Leland welcomes home Dixie Youth World Series champions

LELAND, NC (WWAY) — A number of people, including town and county leaders, came out in Leland to welcome home some new baseball champions.

Leland won the “Dixie Youth Baseball D1 Majors World Series” on Tuesday, Aug. 8, defeating another Cape Fear standout: Whiteville.

A celebration for the champions was held on Thursday, Aug. 10, with Mayor Brenda Bozeman, Town Council members, Brunswick County commissioners, and Sheriff Brian Chism in attendance.

Some members of the Leland Police Department helped escort the champions from Delco back to the new city of champions.

“I don’t believe it’s 100-percent set in yet,” said Leland Youth Baseball President Russell Ledford. “I don’t know that it’s 100-percent set in with me as of yet. It’s very exciting. It’s hard to fathom what it means. We’ve won state championships and that was great but this is the top. This is the end. There’s no other team standing. We’re standing alone now on the top. I can’t describe that feeling.”

This is the first World Series championship the team has won in its 47 years of existence.