SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa — Last summer, Alex Pagano was sitting at his family’s lake house watching the Little League World Series with his cousin dreaming of a trip to the tournament of champions.
“I told him I want to be there so bad one day,” the Massapequa first baseman told The Post.
Fast forward one year, Pagano and 10 of his close friends found themselves in that very same place: 12-year-old boy heaven otherwise known as South Williamsport.
Massapequa Coast huddle once more at the Little League World Series. Douglas HealeySuddenly, they were living the life of celebrity athletes, signing baseballs for younger starry-eyed Little Leaguers and fielding interviews with ESPN.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Pagano, who shed a few tears when his team was eliminated after a 7-1 loss to Hollidaysburg, Pa. “It’s so great to play on this Little League field.”
It was indeed a feat. Perhaps his teammate Anthony Badagliacca summed up their presence in Williamsport best:
“Last season we didn’t even make it out of districts, so the fact that we made it here was impressive.”
And after they dropped their second game and knew they were going home, manager Roland Clark gave some sage advice to his impressionable charges.
“My coach told us that we’ve been together for a while and just look around,” Pagano said. “This is the time to take it in.”
There was a lot to take in, after a long summer of tournament play. There were countless pingpong games, pins traded and trips sliding down the famous hill behind Lamade Stadium.
“Being in the dorms for 3 ¹/₂ weeks together, we became like brothers,” said pitcher Joey Lionetti. “We fought a lot, and we bonded a lot. It was the best summer of my life.”
Pagano said leaving South Williamsport is bittersweet.
“This is probably the last time we will be playing together. I think a lot of the kids are splitting up to go to different travel teams,” said Pagano, who despite their 0-2 mark in Williamsport, felt the strength of his brotherhood.
Massapequa Coast players walk off the field after their Little League World Series loss on Monday. Douglas Healey“But we picked each other up because we remember that we made it here, and that’s our biggest accomplishment. We’ve been together since we were 8. It’s an honor.”
The team will return home to Massapequa as conquering heroes with a town parade planned to honor them and cap off a storybook summer.
“The fact that everyone from home was watching us, that really warms my heart,” Pagano said.
