The team won both its District 20 and Section 6 tournaments before finishing 4th in the State Championship over the summer. (Courtesy of Pennridge Little League)
Perkasie’s 2025 Majors Division District All Star team claimed the title of 4th best team of 11- and 12-year-olds in the state of Pennsylvania during late summer’s Little League World Series Tournament Season.
The victory marks the first time a Pennridge team has advanced to the PA State Tournament for the “marquee” Majors Division of Little League, consisting of 11- and 12-year-olds, said a Pennridge Little League press release.
“This team is special,” said Head Coach Nate Ritter. “Their drive for success, the dedication by both the players and families, as well as their ability to absolutely mash the baseball, really made this team stand apart, really made them fun to watch.”
“Little League baseball is the purest form of the game out there,” added assistant coach Andy Ambruch. “Unlike ‘pay to play’ club sports, these kids took pride in competing for their friends, neighbors, and, in this case, the whole Perkasie community. It gives the kids a connection and playing for a purpose at the highest stage.”
Each year, All-Star teams comprised of the best kids in every Little League across the country are selected and asked to represent their hometown in local district, sectional, state, and regional tournaments, culminating in the opportunity to play with the 24 best teams from around the world in the Williamsport Little League World Series, said the release.
To advance to the State tournament, Pennridge first had to win its Double Elimination District Tournament in early July. The team claimed the league’s first-ever Majors District Championship with a 10-3 victory over Lehigh, averaging 1.5 home runs per game played, outscoring opponents 35-8, and never trailing in any game throughout the tournament.
The team then competed in the Section 6 Tournament in the northeastern Pennsylvania town of Tamaqua, pulling off a come-from-behind 4-3 victory against a strong Newtown team and marking Pennridge’s first Majors Division Sectional Banner.
Pennridge then headed to Western Pennsylvania to compete in the State Championship. The players were no strangers to the state tournament, as the same core of kids advanced to the PA State Tournament in the 8- to 10-year-old Minors division in 2023, finishing 3rd in the state, said the release.
After a hard-fought battle, Pennridge placed 4th out of the eight competing Pennsylvania Little League teams, finishing behind Glenmoore, Hollidaysburg and Abington. The team ended with a batting average of 0.354 and a record 14 home runs in just 11 games.
“I couldn’t have been prouder of this team; getting to see them grow both physically, emotionally, and mentally has got to be the most rewarding aspect of coaching. This team was blessed,” said Ritter. “Almost all of these players and families have been involved in our league since they were 5 years old, beginning with tee ball. Learning everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, yearly training beginning in January, and spending all spring and summer together make the kids form friendships and bonds that hopefully they will remember a lifetime.”
The team poses for a picture with Perkasie Mayor Jeff Hollenbach and Perkasie Borough Council in council chambers. (Courtesy of Pennridge Little League)“These are the memories that the kids and families will take with them forever, the chance to be the best in the state, traveling far from home, and playing a kids’ game, living the dorm lifestyle in hotels and Airbnbs with their teammates,” Ritter continued. “They were such a close group of kids. It was amazing to see all their hard work pay off.”
Ritter and his team said that support from the Pennridge Little League community helped power them through every tournament, with encouraging phone calls and texts from past and present coaches, players, community members and corporate sponsors.
“I think we had nearly 400 fans following us on GameChanger and upward of 200 live stream viewers per game for the state tournament,” said player Mags Rivera.
“It was fantastic, feeling their support,” said Ritter. “The kids loved taking to social media to thank them with videos and photos from the other side of the state. It was a blast.”
Player Hannah Wheeler was also proud to represent Pennridge Little League in the 2024 “Girls with Game” event in Williamsport, comprised of 100 girls from across the world. The tournament aims to highlight girls who are breaking through baseball barriers to play the game at an extremely high level, said the release.
“This team is just getting started. I hope that the kids continue to find joy in whatever sport makes them happy,” Ritter concluded. “I would love to see this team come together for another State Championship run in the Juniors or Seniors divisions at 14 and 16. But if not, I will enjoy watching them take the field again someday as the Pennridge High School Baseball team and remember how much fun the Summer of 2025 was, knowing that this group of kids was PPL’s first ever Majors Division Section 6 Champion!”
To learn more about Pennridge Little League, visit www.pennridgell.org.
