BANGOR – Although the members of the Cartersville, Ga., team elected to bypass sightseeing and concentrate on baseball during their stay in Bangor for the Senior League World Series, the Pine Tree State certainly made an impression on the newly crowned world champions and their fans.

“We’ve stayed focused, so we haven’t gotten to see the sights much, but one day I’ll come back,” said team manager Eric Stewart. “Now that we’ve won a world championship, I’ll probably come back every year just to visit.”

Every year – in the summertime.

“To be honest, you’re never going to see me here in the wintertime. I’m allergic to cold weather so I won’t even come here to hunt something,” he said with a chuckle. “But because of my business, it would be convenient and kind of nice for me and my wife to come back up here every year and watch the World Series.”

The furthest away from home outfielder Colton Montgomery had been before this week was Panama City, Fla.

“I liked meeting the Asian Pacific kids. Those are the nicest kids I’ve ever met. And I liked being around the little kids and signing autographs. Other than that, it’s been baseball. This is our sightseeing right here,” he said. “I’m eligible to play again next year though, and I’d love to come back.”

Pearl City wins JLWS

Pearl City, Hawaii, the runnerup in both the 2005 and 2006 Senior League World Series, may be a good bet to make a return trip to Bangor in 2008.

Pearl City won the 2007 Junior League World Series on Saturday, defeating Makati City, Philippines 6-2 in the championship game at Taylor, Mich.

That win capped a run of six consecutive victories in the tournament for Pearl City, the U.S. West qualifier.

The same league sent a team to back-to-back Senior League world championship games, but Pearl City lost to Falcon, Venezuela, 4-2 in 2006 and to Urbandale, Iowa, 7-2 in 2005.

Makati City also sent a team to the 2006 SLWS at Mansfield Stadium and went 1-3 in pool play.

The Whalley Little League of Surrey, British Columbia, which lost out on a chance to reach this year’s Senior League semifinals in a tiebreaker to eventual champion Cartersville, Ga., is in good position to make a return trip next year.

The Canadian champions also competed in this year’s Junior League World Series, finishing 3-1 in pool play and advancing to the semifinals before losing to Makati City 8-1.