“Wait 'til next year.”

The Darien Comets Under-18 Baseball team battled all the way to the championship game last weekend at the Palomino North Zone Regional Tournament at Central Michigan University.

But despite the boys’ best efforts, the team lost 8-5 to the Central Michigan Stars in the final game of the tournament.

“The boys played great, and it was a terrific experience,” said Laura Pomykala, wife of Coach Gary Pomykala and mom of player Tym Pomykala. But rather than focus on the loss, Laura is determined to stay positive and set her sights on the future.

“Like the Cubs, we can say, ‘wait ‘til next year,’” she said.

Pomykala has been keeping Patch in the loop throughout the team’s impressive run at the championship title.  Her synopsis of the Comet’s games at the tournament in Michigan follows:

• In game one, the Comets) beat Bedford Park 4-3 after trailing 2-0 most of the game.  
• In game two, the Comets lost to the defending Palomino World Series Champion Central Michigan Stars 7-6 in eight innings after a hard-fought battle.    
• In game three, the Comets defeated East Lansing, Michigan 9-7 in another extra-inning game; this time nine innings. The victory sent the Comets to the championship round. 
• In game four (championship) The Comets lost to the Central Michigan Stars 8-5.  The Comets were down 5-2 but rallied to tie the score in the top of the fifth. The Central Michigan Stars then scored three in the bottom of the sixth to secure the North Zone Championship and earn their second consecutive trip to the Palomino World Series, which will begin Aug. 3 in Compton, CA.