While other teams stayed in hotels and basked in

air-conditioned comfort, they stayed outdoors and cooked over a

camp stove. While other teams had over 30 players to choose their 12

All-Stars from, they only had 16.

But when all was said and done, the Senoia 13-year old

All-Star baseball team did their best impression of the little engine

that could and finished fourth in the state baseball junior tournament.

For the 16 players and coaches who participated, the journey

to the playoffs was something that will stay with them a

lifetime. Coach Gary Gruby said the team quickly started turning heads

after they won the fourth district title by beating a team

from Peachtree City and heading to the state tournament in Toccoa.

Since the Senoia Area Athletic Association is not the richest

association in the region, the coaches and players camped at the

Tallulah River Resort to save money. Instead of eating out, the players

ate food furnished by the Gruby, Teagle and Bishop families

and cooked outside.

to the blazing Georgia heat and had a little extra energy during

the crucial parts of the games. When the team arrived at the

Toccoa playing field, a sense of awe overcame the players.

"It was a magnificent and inspiring field and

meticulously groomed. The loud speaker system and music was daunting

like the pros as the players were introduced," he said.

Since the team was not expected to be in the playoffs, many in

the crowd were asking where was Senoia, but the team

quickly showed them. The team lost its first game in the double

elimination tournament to Smyrna and then had to face

tourney-favorite Cedartown.

Senoia beat Cedartown and quickly became the darling of

the fans and even earned a nickname. The team wears blue jerseys

and has players ranging from 4'6 inches to 6'2 inches so the

crowd dubbed the team the Smurfs.

The team's next game was against Athens. The game

was close, but the Smurfs lost and ended up finishing fourth in

the state.

Gruby said the memories will last a lifetime and offered

special thanks to David Bishop, who managed the team, and also

the team's mascot, 9-year old Jesse Gruby.

Jesse led the team onto the field before each game and was

the talk of the tournament.

"There was not another team entered that ran their players

lapping around the outfield with an illegal, but in perfect uniform,

9 year old in the lead," he said.

In the end, Gruby believes the kids learned a valuable life

lesson.

"They had an experience to see what it's like to be the

underdog and keep hanging in. The 12 young Senoia boys made us proud

and got the attention of the state. How sweet it was."

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