team: Joseph Ash, Judah Ehrenreich, Shua Goldenberg, Max Hagler, James Ladenhein, Judah Last, Benny Leben, Brayden Nussbaum, Elisha Rauzman, Abe Reich, Dovid Siskind, Tzvi Selevan, Ethan Teller and Aryeh Westreich.
