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The team has qualified and played in the state tournament for three straight years. They qualified in 2001 as 13-year-olds, took fourth place in 2002 as 14-year-olds, and took second place this year as 15-year-olds.

Jamie Paul was the winning pitcher in two games for Paynesville, including one complete game.

Paynesville split two games in the pool play on Friday and Saturday to qualify for the championship bracket and then won three straight games on Saturday and Sunday to reach the championship finals. Brainerd beat Paynesville 11-6 on Sunday to take the state title.

In pool play on Friday, Paynesville opened with a 7-1 victory over Plymouth. Paynesville jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, with Trent Hansen doubling to start the game and John Hemingson having an RBI single. Hemingson had RBI hits in the first, fourth, and sixth innings.

Jamie Paul also scored in the first inning, and he scored three times in the game. He also pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits, one unearned run, and no walks. He struck out seven.

In their second pool play game on Saturday, Paynesville lost 5-4 to Apple Valley. Apple Valley took a 5-0 lead in the first three innings. Paynesville did not score until the sixth inning when Hemingson doubled and scored on an RBI single by Derek Stanger.

Paynesville scored three runs in the seventh inning. Sam Bayer singled and scored on a single by Hansen, and Hemingson, who took the pitching loss, had a two-run double to end the scoring.

Catcher John Hemingson had six hits in six games and five RBIs.

In the championship bracket (with 12 of 18 teams), Paynesville beat Mankato 8-4 on Saturday, getting six runs in the fourth inning. Trailing 2-1, Stanger started the rally with a double, the first of four straight one-out hits. Ryan Hess, Bayer, and Mark Andrie had RBI singles following Stanger. Alex Naujokas had an RBI double, a Mankato error kept the inning alive, and Hansen singled to score the final run.

Stanger singled and scored again in the fifth inning. Andrie doubled and scored in the third inning for Paynesville's first run.

In their first game on Sunday, Paynesville rallied to beat Burnsville 6-5. Paynesville scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to win, with Paul hitting a game-winning two-run homer.

Paynesville scored first, with Hansen hitting a two-run single in the bottom of the third, but Burnsville then built a 4-2 lead. Hansen had an RBI triple in the sixth to cut the deficit to one, but Burnsville scored another run in the top of the seventh.

In the bottom of the seventh, Andrie singled to start the inning and scored. Naujokas tripled with one out, and Paul hit a two-run homer to win the game.

Against Shoreview in the semifinals on Sunday, Paynesville scored eight runs in its first three at bats and won 8-4. Paynesville got five hits and were aided by five Shoreview errors in the first three innings. Paul had two hits and scored two runs, as did Derek Looman, to lead the offense.

Ryan Hess pitched a complete game for the victory.

In the championship, Paynesville scored five runs in the first inning, but Brainerd countered with six runs in the third and five more in the sixth to win 11-6. In the first inning, Paynesville got four straight two-out hits from Hess, Bayer, Andrie, and Glenz. Bayer hit a two-run double, while Hess and Andrie also drove in runs.

Paul doubled to start the seventh and scored on a single by Hansen for Panesville's only other run.

Brainerd won the state title, with Paynesville taking second.

Taking third was Farmington, whom Paynesville beat in the finals of their home tournament this year. Orono was third at the Paynesville tournament, and Waite Park was fourth. Both teams competed at state, too.

Pictured with their runner-up plaque are: (front) Trent Hansen, Alex Naujokas, Jamie Paul, Sean Glenz, John Hemingson, and Derek Looman; (back) coach Dale Hess, coach Rick Paul, Ryan Hess, Sam Bayer, Ross Barten, Derek Stanger, Mark Andrie, and coach Dan Stanger.

Paynesville 7, Plymouth 1

Paynesville--	201	211	0	- 7	12	3
Plymouth--	001	000	0	- 1	4	3

Paynesville - Batting: John Hemingson 3-4 2B RBI-3; Jamie Paul 2-2 R-3 RBI SB-2; Trent Hansen 2-2 2B R RBI; Alex Naujokas 2-4 R-2; Derek Stanger 1-4 R; Mark Andrie 1-4 RBI; Sam Bayer 1-2; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Paul (W) (7-4-1-0-0-7).

Apple Valley 5, Paynesville 4

Paynesville--	000	001	3	- 4	9	1
Apple Valley--	221	000	x	- 5	10	0

Paynesville - Batting: Hemingson 2-3 2B-2 RBI-2 R; Hansen 2-3 R RBI; Stanger 2-4 RBI; Sean Glenz 1-2; Ross Barten 1-2 2B; Sam Bayer 1-1 R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Hemingson (L) (7-10-5-5-4-3).

Paynesville 8, Mankato 4

Mankato--	101	020	0	- 4	10	2
Paynesville--	001	610	x	- 8	9	0

Paynesville - Batting: Stanger 2-3 2B-2 R-2; Andrie 2-3 2B R-2 RBI; Naujokas 2-2 2B R RBI; Bayer 1-2 R RBI; Glenz 1-2 R; Hansen 1-4 R RBI; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Paul (W) (5-8-4-4-1-1); Ryan Hess (2-2-0-0-0-1).

Paynesville 6, Burnsville 5

Burnsville--	000	211	1	- 5	7	1
Paynesville--	002	001	3	- 6	9	5

Paynesville - Batting: Hansen 3-3 3B RBI-3; Paul 2-3 HR RBI-2 R-2; Andrie 1-2 R-2; Naujokas 1-2 3B R-2; Hess 1-3; Bayer 1-3; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Paul (4-4-2-1-0-1); Hemingson (W) (3-3-3-0-3-3).

Paynesville 8, Shoreview 4

Shoreview--	020	000	2	- 4	9	5
Paynesville--	332	000	x	- 8	6	2

Paynesville - Batting: Paul 2-4 R-2 RBI; Derek Looman 2-2 R-2 RBI; Hansen 1-3 RBI-2 R; Hemingson 1-3 R; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Hess (W) (7-9-4-3-2-3).

Brainerd 11, Paynesville 6

Paynesville--	500	000	1	- 6	6	2
Brainerd--	006	005	x	- 11	13	0

Paynesville - Batting: Paul 2-4 2B R-2; Bayer 1-4 2B RBI-2 R; Andrie 1-2 R RBI; Hansen 1-4 RBI; Glenz 1-1; Pitching: (ip-h-r-er-bb-k) Hemingson (L) (4-8-6-6-2-3); Stanger (2-5-5-4-0-0).