POST FALLS - After watching the Northwest Ada Little League team advance to the West Regionals in San Bernardino two years ago, a group of Post Falls players weren't about to let it happen on their home field when the teams crossed paths again at the Junior Little League (age 13-14) level.

Post Falls swept Northwest Ada last month in the Junior Little League state tournament at Brett James Field to advance to the regional tournament in Laguna Niguel, Calif. starting today.

The team played 16 league games with Coeur d'Alene and Hayden, and has been together for seven years, nearly reaching the Northwest Regional in the Majors classification (11-12) before losing the deciding game in Boise to a team boasting many of the same Ada players.

"It was kind of ironic to play them again," Post Falls coach Kurt Gomer said. "The kids really wanted to show them they were a state-worthy team."

Post Falls opens the tournament today against the qualifier from Alaska at 4 p.m. and will play in a pool against teams from Hawaii, Utah, Southern California and Nevada.

For the regional tournament, teams will be split into two six-team pools, with the top two teams in each pool advancing to the semifinals on Monday, Aug. 9.

The winner advances to the Junior League World Series from Aug. 15-21 in Taylor, Mich.

"All of them go to school and play sports together," Gomer said of his team. "They get along with each other really well. Some of them haven't been on the team before, but most of them have grown up together. They trust each other. It's good when you know what each other can do."

With the close-knit group, Gomer added it makes his and fellow coach Chad Davenport's job a lot easier.

"It's been excellent," Gomer said. "They are all great kids and all of them get along. Both Chad and I have kids on the team, so we've got a vested interest in the program, but we've coached them since they were 5 and 6 years old. They've responded well to us."

The Post Falls team went 13-3 in league play, then had to battle through the District I tournament at Ted Page Field in Coeur d'Alene before qualifying for regionals with a sweep of Northwest Ada in Post Falls on July 23-24.

"It's been fun to watch them hit," Gomer said. "Our biggest driving force is to outscore a team and hope they don't outscore us."

Off of the field, Gomer added that the many of the players excel at other sports.

"They are all excellent athletes," Gomer said. "Most of them are smart students also. Their future varsity coaches (in football, basketball and baseball) have all taken a great interest in this group."

Nate Gomer, who catches for the team, said he didn't want to experience losing to the Ada team again.

"We were all motivated to beat them," Nate Gomer said. "As a group, we were determined not to lose to them again. We were on our home field and really wanted to win and go to California this time."

Post Falls won the first game of a three-game series in Boise two years ago, but lost the final two games and was eliminated.

"We thought we had them after winning the first game," Post Falls outfielder Junior Mckeown said of the matchup two years ago. "And then they turned around and beat us twice. This time, it felt good to beat them. This time, it didn't seem as stressful."

Both players confess, playing the Boise team was easier this time around.

"There wasn't an eight-hour car ride this time," Gomer said. "We could just show up and play baseball. We didn't have to stay in a hotel and could just focus on playing. As a team, we were pretty relaxed going into the games with them."

Mckeown added the reason the team has remained close is because of the players friendships, both on and off the field.

"I've know everyone on the team since I was nine-years old," Mckeown said. "We've had a lot of fun together."

After winning the state title, the Post Falls team set out to raise funds - around $1,400 - for the trip to regionals.

"We didn't have the funding for the trip," coach Gomer said. "We're going to be renting a bus and feeding the kids for a week, and just didn't have the funding."

A fund has been set up at US Bank in Post Falls, 415 E. Seltice Way, in care of the Post Falls Little League to attempt to help offset costs.