BIG LEAGUE SOFTBALL WORLD SERIES: SOFTBALL ALL-STARS ALWAYS CROWD FAVORITE.

Byline: Ramona Shelburne Staff Writer

For 11 months of the year, they are rivals. But when the District 51 all-star softball team takes the field Sunday night in the Western Regional Championships, those rivalries will be put on hold and the 14 girls on the team will have a singular focus.

Since 1996, the District 51 all-star team has advanced five times to the Big League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich.Because of that success, the Western Regional Championships are held at Massari Park in Palmdale just about every year and have become a popular community tradition.

When the District 51 team, composed of high school-aged players from the Antelope Valley, Boron and north to Mono Lake, takes the field, it generally draws standing-room only crowds in excess of 500.

``It's pretty awesome to play in front of so many people,'' said Nikki Cordova, an outfielder from Paraclete High who will play for District 51 for the second consecutive year. ``It makes you feel like a superstar to have so many people come out and watch you. The bleachers are full and there are people standing all around the field.''

Rebecca Zapata, a catcher from Palmdale High, is making her first appearance with District 51 and said she is looking forward to playing in front of a big crowd. She doesn't think she'll be intimidated by the bright lights and large audience.

``There's no pressure, its just for fun,'' Zapata said. ``But I've been hearing from everybody how cool it is and how much it means to everybody.''

There are several reasons Big League softball has become such a popular community tradition in the Antelope Valley. According to manager Walt Pattison, part of it is just numbers.

``We usually have girls from five or six different high schools playing on the team, so each of those schools comes out to support their teammates,'' he said.

But if that were the only reason, there would be huge crowds at travel ball tournaments as well, where teams are composed of players from many high schools.

The difference, it seems, is the extraordinary success the District 51 team had in its inaugural season in 1996, when it advanced to Kalamazoo and won the World Series.

During that championship run, the community got behind the team. The team attracted media coverage and became the talk of the Antelope Valley.

Since that year, District 51 has been looking to recapture that magic. Last season, the team lost to Riverside in the championship game of the Western Regional and failed to advance to the World Series.

Cordova, who was on the team last season, thinks it's time to make amends for that disappointment.

``I feel really good about the team this year,'' she said. ``I think we could have something special.''

Win or lose, they already do.

Ramona Shelburne, [phone]

ramona.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

AT A GLANCE

What: Big League Softball Western District Championship.

When: Massari Park in Palmdale. Sunday-Thursday. District 51 opens at 8 p.m. Sunday against Oregon.

At stake: Berth in the Big League Softball World Series in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Who: Nikki Cordova, Tayler Wilson and Jamie Prather of Paraclete; Mary Beth Promisel of Highland; Rebecca Zapata and Tara Nielson of Palmdale; Sara Ealey, Laura Calvert, Kelsie Blankemeyer, Brooke Stikx and Nicole Torres of Quartz Hill; Nikki Perez of Littlerock; Shauna Ealey of Chanel Reeves.

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AT A GLANCE (see text)