"It's a huge win. Yeah, it's a huge win," said manager Matt Kolar, whose Davenport team became the first Central Region representative to reach the U.S. Pool championships at the Little League World Series.

	IOWA 6 WASHINGTON 4
	R		H	E
	Iowa West	6 4	12 5	1 2
	Justin Evans had two hits and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the fifth inning.

"I guess we're making up for a lot of past sins," added Kolar, whose team ended a three-year Central losing streak with its Series-opening win against the East.

Justin Evans had two hits and scored twice, including the go-ahead run in the fifth inning, clinching the dramatic 6-4 victory over Vancouver, Wash.

As euphoric as it was for Davenport, it was a sudden and unlikely end for Vancouver which was eliminated by the loss.

The team's remarkable summer run had been dedicated to and inspired by 6-year-old Tyler "TJ" Jacobs, who underwent surgery to remove a benign brain tumor last June.

"Obviously, it's not a lot of fun to lose, but still you're at the World Series. And we tip our hats to the Central team," Vancouver manager Tom Peavey said.

Davenport will meet Bellaire, Texas, in Thursday's final.

While three U.S. teams finished with 2-1 records, Vancouver wound up the odd squad out under the tie-breaking format.

Bellaire - which lost 5-0 to Vancouver on Monday and beat Davenport 4-2 on Tuesday - clinched a berth because it wound up with the fewest runs allowed per inning. Davenport became the second seed by virtue of beating Vancouver.

Since 1992, when the pool format was introduced, the Central was the only region not to reach the U.S. final.

The International Pool finalists were decided Tuesday. Tokyo (3-0) will face Maracaibo, Venezuela (2-1), on Thursday in a rematch of regions from last year's final won by Osaka, which went on to win the Series title.

The pool winners meet for the title on Saturday.

Davenport starter Dan O'Donnell earned his second Series win, scattering four hits and allowing only two baserunners over the final three innings.

After the teams traded leads, Davenport struck for two runs in the fifth.

Evans, with a leadoff single, eventually scored on catcher Michael Schwartz's infield hit over the mound.

Davenport added an insurance run when reliever Jesse Boehm hit Chris Kolar with the bases loaded.

"Yeah, I was worried, without a doubt," O'Donnell said. "But our defense was on and we hit the ball where it needed to be hit."

Looking ahead to the pool final, O'Donnell said Davenport is looking to avenge Tuesday's loss to the Texans.

"I think we can beat them," O'Donnell said. "We didn't play our `A' game when we played them before. If we do, we can beat them."

The Bellaire team, which finished pool play on Tuesday, was forced to watch from the stands.

"We're so happy we can't stand it," Bellaire manager Terry McConn said. "(The tie-breaking format) is kind of confusing and I don't want to go into that but we're there in the United States championship game. We're happy as we can be."

Added catcher Terrence McConn: "We never thought we'd make it this far and now we're here."

Peavey was not unhappy that his team failed to advance despite the fact three teams had 2-1 records.

"That's the way the rules were established, that's what we have to live by," Peavey said.