Jim Willis has managed youth baseball teams for 20 years, so you'd think the 46-year-old could contain his enthusiasm.
But he couldn't. It never gets old.
"We're going to the World Series," said Willis, manager of the Little League Big League Division team of 16- to 18-year-olds from Cumberland County, N.J.
For the second consecutive season, Willis' District 3 team will compete in the Little League Big League Baseball World Series, scheduled to start Wednesday in Easley, S.C.
On Thursday, the Jersey boys, winners of the Eastern Region, will take on the Western Region champion at 7:30 p.m.
The championship game will pit the winner of the six-team U.S. pool against the five-team International pool victor at 6 p.m. on Aug. 3 and will be shown on ESPN3.com.
"This is an experienced team. Thirteen of the 15 kids have played in a World Series tournament," Willis said. "And three have won a World Series."
Darren Fisher, Holvin Figueroa, and Jimmy Willis, the manager's son, played on a team of 16-year-olds that won a Little League Junior League World Series title in Bangor, Maine, in 2008 and went 23-0.
Fisher, Figueroa, and Willis join Kyle Maurer and Chet Godfrey as returnees from last year's team that beat Ohio in the first game but lost the next three.
Willis, an outfielder who attends Cumberland County College, said things will be different this time.
"We have a chance to take it all because we play as a team," said the 19-year-old from Shiloh Borough. "We have great talent and attitudes."
Jersey defeated Williamsport, the District 12 players from Pennsylvania, 14-5, Thursday night in the Eastern Region final to advance.
Contact staff writer Bill Iezzi
at 856-685-3299 or biezzi@phillynews.com.
