Tom LaNeve, South Caroline's third base coach and father of first baseman Ben LaNeve, could not believe how the town was turned on its head when the Mid-Atlantic Regional championship game was televised live.
"People gathered around TV sets at dinner," LaNeve said. "They turned this into their Super Bowl."
The South Caroline Little League of Preston, Md., has received plenty of support, with fans taking their seats two hours before Sunday's game.
(Gene J. Puskar -- AP)
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It's a lot to ask an 11- or 12-year-old to play in a Super Bowl. More than 10,000 fans packed the stands for South Caroline's game against Redmond on Sunday night and ESPN cameras follow each player's every move on the field. By the time their game with Redmond ended, it was almost 10:30, well past their bedtimes.
The players live together in dorms here on the Little League complex, apart from their parents, whom they get to see for a couple hours each day.
"I miss my mom and dad, and I miss my dog," outfielder Nikolaus Nowottnick said. "But it's cool. I didn't know there would be that many people out here. I mean, people we don't know are coming out to watch us. It's different, but we're getting used to it."
Ben LaNeve and Brady Hare also are adjusting to the star treatment.
"We were told we'd be signing autographs," LaNeve said. "We thought it would be one or two. Now, it's like 10.
Hare added, shaking his head, "And we're going to sign more."
Moments of jaded stardom aside, the players do remember that Thursday is the first day of school for many of them at Colonel Richardson Middle School in Federalsburg. Principal Mike Iseman called the team last Friday to tell them he would excuse them if they have to miss the first two days of class this week.
But even though the players have not had time to do any schoolwork lately, it doesn't mean they haven't thought about it.
"If they have me do something like a summer diary," third baseman Ryan Hood said, "I know what I'm going to write about."
