Lutz Little Leaguers are All Stars, all right

The district champs bask in glory before heading to a tournament next week with four other district champions.

By BILL COATS

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 9, 2000

LUTZ -- The coaches were worried about hitting.

So batting practice got the priority as the Lutz Little League's 9- and 10-year-old All Star team began preparing for the annual 14-team district tournament. The team hit for as long as two hours at a time. Over a series of practices, players got some 500 swings apiece -- and blisters on their hands.

"We were starting to get grouchy," said Carlos Panatex, 10, the second baseman.

"We had to back off," said manager Rick Shears.

But the practice was telling. The team romped through the early stages of the tournament against the best Little Leaguers in northern and eastern Hillsborough County. Then last week, it won the championship in a three-game showdown with the Land O'Lakes All Stars.

It was the first time anyone could remember that Lutz's 9- and 10-year-olds have become district champions. Next week, they are to represent the district in a tournament in southeast Hillsborough with four other district champions. Beyond that lies the tournament for the state championship.

"I can't believe how well they played," said Shears, who is an attorney's investigator and father of the team's catcher, Erik Shears.

Rick Shears said his son, Carlos Panatex and pitchers Nathan Wright, Eric Caserez and Matt Kennedy were the key players in the tournament. He singled out centerfielder Kevin Rae as an unofficial "most valuable player."

"He was just making killer throws, where he was throwing people out at first and second base from the outfield," Rick Shears said. "You just don't see that with a player that's 10 years old. He's got a good baseball mind."

Carlos Panatex said he and his teammates initially thought they would win a couple of games before being eliminated. But the early lopsided victories began to change their minds.

"Everyone was thinking we were going to win," he said. "All the coaches thought we were going to get big heads and everything."

Walks were frequent, but so were hits. Carlos said he finally began to appreciate all the batting practice.

"The second time we played that Northeast team, I went four for four and batted in the winning run," he said. "I started to think that it was paying off."

The morning after Monday's championship win, the team celebrated by riding in Lutz's big Fourth of July parade. Their float won the award in the youth division.

"They're just throwing trophies at us," Rick Shears said.

- Bill Coats can be reached at (813) 226-3469 or coats@sptimes.com.

Hit parad

June 24 Lutz 11 Bloomingdale American

June 25 Lutz 10 South Brandon 1

June 27 Lutz 16 Northeast 3

June 30 Lutz 11 Northeast 1

July 1 Lutz 1 Land O'Lakes 4

July 2 Lutz 11 Land O'Lakes 1

July 3 Lutz 2 Land O'Lakes 1

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