SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. -- Saturday's United States championship between the Bronx, N.Y., and Apopka, Fla., had more subplots than "The Real World."

The Rolando Paulino All-Stars came in as overwhelming favorites, thanks to Danny Almonte's 16-strikeout perfecto against Apopka on Aug. 18, but manager Alberto González didn't see it that way.

González thought Apopka was the team to beat, based on what he had seen in the four games since Almonte blew them away. Ever gracious, one can't say González didn't respect his opponent.

"I have seen them for four games, and these kids swing the bats," said González. "They are a good hitting team."

Gonzalez added an eerie sense of foreshadowing, saying that with Louilly Viñas starting on the mound, Florida might have an advantage.

The questions as to whether or not Bronx ace Danny Almonte was really 12 years old were still flying furious and fast. And the Bronx fans, who entered Lamade Stadium singing, dancing and playing merengue music as if in a parade, were snickered at and reprimanded on several occasions. A security officer yelled at one fan for carrying his Dominican flag on the walkway, claiming it was "too big." Most bystanders didn't know whether to dance along or to look on in shock.

All of this led to an "us against them" attitude -- for both teams.

The "Baby Bombers" felt they had something to prove, and so did Apopka. Bob Brewer, Apopka's manager, said on Friday that his team wasn't disappointed after last Saturday's result, they were embarrassed.

"The whole thing made us more motivated," said Brandon Brewer, the manager's son, whose three-run home run in the third inning was the turning point in Apopka's 8-2 U.S. championship win. "It was Apopka versus the world."

Amid all the hearsay, the focus ultimately settled onto the game and the better team won.

A happy return
John Hughes was 12 years old the last time he came to Lamade Stadium.

Perched at the base of the embankment near the center-field camera, Hughes remembers sliding down the hills on cardboard as the kids do today. Now 41 and a coach of the District 15 champion Mantua, N.J., Little League team (located in southern New Jersey near Philadelphia), Hughes says except for the addition of Volunteer Stadium, not much has changed since his last trip to central Pennsylvania.

"I can remember when I was little, my cousins, my uncle and my father sitting up here for United States vs. Japan," said Hughes, who took eight members of his starting lineup to Williamsport this year. "That sight of what that picture looks like -- we pulled in and told the kids, 'Look at this.'

"This is awesome. It's really beautiful."

Signs, signs ...
Clearly, the most creative fans of the day were supporters of the Bronx, N.Y., team. Not only did they bring airhorns, drums and one curious individual who, with the mask he was wearing looked like a cross between Panama Jack and Tim Burton's vision of Mr. Met, but they came up with some of the best signs.

One group had a sign that read: "In Louilly Viñas we trust." But the best effort was a commentary on the age situation.

On one side, the sign read: "Spent 10,000 -- Baby Bombers still the best." The other side read (with check marks representing the checks): "Check the age, check the game, and still the Bronx will check out the champs."

Yes, the sign earned that man a spot on the local news.

Say what?
Those who have followed the LLWS know that Papiamento is the language spoken by the members of the Curacao team. But what exactly does it sound like?

It's a combination of Dutch (the official language of the country), Spanish and English. During the team's practice Saturday afternoon, the team captains were counting out the stretches in the following manner: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, Caribe!"

Team manager Mark Van Zanten dropped in a couple of familiar Spanish words like "exactamente" and "suave," but unless one knows how to speak Dutch, the dialect is unrecognizable.

Orel surgery
Friday night, a number of people were honored for their services to Little League Baseball, including ESPN/ABC analyst Orel Hershiser. Hershiser won the Bill Shea Distinguished Little League Graduate Award, presented to a former Little Leaguer in Major League Baseball who best exemplifies the spirit of Little League Baseball.

"It was an emotional moment," said Hershiser. "It was a great time to thank a lot of people who had been involved.

"To be recognized with some of the alum that were on the list -- great players like George Brett -- to accept it on behalf of my parents and my family and all the people involved during my Little League days, the coaches and people that put so much in me during my Major League time was a great honor."

Quote of the day
Apopka, Fla., right fielder Tyler Scanlon, when asked of his emotions as he rounded the bases after his mammoth three-run shot: "I thought I'd have a heart attack."

Will Weiss is an assistant editor at ABC Sports Online.