By DAVE CAMPBELL

The Bulletin

LATHROP – The longer you wait for something, the nicer it is. 

Just ask Manteca 11-12 All Star coach Brad Garlets.

Behind the dominating pitching and hitting of Garren Genilla, Manteca handled Tracy American 10-3 to claim the District 67 Championship on Sunday at Mossdale Landing Park.

“This feels great,” Manteca coach Brat Gartlets said. “I have been waiting for this since they were 6 years old.

“The boys played great today. Garren (Genilla) threw really well, A.J. (Kovacs) came in and shut things down and we had some big bats from Garren and Harley (Boynton).”

Trailing 3-1 entering the bottom of the second inning, Manteca erupted for six runs with the highlight of the inning a three-run first-pitch home run by Genilla (2 for 3, double, home run, three RBI) with two out. Jackson Brunn and Isaac Searcy each added an RBI single in the inning.

In a three-run fifth pinch-hitter Will Rocha had an RBI double and Boynton added a two-RBI single. Brooks Alavezos singled in Searcy in the first inning.

Tracy American got four hits in the first inning – two were infield singles and the other two were grounders that found their way over second base – and added another in the second. After that Genilla kept Tracy American in check until the fifth when Kovacs came in with one out and runners on the corners. Alavezos gunned down the runner at first trying to steal second and Kovacs got a strikeout to end the inning.

Manteca begins the Section 6 Tournament on Saturday morning at Monticello School in Tracy at 10 a.m.