What a season! Just how good was this team?

The Lynbrook Knights 10-and-under baseball squad put a bow on their undefeated dream season with a championship win in dominant fashion.

The team was an offensive and defensive giant all season. Not only was their fielding nearly impenetrable, but each boy on the team batted over .500. Their hard work culminated in a championship game against Garden City, where they won 13-3. “They're motivated, caring — they’re like 12 brothers,” said head coach Robert Brenneis. “They’re always there for one another. No negativity. Just a great bunch of kids. And the parents are fantastic.”

The Knights were down in the first few innings, but came back in a big way. The Knights’ players didn’t realize they won by the 10-run mercy rule. Jake DeLuca said he's won championship games with other sports teams, but the Knights are special.

“We practice, we help each other, and it all came onto the field,” Jake said. “We were hitting and doing good. It was exciting.”

The team has been together since they were eight years old, and worked hard to achieve the skill level they have today.

“Our first season we weren’t too great — we had like, four wins and 11 losses,” said Knights player Jackson Kramme. “We have just come so far as a team.”

The parents and kids contributed to the team’s success along with coaches Brenneis, Eric Jaworowski, James DeLuca, and TJ O'Connor. The coaches spent time teaching the boys situational baseball to get them ready to make whatever play a situation calls for. They also developed a relationship with each player to help them hone their skills and develop confidence throughout the season.

“If it wasn’t for the coaches, and the time that they put into each kid individually, and building them into stronger players, we wouldn’t have won it without them,” said Paulette Mackey, whose son William is on the team. “And to see my son go from zero to 100, you can’t put that into words. It's really something truly special.”

“These kids came a long way,” Brenneis said. “To watch them grow is great. To dedicate my time to these kids – I look forward to doing it.”

The boys’ performance is made stronger by the friendships they share. The bond they’ve developed both on and off the field has created a team that meshes seamlessly together.

“It’s just awesome. It's just so fun, our team is just so great,” said Jackson, who describes the team as his brothers. “All the coaches encourage the kids so much. If we’re down, we get the dugout loud, and then we usually end up just rallying.”

“Everyone’s nice, and they’re all cool,” Joey Mastrogiacomo, one of the players, said. “All of them are my friends. And my coaches are really fun.”

Over the course of spring, summer and fall seasons, everyone involved on the team has come together in what they call the Knights family.

“The moms, the grandparents, the siblings of the other kids, we’re all there together,” said Jackson’s mom Laura. “We’re cheering for each player, we bite our nails together, we celebrate together. It’s really been a tremendous experience to be a part of it.”