West O'ahu's run to the Little League (ages 11-12) World Series title two years ago in Williamsport, Pa., will always rank among the state's greatest achievements in youth sports.

And while it may appear to be a bit sad, the players have decided against moving up together through the ranks of the 'Ewa Beach Little League system.

Of the 12 players on the 2005 title team, only Ethan Javier ('Ewa Juniors, ages 13-14) played in the league this summer.

The rest played for their respective high school teams this summer, primarily at the AAU level, according to former West O'ahu coach Layton Aliviado.

"For our boys what I wanted to do was get them into good schools," Aliviado said. "They got into private schools so the priority is the school."

Before winning the World Series, three players attended Interscholastic League of Honolulu schools. The following year, nine attended ILH schools.

Last summer, nine players from the World Series-winning team competed with the West O'ahu Juniors team. They lost to Pearl City in the state tournament final, and could have fielded another competitive team at the same level this summer.

"We could have come back to Juniors this second year and I think we could have done well, but they stayed at their school," Aliviado said. "Their priority was their school."

Aliviado himself is no longer coaching Little League baseball.

He completed his second season as Saint Louis' junior varsity baseball coach this past school year. In his first season, Aliviado went 7-5. Last season, he went 5-5 with three former West O'ahu players — Myron "Kini" Enos, Sheyne Baniaga and Vonn Feao — on the roster.

Feao also is on the football team, as a 5-foot-9, 205-pound running back.

Next season, Aliviado's son, Layson "Kaeo" Aliviado, will join the Crusaders JV team. He was on the intermediate team last season.

"It's good," Kaeo Aliviado said. "My dad has coached me when I was young. It's fun. I get to bond with my dad."

Harrison Kam played for Mid-Pacific Institute's junior varsity team and its summer league team, which recently completed its season.

"Nobody really recognizes me anymore," Kam said. "I'm doing well in school and playing JV baseball for my Mid-Pac team."

The West O'ahu players have kept close over the past two years.

"We get together every once in a while and we go beach and whatever," Kaeo Aliviado said. "We always are going to be close because we have that bond from when we went to the World Series."

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.