Words Unlimited, the statewide organization of sportswriters, sportscasters and sports publicists, will honor the Barrington U12 Majors Division All-Star baseball team at its 74th annual Sports Awards Banquet on Sunday, Feb. 16, at Cranston Country Club. 

The Barrington All-Star team won the district, state and regional championships last summer, and earned a trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa. 

Words Unlimited will honor the Barrington team with the Story of the Year Award.

The Barrington U12 All-Stars captured the public's attention with their improbable run through the District II tournament. The local boys lost their first game of the tournament, falling to Bristol. But they bounced back and rolled through the elimination bracket competition, eventually defeating Pineview twice in the district finals.

After winning the state tournament over Western Cranston, Barrington traveled to Bristol, Conn. to compete in the regionals. Barrington defeated a tough Goffstown, N.H. team in the regional finals, 6-4. Owen Pfeffer led the way for Barrington, slugging four hits, driving in three runs and pitching a complete game. Owen's final pitch of the game struck out New Hampshire's star player Adam Lafond, and stranded two runners on base.

With that win, Barrington became one of only 16 teams (out of more than 6,600) from around the world to reach the Little League World Series. 

In their World Series opener, the team from Barrington held the Southeast Regional champs scoreless through the first four innings, but eventually lost 3-0. Alex Anderson pitched well for Barrington, striking out three batters, and keeping the South Riding hitters off balance throughout his four-and-two-thirds innings of work. 

"Alex, I thought, pitched lights out, pitched his tail off," said Barrington Manager Chris Promades following that game. "He battled. He competed. He grinded. That was basically the symbol of the team. That's what we're all about. We fight. We battle. We grind."

Barrington bounced back to defeat a team from Bowling Green, Ky., 6-1, in an elimination bracket game. Lucas Tanous led Barrington's offense with three hits — he hit two doubles and a single, drove in three runs, and scored a run. Miles Fontaine also performed well at the plate, belting a big double deep into the left-field corner that scored a run. Meanwhile, Pfeffer pitched a complete game, striking out seven Kentucky batters.

Barrington's run came to an end in a tough 2-0 loss to the Mid-Atlantic champs, New Jersey.

Other award winners:

n Male Sports Coach of the Year: Rocco Baldelli, Minnesota Twins manager. At age 38, Woonsocket’s Rocco Baldelli became the youngest man ever voted American League Manager of the Year. In his first season with the Twins, he guided them to their first American League Central Division championship since 2010 with 101 victories.

• Female Sports Coach of the Year: Kia McNeill, Brown University Soccer.

• Male Athlete of the Year: Jay Albis, Johnson & Wales University Wrestling

• Female Athlete of the Year: Sydney Cummings, Brown University Soccer

• Schoolboy Athlete of the Year: Kyle Moison, Lincoln High School Indoor & Outdoor Track & Field

• Co-Schoolgirl Athlete of the Year: Alyssa Worthington, West Warwick High School Gymnastics

• Co-Schoolgirl Athlete of the Year: Jayme DeCesare, LaSalle Academy Basketball & Softball

• Schoolboy Sports Coach of the Year: Aaron Thomas, North Kingstown High School Basketball

• Schoolgirls Sports Coach of the Year: Tom Martin, LaSalle Academy Tennis

• Team of the Year: Brown University Women’s Soccer

• Amby Smith Award: Bill Giusti, Long-time CCRI Equipment Manager

• Frank Lanning Award: George Egan, Long-time R.I. Interscholastic League Hockey Coach & Administrator

• Bill Cawley Award: Ray DeAngelis, R.I. Interscholastic League Official & Director of Volleyball

• Hall of Fame Inductee: Al Aleixo, Providence Journal Sportswriter

• Hall of Fame Inductee: Ed Habershaw: Salve Regina University Associate Athletic Director

• Hall of Fame Inductee: Frank Galasso: Award-Winning Sports Cartoonist

• Small College Achievement Award: Rhode Island College Women’s Tennis

• Ben Mondor Community Service Award: Lincoln High School Peanut Butter Express Champion

The Words Unlimited banquet reception will start at 5:30 p.m. and will be followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are priced at $35 for adults and $19 for children 12 years of age and under. Tickets may be obtained by contacting Words Unlimited President John Parente at (401) 826-0555 or (401) 741-1715 or any Words Unlimited member. A silent auction also will be held to support the Words Unlimited Scholarship Fund. Cash and checks are accepted for all items (no credit cards, please).