Sweet Home’s Midget National Eastern Division champion East Linn Roofing finished fifth in state last weekend at the Junior Baseball organization’s playoff tournament.
Coached by Mike Chiaffino, Ray McMullen and Damon Schwab, East Linn Roofing went 3-2, beating David Douglas, Lebanon and Whiskey Hills, and losing to Clackamas and Reedsville, Chiaffino said.
They finished the season 20-4-1 after sweeping through the Valley League with a 14-0 record.
East Linn Roofing stumbled a bit in the local playoffs after getting the No. 1 seed, finishing third out of 22 teams, but that was good enough to get them to state.
“Out of 82 teams and 14 at state, we ended up fifth,” Chiaffino said.
Sweet Home also received a sportsmanship award trophy, presented when Chiaffino went up to Portland to watch Santiam Christian win the state championship.
His team this year was fairly evenly split between boys who will move up to juniors next year and youngsters who were new to pitched-ball baseball.
Team members were Joe MaQatish, David McMullin, Ethan Chiaffino, Blake Schwab, Zantric Schwab, Brody Combs, Treyson Smith, Justin Graber, Judah Christman, Jace Moore and Ezra Morrison.
“They were just a good group,” Chiaffino said. “They were all interested. They all wanted to be there.”
He said the experienced players led by example and the newcomers “had the drive. They wanted to play.”
This is Chiaffino’s third year as a head coach at the midget level and he said he’s seen the other side too.
“My first year, we won one game,” he said. “Last year, we just missed the playoffs.”
“It’s awesome to be successful with that age group as we were.”