‘Really cool!’: Bend North Softball All-Stars leave for Little League World Series

'There's only a certain number of teams still playing and we’re one of them'

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Bend North Softball All-Stars set out for North Carolina Wednesday for the Little League World Series.

The team had a royal send-off, with Bend Fire and Rescue, Police and Deschutes County sheriff's deputies all escorting the group to the Redmond airport.

Kennedy Huff, who plays second base, can’t believe it. 

“I never thought it would happen. It feels really cool that we get this opportunity,” Huff said. “There's only a certain number of teams still playing, and we’re one of them.”

Local media, family and friends also gathered at Sky View Middle School to wish the team good luck.

The girls, including catcher and stud hitter Jessie Berry, were all smiles, rocking their matching lucky Crocs, taking pictures and soaking in the moment.

“Just all the excitement that we won through regionals, states and districts -- it's all coming back,” Berry said when asked what was going through her mind. “Now we get to go to the World Series, and it’s kind of exciting.”

Many of these girls, like third baseman Claire Phillips, have played on the same all-star team for years, and hope this World Series trip brings more unforgettable moments.

“I feel like if the season would have ended, we would have all been really sad and found other ways to hang out. But now that we all get to do what we love with each other, it's even better,” Phillips said. “We can’t do any worse than this. 12th in the whole world is pretty good but it would be great to be in the top three.”

The girls' journey was starting with a 7-hour layover in Seattle, then a cross country red-eye flight to North Carolina.

They play the winner of Latin America and Canada on Monday at 10 a.m. Eastern (7 a.m. Pacific) on ESPN+.

We'll have the highlights on NewsChannel 21 during Monday night’s newscast.