By Marisa Dawson, Photos by Amy Blanchard

The Bennington American Legion Post 266 Juniors capped off an impressive postseason run with a third-place finish at the Nebraska American Legion Class A Junior State Tournament in Hastings last week, closing the season one win shy of the championship game.

Post 266 finished the tournament with a 3-2 record, opening with an 11-3 victory over Johnson Imperial Homes Braves before falling 14-6 to Cornhusker Heating & Air LSW. Bennington responded with back-to-back wins, defeating Post 32 Monarch Siding 11-3 and Omaha Bones 16U 14-6 to earn a spot in the state semifinals.

Their tournament came to an end Wednesday in a tightly contested 2-1 loss to the Lincoln Jets Juniors.

While the season ended just short of a state finals appearance, first-year head coach Caden Prendergast said the accomplishments of the team extended far beyond wins and losses.

“The thing I’m most proud of when it comes to this team and our season is how they were able to compete at such a high level while having as much fun as they did,” Prendergast said.

He said one of his primary goals entering the season was to build a team-first culture, something he believes the players fully embraced.

“One thing I was striving for this team to accomplish was for them to unite and operate as one team and not individually,” he said. “They did such a phenomenal job getting along and being there for each other day in and day out. The unity really brought us all closer and paved the way for the kids to accomplish what we knew they were capable of.”

As the season progressed, Prendergast said players embraced their individual roles, allowing the team to thrive during its postseason run.

“They were able to find where they fit into the team and be able to play their role to help the team succeed,” he said. “All the work we had put in all year led to a postseason full of energy and confidence not only in themselves but in each other too.”

That confidence, he said, was reinforced by the support the team received from the Bennington community throughout the summer.

“The support between players and from our community made the players realize what they were capable of.”

Bennington’s final game against Lincoln showcased the resilience that defined the team throughout the season. Despite the narrow loss, Prendergast said the effort and emotion displayed by his players left a lasting impression.

“The final game showed a lot of character,” he said. “Watching the game you could see every player leave it all out on that field.”

He added that the players’ determination was evident throughout the contest.

“The team as a whole wanted this more than anything, to be in a spot not many people thought they could be in, and it showed. Especially in a very competitive game like it was, the team showed so much passion and heart towards that game from the first pitch to the last.”

Prendergast said the bonds formed throughout the season became one of the team’s greatest strengths.

“I saw the kids go from teammates to friends to family throughout the season,” he said. “Baseball is a team sport and if you set individual statistics aside, the possibilities of working as a team are endless.”

The experience gained during the state tournament, he believes, will benefit the players as many look to compete for varsity roles at Bennington High School next season as the Badgers move up to Class A.

“The successful season and deep postseason run helped the players realize their capabilities,” Prendergast said. “This year in class A legion made them realize that they match up with anybody else in the state if they put their right kind of hard work in.”

He added that playing meaningful postseason baseball at a young age is invaluable for the future of the program.

“The sky is the limit for our program, and younger groups of kids drive success year after year. Gaining this experience of playing deep into very competitive tournaments will drive the kids to help the varsity team the best way they possibly can.”

Although the season concluded with a one-run defeat, Prendergast hopes his players remember something much bigger than the final score.

“I hope that the players remember how much joy there is in the sport of baseball,” he said. “If my players can take away how much fun they have playing the game that they have always loved, it is a success for me.”

Reflecting on his first season as head coach, Prendergast expressed gratitude for the group that helped make the year so memorable.

“This team gave me such an incredible experience as a first year head coach,” he said. “The players’ desire to get better and grow as athletes and young men was truly inspiring to see. I am very proud to have coached such an amazing group of young men.”