A pep rally was held Friday to welcome home the Staten Island Little League team that competed in the Little League World Series.

The rally was held at the baseball field on Victory Boulevard near Travis Avenue.

The boys qualified for the World Series by winning the Mid-Atlantic regional championship.

They won their first two games at Williamsport, but were eliminated following losses on Wednesday and Thursday.

The players say the support they received has really cheered them up and helped them get over the disappointing loss.

"It really did, coming from the bus and seeing all these people, knowing we had supporters, it really did lift us up," said one of the players.

"It was fabulous to see our boys out there playing," said a parent of one of the players. "We know that they worked so hard, and to see them actually on the field, it was a dream come true for them as well as for the family."

The players will also be honored by the Mets before their game Sunday afternoon and even get to participate in batting practice.

Last Sunday, they met many of the players when they came to Williamsport for a game against the Phillies.

The two teams that beat Staten Island, Georgia and Hawaii, will face each other Saturday in the U.S. Championship game. The winner of that will take on either Japan or South Korea for the World Championship on Sunday.