It took a little longer than expected and needed a final ruling by the tournament committee in Williamsport, but the playoff field for the District 24 Little League Major Division Tournament is finally set.
After a controversy over which of the three teams that finished with 2-2 records — Upper Schuylkill, Upper Dauphin County and Pine Grove — would qualify for the proposed six-team playoff field, the Little League Tournament Committee in Williamsport decided that all three would make the playoffs and the now seven-team playoff field be seeded based on runs allowed.
Unbeaten Ashland earned the top seed for the single-elimination playoffs and earned a bye into the semifinals. Ashland finished 4-0 in Pool 1 and allowed just three runs in four games.
Blue Mountain (3-1, 6 runs allowed), Tri-Valley (3-1, 8) and Pottsville (3-1, 20) earned home games in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, all of which will start at 5:30 p.m. Blue Mountain will host Pine Grove (2-2, 42), Tri-Valley will entertain Upper Dauphin County (2-2, 20) and Pottsville takes on Upper Schuylkill (2-2, 16).
The three quarterfinal winners will join Ashland in the semifinals. The date and times for the semifinals are yet to be determined. The Major Division championship game is set for 6 p.m. Sunday at the highest remaining seed.
Tuesday’s action in the other brackets of the District 24 Little League Tournament were postponed by rain. The 9-11-year-old championship game between Blue Mountain and Ashland, and the 8-10 quarterfinal between Pine Grove and Schuylkill Haven, were moved to Wednesday. The 9-11 title game is set for 7 p.m. at Ashland’s Eukeka Park.
The Pine Grove-Haven winner will advance to Thursday’s 8-10 semifinals and take on second-seeded Pottsville. Minersville will face Blue Mountain in the other semifinal.
Here’s a look at the updated District 24 Little League brackets for all three divisions heading into Wednesday’s action:
District 24 Little League Tournament
(Updated through July 1)
(All games start at 5:30 p.m. unless noted)
MAJOR DIVISION TOURNAMENT
Pool 1 — Ashland^ 4-0, Blue Mountain* 3-1, Upper Dauphin County* 2-2, Schuylkill Haven 1-3, SPN 0-4
Pool 2 — Tri-Valley^ 3-1, Pottsville Area* 3-1, Pine Grove* 2-2, Upper Schuylkill* 2-2, Minersville 0-4
^ Pool champion
* Clinched playoff berth
Sunday, June 15
Tri-Valley 15, Minersville 0, 3 inn.
Thursday, June 19
Blue Mountain 12, SPN 2
Pine Grove 12, Minersville 7
Ashland 10, Upper Dauphin County 0, 4 inn.
Friday, June 20
Tri-Valley 10, Pottsville Area 2
Saturday, June 21
Ashland 5, SPN 1
Blue Mountain 18, Schuylkill Haven 0, 4 inn.
Pottsville Area 8, Upper Schuylkill 4, 7 inn.
Monday, June 23
Upper Dauphin County 6, Schuylkill Haven 1
Ashland 3, Blue Mountain 2
Pine Grove 4, Upper Schuylkill 2
Pottsville 11, Minersville 0
Wednesday, June 25
Tri-Valley 18, Pine Grove 3
Upper Schuylkill 6, Minersville 4
Saturday, June 28
Upper Dauphin County 10, SPN 0
Ashland 2, Schuylkill Haven 0
Sunday, June 29
Blue Mountain 9, Upper Dauphin County 1
Schuylkill Haven 17, SPN 2, 3 inn.
Pottsville 15, Pine Grove 6
Upper Schuylkill 3, Tri-Valley 0
Wednesday, July 2
Quarterfinals (seeds in parentheses)
(7) Pine Grove at (2) Blue Mountain, 5:30 p.m.
(6) Upper Dauphin County at (3) Tri-Valley, 5:30 p.m.
(5) Upper Schuylkill at (4) Pottsville, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 3
Semifinals
Quarterfinal winner at (1) Ashland
Quarterfinal winners, TBA
Sunday, July 6
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6 p.m.
AGE 9-11 TOURNAMENT
Standings — Ashland* 4-0, Blue Mountain* 4-0, Tri-Valley* 2-2, Upper Schuylkill* 2-2, Pottsville Area 2-2, Pine Grove 0-4, Upper Dauphin County 0-4
* Clinched playoff berth
Friday, June 13
Upper Schuylkill 13, Pine Grove 12
Ashland 12, Upper Dauphin County 0
Blue Mountain 12, Pottsville Area 2, 4 inn.
Monday, June 16
Blue Mountain 13, Tri-Valley 5
Wednesday, June 18
Upper Schuylkill 11, Upper Dauphin County 7
Thursday, June 19
Ashland 11, Tri-Valley 1
Blue Mountain 15, Pine Grove 1, 4 inn.
Sunday, June 22
Ashland 9, Pottsville 4
Tri-Valley 6, Upper Dauphin County 4
Blue Mountain 10, Upper Schuylkill 6
Tuesday, June 24
Pottsville Area 12, Pine Grove 7
Thursday, June 26
Tri-Valley 12, Pine Grove 7
Pottsville 21, Upper Dauphin County 11, 4 inn.
Ashland 7, Upper Schuylkill 3
Sunday, June 29
Semifinals
Ashland 6, Upper Schuylkill 4
Blue Mountain 13, Tri-Valley 1, 4 inn.
Wednesday, July 2
Championship
Blue Mountain at Ashland, 7 p.m.
AGE 8-10 TOURNAMENT
Pool 1 — Blue Mountain^ 4-0, Schuylkill Haven* 3-1, Pine Grove* 2-2, Upper Schuylkill 2-2, Ashland 1-3, Millersburg 0-4
Pool 2 — Pottsville Area^ 4-0, Upper Dauphin County* 3-1, Minersville* 2-2, Mahanoy City 1-3, Tri-Valley 0-4
^ Pool champion
* Clinched playoff berth
Sunday, June 15
Blue Mountain 11, Pine Grove 0, 4 inn,
Schuylkill Haven 21, Millersburg 1, 3 inn.
Tuesday, June 17
Mahanoy City 16, Tri-Valley 1, 3 inn.
Pottsville Area 13, Upper Dauphin County 6
Wednesday, June 18
Pine Grove 14, Upper Schuylkill 9
Blue Mountain 7, Schuylkill Haven 1
Ashland 22, Millersburg 7, 4 inn.
Upper Dauphin County 17, Tri-Valley 0
Friday, June 20
Minersville 19, Mahanoy City 10
Pottsville Area 12, Tri-Valley 2
Saturday, June 21
Schuylkill Haven 19, Pine Grove 2, 3 inn.
Upper Schuylkill 4, Millersburg 3
Blue Mountain 24, Ashland 1, 3 inn.
Sunday, June 22
Pottsville Area 11, Minersville 4
Tuesday, June 24
Pine Grove 9, Millersburg 8
Schuylkill Haven 13, Ashland 3, 4 inn.
Blue Mountain 21, Upper Schuylkill 2, 3 inn.
Wednesday, June 25
Minersville 20, Tri-Valley 0, 4 inn.
Thursday, June 26
Upper Dauphin County 12, Mahanoy City 1, 4 inn.
Friday, June 27
Upper Schuylkill 15, Ashland 5
Saturday, June 28
Pottsville 15, Mahanoy City 2
Upper Dauphin County 8, Minersville 1
Monday, June 30
Quarterfinals
Minersville 13, Upper Dauphin County 11
Wednesday, July 2
Quarterfinals (seeding in parentheses)
(6) Pine Grove at (3) Schuylkill Haven, 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, July 3
Semifinals
(5) Minersville at (1) Blue Mountain
PG-Haven winner at (2) Pottsville
Sunday, July 6
Championship
Semifinal winners, 1 p.m.
Field Locations
Blue Mountain — Cressona (12s), Orwigsburg (11s), Cressona (10s)
Pottsville Area — Rotary (12s), Rotary (11s), Railway Park (10s)