Valparaiso Screaming Eagles 8U Baseball Team Comes Out on Top

The Valparaiso 8U Screaming Eagles Baseball Travel Team has enjoyed much success this season, but none more than during the final month of the summer season. After playing up against Travel 9U teams most of the summer, the boys used that experience during the month of July winning all three major area 8U Tournaments. During these tournaments, Portage, Lakes of the Four Seasons, and their own Valpo Slam Fest, the boys lost only 1 game and finished 14-1 bringing home three 1st Place Trophies.

According to their coaches, Jason Lawrence, Darin Dingman, Greg Walls, and Tom Milroy, the boys’ success is due mainly to their talent, their desire to become better baseball players, and their hard work and coachability; however, this coaching staff found just the right mix of Coaching, Instruction, and Motivation which greatly contributed to the team’s success.

The team includes 4 boys from St. Paul Catholic School - Cameron Milroy, Matthew Levenda, Luke McQuestion, and Michael Zajac; 2 boys from Central Elementary School – Joshua Brinson and Brett Blauner; 1 boy from Parkview Elementary School – Cooper Jones; 3 boys from Northview Elementary School – Kyle Lawrence, Breece Walls, and Jacob Nightingale; 2 boys from Cooks Corner Elementary School – Dylan Dingman and Bo Thorgren; and 1 boy from Flint Lake Elementary School – Eric Dreher.

The Valparaiso 8U Screaming Eagles would like to thank the Sponsors:

Gold Level - Lakeshore Bone and Joint Institute, Thorgren Tool and Molding Co., Canadian National Railroad, and EmbroidMe.
Silver Level - Soil Solutions-Inc. and Rhame and Elwood Attorney at Law.
Bronze Level - Hydraulic Resources and Town and Country Market for contributing to the success of the team.

2011 8U Portage Tournament Champions (photo at top)

Top Row L-R: Tom Milroy, Darin Dingman, Jason Lawrence, Greg Walls
Middle Row L-R: Josh Brinson, Michael Zajac, Cooper Jones, Dylan Dingman, Bo Thorgren
Bottom Row L-R: Luke McQuestion, Matthew Levenda, Cameron Milroy, Kyle Lawrence, Breece Walls, Eric Dreher
Not Present: Jacob Nightingale, Brett Blauner

2011 8U Lakes of the Four Seasons Tournament Champions

Top Row L-R: Greg Walls, Jason Lawrence, Darin Dingman
Middle Row L-R: Dylan Dingman, Cooper Jones, Brett Blauner, Michael Zajac, Joshua Brinson, Luke McQuestion
Bottom Row L-R: Matthew Levenda, Bo Thorgren, Eric Dreher, Breece Walls, Kyle Lawrence
Not Present: Coach Tom Milroy, Cameron Milroy, Jacob Nightingale

2011 8U Valpo Slam Fest Tournament Champions

Top Row L-R: Greg Walls, Darin Dingman, Jason Lawrence
Middle Row L-R:
Jake Nightingale, Joshua Brinson, Michael Zajac, Cooper Jones, Brett Blauner, Bo Thorgren
Bottom Row L-R: Dylan Dingman, Luke McQuestion, Kyle Lawrence, Eric Dreher, Breece Walls, Matthew Levenda
Bottom Front: Sam Thorgren
Not Present: Coach Tom Milroy, Cam Milroy