The Queens Alliance Baseball Little League recently completed its spring 2025 season, with the Little Neck-Douglaston (LND) Lightning winning the championship in the 14U division, the oldest age group during the season.
Kids from the team, along with their families, gathered at Brian Dempsey’s in Bayside on Friday, July 18, to celebrate their accomplishment. Many of the kids on this team were also part of the 12U team that won a championship in 2023. During the celebration, the players were also presented with jerseys that featured patches commemorating their 2023 and 2025 championships.
Located at 39-31 Bell Blvd., Brian Dempsey’s has sponsored LND for the past three years. When the team won the 12U championship in 2023, the restaurant held a free luncheon for the kids.
“We’re really excited that these young men were able to celebrate together for the championship of the Queens Alliance,” LND Manager Neil Ganesh said. “All of them worked really hard over the course of the last year. It was a collaborative and team effort. It was a long journey and they went through a lot of challenges, but they all pulled together at the end to finally win the championship. I’m extremely proud of them and the way they worked. They built up their skills to become really strong players. We hope to see them continue to improve as they move forward.”
As some of these kids prepare to begin high school, many will be looking to play for their high school baseball teams. Ganesh is hopeful that these kids cherish their championship experience for LND and apply everything they learned, from baseball to team bonding.
Council Member Vickie Paladino was also on hand for the LND 14U team’s celebration at Brian Dempsey’s. She gave high praise to the players and the coaching staff. She feels the staff have been doing a great job helping to shape the young players for their futures.
Many of the parents have echoed Paladino’s sentiment, saying the baseball program has helped the kids grow both as players and as better individuals.
“LND is the best. It accepts anyone and everyone,” LND Lightning Assistant Coach Will Molina said. “It helps these kids grow from boys to men. There’s a lot of camaraderie. They all end up being good kids. They build friendships, and winning is good too.”
