AUBURN - They came not seeking a claim to fame, but to excel at their game. Now, the rest of the state can attest that they are the best.

Focusing strongly on their game, unbeaten District 10 Federal Way National Junior (ages 13-14) Little League All Stars blistered District 12 Selah National 15-6 last Wednesday at Brannan Park to become 2007 Washington state champions.

"It's going to be a great experience, playing in Oregon, playing all sorts of teams," exclaimed AJ Barnhart, who also celebrated his birthday.

Washington state champion District 10 opened Western Regional action on Tuesday, July 31, against Nevada at 12:00 p.m. in Beaverton, Ore. The tournament runs through August 9.

As last season's Junior Little League state runner-ups, the group representing west Federal Way campaigned hard for the ascent to state supremacy.

"Since we got second last year, we wanted to take first this year after losing in the last inning to Yakima last year," proclaimed Adam Bolf. "We're excited to go to Oregon and we're going to have support watching us."

On Wednesday, District 10 commenced with a Cole Meyers single before scoring two runs on a succession of walks and hit batters to lead 2-0. Jeffrey Apigo followed with a run-scoring ground out. Ali Davenport then singled in the fourth run.

Selah slammed the ball to draw within 4-2 after two innings.

District 10 manufactured a run in the top of the third, but Selah tallied three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning to knot the score at 5-5.

"I got mad because we knew that we walked into the game a little cocky," said Bolf. "We just play the game and want to win."

District 10 marched to the front in the fourth inning on Brian Moe's RBI infield single before a Selah error gave FWN a 7-5 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, District 12's first two batters singled. One out later, a sizzling line drive out to the hot corner produced a throw to first base, doubling off the runner and subduing the threat.

This defensive action seemed to drain Selah while power pulsed outward through the conduit that was the FW National batting order, resulting in four run surges in the sixth and seventh innings.

Barnhart relieved a struggling starting pitcher Zach Jacobs in the third to register two outs in a row.

After Selah notched a sixth inning run, Jacobs reclaimed the mound with one out and the bases loaded.

"Early in the game, I wasn't getting loose and he (manager Barnhart) took me out and when he decided to put me back in the game, I felt pretty good," professed Jacobs.

Jacobs induced his first batter to ground the ball back to the mound from where Jacobs thankfully initiated a pitcher-to-catcher-to-first base double play. Jacobs retired District 12 in order in the seventh to end it.

"It was a tight game in the fourth inning," said District 10 manager Mike Barnhart. "My starting pitching didn't go quite as I planned, but when Jacobs went back in and calmed down, we had a good day."

After rain postponed further play for FWN, District 10 qualified for the championship round with a 9-4 winners bracket semifinal win against District 3 Nisqually Basin on Monday, July 23.

" We were definitely rusty. There's no doubt about it," related manager Barnhart. It showed because we had five or six errors out there, mostly in the field."

Home team District 10 dented the scoreboard in the first inning. Lead off batter Peter Guthrie drew a walk ahead of a Cole Meyers single. Zach Jacobs flew out to center field, advancing the second base runner to third base. Brian Moe then sacrificed the runner home with a deep fly out to right field.

"I felt fine (after the layoff) because I was kind of injured in the last game and it gave me time to recover," said Meyers.

In the top of the third, FW National's defense cut off a run at the plate to keep NB off the scoreboard. With a District 3 runner on first base, Tim Cronk doubled to center field where Cole Meyers fielded the ball and quickly threw to the infield where second baseman Brett Johnson cut the throw off and instantly gunned a throw to catcher Adam Bolf, who tagged the sliding runner. The next batter grounded out.

"We could have done better, but we pulled it off," starting pitcher Jeffrey Apigo declared.

Back to back deeply drilled doubles to center field by Jeffrey and Richard Apigo to open FWN's second enlarged the District 10 lead to 2-0.

Nisqually Basin fired a three-run broadside to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the third. Starting FWN pitcher Jeffrey Apigo picked a runner off first base to limit the damage.

In the bottom of the third, District 10 shelled District 3 for five runs. Meyers and Brian Moe sandwiched singles around a walk to Jacobs to start the bombardment. A wild pitch accounted for one run and Mac Gridley pulled a two-run single down the third base line to make the score 5-3. One out later, Richard Apigo singled ahead of an error and a balk that made the score 7-3.

That was the pivotal inning, although Moe's sacrifice fly in the fourth and Richard Apigo's RBI single in the sixth added to the FWN total.

"Having batting practice the other day really helped," said Richard Apigo who batted 4-for-4 including two doubles and two RBI. Richard also struck out the first batter he faced to end the NB fifth inning as part of his game-closing 2 1/3 innings of relief pitching.

Peter Guthrie, Cole Meyers, Zach Jacobs, Brian Moe, Mac Gridley, Richard Apigo, Jeffrey Apigo, Carson Meyers, Adam Bolf, Ali Davenport, Mitchell Bley, AJ Brandt and Brett Johnson are the Washington state champion players.

The coaching staff includes manager Barnhart along with coaches Paul Guthrie and Henry Apigo. Bill Foulkes is league president while the District 10 Junior Little League Director is Robin Young. Jim Chavez is District 10 Administrator.

After more than 30 years of volunteer service in Little League baseball, Mr. Young is stepping down from his board position. Young has served in many different capacities during those years and has constructed many of the trophies awarded to the athletes and teams.

As documented in a previous issue of this newspaper, Mr. Chavez is also retiring from his position as District 10 Administrator.