Arvin Little League is heading to the California State Tournament for the first time since the league was founded in 1973, and the community is rallying behind the team to help make it happen.
The team finished the regular season 15-1 before advancing through sectionals, defeating Chowchilla to earn a spot in the state tournament, where they will face Oakland. The tournament takes place in Yuba City over 8 days.
Rebecca Bullard, Arvin Little League president, said the milestone is a long time coming.
"They went to sections, they defeated Chowchilla in our sectional to advance them to state where they're going to be playing Oakland."
To cover expenses for the trip, the league is working to raise $10,000. Fundraising efforts include selling tacos, and local businesses have also stepped up to contribute.
Cristina Duran, who is with the league, said the effort reflects the community's commitment to the team.
"It is very challenging coming from a small agricultural community. However, we are fully devoted to our boys to get them to compete at this tournament."
Bear Mountain Pizza owner Manuel Pantoja donated money to the cause.
"I decided to give back something to the community. So if we invest in our good generation, that's like a good for the community, that's like investing for the future of Arvin."
Pantoja said the achievement extends beyond the players themselves.
"So everybody's very excited and this is a huge thing for Arvin because I think this is one of the biggest sport here in Arvin, the little league."
For Julian Aguilar, who has been part of the Little League for 8 years, the moment is personal.
"Nothing could replace baseball for me. Like, it's just where I love playing since I was a little kid. And, like, even though it gets me, like, upset sometimes, like, I like playing me a lot."
Fellow league member Jesus Gomez said the team's preparation made the difference.
"Practice has helped all of us, mostly. Like, without practice that our coaches, we wouldn't probably be here."
The team said there aren't enough words to express their gratitude for the community's support.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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