In Bellefonte’s expansive history of Little League baseball, just four teams spanning all divisions had made it to the state tournament prior to this squad’s run. Of those four, two played in the major division, one in the 11u and one in the minor division.

Not only did this group etch itself in Bellefonte Little League history, becoming the first Bellefonte minor baseball team to make states since 2016 and second in 75 years, it also came two wins away from achieving a first. No Bellefonte team at the 10u level has ever won a state championship, and this team checked two of the four required boxes in dominant fashion.

The run as a whole was a massive accomplishment for the group, especially considering the fact that this was the first time they’ve taken the field together. The players bought in, Tressler and assistant coaches – Chris Shivery and Cory Cunningham – kept them prepared and confident, and the result was the league’s most exciting run of the 2020s.

“I was pretty bummed out when I said this was our last dance but told the players to hold their heads high and be proud of their achievements,” said Tressler on the group. “They grinded, worked hard, sacrificed a lot of time and were just a great group to be around and coach.”

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte’s Caroline Albright high fives assistant coach Chris Shivery after getting on base during a 8-10 state baseball tournament game against Lehigh, Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Theory Field in Drums.

“My coaches are class acts that bring alot of knowledge, skill and passion for the game so I couldn’t have done anything without one, my players and two, my two guys that rode the wave with me,” he added.

It was by no means a run in which they eased their way through. Bellefonte battled and bounced back from hardships time and time again, overcoming multiple elimination games at the Section 4 level on its way to multiple championship banners and defeating two of the top teams in the state in Greater Pittston and Mount Pleasant.

Just two days into sectionals, Bellefonte was dealt a gutwrenching, 11-7 loss to Hollidaysburg in the winner’s final. There, its 3-0 lead in the fourth inning vanished in just one frame, as the team surrendered 11 runs in its last two defensive frames.

With the loss, Bellefonte would have to win three games in two days to earn a Section 4 title. But rather than buckle under the pressure or deterrence from the defeat, the team responded by playing its best baseball and winning three tight games.

After going down 2-0 in the first inning against East Penn in the consolation final, Bellefonte scored seven unanswered runs through the next four, going on to win 7-4. It then proceeded to edge out Hollidaysburg twice in one day to take home the championship, surviving a rally in the first and scoring two crucial fifth-inning runs in the next.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express Bellefonte’s Tre Terza reacts after getting on base during a state tournament game against Lehigh, Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Theory Field in Drums.

“We jumped on some teams early and late in the game, where it was close, we’d come through with big hits. We made the key plays – infield groundballs, popups,” said Tressler when discussing the run after Thursday’s loss to Lehigh. “I can’t say enough about the kids, they’ve been playing great. They battle, and they’ve been through a lot.”

That’s an atypical response from a group of kids aged ten and below. To overcome a hole like that, it takes some solid coaching, hard work and most notably, confidence.

“My team gives me 110-percent daily. We practice a lot; we work hard,” said Tressler on Thursday. “I want to win states but at the end of the day, nobody expected us to win districts. Nobody expected us to go to sectionals, so I love what they’re doing, and I love this group of kids. I’m very proud of the way they’ve played, the things they’ve done in sectionals and even here, winning the first two games of states in pretty good fashion.”

While inconsistency in the field popped up occasionally, particularly in the team’s closing losses, that’s bound to be built upon in the coming year and doesn’t tell the full story. All three levels – hitting, pitching and fielding – shined, each playing roles throughout the run.

From the plate, leadoff hitter Rylan Shivery had a hit in every game, headlining a top five that could consistently generate multiple-hit performances or extra-base hits. And lower in the order, Luke Heron, Caroline Albright and Tanner Cain were BB machines, as the entire order found ways to get on base.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express The Bellefonte minor all-star baseball team prepares to take the field during a 8-10 state baseball tournament game against Lehigh, Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Theory Field in Drums.

With pitching posing similar depth, headlined by Bryson Tressler, Kobie Urbanik, Oliver St. Amant and Tre Terza, there are so many aspects of this team that make it worth keeping an eye out for, especially once it reaches the major division. The question is, can they carry the strong precedent forward?

“Hopefully, we earned some respect and this will open up the eyes of the younger kids and make them realize that if you work hard and put the effort in, the sky’s the limit,” expressed Tressler. “We have a lot to look forward to in the future, and we will continue to work hard and put in reps to try and run this thing back again.”

Henry Huber is the sports editor at The Express. Email comments to hhuber@lockhaven.com. Follow him on Twitter at @HenryHuber_.

TIM WEIGHT/For the Express A Bellefonte runner sprints for first base during a 8-10 state baseball tournament game against Lehigh, Thursday, July 24, 2025, at Theory Field in Drums.