The road to Williamsport was filled with more drama than usual for a couple Little League World Series participants this year, including a Venezuelan team that needed visa exemptions to make the trip and an American club that narrowly knocked off a defending champ.

Fresh off winning the West Regional championship in California last week, the All-Stars have arrived in Pennsylvania and are gearing up for the Little League World Series, which begins Friday. The regional champs settled into Williamsport over the weekend and are balancing practice with time to enjoy the tournament experience.