LAKE MARY, Fla. — On Monday afternoon, the Lake Mary All-Stars Little League baseball team made their way back home to Central Florida following their World Series Championship win.

What You Need To Know

  • Lake Mary All-Stars Little League baseball team welcomed back home with open arms after World Series Championship win in South Williamsport, Pa.

  • Hundreds of Lake Mary community members, including family and friends, flooded the Sports Complex where the players normally practice to celebrate their victory

  • Lake Mary is the first Florida-based to win the Little League World Series championship title

To mark the historic moment, hundreds of people from the Lake Mary community gathered at the Lake Mary Sports Complex to welcome the players and coaches back home on their home turf and celebrate their victory ahead of Saturday’s parade.

Kids of all ages came out with their parents, asking the players for autographs as they reunited with their families after the big victory.

From the moment they got off the plane, players and coaches paraded their banner and championship plaque as they were escorted towards their bus, which brought them back to where it all started.  

The team claimed its 2-1 victory Sunday against Chinese Taipei, coining them the first Florida-based team to win the Little League World Series championship title. 

Some players, like Liam Morrisey, were still in disbelief.

“I’m so shocked that we won the world championship. I always dreamed of it as a kid,” says Morrisey.

Others, like Chase Anderson, say the team spirit is what landed them there.

“The mentality was we’re the best team here and no one can stop you,” says Lake Mary All-Stars player Anderson.

Head Coach Jonathan Anderson says it all came down to knowing they had the community rallying behind them the entire way through.

“That was the discussion pre-game. You’ve got people back home supporting you, watching you, you’ve got watch parties. You’ve got everyone just watching what you’re doing up there and just make the people here proud,” explains Anderson.

Players were even signing their autographs on Lake Mary Little League baseball caps and on people’s T-shirts.

Lake Mary All-Stars player Teraj Alexander says he had been practicing his autograph for some time.

“It’s awesome. It makes me feel like I’m old. Everyone comes up to me and asks for a signature and a picture,” describes Alexander.

Also signing baseball caps was Hunter Alexander, also known by his teammates as “Hunter bunter” after he secured the title with a comeback by taking advantage of a bunt, bringing his team in the winning run.

“I’ve been dreaming about this since I was 4 years old, I’ve been playing since I was 4, T-ball, I’ve been watching it on tv, it’s great,” says Hunter Alexander.

It’s a unique a moment that these kids and their loved ones will be able to commemorate forever. 

“It’s just very important, very monumental to have all these autographs on here. Something for a keepsake, something to hold on to forever because I know that we will hold on to this forever and they will too,” says Teraj Alexander’s cousin, Jakara Brooks, who was at the Sports Complex alongside her entire family.

The city of Lake Mary plans to throw a celebratory parade for the Little League champions this Saturday.

All of Central Florida is welcome to cheer the players and coaches for winning the Florida and Southeast region titles. 

The parade which will take place in Downtown Lake Mary will begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to end by 1 p.m.