Although they didn't walk away with a championship, the Stikine Grizzlies competed in their first Little League Southeast District Major League baseball tournament in more than a decade when they took the field in Juneau on July 13-15.

The tournament saw the Grizzlies (11-12 age group) play against teams from Ketchikan, Gastineau Channel (Juneau) and Prince of Wales Island.

The Grizzlies came away from the tournament without any wins, but that was OK.

Kaelene Harrison, a member of the Little League board, said she was happy the young athletes could participate in the tournament because of the experience they gained.

"It's been more than 10 years - probably closer to 15 years - since we've had a team that could go compete in a tournament like this," she explained. "We knew this was going to be a tough tournament, going against larger communities, but the kids were able to get some valuable experience."

The all-star team, comprised of players from Wrangell and Petersburg, faces logistical issues when it comes to being able to regularly practice together, and they play in a program that has traditionally struggled to find athletes willing to commit to playing all the way from April through July.

"There has been a lot of work to develop this program," Harrison said. "It takes a lot for the team to be able to compete in a tournament like this. The transportation is costly, and you have housing and tournament fees. Cost is always a challenge."

Harrison noted the smaller population of Wrangell and Petersburg compared to Juneau and Ketchikan yields a limited talent pool. There were seven players from Wrangell and six from Petersburg - most of whom don't get the chance to compete at high levels.

"I'm proud of the kids because they've kept their heads up through this whole thing," Harrison said. "They stayed positive and recognized the value of the experience."

She is hopeful the experience will serve as fuel for future baseball ambitions all the way into high school.

"This has been good for building character," she said. "Plus, they get a taste of competition at a higher level and that can build a greater love for the game."