In 2025, the 15U National Team Championships Arizona gold medal game saw Zona Boys 2028
pull out an improbable, 4-3 come-from-behind win over Stacked National to become the first Arizona based team to take gold in the 15U division at Champs Arizona.

Fast forward one year later, the 16U squad – compiled with returners up and down the lineup from last year’s 15U squad – is back in action looking to reclaim gold.

The team is off and running here in 2026, going a perfect 3-0 in pool play while outscoring opponents 27-9 in the process.

Regardless of the hot start, head coach Mickee Tewers is well aware that being the last team standing at Champs Arizona will be even harder this time around.

“I think this year is a little bit different. Last year nobody really knew who we were. I think this year the difference is everybody's out to get you, and we know that”, said Tewers

Coach Tewers’ son, Troy Tewers, was the driving force in the 2025 championship game, where he turned in 5.0 clean innings on the mound and delivered the extra-inning walk-off single to etch he and his team into the Champs AZ history books.

The Tewers family now returns to the spotlight in Arizona with Troy atop the tournament headlines once again. Through three games, he leads the tournament in hits (6) and triples (2), while ranking second in quality at-bats (8) and fifth in slugging percentage (1.500).

Tewers spoke of the early success, echoing his father’s message about having a target on their backs, "everyone's bigger, stronger, and out to get us.” said Troy.

“This year, we're way more confident. We know we’re those guys. We know we're gonna give it our best to beat you and this is our place to be.”

Alongside Tewers, fellow returners CJ Estrella and Chase Fillman are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead on their quest for back-to-back titles.

“People know who we are now, but so do we. We have confidence and we know we could beat everybody's best arms. You have to have the mentality that you're gonna win it and we're definitely playing for each other above anything else,” said Estrella.

“The approach doesn't change within the team. We don't put more pressure on one game than the other. It's 100% all the time. It doesn't matter what the stage is, we’re gonna leave it all on the field. We're out to do the same thing again: win that gold medal,” said Fillman.

The road to repeating will begin on Sunday, June 28 with the round of 32 set to begin. Zona will need to rattle off another five consecutive wins to achieve the ultimate goal, and associate head coach Rica Martinez is ready for the task at hand.

“Obviously, we’ll need a game plan on which arms to throw and when. Coach Tewers and I have the same coaching mentality towards, ‘Hey, if we don't do good in that first game, then there's no second game.’ So, if we have to use an arm that we're planning on saving for the next day, we're going to do anything we can to win and get these guys to the next round,” said Martinez.

Across 14 years of Champs Arizona and the four different age groups (14U-17U), there has only been one instance in which a program has won back-to-back champions (17U, CBA Marucci, 2015-2016).

However, the CBA Marucci program featured two completely different teams, where the Zona Boys now have the chance to become the first team with returning players to complete the back-to-back mission.

“Last year’s championship was probably one of the most fun games I've ever played in. I wasn't really thinking much, I was just out there having fun. To do it again alongside these guys would be that much sweeter,” said Troy Tewers.

One year ago, it was about defying the odds and showing the world who Zona is. This year, it's about doing what's never been done before.

“A lot of these teams are out here every week and from all over the place. We just have one team in our entire program, this is it, said Martinez.

“No one's brought the same team and went back-to-back, so for an Arizona team to do it on our home turf with a lot of teams coming out here from all over the place would be pretty special.”

Zona Boys will await its round of 32 opponent as the later stages of pool play continue to unwind throughout the day on Friday.

Tewers, Estrella, Fillman and the other athletes of Champs Arizona will enjoy a skills development day with USA Baseball’s staff on Saturday, June 27th before continuing their path to gold with the rounds of 32 and 16 set to begin at 7:00 AM MST on Sunday, June 28th at the Peoria Sports Complex and Surprise Stadium.