“This is history.” That’s how Cal Ripken Commissioner Murray Johnson described this year’s 8-and-under All-Star tournament between the Atmore, Northwest Escambia and Tri-County little league teams. What Johnson is referring to is the fact that, for the first time in the league’s history, teams from both sides of the Alabama/Florida line have been allowed to come together to play one another in the same division – and the result has been a season of competitive games with talented players all culminating in this week’s All-Star tournament.

Although the championship game between the Atmore All-Stars and the Tri-County All-Stars was not played until last night, well after press time, both teams had already qualified to travel to Cottage Hill to compete in the state tournament.

Northwest Escambia was eliminated following their second loss to Atmore Monday night at Bradberry Park in Walnut Hill, Fla.

Atmore easily knocked off NWE to kick the tournament off Friday night. Talan Daughtry and Gavin Snow led the team offensively with 3 scores each. Chaston Helton, Caleb Davis and Chasen Wynn each notched 2 runs apiece and Anthonly McCants and Nadavion Steele rounded out the scoring with a run each.

For NWE, Aden Broadhead and John Bashore each scored late in the game, but the runs would not be enough to catch Atmore’s big lead as NWE fell 14-2.

Atmore may have gotten a bit complacent after the big win Friday, but found out how it feels to be on the receiving end of a thrashing as they fell 14-2 themselves, facing the Tri-County All-Stars Monday night.

After falling behind 3-0 in the top of the first inning, Chasen Wynn found home plate in the bottom of the first to pull Atmore closer to Tri-County, but 2 additional runs gave Atmore’s opposition a 5-1 lead in the top of the third.

Atmore would find pay dirt just once more in Monday’s match up, scoring off a run from Snow, and suffered their own 12-point tournament loss.

Following their loss to Tri-County, Atmore hit the field again to determine who would go on and who would go home in a must-win rematch with NWE Monday night.

Northwest Escambia struggled once again in the game, only able to notch 3 runs as Atmore ran away with 12-3 victory off double scores from Daughtry, Helton and Wynn and single runs from Davis, Snow, McCants, Josh Burkett, Kanye Hooks and Ty’Darian Pettway.

Both the Atmore and Tri-County All-Stars will now prepare for the state tournament in Cottage Hill Friday, June 22.