St. James-Smithtown Little League state champs enjoying spotlight, historic opportunity
The towns' joint Little League team, New York State's champion, is riding a wave of star-studded attention as it prepares to play the best teams from Rhode Island, New Jersey and Connecticut for a ticket to the Little League World Series.
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'I feel like we're getting a lot of recognition. I feel like a celebrity walking around,' Bulls pitcher and NYS home run derby champ Jeremy Katz told The Post.
'It's a good feeling, and I want it to continue that way,' he added ahead of the regional tournament in Bristol, Conn., that starts for the 12-year-olds Saturday night against Rhode Island.
The boys' bolstering confidence comes with the territory, according to former major leaguer Frank Catalanotto, who played for the Bulls in the late 1970s and early '80s.
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'Even though you were still a young kid, people took you seriously,' said the homegrown talent who now manages Hofstra's team.
'You felt like you were playing Major League Baseball. That's how big it was and how important it was.'
Little big shots
And who could blame the St. James-Smithtown group that just won the league's first state title?
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4 St. James-Smithtown coach Scott Santelli watches his team practice on July 28, 2025.
Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Along with significant media attention and games soon to be televised on ESPN, each of the Bulls received massive state champion rings that the players are wearing on chains around their necks.
'They're getting a sense of their accomplishments and all their hard work and what they've put into this,' said assistant coach Eric Hanson, whose son of the same name is an outfielder on the squad.
'It goes beyond the game, and hopefully they can use this for the rest of their lives.'
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On the field, meanwhile, the players' parents are making noise that rivals Yankee Stadium. The younger Hanson said the team's state title victory against South Shore on the road on Staten Island felt like a home game.
4 St. James-Smithtown players pose for a picture after their New York state title victory.
Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Down 2-0 in that all-or-nothing game, families shaking down the thunder provided the bullish energy the boys needed to come back and win 7-2.
'The boys can hear it in the dugout, and we can feel the momentum switching,' said Hanson's dad.
'And we took advantage of it.'
The 10th man
The parents' overwhelming support is not lost on shortstop Andrew Barbato, either.
4 Lucas Kostas pitches during a St. James-Smithtown Little League practice on July 28, 2025.
Heather Khalifa for New York Post
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He said having families around to watch the Bulls thrive has been 'a real dream come true.'
'Just being in it and having all of them watch it — shout out to the parents for taking off work and stuff,' the middle schooler added.
The team, including parents, has also been close since many of the group were around 5 years old, bringing another layer of motivation among the boys that's making them better, according to Katz's mom, Jodi.
'It really is like a family,' she said. 'It creates the kind of family environment, camaraderie that I think translates into good play on the field.'
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4 Ryan Delgado bats during St. James-Smithtown practice on July 28, 2025.
Heather Khalifa for New York Post
Understandably, she doesn't want their heads getting too large with all the hoopla.
'It's wonderful that they're being celebrated in this way,' Katz said, 'but behind the scenes, they're still the group of scrappy 12-year-old boys who swim and play stickball together.'
Barbato agrees about keeping focus on the task at hand.
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'I'm just going to block it out and just play baseball and have fun with my friends,' he said.
'To keep doing what we've been doing, it should be fine.'
Schedule breakdown
St. James-Smithtown kicks off the Little League Metro regional tournament against Burrillville, R.I., at 7 p.m. Saturday after Fairfield (Conn.) National and New Jersey's Jackson-Holbrook play at 4 p.m.
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The losers of the two opening games meet for an elimination game at 7 p.m. Sunday, while the two winners face off at 1 p.m. Monday with a trip to the final on the line.
The team that loses Monday will play the winner of Sunday's game for the other spot in the final, which is 7 p.m. Aug. 8.
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