ROBBINSVILLE, N.J. (BVM) — When the Robbinsville 12-year-old Little League All Stars returned to the field in July, they set their sights on following up the state championship they won as 10 year olds.

“The core of this group has been together since they were 8 years old. I have managed them every year and they won: 8-year-old Florence All Star tournament, 9-year-old Bordentown All Star Tournament, 10-year-old New Jersey State Champions and finished second in the Regionals last year losing to Pennsylvania in the championship,” Manager Mike Sabol said. “This year, [we are] the 12-year-old New Jersey State Champions, even though we only had one 12-year-old on the team.”

With only one 12-year-old on the roster, Ava Aldarelli, who also won a state championship last year with the Robbinsville 12s, the team headed into districts play against a more experienced team.

“Bordentown has a strong program, and that team was solid,” Sabol said. “We told our girls going in, ‘Do your best, stay poised, and let’s see what happens.’”

The team, which includes ten 11-year-olds and three 10-year-olds, rallied around their ace Aleiya O’Neal and completed a two-game sweep of Bordentown.

“After a slow start in Game 1, Aldarelli showed the girls they could do it with a triple that ignited the offense – and from there the entire team followed,” Sabol said. “Timely hits from Jess Shoenfelt, Ryan Penzone and Maura Halpin propelled them in Game 1 and similarly O’Neal, Shoenfelt and Penzone again led the offense in Game 2.”

The sectionals were hosted in Sayreville.

“The Milltown team put up a fight, the game was much closer than the 7-1 score indicates,” Coach Jason Penzone said. “But this team doesn’t seem to feel the pressure.”

When it came time to get going offensively, Robbinsville got key contributions from Gabby Sabol, catcher Hayden Bustos and her sister Hayley, and outfielders Katie Murphy and Jordan Grodsky.

At states, it was a single elimination Final Four. Robbinsville opened with the South Jersey Champion Pennsville.

“Clearly they saw they had an edge on us with their size and experience together as a travel team, but I think they underestimated our fight, and of course our ace in the hole – Aleiya O’Neal,” Coach Matt Halpin said,

O’Neal, 10, dominated from the pitcher’s circle with a complete game shutout and her double in the top of the sixth inning became the game-winning RBI.

Lexi Lopez, who played great defensively at third base, made the final play of the game to seal the win, Sabol recalled.

The state championship featured a matchup with the North Jersey Champions, Little Ferry. Robbinsville jumped out to a lead sparked by a double by Adri Cepeda.

“It was a dominating 7-0 win and another championship for this outstanding group,” Sabol said. “Two players battled back from injury to get return to the field, Sofia Hulme and Keira Pierini, and that type of spirit is what this team embodied the entire post-season.”

“They battle, they rise to the occasion and try not to let the moment get too big,” Sabol said of the team. “We’ll miss Ava, but with so many players returning, people are expecting more big things from this group next year. I have been involved with many successful teams but this group was a true underdog and won a 12-year-old state championship with only one 12-year-old on our team while consistently beating older and very talented teams.”

Outside of just field play, the girls and their parents are involved with running the Little League park season, such as concessions, fields, cleaning, trash and field set up.

“The program is teaching the girls sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership, respect and self-esteem,” Sabol said proudly.