2026 New York State Little League Tournament Preview
Eight sectional champions have completed the journey to West Nyack. Now, only one will leave as New York State champion.
The 2026 New York State Little League Baseball Championship will be hosted by West Nyack Little League from July 24–31. The eight qualifiers enter the tournament with a combined record of 64-7, including two undefeated teams and seven clubs with either zero or one loss.
Opening ceremonies and the pool draw will take place Friday, July 24. The first games are scheduled for Saturday morning.
The New York State champion will advance to the Metro Region Tournament in Bristol, Connecticut, where it will compete for the opportunity to represent the region in the Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
🏟️ Host and Venue
Host: West Nyack Little League
Location: West Nyack, New York
Field: Cesca Field
Tournament dates: July 24–31, 2026
First pitch: Saturday, July 25 at 10:00 a.m.
The Eight Sectional Champions
Section 1 East
Maine-Endwell Little League
Maine and Endwell, New York
District 7
Record: 12-0
Section 1 West
Penfield Little League
Penfield, New York
District 4
Record: 6-1
Section 2 North
New Hartford Little League
New Hartford, New York
District 10
Record: 10-2
Section 2 South
Twin Town Little League
Troy, New York
District 14
Record: 6-1
Section 3 North
Florida Little League
Florida, New York
District 19
Record: 8-0
Section 3 South
Mid Island Little League
Staten Island, New York
District 24
Record: 8-1
Section 4 East
St. James/Smithtown Little League
Smithtown, New York
District 35
Record: 8-1
Section 4 West
Port Washington Little League
Port Washington, New York
District 28
Record: 6-1
Familiar Teams Return to the State Stage
Half of this year’s field also reached the New York State Tournament at the 10-year-old level two years ago.
The four returning leagues are:
- Penfield
- New Hartford
- Mid Island
- Port Washington
That prior experience gives those programs familiarity with the atmosphere and pressure of a state tournament. For many of the players, this week represents the continuation of a journey that began together at the 10-year-old level in 2024.
Three leagues are also returning to the 12-year-old New York State Tournament for the second consecutive summer:
- Penfield
- St. James/Smithtown
- Port Washington
Four players are confirmed returnees from last year’s 12-year-old state tournament:
- Jace Hooge — Penfield
- Andrew Barbato — St. James/Smithtown
- Brandon Kien — Port Washington
- Drew Theoharis — Port Washington
Those four enter West Nyack having already experienced the highest level of Little League tournament play within New York State.
Tournament Format
The eight teams will be randomly drawn into two four-team pools during Friday’s opening ceremonies.
Pool A: Draw positions #1–#4
Pool B: Draw positions #5–#8
Each team will play the other three teams in its pool once.
After pool play, the top two teams from each pool advance to the single-elimination semifinals:
- Pool A winner vs. Pool B runner-up
- Pool B winner vs. Pool A runner-up
The two semifinal winners will meet Friday night for the New York State championship.
The draw will determine each team’s pool, schedule position and opening opponent.
Tournament Schedule
Saturday, July 25
🕙 10:00 a.m. — #1 vs. #4
🕐 1:00 p.m. — #2 vs. #3
🕓 4:00 p.m. — #5 vs. #8
🕖 7:00 p.m. — #6 vs. #7
Sunday, July 26
🕙 10:00 a.m. — #5 vs. #7
🕐 1:00 p.m. — #6 vs. #8
🕓 4:00 p.m. — #1 vs. #3
🕖 7:00 p.m. — #2 vs. #4
Monday, July 27
🕕 6:00 p.m. — Challenger Game
🕖 7:00 p.m. — Skills Competition and Home Run Derby
Tuesday, July 28
🕙 10:00 a.m. — #1 vs. #2
🕐 1:00 p.m. — #3 vs. #4
🕓 4:00 p.m. — #5 vs. #6
🕖 7:00 p.m. — #7 vs. #8
Wednesday, July 29 — Semifinals
🕠 5:30 p.m. — Pool A winner vs. Pool B runner-up
🕗 8:00 p.m. — Pool B winner vs. Pool A runner-up
Friday, July 31 — State Championship
🏆 7:00 p.m. — New York State Championship Game
📺 Watch Live
Every game of the New York State Tournament will be streamed by PDF Sports Network on YouTube:
▶️ https://www.youtube.com/@pdfsportsnet
🌐 Official Tournament Website
Team rosters, tournament information, schedules and results can be found at:
🔗 https://nyroadtowilliamsport.com/
📱 GameChanger Links
Section 1 East
Maine-Endwell
https://web.gc.com/teams/3bQZK59h3u4d
Section 1 West
Penfield
https://web.gc.com/teams/szHJAN641Zwn
Section 2 North
New Hartford
https://web.gc.com/teams/ODihVkBlFPqL
Section 2 South
Twin Town
https://web.gc.com/teams/1UYi01K3rRHv
Section 3 North
Florida
https://web.gc.com/teams/gyzoIryeywYd
Section 3 South
Mid Island
https://web.gc.com/teams/QRweZZyorjB0
Section 4 East
St. James/Smithtown
https://web.gc.com/teams/keeuQs2tpWEs
Section 4 West
Port Washington
https://web.gc.com/teams/GrrMNpV2w8a2
🔎 A Field With No Easy Draw
The random draw will determine the matchups, but it will not create an easy pool.
Maine-Endwell and Florida arrive undefeated. Penfield has the tournament’s highest-scoring offense. St. James/Smithtown leads the field in team batting average and slugging percentage. Port Washington has allowed fewer than one run per game. Mid Island brings power throughout its lineup. New Hartford combines a deep pitching staff with a solid lineup. Twin Town possesses one of the most dominant individual players in the state in Dominic Gibson.
All eight teams have already survived district and sectional competition. All eight have demonstrated the ability to win. By Friday night, only one will remain on the road to Williamsport.
Analysis of the teams, pools, and who is going to win the crown will come tomorrow night after the draw is completed.
Find updates, rankings, and more on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RoadToWilliamsport and www.facebook.com/groups/llworldseries
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