“For the most part, we’ve had a pretty decent season,” Blue Sox head coach Jason Feller said. “Coming into the district tournament, I told the kids that the only team that’s going to beat you guys is you guys. If we could play our game, then I felt like we had a good chance.”

The beginning of the year was a test-run for the Blue Sox to see what their potential could be after the older players moved up to play legion.

“In the beginning (of the season) it was kind of figuring out how good we could be and we just kept improving and we kind of surprised ourselves,” Blue Sox returning player Denver Buck said.

In the district tournament, they had a close game against Lansford, but the Blue Sox were able to put up seven runs in the seventh inning to advance. The Blue Sox went undefeated at the tournament to punch their ticket to state.

Ashton Gerard/MDN A Surrey Blue Sox outfielder makes a catch in right field during practice Thursday in Surrey.

“We had five guys coming back that were 15 year olds this year so we were kind of hoping we’d have some young guys step up and we did,” Feller said. “We got a couple 13’s in there that are starting and playing.”

The Blue Sox aren’t the only team heading back to state for the second year in a row. Langdon, Thompson and Lamoure are returning as well.

“I definitely feel really confident because we’re one of the four returning teams,” Surrey’s Jaxon Feller said. “We have a lot more pitchers this year so I feel way more comfortable.”

While Jason Feller said he doesn’t know much about the teams in the tournament, he does know that Lamoure has a pretty good program and they played through their district fairly easily.

“Last year, we opened up with Hettinger (District 5) and we lost 5-1,” Feller said. “Hettinger was actually in the championship and had to be beat twice and they actually did get beat twice so we lost our opening round game to the runner-up and that’s nothing to hang your head about there.”

In there second game of the state tournament last year, Feller said errors and lack of control led to the team’s downfall and end of their tournament run. This year, they would like to come home with some wins.

“Last year, we didn’t know what to expect going into the state tournament so it was good experience for us,” Buck said. “This year going in I think we know what to expect and get some things done.”

Dalton Anderson is playing his final year in the Babe Ruth league and is ready to leave his mark on the Surrey Blue Sox at the state tournament.

“It’s been fun,” Anderson said about being on the team. “It’s been a fun ride seeing all the young people come up and all the experience we see out here. We have some competition out here for sure so it’s great.”