No matter the sport or level of competition, athletes from the greater Garfield County area continue to prove they can compete with the best.

The Three Rivers U11 Little League All-Star team — made up of players from Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, Gypsum, Eagle and Edwards — swept its divisional All-Star tournament over the weekend, advancing to the state tournament with an undefeated run.

Now known as the Three Rivers Firebirds, the team will compete in the Colorado State Tournament on July 17 in Eagle. A state title would earn them a spot in the Southwest regional and a shot at the Little League World Series, held each August in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

“It was absolutely beautiful,” Firebirds head coach Travis Hjorth said. “Watching the kids jumping around with elation — just hugging each other, high-fiving all over the place — was amazing to watch.”

The Firebirds defeated teams from Delta, Orchard Mesa, Monument and Palisade-Mesa, going undefeated through the tournament.

They opened with clean, dominant performances — topping Monument 4-0 and Delta 12-1 — behind error-free defense and zero walks. But the championship round against Pali-Mesa delivered the kind of back-and-forth tension expected in high-stakes Little League ball.

“That game was a roller coaster of emotions,” Hjorth said.

The Firebirds pulled out a 9-7 victory in the final to clinch the tournament crown without dropping a game. Hjorth credited the team’s composure to their hard work in the weeks leading up to the event.

“We worked really hard, five days a week for a month getting ready for this tournament,” he said. “Our work totally paid off. The kids were just on fire.”

Hjorth also spoke to the power of positive reinforcement — not only in shaping the kids’ development, but in transforming coaches along the way.

“I couldn’t be more honored to be a part of this experience with these kids,” he said. “Coaching really changed my life. I’ve been with these kids for a couple of years now, and I’ve seen them go from not being able to catch the ball to our pitcher throwing curveballs in the championship round that the other team just couldn’t touch. It was amazing to see, amazing to be a part of, and I’m just so proud of the kids.”

For more information about the Little League World Series, visit littleleague.org/world-series.