Weatherly youth teams were toast of town – Hazleton Standard Speaker

There aren’t many more indelible memories for members of a small-town championship team than a firetruck ride through the streets of their hometown.

Lights flashing.

Sirens blaring.

Smiles everywhere.

Residents wondering what’s going on.

Just an impromptu heroes’ celebration.

For them.

Like the ones they had in Weatherly in mid-July.

Reya Gregory doubled home the tying and eventual winning runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as Weatherly’s 8-10-year-old softball team edged Northwest, 5-4, in the Section 6 Little League Tournament title game at the West End Fairgrounds complex in Gilbert.

Briella Vanblargan starred in the pitching circle for Weatherly, scattering five base hits, striking out 12 batters and walking only two six innings as her team avenged a loss to Northwest from the night before to punch its ticket to the state tournament in Drexel Hill.

Northwest grabbed a 2-0 lead in the rematch on an RBI groundout in the top of the first and a run-scoring single to right in the third.

Back came Weatherly in the bottom of the third as two base runners stole home and a bases-loaded walk to Audrey Wagner forced home another run and gave the District 18 champions their first lead at 3-2.

After Northwest reclaimed the advantage with two runs in the top of the fourth, Weatherly went back on top on Gregory’s clutch two-run double in the bottom half.

Neither team scored again as Weatherly claimed the first sectional title for a local softball team.

Jenna Jones went 2-for-2 with two singles to pace the locals at the plate. Gregory contributed her double and two RBI and Vanblargan and Myah Makowiec chipped in a single apiece. Kenzie Clabia, Aubrey Clabia, Jones and Makowiec each stole multiple bases for the Lady Wreckers, who swiped a total of 14 as a team in the game.

Vanblargan, Jones, Makowiec, Mia Durham and Audrey Clabia scored a run apiece in the win.

Little League team makes run

A few weeks earlier, Weatherly’s 11-12-year-old Little League League all-stars enjoyed their own memoriable run.

They won their first two District 18 tournament games and led defending district champion-Franklin Township, 8-6, late in the district winners’ bracket final before an overflow crowd at their home field on a steamy summer evening. They were oh so close to hosting another game — for the district title.

However, Franklin Township rallied for two runs in the top of the sixth inning, scored more five in the seventh and held off Weatherly’s own comeback bid in the bottom half for a wild 13-10 victory in one of the most entertaining games at any level of the past year.

“We had our chance there at the end,” Weatherly manager Jeremy Witner said. “It just didn’t happen.”

It did happen for Weatherly earlier in the tournament and earlier in the game against Franklin Township.

Showing a ton of heart and guts, the locals twice overcame deficits to put them in position to play for the district championship. They scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth to erase a 6-3 deficit and get within three outs of advancing to the title game. Silas Zink blooped a two-run single to highlight the rally. Other runs came in on a baes-loaded walk and two wild pitches.

“They answered the bell every time,” Witner said. “They kept getting off the mat and coming for more.”

Weatherly’s dream of a Cinderella district crown died after Franklin Township made its own comeback and Tamaqua avenged an earlier tournament loss a few nights later, eliminating Weatherly.

“We’ve been trying to put Weatherly on the map for a while,” Witner said. “It’s always a couple teams we have to get through. … We’ll get there.”

In 2025, Witner and his team were at least pointed in the right direction.

To the delight of their whole town.