After Bushy Run secured the final out and collected its District 31 championship trophy, players shouted, “We won the WPIAL.”

The reference is meant to draw a parallel to the high school baseball season, where teams win the WPIAL then play for a PIAA state title.

It’s a progression.

For Legion teams, it goes district, region and then state.

Bushy Run took care of step one with a 6-2 victory over two-time defending champion Latrobe on Wednesday at Penn-Trafford High School.

It was the Beavers’ first district title since 2019 and fourth overall.

Many of the players were on the Penn-Trafford team that, in the spring, shared a section title, reached the WPIAL semifinals, played in the WPIAL third-place game then lost in the quarterfinals of the PIAA playoffs.

“These guys talk about their high school season and how they have not won anything,” Bushy Run manager Scott Peyman said. “They want to win district, regions and states. They want trophies. Now, they have one. It’s vindication.”

But more could come.

Bushy Run (19-3-1) will open the four-day Region 7 Tournament on Saturday in Bellefonte.

Bald Eagle High School and Governor’s Park will serve as game sites.

District 31 runner-up Latrobe (21-6) and third-place Murrysville (18-10) also will play in the eight-team tournament, joining Bedford, Beech Creek, Huntingdon, Philipsburg and St. Michael.

Huntingdon took the spot of Hempfield East, which backed out because of a shortage of available players.

Each team will have three pool-play games, one each over Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

The winners and runners-up in each pool advance to the semifinals Tuesday.

The two winners play for the championship at 6 p.m Tuesday.

“Our defense was solid, and it was a team effort,” Bushy Run first baseman Chuck Fontana said of Wednesday’s title win. “We talk about hurdles, like high school ball. You win district, then move on to the next one.”

Said center fielder Jason Sabol: “One goal at a time.”

The Beavers, who are riding a 14-game winning streak, were the region runners-up last year to Philipsburg, which once again is stacked with strong pitching.

“This lets them know they can win,” Peyman said of his players. “We made such a good run last year, so the guys know what it’s like.”

Peyman was not surprised to see Latrobe in the final.

“The last five district titles have been us or them,” Peyman said. “They have a great program over there.”

Latrobe, which has won 10 of its past 11 games, could be a factor in the regional round.

“You could see some of our guys were ticked off,” Latrobe manager Jason Bush said. “They are not happy with how we played and that we came up short.

“We’re looking forward to starting over. There is a lot of baseball ahead of us.”

The last Region 7 champion from District 31 was Hempfield East in 2019.

After regionals, for some, it will be on to the state tournament the following week (July 24-28) at Latrobe.

Seven regional champions will converge on Rosa-Oglietti Park.

Latrobe automatically qualifies as the host team.

The top two teams at the state tournament move on to the national tournament Aug. 2-6, in Morgantown, W.Va.

A state title could mean a trip to the American Legion World Series, which is set for Aug. 10-15 in Shelby, N.C.

Only one team from District 31 has won a state title: Lower Burrell from the 1950s.

American Legion Region 7 Tournament

At Bald Eagle High School, Bellefonte

*At Governor’s Park, Bellefonte

Saturday

Pool A

Bushy Run vs. Beech Creek, 12:30 p.m.*

St. Michael vs. Murrysville, 6 p.m.

Pool B

Latrobe vs. Huntingdon, noon

Bedford vs. Philipsburg, 3 p.m.

Sunday

Pool A

St. Michael vs. Beech Creek, 12:30*

Murrysville vs. Bushy Run, 6

Pool B

Philipsburg vs. Huntingdon, noon

Latrobe vs. Bedford, 3 p.m.

Monday

Pool A

Bushy Run vs. St. Michael, 12:30*

Beech Creek vs. Murrysville, 6 p.m.

Pool B

Bedford vs. Huntingdon, noon

Philipsburg vs. Latrobe, 3 p.m.

Tuesday

Semifinals, noon and 3 p.m.

Championship, 6 p.m.

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