Rhode Island has been a fixture on the Little League World Series stage in recent years.

Smithfield has a chance to join that elite company when it plays for the Metro Region championship tonight against New York (7 p.m. on ESPN) in Bristol, Conn. The Rhode Island champs dropped their first meeting with the team from Massapequa, 10-1, in their tournament opener, but haven't lost since — beating Connecticut and New Jersey to earn a rematch with the New York champs. The winner punches its ticket to Williamsport, Pa.

So, which team from the Ocean State can lay claim to being the best? The tournament’s format and rules have changed over time and comparing players across different eras can be a slippery slope. But there’s something about this time of year that brings back memories — and sparks some conversation.

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Any championship team is worth remembering. That sort of experience should be celebrated regardless of level. There are some, however, who tend to separate themselves from the rest.

Here are five Rhode Island teams who were a cut above in the Little League ranks.

Cranston Western, 1996

Finishing runner-up on the world stage is an achievement no other Rhode Island team can match. Cranston Western reached the championship game at Lamade Stadium before falling to Taiwan, and it felt like every television in the state was tuned in on that weekend afternoon.

That club had the star power to make a deep run, and it began at the top. Mike Varrato was brash, demanding and the perfect lightning rod to take the pressure off the shoulders of his players. Great coaches operate in their own ways and Varrato’s personal brand of baseball was a special blend.

Brett Bell fired Cranston Western past California in the pool play opener and took the mound again for a semifinal rematch against Florida, authoring a 6-3 victory. Craig Stinson was a future Gatorade Player of the Year at Bishop Hendricken and a minor leaguer with the Nationals. Mix in other talented players like slugger Tom Michael and you have the recipe for success.

Westerly, 1950

This team holds the special distinction of being the first from Rhode Island to qualify for the World Series field. Westerly fell to eventual champion Texas in the opening round, suffering a 3-1 defeat.

Single-elimination, eight teams, no international entries — it was a quaint set of circumstances compared with the worldwide, ESPN-backed bonanza currently found in the Pennsylvania hills. But it was no less special for Westerly, which advanced through a regional field that included Massachusetts and New York.

John Garofalo was the star, a left-handed pitcher and standout hitter who went on to play baseball and basketball at the University of Rhode Island before embarking on a five-year career in the minor leagues. Westerly also featured an infielder named Sal Augeri — the town’s high school dedicated the football field in his honor after Augeri coached the Bulldogs to five Interscholastic League championships in the 1960s and 1970s.

Darlington American, 1980

Rhode Island waited 30 years for a second World Series qualifier and it occurred thanks to one of the state’s most unique public figures in recent history. George Patrick Duffy was a Pawtucket legend, the voice of the Rhode Island Reds hockey team and a member of the state’s Heritage Hall of Fame. Duffy moonlighted as the manager of his local team and he guided them to the international stage.

Darlington was drawn against Florida in its opening game and suffered a thumping defeat. The result became more understandable over time — that team from Tampa featured future big-league outfielders Gary Sheffield and Derek Bell. Florida eventually lost to Taiwan in the championship game, while Darlington finished with a 6-0 victory over Spain in the consolation bracket.

Lincoln, 2004

Lincoln has captured eight state championships since 1999 and this was almost certainly the league’s best team. They were drawn in a pool that included eventual tournament runner-up California, finishing 1-2. Randy Hien set a loose and endearing tone for the clubs he managed, with his floppy fishing hat and four-day stubble seemingly omnipresent.

You won’t find too many better 12-year-old players in state history than Chris Costantino. The future Bishop Hendricken star and Boston Red Sox draft pick buzzed fastballs approaching 75 mph and possessed power at the plate no ballpark could hold. Costantino stood out in a deep field that included six future big leaguers — Jurickson Profar, Jonathan Schoop, Randal Grichuk, Christian Bethancourt, Wei-Chung Wang and Michael Conforto.

Cumberland American, 2014

Dave Belisle offered an enduring image of leadership with his postgame speech after his club was eliminated by Illinois. Live ESPN microphones worn by the managers picked up Belisle’s inspirational words to his team on the outfield grass. The stolen moment quickly went viral — those watching, as Belisle said, certainly did like sportsmen.

That bit of goodwill accompanied the fact that Belisle’s team was a talented one. Jayden Struble is an NHL draft pick currently playing college hockey at Northeastern. Addison Kopack, Nick Croteau, C.J. Davock and Brendan Wright are among those who went on to play college baseball.

bkoch@providencejournal.com  

On Twitter: @BillKoch25

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: These 5 Rhode Island Little League teams were special