Jon Gerardi on sports: Tri-Town has community’s support this summer

“Good luck!” they’ll tell Huggler.

“We’re keeping up with the team,” others will let him know.

Whether he’s in Montgomery, Muncy or Hughesville, Huggler experiences the same thing in each town. And he’s glad to see the community supporting his team throughout this summer.

“I think it’s great,” Huggler said of that community support.

DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Players from Tri-Town celebrate winning the District 12 championship at Volunteer Stadium over Keystone after the final out in the sixth inning. Tri-Town has gotten a lot of support from the community during its summer run through districts and sectionals as the team prepares to begin the state tournament. Tri-Town — which consists of players from Montgomery, Hughesville and Muncy — plays West Point on Wednesday morning in Newville in the first game of the state tournament. This is the first time a team from the East Lycoming area has reached the state tournament since Montgomery did so in both 1948 and 1949.

Tri-Town is a mix of players from Montgomery, Muncy and Hughesville. And while it pulls from those three towns, there’s just six total Little League major baseball teams among them to choose players from for all-stars.

Having just six total teams in the regular season means those players and families are all familiar with one another. They see each other out and about in town. They encounter each other at grocery stores. It creates a true family environment, and that’s evident with Tri-Town’s all-star team this summer.

Tri-Town had a large contingent on site at Volunteer Stadium for the District 12 championship game when it defeated Keystone for the championship, and quite the following in Berwick at the Section 3 tournament when Tri-Town defeated Blue Mountain for the title.

Wherever Tri-Town goes, its fans aren’t far behind.

Tri-Town will be in Newville for the Pennsylvania state tournament which begins on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. Tri-Town will face Section 2 champion West Point of Greensburg.

“These little communities come together. I think it’s great. When I’m riding around with my son doing errands and some stranger comes up and says good look, I see it in the newspaper, I’m keeping up with you. I think that’s huge just bringing people together,” Huggler said.

That community continues to see Tri-Town reach new goals and win. Tri-Town won the first District 12 championship for a team from the East Lycoming area since 1986 this year. And Thursday was yet another milestone.

Tri-Town represents Hughesville, Montgomery and Muncy. And, since the Pennsylvania state tournament was started in 1948, a team from that community has only reached the state tournament twice. Both came in the first two years with Montgomery making appearances when the state tournaments largely consisted of only local area teams.

Montgomery lost in the 1949 state quarterfinals and in the 1948 semifinals, losing to West Shore in the consolation game in the first year. Players from Montgomery also reached the state tournament as part of Hepburn Lycoming’s merged team in 2021.

This year’s team keeps making history for the East Lycoming area win after win, tournament after tournament. And with the state tournament about to begin, they’re looking to make even more history.

Win or lose, Huggler and his players love seeing the fans from Hughesville, Montgomery, Muncy and even outside of Tri-Town come together to cheer and root for their team. They hear their fans cheering on the field and in the dugout.

“A simple game of baseball bringing people together off the field is phenomenal,” Huggler said.

It sure is.

Jon Gerardi is the sports editor for the Sun-Gazette. Email comments to jgerardi@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JonGerardi.