The Hartselle Speed 8U team recently competed in the USSSA 8U AAA World Series and brought home a World Series Championship.

The USSSA World Series was played in Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Foley June 17-21, attracting more than 200 teams in ages 7U to 14U from Georgia to Oklahoma.

The Speed 8U team was one of 58 teams competing in the 8U age group. The Hartselle boys played against teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Georgia during the tournament.

Speed 8U finished the World Series with a 7-2 record that included two victories over Oklahoma’s No. 2-ranked 8U AAA, the Mojo, including the championship game victory. Speed 8U also defeated one of the top-ranked teams out of Texas, the Five Tool Players.

“I am truly amazed at what 8-year-old boys were able to accomplish,” said head coach Drew Newson. “These boys were able to beat some of the very best teams from Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, and what it showed me was that hard work, heart, determination, grit, fight, teamwork and love for each other outweigh everything else.”  

Newson said he’s been around baseball “from the time I could walk and played at the collegiate level, but I learned more this week from being around a bunch of 8-year-olds than I ever have. I love this group of ballplayers and their families more than I could’ve ever imagined.”

This is the third year for the Hartselle Speed baseball organization, with teams competing in 7U, 8U and 9U. 

The 8U team finished the 2019 season as the No. 1-ranked team in Alabama 8U AAA with a 31-14 record and four tournament championships. 

Speed 8U players are Mason Guest, Graham Cottingham, Conner Hill, Brody Holloway, Mason Lee Brewer, Cole Newsom, Mason Brewer, Jacob Isbell, Wyatt Wallace, Tripp Sivley and Whit Glover. 

Speed 8U coaches are Newsom, Aaron Sivley and Chris Glover.

For more information about the Hartselle Speed baseball organization, go to www.facebook.com/HartselleSpeedBaseball.