History of the S.W. York Baseball Program
Established: 2000
Drawing Area: South Western School District
Home Field: South Western High School
The South Western York Baseball Program was established in 2000 as an outgrowth of the Hanover Post 14 and Glen Rock Post 403 American Legion baseball programs. Prior to 2000, players living in the Manheim Towhship area had to tryout for the Glen Rock Legion Program and players living in West Manheim or Penn Townships had to tryout for the Hanover Legion program. However, due to an increase of players wishing to play competitive summer baseball, the SW York baseball program was born where now all players in the South Western School District play for ONE TEAM!
The impact of the SW York program was immediately noticed. In the inaugural year, SW York won both the York County Regular Season and Tournament Championships, thus qualifying for the Region IV tournament played that year in Hershey, PA. At the Region IV tournament, SW York went 4-1 and beat Fredericksburg in the Championship game to qualify for the 2000 State Tournament played that year in Muhlenberg, PA (Berks Co.). In the state tournament, SW York won the first two games against Shaler (Pittsburgh) and Montoursville putting themselves within one win of the State Championship game. Unfortunately, after a heart-breaking 10-inning loss to Muhlenberg (eventual state champs) and an 11-inning loss to Blackhawk (eventual state runner's up) BOTH games played back-to-back due to rain earlier in the week, SW York's season came to an unfortunate end.
However, the following 2001 season, SW York once again found themselves KING of York Co. winning the League and Tournament Championships. In the Region IV Tournament in Spry (Dallastown), SW York sweeped through going 5-0 and advanced to the State Tournament played in Boyertown. In the opening round of states, SW York lost a tough 2-1 game to eventual State Runner Up Blackhawk in an "instant classic" pitchers dual. Then in the losers' bracket game, SW York's season ended with a loss to Hatfield.
Since the inception, SW York has been the winningest program in the York Co. Legion League:
Regular Season Champions - 2000, 2001, 2006
Tournament Champions - 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006
Region IV Champions - 2000, 2001
Region IV Runner's Up - 2005
However, a better measure of our success is the numerous players that have gone on to play college baseball!
Click Link to see Who + Where: COLLEGE PLAYERS
In addition to our outstanding win/loss record, SW York has traveled and played against some of the best legion programs in the Mid-Atlantic area, namely: Boyertown, PA; State College, PA; Brooklawn, NJ; Cooperstown, NY; Fairfield, CA; Yardley, PA; Black Hawk, PA; Montoursville, PA; Washington, PA; Punxsutawney, PA; Mt. Airy, MD; Chaney, MD; Fredericksburg, PA; Waynesboro,PA; Ephrata,PA; Hershey,PA; Hummelstown,PA; Carlisle,PA; Quarryville,PA; Mechanicsburg,PA; Shippensburg,PA; Conestoga Valley,PA; Hempfield,PA; Penn Manor,PA, and Chambersburg,PA.
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