They Are The Champions

by Jill Cousins

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*Photo Courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball*

Sanford mom Shaunte Alexander remembers when her son Teraj first started playing baseball at five years old. While most of his pint-sized teammates were staring into space or playing in the dirt, Teraj was unusually focused. He’d hit the ball and start running around the bases, and he wouldn’t stop until he scored.

“His attention to baseball was unique as a little kid,” Shaunte says of Teraj, now 12. “He has always been very focused. This boy eats, sleeps, and breathes baseball.”

That’s why she was thrilled when Teraj was named to Lake Mary Little League Baseball’s All-Star team in the Majors division (ages 10-to-12) early this summer. Even though Shaunte admits she didn’t know what the Little League World Series was all about, once she saw the All-Stars in action, she knew Teraj and his teammates had what it takes to be champions.

Lake Mary’s 12U All-Stars would indeed go on to achieve the ultimate youth baseball dream: winning the 2024 Little League World Series title in historic Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on August 25. Representing the Southeast Region, Lake Mary defeated the Southwest Region team from Texas for the United States Championship one day earlier and then claimed the World Championship by defeating Chinese Taipei – winners of the International Championship – in an extra-inning, come-from-behind thriller.

“As a mom, from day one, since this All-Star team was put together, I’ve been saying that I will put my rent money on these boys,” says Shaunte, who was joined by 15 other relatives in Williamsport. “I knew they were going to win. For Teraj to get on a team where they were all focused like him, it was amazing. There was nothing these boys couldn’t do.”

“This Is Our Summer”

To call it amazing only scratches the surface. Although Lake Mary’s All-Stars were the eighth Florida team to reach the World Series championship game, dating back to 1947, they were the first from The Sunshine State to win it. The last two Florida teams to reach the final were Apopka in 2001 and Altamonte Springs in 1984.

Lake Mary also proved to be more than a bunch of big-hitting, hard-throwing 11-and-12-year-olds. They also turned out to be fan favorites and media darlings in the 20-team tournament showcasing their unique personalities to the millions of national TV viewers who watched them win games in dramatic fashion and celebrate with some cool dance moves.

Coach Jonathan Anderson, who is as enthusiastic and animated as many of his players, says he and his assistants – Kyle Bono and Paul Bibaud – spent months preparing the team with countless boot camps and practices designed to prepare the players mentally and physically. So, when it was game time, the boys could stay loose and have fun.

“They’re a great group of kids who really have a lot of fun together,” Jonathan says. “Their personalities are amazing, and we all feed off of each other. We were very disciplined and regimented in practice, so come game time, they could be free. Do what you need to do to complete the task, but be yourself. Have fun.”

The team included boys from seven different area middle schools: Sanford Middle (Chase Anderson, Liam Morrisey, and Teraj), Markham Woods (Garrett Rohozen, Lathan Norton, and Hunter Alexander), Greenwood Lakes (James “J.J.” Feliciano and Landon Bono), Millennium (Luis Calo), Annunciation Catholic Academy (Christopher Chikodroff), Galileo School for Gifted Learning (DeMarcos “D.J.” Mieses), and Orangewood Christian (Jacob Bibaud).

Last year, Jonathan coached Lake Mary’s All-Stars to within one win of reaching the World Series. That team included the three coaches’ sons – Chase, Landon, and Jacob – as well as J.J. Those four became this year’s team leaders.

The disappointing loss in last year’s Southeast Region final led to Kyle Bono coining this year’s team motto: “This is our summer.” The players embraced that phrase and made a World Series Championship their goal and their destiny.

“We came so close last year,” Kyle says. “I said, ‘This is our summer to do something,’ and that became our saying. We didn’t want to just say, ‘Go, Lake Mary,’ because our goal was to go beyond representing Lake Mary. We wanted to also represent Florida and the Southeast Region.”

Our Team. Our Town.

Lake Mary’s coaches, players, and families were blown away at just how completely they were embraced by the Central Florida community and beyond. Watch parties were held all around the area, with restaurants and sports bars broadcasting all of Lake Mary’s games, which were nationally televised by ESPN and ABC.

When the boys returned home, one day after their victory, they were greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic fans at the Lake Mary Sports Complex holding “Welcome Home Boys” banners and waving pompoms and posters. And that was just the beginning. In addition to numerous TV interviews (including the nationally-televised Good Morning America and Today morning shows), the team was also celebrated with a Walt Disney World parade at the Magic Kingdom and a local parade through downtown Lake Mary.

For Kyle, this World Series experience was the highlight of his baseball career, and that’s saying something. A standout pitcher at Lake Mary High School and the University of Central Florida, Kyle was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame last year.

“This experience, with these kids, is by far the peak,” Kyle says. “This summer has been unreal.”

And for all its on-field dominance during the World Series tournament, the Lake Mary Little League program will perhaps be best remembered for what happened immediately after the final run was scored. Lake Mary players and coaches captured hearts around the world when they wrapped their arms around sobbing Chinese Taipei players to console them after the extra-inning loss.

As for Jonathan, he is hoping this year’s World Series trip will continue to be a family affair. He has two younger sons, Christian and Colin, who both play baseball, and they got a taste of Williamsport last month along with Jonathan’s wife Michelle, parents David and Karen Anderson, sisters Heather and Mackenzie, and grandmother Beverly Galbreath.

“It’s just been the experience of a lifetime,” Jonathan says. “It’s the wildest journey I’ve ever been on and such a wonderful story. And where do we go from here? I have two younger sons, so I have some work to do because I want them to experience the same thing.”

*Home Run Derby Champion Landon Bono with former Major League Baseball star Hunter Pence*

Home Run History

Somewhat lost in the frenzy surrounding Lake Mary Little League’s historic win was another major victory and another piece of baseball lore: Landon Bono’s triumph in the Little League Home Run Derby. Like his teammates, Landon powered through the bracket to compete in the Home Run Derby finals on Thursday, August 22 – just a few days before the World Series Championship game. His performance in the final was dominant. Landon captured the Home Run Derby title with 20 home runs in only 27 swings.

Landon’s victory on Thursday was just the first of his incredibly historic accomplishments. When Landon and his teammates took the field for the World Series Championship game on Sunday, August 25, Landon became the first Little Leaguer to ever compete in both the Home Run Derby finals and the Little League World Series finals. And, of course, he’s the first player ever to win both. Way to go, Landon!

More Trophies! More History! LMLL Softball Wins State

Before our community’s boys of summer even punched their ticket to the Little League World Series, Lake Mary Little League was already busy making history. The 12U Softball All-Stars won the State Championship for the first time ever, and it was also the first time Little League teams from the same town won the Majors Division (ages 10-12) State Championship in both softball and baseball.

In addition to those two teams, Lake Mary’s 11U softball team also won the state title this year. Lake Mary Little League did not have its first State Champion until 2019 when the 10U softball team claimed the title. In 2023, both the 10U and 12U baseball teams won State Championships. This year, Lake Mary’s tally is three state titles and a World Series crown. Unbelievable!

Just Keep Swimming