The Prince Edward-Farmville Youth Association (PEFYA) Minors All-Star team was pressing on this year without much of the age and experience that helped propel last year’s team to the World Series, but the boys showed character that will serve them well moving forward, even if their 2018 run came to an end Sunday evening.

The PEFYA squad went 1-2 in the Dixie Youth Baseball Minor League All-Star District 5 double-elimination tournament held in Dinwiddie.

“The kids tried their best, tried their hardest,” PEFYA Manager Jerry Morgan said. “We just fell short on defense, but they gave it their all … That’s the only thing you can ask of them.”

The team was eliminated Sunday after a 17-7 loss to the Charlotte County All-Stars.

The PEFYA boys staved off elimination Saturday with an 8-4 victory that eliminated the Crewe-Burkeville All-Star team, and they opened their tourney run with an 11-4 loss to the Lunenburg County All-Stars on Friday.

Only Austin Morgan, Josh Simon and Johnny Luhn remained of the 2017 PEFYA Minors squad that won the state championship and reached the World Series.

Manager Morgan highlighted Simon, Austin Morgan, Luhn and Jayden Jones as his standout players this year, noting Jones was excellent at first base and Luhn was catcher the entire tournament.