For a Little League all-star team to still be playing in late July, it takes a special group of boys. Head coach Nick Venuto’s Stafford 10-and-under squad is just that.

“We have a tight-knit group with a lot of heart and perseverance,” said Venuto after his team captured the Section 4 Minor League championship on July 22 with a 5-4, extra-inning victory over East Greenwich. “This team has proven to be resilient. Their heart is huge.”

Assisted by Joe Mercurio and Chuck Garrison, the 10-U crew became the first Stafford Little League team to ever reach…