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The Falls Church Kiwanis Little League 12U Majors All Stars Team delivered a summer that will echo through the community for years to come, capturing a District 4 championship and advancing further in the state tournament than any team in the league’s history.
The squad’s remarkable run began June 1 and culminated at the state tournament last week, where they tore through pool play with a 13-1 victory over Bedford Metro and a 15-1 rout of Roanoke City. Colin Dailey and Spencer Allan combined for eight strikeouts in the Roanoke win, setting the tone for what was to come.
Sunday brought the true test: McIntire from Charlottesville, also undefeated in pool play at 2-0. Jay McKeown Jr. delivered two innings of no-hit, no-run pitching to keep Falls Church in command. With the score tight at 2-1 entering the bottom of the fifth, Thomas Stewart crushed a double to left field that plated two runners and pushed the lead to 4-1. Reliever Gavin Kuczkowski slammed the door, sending Virginia’s oldest little league into the state quarterfinals for the first time ever.
A Quarterfinal Statement
Monday’s win-or-go-home quarterfinal against Virginia Beach was never in doubt. Will Talbert pitched a complete game, surrendering just two runs across six innings as Falls Church rolled to an 11-2 victory. Andrew Quinn and William Southworth played error-free defense in the outfield while catcher Timmy Verasin, who worked behind the plate in all five tournament games, anchored the effort.
The semifinal against Lower Loudoun proved a bridge too far. Loudoun struck early with a first-inning run, added three more in the third, and four in the sixth. Falls Church couldn’t solve Loudoun’s pitching until the final frame, when Evan Iweagwu singled and McKeown Jr. ripped an RBI double. The 8-1 final ended the run, but not before the Falls Church faithful delivered a standing ovation.
“The scoreboard may say our season is over, but it can never erase what this group accomplished,” said Assistant Coach Jon Labukas. “Years from now, people won’t remember every score. They’ll remember that this was the team that broke through. The team that made history. The team that proved Falls Church belongs on the biggest stage.”
For these 12 players, coached by Alex Kuczkowski along with assistants Chris Talbert, Jon Labukas, and Brad Allan, the final little league game has been played. No more spring team selections, no more night games at Westgate, no more curly W jerseys. But there will be more baseball, more pitches to hit, and more memories to make.