HENDERSON (KTNV) — As the Henderson team gets ready to play its first Little League World Series game, one local player — now in college — shared some wisdom he gathered from his time in Williamsport nearly a decade ago.
Austin Kryszczuk, now an outfielder with the UNLV baseball team, was a member of the 2014 Mountain Ridge Little League team that almost won the championship.
"I'm sure those boys are very excited," Kryszczuk said. "I had so much fun with my teammates during that time, and we met so many people worldwide. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
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A slugging outfielder for the Rebels, Kryszczuk has one year of eligibility left. He's already made a mark within the program, though, having been named to the Mountain West all-conference team following the 2022 season.
Before UNLV, Kryszczuk played baseball at Centennial High School, where he was teammates with Zach Hare, another 2014 Mountain Ridge team member.
"We lived together for two or three months back then," Hare said. "It was something you don't experience with most friends growing up. Regardless of how often we see each other now, that 2014 team, we have a bond that most people don't have."
The Henderson team will play its first game in Williamsport — the town in Pennsylvania where the Little League World Series is held every year — Wednesday afternoon. They will face a team from Rhode Island.
The former Mountain Ridge players said they would tune in to watch the latest chase for a championship by a Las Vegas area sports team.
"Absolutely," Kryszczuk said. "I'm going to get all my stuff done in the morning, so I'll be able to watch every inning."
