On Saturday, Aug. 2, the Island Trees Baseball 11-year-old All-Star team beat North/Bellmore-North Merrick in the finals of the 2003 Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth Metro-NY New York State Tournament. Island Trees' quest for the championship began back in July when they won their District tournament on July 19 and were crowned District Champs. They were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to clinch the District Championship on their home field. This was able to be accomplished due to Island Trees Baseball League President Nick Sguigna, after many hours spent at many meetings trying to convince the Babe Ruth Commission that Island Trees should host the 11-year-old District Tournament, it was finally awarded to them. This enabled the 11-year-old All-Star team to play on and clinch the District Championship on their home field on July 19.

After winning the District Championship, Island Trees knew it had its work cut out for themselves. The Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth State Championship tournament would be a double elimination tournament held on the beautiful complex located in East Rockaway. It was slated to begin on July 26. Eight teams from the Metro-NY area would be vying for the one prestigious championship. The eight teams included Island Trees, Brooklyn North, HBQVB (Queens), N. Bellmore/N. Merrick, Bronxchester, Great Kills (Staten Island), Levittown Central and East Rockaway.

On July 26, Island Trees played their first game of the tournament against the Brooklyn North team. In a game that featured Island Trees taking a 7-1 lead and apparently looking like they would coast to an easy win, turned out to be a close game as Brooklyn North battled back. Island Trees held on for a 9-6 win, enabling them to advance to the second round in the winner's bracket.

Island Trees' next game figured to be their toughest opponent. They would meet the always strong N./Bellmore-N. Merrick team. In a game that seemed to be a possible match for the finals both teams battled each other like tooth and nail. Island Trees took a 2-0 lead in the first inning. NBNM cut it to 2-1 in the bottom of the first. Island Trees scored four in the top of the third and NBNM came back with two in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 6-3 game at the end of three innings. They each traded runs in the fifth to make it Island Trees 7 NBNM 4. In the sixth, IT scored two more runs for a 9-4 lead. NBNM battled back and also scored two runs. Once again Island Trees held off a late rally to win 9-6. Island Trees now controlled their own destiny. They now had two wins and remained in the winner's bracket.

Island Trees' next opponent would be Great Kills Staten Island, yet again, a very formidable opponent. Great Kills took a 1-0 lead in the first. That was short lived as Island Trees came back to score three in the third and two in the fifth for a 5-1 lead. Great Kills battled back and scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4. Island Trees then added two cushion runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Once again Island Trees fought off a late inning two run rally and held on for a 7-6 victory. This win advanced Island Trees to the State Championship Finals. As the other teams battled it out in the losers bracket, it was getting more apparent that Island Trees might have to face NBNM again, this time in the finals. Sure enough NBNM emerged from the losers bracket to gain entry into the finals against Island Trees.

Feeling confident but not over-confident, Island Trees set a foot to battle NBNM for the State Championship on August 2. Being these two teams had met before, each thought they knew each others tendencies. Each team, trying to use that to its advantage. Island Trees initiated a more base stealing game this time around to put pressure on NBNM's defense. Island Trees again took the early lead in the first 2-0. NBNM scored one in the top of the second. Island Trees score another run in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead. NBNM tied the game in the top of the third. Island Trees had about all it could take with close games. They broke open this game in the bottom of the third when they scored 8 unanswered runs to take an 11-3 lead. Island Trees tacked on one more run in the bottom of the fifth to increase its lead to 12-3. Island Trees went on to win this game 12-3 and become the 2003 Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth Metro-NY State Champions. This is such an outstanding feat to have accomplished.

The team was then getting ready to head to Newark, Delaware for the North Eastern Regionals, which was set to begin on August 9. The team would like to thank Island Trees Baseball League President Nick Sguigna for all his hard work, which enabled them the opportunity to get this far. The team would also like to thank all the parents for getting the players to all the practices and all the games.

The team consists of 12 players and three coaches. The coaches are Manager Troy Verbitsky, Coach John Bartlett and Coach Bob Nickel. The players are Cody Abramson, George Balsamo, Daniel Bartlett, Anthony Ciaramitaro, Matt Christoffersen, Jack Garren, Michael Gruber, Anthony Lanzarone, A.J. Mattia, Chris Nickel, Patrick Reilly, and Bryan Verbitsky.

Congratulations to this incredible team of 11-year-olds from Island Trees Baseball, on winning the 2003 Cal Ripken/Babe Ruth Metro-NY State Championship.