The Del Norte 8-10 Little League All-Stars showed plenty of fight on their way to an historic finish at the Oregon State Tournament.The young Del Norte players dropped their opening game at the big tournament, which was held in La Grande, Oregon, but battled their way back through the losers’ bracket.The local all-stars won three straight elimination games before eventually falling to Bend-South by a score of 10-3 just one win shy of a championship showdown against Murrayhill Little League.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write(''); Contributed photo Despite the loss, the players set a new standard for Del Norte Little League by going further in the playoffs than any other 8-10 team in program history.And they earned the respect of their opponents while doing so.“They’re a very gritty team,” manager Tyler Bachmann said of his players. “I had lots of people say that about them.”They also have plenty of talent, something they showcased on a dominating run through the District 8 Tournament, which they hosted in Crescent City late last month.The Del Norte All-Stars won all four games in the district tournament, outscoring their opponents by a combined 63-7 to qualify for the state tourney. Contributed photo They opened the state tournament with a 10-3 loss to Bend-South, but responded by winning three straight elimination games, beating Medford American 5-3, North Portland 20-7, and West Salem 5-2.Their historic run finally ended in a rematch with Bend-South, which was the Del Norte players’ fifth game in five days.“I’m very proud of them,” Bachmann said. “They went further than any other Del Norte 10-year-old team has gone. That’s a good mark they set for other teams. I’m really proud of them for what they did.” Contributed photo It’s a group of players that caught the imagination of the local sports community and one that enthusiastically embraced the challenge before them this summer.“They’re a young group that’s eager to learn the game,” their manager said. “They’re really willing to soak up everything we tell them.”Pitchers Mason Lindsay, Chase Bachmann, Lionel Ramirez, Manuel Contreras, Jase Price-Lewis and Louis Moorehead all impressed in what was a busy week for the staff and one that showcased the team’s depth at the position.And the pitchers got plenty of help from a strong defense, most notably middle infielders Ramirez and Chase Bachmann, who both were “exceptional throughout the tournament,” according to their manager. Contributed photo Moorehead and Jay Land Jr. each also made some big plays in the outfield.Teagan Good, Hudson Jacot, Charles Mavris, Isiah Brunson and Barrett Whitford rounded out a deep roster, with coaches Steve Bachmann and Casey Duncan helping out the manager.“It’s been a very fun summer coaching them and I am very excited to see them continue to progress as this group gets older,” Tyler Bachmann said. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });