DISTRICT CHAMPS FALL IN LL SECTIONALS

These are the Pa. District 15 Little League Baseball champions. Shown, from left, are: front -- Philip Andrus, Cameron Kockler, Kade Logue, Grant Nolan, Trey VanWhy, Keagen Goodliff; Middle Jake Wichert, Tommy Walker, Alex Miller, Ethan Hite, Ben Clark, Nick VanWhy and Cory Burr; back - Coaches Greg Jandrew and Jeremy Hite and Manager Rod Nolan.

Hopes of progressing to the state championship game and, potentially, a berth in the Little League World Series were dashed for 12-year-old baseball players from Potter- McKean Wednesday night in Shinglehouse.

The team dropped a tough 4- 3 decision to Pottsville Rotary in bowing from the Pa. Section 3 Tournament, just five days after Potter-McKean nailed down the Pa. District 15 championship.

Cameron Kockler's solo home run in the top of the second inning helped P-M stay even until the fifth, when Pottsville went up 3-2 on a round-tripper.

Keagan Goodliff responded with a solo blast in the top of the sixth. Pottsville brought home the bacon in its half of the sixth on a double, passed ball, and a fly ball over the heads of a drawn-in outfield.

One night earlier, Potter- McKean was sent to the losers' bracket with a 13-1 loss to Loyalsock Township. Philip Andrus singled home Ben Clark for P-M's only run.

Potter-McKean won the opening round of Section 3 play, 7-3, over Berwick.

The locals were coming off a 7-2 win over Susquehanna City in the D15 championship game.

Tommy Walker pitched a complete game, allowing just one earned run. Ethan Hite's two-run homer in the first inning staked P-M to an early lead and Kockler added insurance with a two-run diner of his own.