By Sue Moore
With two out in the bottom of the sixth inning and the Vicksburg All-Star team facing elimination, Delaney Monroe hit a home run over the fence. That tied the semi-final state championship game and sent it into extra innings, where they won in the bottom of the eighth over an Evart Little League team 3-2. Monroe had earlier hit a solo home run in the first inning, accounting for two of the three runs.
The team is composed of 11 and 12-year-old girls from Vicksburg and two from Schoolcraft. The girls try out for the all-star team after the regular season is over. They first won their district by beating Constantine 7-2, Mendon 15-0 and then Constantine again by a 12-2 score.
This put them in state championship pool play with teams from all 16 districts in Michigan. They scored big time here beating Huron Little League 15-0, Jackson NW Little League 15-0 and Grandville Little League 10-1. This made them eligible for the quarterfinals where they beat Westwood, from Kalamazoo, 10-1.
From there, they went to the dramatic semi-final game to advance to the state championship game where they lost to Gladstone Little League, 13-4. “We just ran out of gas in the last game on a very hot day after playing the semi-final earlier in the day,” Coach Rob Moughton said.
Moughton was assisted by coaches Chris Dugan, Bryan Mourey and Duane Monroe. “I don’t coach to win, but for the girls to have success on and off the field. I believe the girls gain valuable lessons along the way.”
Moughton is a Vicksburg graduate; his wife Jessica is a second-grade teacher at Sunset Lake Elementary school. He has also coached Rocket football and youth basketball.