By IAN WILSON

With a chance to represent Canada in Williamsport, Pennsylvania on the line, there was nothing little about the opportunity presented to teams from across the country.

The Canadian Little League Championship took place in Calgary recently – featuring the best 11- and 12-year-old baseball players in the nation – and a squad from British Columbia claimed the right to fly the Maple Leaf on the world stage later this month.

The tournament took place from Aug. 4-12 at Rose Diamond at Stanley Park in the Stampede City, with squads from Alberta, the Atlantic, B.C., Ontario, the Prairies, as well as the host Calgary Rocky Mountain Little Leaguers all vying for top spot.

Vancouver’s Little Mountain team ultimately prevailed by going 8-0 in the tourney, which was capped off with a 9-4 win over the Moose Jaw club that came out of the Prairies division.

Alberta Dugout Stories attended the championship game and took in the closing ceremonies. Here are some photos from the event:

Screen grab from CBC Sports ahead of the championship game between Little Mountain and Moose Jaw. Jesse Sawyer, the former Lethbridge Bulls head coach who played for Team Canada at the 2001 Little League World Series, did colour commentary for the broadcast.

A young baseball fan peeks over the right-field wall during the final game of the Little League Canadian Championship game at Stanley Park … *photo by Ian Wilson*

A cameraman captures the action as a Little Mountain batter awaits a pitch from the Moose Jaw pitcher … *photo by Ian Wilson*

A Little Mountain hitter prepares for the next pitch while red-clad Moose Jaw fans look on … *photo by Ian Wilson*

A plaque at the ballpark shares some of the history of Rose Diamond at Stanley Park. Originally built in 1962, the facility was wiped out by Elbow River flooding in 2013. The home field for Rocky Mountain Little League re-opened in 2017 … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Lucas Weisser (No. 8) looks on at Zaid Guillame at the plate, as fans display B.C. flags in the crowd. Both Weisser and Guillame were the starting pitchers for their respective teams … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Baseball watchers and players alike anticipate the next play as shadows creep into the outfield at Rose Diamond … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The play at first is captured by CBC cameras on either side of the B.C. dugout … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The team from Sydney, Nova Scotia that represented the Atlantic region joined spectators for the final game of the tournament … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Little Mountain pitcher Jaxon Mayervich delivers in the final inning against Moose Jaw … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Moose Jaw base runners have a chat between second and third base while a Little Mountain mound meeting takes place at the same time … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Fans crowd around the left-field foul pole during late-game action. Attendance for the championship matchup was estimated at 1,100 for the final contest … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Little Mountain players celebrate after the final out of the game, while a Moose Jaw player walks back to his dugout … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Little Mountain players and coaches are all smiles after the big win … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Outfielder Neal Kohl (right) is consoled by a Moose Jaw coach after he struck out with the bases loaded to end the game. Kohl hit two doubles and had a pair of outfield assists during the deciding contest against B.C. … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Moose Jaw coaches talk to their players following the 9-4 loss to Little Mountain. “I’m definitely super proud of the kids for how they fought back in the last inning. I told them after the game that this is not going to define your baseball career,” head coach Troy Turner later told Discover Moose Jaw … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Omar Bousmina (left) – who went 2-for-2 with two walks and two runs scored – does an interview with CBC reporter Signa Butler after the game … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Bousmina gets doused with water by his Little Mountain teammates after his media interview with CBC Sports … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Moose Jaw coaches and players tip their caps to the fans in Calgary after the game … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Sydney players hold the Nova Scotia flag at the closing ceremonies of the Canadian Little League Championship Tournament … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Calgary West Little Leaguers carry the Alberta flag at the closing ceremonies … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Diamond Baseball Little League players fly the flag for Quebec, the region they represented at the tournament … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The host Rocky Mountain Little League players displayed their Western pride by walking out in cowboy hats at the closing ceremonies … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The umpiring crews (right) were recognized alongside the players after the tournament … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Little League legend Joe Shea (green shirt) presents an award at the closing ceremonies … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The Little League Canada flag is lowered as part of the festivities to close out the tournament … *photo by Ian Wilson*

Little Mountain players pose for pictures with their 2022 Canada Little League Baseball Champions banner … *photo by Ian Wilson*

The 2022 Little League World Series takes place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania from Aug. 17-28th. We wish the Little Mountain squad from B.C. good luck as they represent Canada at the tournament!