'A dream come true': B.C. team to represent Canada at Little League World Series
A team from British Columbia will be representing Canada at the Little League World Series this year.
Vancouver's Little Mountain secured its spot in a Friday afternoon game at the Canadian Little League Regional Championship in Calgary.
The team, which has been undefeated in the tournament, beat Moose Jaw 9-4.
That means the group of kids will be heading to the Little League World Series, which starts next week in Williamsport, Penn.
"I'm at a loss for words," coach Ulysses Yan told CTV News in an interview Friday.
"It was amazing, obviously. Something we were dreaming about for a few years. But to think it actually happened is another thing."
The team doesn't have much time to take in the victory or even rest, heading to Toronto just hours after the win. From there, it's on to Williamsport by bus.
"I've dreamed of doing this since I was eight years old, so it's a dream come true," player Ben Meichenbaum said.
Little Mountain's first game is on Wednesday against the team from Australia.
While it's exciting for the players, it's not the first time a B.C. team has represented Canada in the LLWS. In 14 of the last 15 years, the winning Canadian team has been from B.C.
Another team from Vancouver is headed to the Junior Little League World Series, held this year in Taylor, Mich. The B.C. Battalion will be representing Canada in that tournament, after beating the Lethbridge Junior Bulls earlier this week 6-2.
That team's first game is on Sunday against the Latin America Regional Team.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.