Mahoning Valley Heat scorch competition

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Neighbors| Submitted.The 12U Mahoning Valley Heat team including form left; (front) Tyler Taafe, Drew Potesta, Greg Parella, Grant Zarrinmakan, Luke Kelty, Cody Dye; (back) Coach Gene Potesta, Pete Hernandez, Vincent Ferrier, Andrew Armstrong, David Derthick and manager and Coach Tim Kelty had a very successful year..They were finalist in the Top Gun fourth of July National Qualifier tournament for the Nations baseball League and unbeaten in pool play..Mike Massucci, Jordan Hernon and Riley Robinson are not pictured.

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Neighbors | Submitted.The Mahoning Valley Heat Travel Organization including, from left, (front) Carl DeSiato, Richie Julliano, Connor Dye, Leo Finsen, Danny Kapalko; (middle) Nicholas DeSalvo, Anthony Potesta, Kevin Ferguson, Alex Hernandez; (back) Coach Lew Finsen, manager and Coach Sam Dye and Coach Pete Hernandez were the 10U Nations Eastern Champions with a 16-2 record. .This was their first year of play in the league.

The Mahoning Valley Heat travel team was the 10U Nations Eastern champions with a 16-2 record in its first year of play.

The 10U team, managed by Sam Dye, also won the Twinsburg baseball tournament in July. They advanced to the quarterfinals in the state championship tournament in Columbus.

The 12U Mahoning Valley Heat team, managed by Tim Kelty, had a very successful year.

Among its accolades was being a finalist in the Top Gun Fourth of July National Qualifier tournament for the Nations Baseball League. The Mahoning Valley Heat 12U team was unbeaten pool play.

The team also advanced to the Nations Ohio State tournament Medal Round and reached the final day of that tournament. The squad posted a 4-1 record in that state tournament and were undefeated in pool play. The team also holds victories over this year’s state champion, Jackson Bears Purple.

The 12U team was composed primarily of players from three former Mahoning Valley Blue Jays teams, which won the SSBL 11U championship last year with a 20-0 record.

Both teams have qualified to participate in the Nations National Championship tournament.

The teams have called the 911 Austintown Baseball Field their home field this past season.

Youth from Canfield, Austintown, Youngstown, Hubbard and the Warren area make up the teams.