Graney: Local team makes Little League World Series with Raiders’ help

It’s a magical place and Adam Johnson wants his Paseo Verde Little League team to enjoy every square inch of it.

Williamsport might be a city of fewer than 30,000 that was settled in the late 18th century and prospered due to its lumber industry, but not for two weeks each August.

That’s when the Pennsylvania town welcomes the sounds of baseball to the Little League World Series. Johnson and his Paseo Verde players now get to experience it firsthand.

They qualified as Mountain Region champions and open play in the United States bracket at noon Thursday against Metro champion South Shore from Staten Island, New York.

“I think with this team, we consciously knew that we had a group capable of doing something special,” said Johnson, Paseo Verde’s manager. “As long as they believed in each other and played together and understood it was about making a lifetime achievement, we knew the ultimate goal was getting to Williamsport.”

Works for Raiders

Johnson is a native Nevadan and the Raiders assistant equipment manager. He’s been with the organization since 2006 and joined it full-time in 2012.

There is just something special about Williamsport. About the bright lights of Lamade Stadium when packed with thousands of screaming fans. About a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Paseo Verde is the third Nevada team to qualify for the Little League World Series, following U.S. champion Mountain Ridge in 2014 and Henderson last year.

“I would say from the very beginning that this has been a selfless group of 12 players,” Johnson said. “They put team goals ahead of their own and knew this was going to take all 12.

“It might be six of them one day and another six the other and maybe three coming through another, but all these kids have put team above themselves, for sure.”

Johnson said his Raiders family has been great, from his boss in director of equipment operations Bob Romanski to coach Antonio Pierce to players like edge rusher Maxx Crosby.

“I’ve been fortunate to be around very good people with (the Raiders),” Johnson said. “The Raiders are a family-run place and without their support I wouldn’t be able to do this. I’m very grateful to those who have shown me the team-first attitude, about players doing things the right way.”

Said Pierce: “I need some advice from (Johnson). I didn’t know he was that good a manager. He spots the ball for us and the next thing I know, he’s on ESPN celebrating with his team. We’re extremely happy to support Adam and he’ll be gone until his team hopefully wins the World Series.”

Paseo Verde players hope they can make that kind of run.

Creating memories

Johnson has coached All-Star teams to four straight state titles. This has been building for some time, this idea of getting the right 12 players together to form a special squad.

Now he will experience what managers Ashton Cave of Mountain Ridge and Ryan Gifford of Henderson did in the past. Each understood the bigger picture and the message imparted at the World Series. A place where dreams are realized but also the values of Little League are stressed.

It takes a lot to get to Williamsport. You want to win. But it’s important to create memories.

“It hasn’t really hit me yet,” Johnson said. “I think as coaches and parents, we’re still processing it. We feel like we’re representing the entire state and are going to do our best to show what Nevada has baseball-wise and, more importantly, character-wise.”

It’s a magical place, a special time. Paseo Verde is about to learn about every square inch.

Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports column writing, can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com. He can be heard on “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday. Follow @edgraney on X.