(97.1 The Ticket) -- A rivalry will be renewed on a national stage Sunday afternoon with some prestigious hardware on the line.
Any time Michigan and Ohio get together in any sport -- or any sort of competition, really -- you know bragging rights will be on the line, and that’s going to be the case Sunday when the team from Taylor, Mich. takes on the team from Hamilton, Ohio in the Little League World Series championship.
Taylor North got some revenge Saturday evening against Hawaii, who beat Michigan 2-0 two days earlier.
In the win-or-go-home final of the Hank Aaron Bracket, Michigan’s Cameron Thorning hit a two-run homer in the top of the first inning, which proved to be enough to hold off the youngsters from Honolulu. He also notched seven strikeouts on the mound Saturday.
Michigan and Ohio have met plenty of times in LLWS regional tournaments, but will square off for the first time in Williamsport, as the tournament took on a new form this year in the midst of the pandemic.
With no international teams in the mix this year, two teams from each of the eight U.S. regions got to make the trip to play Lamade and Volunteer Stadiums.
And it will culminate in a rematch of the Great Lakes Regional Championship, which saw Taylor North beat Hamilton’s West Side LL 9-1.
The kids from Ohio beat South Dakota 5-2, somewhat of an upset, as Gavin Weir threw two no-hitters in the first three games of the tournament for tournament favorites South Dakota.
The title game is set for 3 p.m. on ABC, and anticipation is already building, with many big names in the world of Michigan and Ohio sports offering their support on social media.
A win for Taylor North would be Michigan’s first LLWS since Hamtramck won it in 1959, and a win would be the first-ever championship for Ohio.