Pointes' Pride Instilled by Longtime Leaders
By
Tom Markowski
Special for Second Half
May 31, 2017
GROSSE POINTE – Neither Frank Sumbera nor Dan Griesbaum were raised in Grosse Pointe.
But no one, at least at the high school level, has done more to enhance and promote baseball in the Pointes than this long-serving pair.
Sumbera, 69, is in his 45th season as coach at Grosse Pointe North and Griesbaum, 64, is in his 34th season at Grosse Pointe South. In this sport the rivalry that exists between Grosse Pointe’s two public high schools is as good as it gets. Sumbera holds the upper hand in MHSAA Finals titles, 2-1, and Griesbaum has the edge in District titles, 23-14.
This last statistic is notable in a sense that the two programs are often paired in the same District, as they are this season. South will host North in a Division 1 District Semifinal at 10 a.m. Saturday.
This season there is an added twist to the much-anticipated community showdown. Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett, for the first time, will compete in the Division 1 tournament lined up on the other side of the bracket from North and South. University Liggett will play Detroit East English in the other Semifinal at 11:30 a.m. The winners will play for the title approximately 2 p.m.
University Liggett won four MHSAA Finals titles the past six seasons, two in Division 4 and two in Division 3, including last season in the latter. Coach Dan Cimini, knowing he had a strong team returning, petitioned the MHSAA to opt up to Division 1 for this season and 2018.
So far the Knights have proven they can hang at the Division 1 level. They are ranked No. 2 in the latest poll released by the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association.
And Cimini’s group received a break in the draw as it won’t have to defeat both North and South to win the District title.
This is Cimini’s 14th season as head coach, and he tips his hat to the job Sumbera and Griesbaum have done in laying the groundwork.
“Frank has been there forever,” Cimini said. “Dan has been there a long time. I feel old, and I’m 48. I’ve coached 22 years. No doubt about it, those guys have set the standard.”
Cimini grew up in Grosse Pointe and competed in the city’s strong Little League program. He played for Griesbaum at South and played four years in college, two at Macomb College and two at University of Detroit Mercy. He was part of the 1987 South team that reached the MHSAA Semifinals for the first time in school history.
Cimini said the quality of baseball has remained strong in the community over the years but noted there have been some changes.
“The Little Leagues are phenomenal,” he said. “The Federation ball is phenomenal. But there aren’t as many kids playing. Now there are seven teams playing in the (Little League) majors. Back when I played there were 13 of 14. I miss those days. If I could take myself back, that’s where I’d go.”
At least in the modern era, one must point to Sumbera as the person most responsible for the quality of baseball being played at the high school level.
Sumbera played three sports at Chesaning High – baseball, basketball and football – and then went on to Central Michigan where he played basketball.
Upon graduation Sumbera went looking for a job and received a tip from a college roommate. Sumbera was told that Grosse Pointe High would be splitting into two schools, North and South, and that they needed teachers, and, naturally, coaches. North opened for the 1968-69 school year, and Sumbera was hired as an assistant junior varsity football coach. In 1973 he became the assistant varsity baseball coach, and the next season he took over the baseball program.
“We won the District that year,” he said. “I’ll never forget it. We beat (then Detroit, now Warren) DeLaSalle, 2-1, in the final.”
Sumbera has coached some of the best teams in the state. His 2006 Division 1 championship team was 38-1. His 1980 Class A championship team was probably his best. Five players on that team were selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft including Bill Babcock, one of the top pitchers on that team. Babcock’s son, Luke, will enter the ninth grade next fall is expected to enroll at North and play for Sumbera.
That’s the way it is in the Pointes. This large community that borders Detroit’s eastside is infectious. It’s common for someone who grew up here to remain in the area and raise his or her own family.
“A lot of the kids I coached in the 80s, I’m coaching their sons,” Sumbera said. “They play a lot of baseball here. As they grow through the ranks to high school, (Griesbaum) and I have to make cuts. You might have 250 at the Little League level, and by the time I get them we have like eight.
“The North-South rivalry is as good as any around. I coach football, and it’s intense every year. In baseball it’s as good a rivalry as there is in the state. It’ll be the fifth time we will have played South (this season). In our last doubleheader we won the first, 12-6, and lost the second, 3-2, in eight innings. That was a crusher. It’s big. The kids know it. The families know it. They all go to church together and play against each other during the summer.”
Griesbaum, a graduate of St. Clair Shores South Lake and Central Michigan, where he played baseball, said the level of competition is remarkable especially when one considers the schools do not have open enrollment. The only way one can play for North or South is to live in the school district.
Griesbaum got his start as an assistant under Sumbera (1980-83) before going to South in 1984.
“There’s nothing like a North-South game,” he said. “Our rivalry is one of the best. It’s a baseball community. My 6-year-old grandson plays T-ball. You look at what North and South have accomplished. There’s the (Grosse Pointe) Farms and City (Little League) teams. Then there’s the success of the Redbirds that (former Detroit Tiger) Dave Bergman ran. We run a (Christmas) Holiday hitting camp. We have 75 kids the first day and 75 more the next. It’s for the second through the sixth grades. We want to expose baseball at an early age.”
Some have expressed displeasure that all three Grosse Pointe schools are in the same district. Cimini scoffs at that thought. He said there are many districts throughout the state that have more than their share of quality teams.
The last two seasons North and South were in separate Districts, and they won their respective Districts both years. In 2015, they met in a Division 1 Quarterfinal, and South won. It was the Blue Devils’ seventh trip to the Semifinals, a record (tied with Saline and Grand Ledge) for a public school in Division 1/Class A.
Cimini said he’s looking forward to seeing what his team can do against the established powers.
“I can’t wait,” Sumbera said. “The whole thing is, come June 3 you have to be ready to play.”
Tom Markowski is a columnist and directs website coverage for the State Champs! Sports Network. He previously covered primarily high school sports for the The Detroit News from 1984-2014, focusing on the Detroit area and contributing to statewide coverage of football and basketball. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties.
PHOTOS: (Top) Grosse Pointe South's Dan Griesbaum, left, and North's Frank Sumbera both have led their respective programs for more than three decades (Sumbera for more than four). (Middle) University Liggett coach Dan Cimini played for Griesbaum at South and has built a top program in the community as well. (Photos courtesy of the Griesbaum family, C&G Newspapers and the University Liggett baseball program.
Preview: McLane Welcomes Major Players, Familiar & 1st-Time Title Contenders
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
June 14, 2022
The team with the second-longest winning streak in MHSAA baseball history, and the appearances of three likely high-round Major League Baseball draft picks are among several intriguing storylines as we head into this weekend’s Baseball Finals at Michigan State University’s McLane Stadium.
Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (42-0) has won 64 straight games, going back to last season and second only to Homer’s 75 consecutive from 2004 to 2005. Perhaps more notably, the Eaglets with two more victories this weekend can break the single-season record for wins in a baseball season of 43 shared by four teams. St. Mary’s Brock Porter is a projected first-round draft selection and likely will be joined by teammate Ike Irish and Detroit Edison’s Gregory Pace Jr. in being selected next month.
Pace’s team is among nine seeking a first MHSAA baseball championship, and one of eight looking to advance to a title game for the first time.
Division 1 – Friday
Battle Creek Lakeview vs. Grosse Pointe North, 9 a.m.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary's, 11:30 a.m.
Division 2 – Thursday
Grosse Ile vs. Grand Rapids Christian, 9 a.m.
Ada Forest Hills Eastern vs. Goodrich, 11:30 a.m.
Division 3 - Friday
Detroit Edison vs. Pewamo-Westphalia, 2:30 p.m.
Buchanan vs. Standish-Sterling, 5 p.m.
Division 4 – Thursday
Whitmore Lake vs. Beal City, 2:30 p.m.
Riverview Gabriel Richard vs. Rudyard, 5 p.m.
FINALS – Saturday
Division 1 - 2:30 p.m.
Division 2 - 9 a.m.
Division 3 - 5 p.m.
Division 4 - 11:30 a.m.
Tickets cost $11 and may be purchased online only at GoFan. One ticket is good for all baseball, softball and girls soccer games at MSU’s Old College Field that day. All Semifinals and Finals will be broadcast and available with subscription from MHSAA.tv, with free audio broadcasts on the MHSAA Network.
Below is a glance at all 16 teams taking the field (with statistics through Quarterfinals unless noted):
Division 1
BATTLE CREEK LAKEVIEW
Record/rank: 29-7, No. 15
Coach: Kyle Kracht, fifth season (98-42)
League finish: Second in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (2006), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Kooper Etheridge, sr. OF/P (.490, 37 R, 14 2B, 38 RBI, 13 SB, 6-1 pitching, 2.39 ERA); Jake Kucharczyk, jr. OF/P (.462, 49 R, 37 RBI, 24 SB); Zach Kucharczyk, jr. C (.461, 57 R, 13 2B, 30 SB); Jackson Haywood, jr. 1B/P (.389, 33 R, 45 RBI, 5-3 pitching, 2.93 ERA).
Outlook: This will be Lakeview’s first Semifinal since 2014 and comes after a 7-2 Quarterfinal win over No. 2 Northville. The Spartans also emerged from a league that included No. 12 Portage Northern and 2021 Division 1 runner-up Portage Central, and they are a combined 61-16 overall over the last two seasons. Junior second baseman Jayden Miller (.415, 18 SB) adds another big bat in the middle of the lineup, and junior Malachi Goss (5-0, 2.31) is another contributor from a pitching staff that has nine with at least one win on the mound this spring.
GRAND RAPIDS FOREST HILLS NORTHERN
Record/rank: 24-11, unranked
Coach: John Dolce, seventh season (132-110)
League finish: Third in Ottawa-Kent Conference White
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Justin St. Antoine, fr. IF/P (.351, 27 R, 17 SB, 4-2 pitching, 2.00 ERA); Jonah St. Antoine, jr. P/IF (.388, 44 R, 12 2B, 24 SB); Jack Snow, sr. P/1B (.395, 7 HR, 39 RBI, 9-1 pitching, 1.75 ERA, 94 K); Connor Foley, sr. P/1B (.318, 6-2 pitching, 2.24 ERA).
Outlook: Dolce, who previously led Grand Rapids Catholic Central to the 1985 Class B title and is approaching 250 wins over 13 seasons total, has FHN set to play in its first Semifinal coming off its third District title in four seasons (not counting COVID-canceled 2020). The Huskies opened with a 5-1 District win over No. 11 Rockford and have won three games by one run apiece during the playoffs. Five seniors anchor a starting lineup that’s topped by the St. Antoines. Jonah St. Antoine will continue his career at Pittsburgh, while Foley will play next at Canisius (N.Y.) and Snow at Davenport.
GROSSE POINTE NORTH
Record/rank: 22-7, unranked
Coach: Kevin Shubnell, first season (22-7)
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference White
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2006).
Players to watch: Brennan Hill, soph. OF/P (.333, 4-0 pitching, 1.06 ERA ); Drew Hill, jr. OF/P (.462, 40 R, 10 2B, 13 SB); Jake Tedesco, sr. 1B/P (.344, 29 R, 33 RBI, 12 SB, 5-1 pitching, 1.96 ERA); Jordan Arseneau, jr. P/OF (.299, 27 RBI, 7-0 pitching, 0.17 ERA).
Outlook: This will be the Norsemen’s first Semifinal appearance since that most recent championship season of 2006. North has been on an impressive roll averaging 7.3 runs per game over six playoff wins including a 9-2 District-opening victory over No. 17 Grosse Pointe South. North won three of four games total this season against South, and also two of three against Division 2 No. 7 St. Clair. Seven regulars are hitting .299 or higher, also including seniors Luke Babcock (.321), James MacAuley (.314) and Parker O’Neill (.308).
ORCHARD LAKE ST. MARY’S
Record/rank: 42-0, No. 1
Coach: Matt Petry, 12th season
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Five MHSAA titles (most recent 2021 in Division 2), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Brock Porter, sr. P (8-0, 0.27 ERA, 109 K); Jake Dresselhouse, sr. OF (.409, 56 R, 10 2B, 40 RBI); Ike Irish, sr. C (.460, 45 R, 10 HR, 42 RBI); Nolan Schubart, sr. OF (.336, 47 R, 12 HR, 38 RBI), Jack Crighton, sr. IF (.435, 35 R, 27 RBI).
Outlook: Last season’s Division 2 champion brings seven starters back to MSU from last year’s Final, plus its top pitcher. Porter, Irish, Dresselhouse and Schubart all made the all-state Dream Team last season, and Crighton joined them on the Division 2 first team. The Eaglets are averaging 9.5 runs per game with Ryan McKay (.383), Jasen Oliver (.391) and Ryan Mooney also returning starters from 2021. Porter, who has hit .486 in limited at bats, is a projected first-round pick in the July Major League Baseball draft, and Irish is expected to be selected among the early rounds as well. Seniors Ciaran Caughey (9-0, 0.46 ERA) and Nolan Higgins (5-0, 1.65) and sophomore Aidan Donovan (7-0, 0.92 ERA) are three more starters among six total who have at least five wins on the mound.
Division 2
ADA FOREST HILLS EASTERN
Record/rank: 37-4, No. 1
Coach: Ian Hearn, seventh season (171-67)
League finish: First in O-K Gold
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Evan Parks, sr. IF/P (.458, 38 R, 18 2B, 50 RBI, 8-1 pitching, 0.89 ERA, 86 K); Leo Hearn, sr. C/IF (.387, 40 RBI); Jacob Pallo, jr. P/IF (.368, 34 RBI, 9-0 pitching, 0.95 ERA, 79 K); Ashton Feenstra, sr. P/1B (8-0, 0.87 ERA).
Outlook: Forest Hills Eastern’s weekend was especially eventful as the Hawks won their first Regional title and advanced to the Semifinals, and Coach Hearn went over 600 career wins – her previously led Rockford to the 2011 Division 1 title and also coached Traverse City Central and at Michigan State. Forest Hills Eastern won its first 25 games this season, and two of the losses came to Division 1 No. 5 Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills. Eight pitchers have at last one win – senior Caleb Kuiper (6-2, 2.26 ERA) is another main starter – as the team has a combined 1.57 ERA this spring. Kuiper (.337), senior Collin Fridsma (.327, 50 R), junior Mac DenBraber (.342, 38 R), senior Brian Messing (.305, 42 R) and freshman Max Ferrick (.312, 31 R) also bring .300 averages to the starting lineup.
GOODRICH
Record/rank: 37-2, No. 4
Coach: Bob Foreback, 28th season (723-278)
League finish: First in Flint Metro League Stars and overall
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final
Players to watch: Travis Liford, sr. SS (.382, 35 R, 11 2B, 36 RBI, 24 SB); Carson Raether, soph. C (.441, 35 R, 11 2B, 32 RBI, 17 SB); Brady Gauthier, sr. OF/P (.392, 8-0 pitching, 0.42 ERA); Noah Keller, sr. P (.404, 12-0 pitching, 0.10 ERA, 141 K).
Outlook: Goodrich is returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 2008, with four shutouts over five playoff games and only one run given up in the fifth. Keller made the all-state second team last season and will continue his career next season at Cornell. He tops a stellar pitching staff with a combined 1.24 ERA; Gauthier, senior Josh Denton (61, 1.59) and junior Gavin Hart (5-0, 1.09) also are standouts. The Martians hit .334 as a team with nine batting .304 or better. Junior Jack Foreback is another top contributor at .382 with 32 runs scored and 21 steals. Juniors Erik Wyczalek (.338) and Jordan Conn (.323) and seniors Bryston Hautamaki (.314) and Joey Belanger (.304) also help fill out the lineup.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 26-8, No. 14
Coach: Brent Gates, eighth season (second tenure, 209-67 overall at GRC)
League finish: Fourth in O-K White
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Ty Uchman, jr. 1B (.400, 35 R); Kyle Remington, jr. P (.432, 42 R, 11 2B, 15 SB, 5-3 pitching, 1.37 ERA, 77 K); Jackson Isaacs, soph. OF (.450, 37 R, 40 RBI); Cannon Paul, soph. OF (.398, 29 R, 10 2B, 10 SB).
Outlook: Grand Rapids Christian has won 17 of its last 18 games, the only defeat coming during a split with Division 1 semifinalist Forest Hills Northern. Retired pro Gates led the Eagles to back-to-back Division 2 titles in 2012 and 2013 and returned to the program in 2019 after a pair of successful seasons at Byron Center. Grand Rapids Christian is built for continued success with only two senior starters, although senior Christian Burgess (4-0, 1.55 ERA) is another top pitcher with Remington and junior Cam Seth (5-1, 1.37). Burgess also hits .317 and Seth .347 as nine hitters total are batting .297 or better. From that group, junior Josh Winkle (.356), senior Nate Hedlund (.330) and junior Alec Koval (.297) also start, and Seth and Hedlund are tied for second on the team with 30 RBI apiece.
GROSSE ILE
Record/rank: 23-6, No. 20
Coach: Mario Garza, seventh season (79-84)
League finish: Second in Huron League
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final
Players to watch: Tyler Garza, sr. IF/P (.483, 38 R, 12 2B, 32 RBI, 14 SB); Cannon Kawadri, jr. C (.412, 11 SB); Caleb Jones, fr. IF (.340, 30 R, 10 SB); Michael Madrigal, sr. IF/P (.293, 6-0 pitching, 0.51 ERA, 84 K).
Outlook: Grosse Ile’s first trip to the Semifinals has included a District Final win over No. 18 Trenton, its first Regional championship, and 13 wins over the Red Devils’ last 14 games total. Garza has brought the program from a tenure low of six wins in 2017 to more than reversing that’s season’s 6-22 record five years later. The team has only four seniors, with Will Lowery another major contributor hitting .291 with a 7-2 record and 1.98 ERA on the mound. Two of the team’s other most notable wins came in splits with Division 2 No. 2 New Boston Huron and Division 4 semifinalist Riverview Gabriel Richard.
Division 3
BUCHANAN
Record/rank: 27-4, No. 2
Coach: Jim Brawley, fourth season (85-15)
League finish: First in Berrien-Cass-St. Joseph Conference Red
Championship history: Class C champion 1985, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Drew Glavin, sr. OF/P (.355, 42 R, 27 RBI, 6-2 pitching, 2.35 ERA); Matthew Hoover, sr. IF/P (.511, 45 R, 12 2B, 51 RBI, 9-0 pitching, 1.21 ERA, 88 K); Murphy Wegner, sr. C (.467, 15 2B, 33 RBI); Macoy West, sr. OF/P (.463, 12 2B, 41 RBI, 7-1 pitching, 1.55 ERA, 81 K).
Outlook: Buchanan is returning to the Semifinals for the second straight season, with a lineup bolstered by six seniors including three who earned all-state recognition in 2021. The Bucks have shut out four of their six postseason opponents, including No. 11 Onsted and No. 12 Clinton in their two most recent victories. Hoover and Glavin made the all-state first team last season, and Wegner made the second team. Junior Cade Preissing is another standout, hitting .393 with a team-high 56 runs scored this spring.
DETROIT EDISON
Record/rank: 24-12, No. 16
Coach: Mark Brown, sixth season (116-62)
League finish: First in Charter School Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Gregory Pace Jr., sr. OF/P (.425, 46 R, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 44 SB); Marwynn Matthews, soph. IF/P (.387, 35 RBI, 18 SB); Keith Smith Jr., sr. OF (.360, 44 R, 36 RBI, 35 SB); Edward Gregory Jr., sr. SS/P (.318, 43 R, 11 2B, 46 SB).
Outlook: Edison is making its first trip to the Semifinals, also after winning its first Regional title, continuing a postseason run that opened with a 5-4 win over top-ranked Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett and most recently included a 9-1 Quarterfinal victory against No. 14 Algonac. Pace made the all-state first team last season and has signed with Michigan, and he’s also projected as a high-round pick in July’s Major League Baseball draft. Senior Caleb Johnson adds another .300 bat (.311) with 13 stolen bases for a team averaging more than six runs per game despite playing a schedule filled with many larger schools and a number of ranked Division 1 and 2 teams. Five losses came by just one run.
PEWAMO-WESTPHALIA
Record/rank: 23-10-2, unranked
Coach: Curt Nurenberg, second season (53-14-2)
League finish: First in Central Michigan Athletic Conference
Championship history: Class C runner-up 1991.
Players to watch: Tanner Wirth, sr. OF (.423, 11 2B, 14 SB); Nate Simon, jr. OF (.347, 31 R, 10 SB); Ashtin Wirth, sr. C (.329, 27 RBI); Brock Thelen, sr. IF (.337, 33 R, 28 2B, 36 SB).
Outlook: P-W is back at MSU for the second time in four years after also making the Semifinals in 2019, and this time with a District Semifinal upset of No. 3 Hemlock to its credit plus double-digit scoring in three of five postseason games. Saturday’s 12-8 Quarterfinal win over Lansing Catholic avenged a regular-season sweep. Wirth made the all-state first team last season, and Thelen made the second. Junior Drew Nurenberg (4-0, 0.63 ERA) and senior Austin Schafer (6-2, 1.84) lead the team in starts this spring, but sophomore Gabe Miller (7-2, 1.15 ERA) leads the team in wins despite just four starts on the mound. Senior infielder Adam Nurenberg (.333) adds another solid bat to the lineup.
STANDISH-STERLING
Record/rank: 35-6, No. 5
Coach: Ryan Raymond, fifth season (139-49-3)
League finish: Second in Tri-Valley Conference 10
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Cole Prout, sr. OF (.505, 83 R, 13 3B, 9 HR, 46 RBI, 21 SB); Charlie Kolbiaz, sr. C (.452, 12 2B, 49 RBI); Chase Raymond, sr. IF (.472, 48 R, 10 2B, 10 3B, 76 RBI); Addison Vallad, sr. IF (.358, 51 R, 32 RBI, 8-0 pitching, 2.87 ERA).
Outlook: After reaching the Quarterfinals for the third time over the last six seasons, Standish-Sterling will play in its first Semifinal since 1976 with a Regional Final win over No. 13 Houghton among highlights of this playoff run. The offense’s numbers are incredible – the Panthers have averaged 14.5 runs per game during the tournament and 10.3 per game for the entire season. Senior Brett Bartlett (.452, 41 R, 35 RBI), sophomore Cooper Prout (.429), freshman Sam Briggs (.357) and senior Matt Yealey (.356) are among others having substantial success at the plate. Five of the team’s six losses came to teams ranked among the top eight in Divisions 2, 3 or 4. Chase Raymond will continue at Saginaw Valley State.
Division 4
BEAL CITY
Record/rank: 29-2, No. 1
Coach: Steve Pickens, fifth season (131-32-1)
League finish: First in Highland Conference
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2018), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Wade Wilson, sr. P/CF (.421, 34 R, 5-1 pitching, 1.20 ERA); Brendan Martin, sr. P/1B (.323, 11-0 pitching, 0.70 ERA, 73 K); Kaiden Andrews, sr. 2B/SS (.477, 49 R, 11 2B, 31 RBI, 12 SB); Brayden Haynes, sr. 3B (.511, 44 R, 10 2B, 63 RBI).
Outlook: Beal City has reached the season’s final week for the third time in four seasons (not counting COVID-canceled 2020), its only losses to Division 2 Gladwin and Division 3 No. 17 Hudson (the latter in a split). Wilson made the all-state first team last season, while Martin, Andrews and Haynes made the second team. Sophomore Cayden Smith is among others having a massive season, hitting .500 with 48 runs, 10 doubles, 35 RBI and 20 steals, and he’s 5-0 in the mound with a 0.96 ERA. Senior Konnor Wilson also is 5-0 and hitting .474 with 39 runs scored and 33 RBI. Seniors Hunter Miles (.494, 46 R, 43 RBI) and Josh Wilson (.494, 39 R, 40 RBI) and sophomores Jack Fussman (.376, 40 R) and Jake Gauthier (.367) also are piling up major numbers.
RIVERVIEW GABRIEL RICHARD
Record/rank: 17-12, unranked
Coach: Mike Magier, ninth season (record N/A)
League finish: Third in Detroit Catholic League AA
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2018, Class C runner-up 1994.
Players to watch: Tylor Morehouse, soph. IF; Connor Silka, sr. P/IF; Ashton Nowak, sr. P/OF, Brenden Hills, sr. IF/OF. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Richard had a rare 8-16-1 finish in 2021 but capped that season with District and Regional titles, and the Pioneers have surged over the last month again to return to the Semifinals. Four of five MHSAA Tournament games have been shutouts, including wins over No. 20 Bay City All Saints in the Regional Final and No. 9 Marine City Cardinal Mooney in the Quarterfinal. Silka, Hills, Nowak and catcher/infielder Bryan Tuttle are the only seniors.
RUDYARD
Record/rank: 28-6-1, No. 3
Coach: Billy Mitchell, third season (46-18-2)
League finish: Second in Straits Area Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: EJ Suggitt, sr. IF/P (.529, 44 R, 44 RBI, 24 SB, 10-3 pitching, 3.13 ERA, 73 K); Tate Besteman, sr. OF/P (.393, 47 R, 36 SB); Brett Mayer, sr. P/OF/IF (.367, 38 R, 38 RBI, 24 SB, 13-0 pitching, 1.46 ERA, 104 K); Cam Peterson, soph. IF/C (.366, 44 R, 20 SB).
Outlook: This will be Rudyard’s third trip to the Semifinals over the last 10 seasons (not counting canceled 2020), and first since 2015. The Bulldogs emerged from a Regional that included No. 4 Maple City Glen Lake and No. 7 Indian River Inland Lakes, and they’ve won 22 straight games. Suggitt helped lead the football team to the 8-Player Semifinals and boys basketball team to the Division 4 Quarterfinals as well this school year. Austin Warner (.358) leads the team with 39 stolen bases while Rudyard as a whole has 211 swipes in 232 attempts. Sophomores Eli Sprague (.333), Aiden Bickel (.327, 29 SB) and Landen Mayer (.308) also bolster the lineup.
WHITMORE LAKE
Record/rank: 22-9, No. 13
Coach: Hank Dreffs, second season (36-23-1)
League finish: First in Michigan Independent Athletic Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Alden Stefanovski, sr. C (.461, 20 2B, 29 RBI); Alex Di Dio, jr. IF (.442, 36 R, 30 RBI, 1.83 ERA); Hayden Collingham, sr. IF (.349, 24 RBI); Zane Gregg, jr. P/IF (.314, 0.57 ERA, 107 K).
Outlook: Whitmore Lake won its first Regional title and will make its first Semifinal appearance after avenging a late-season sweep by Britton Deerfield with an 11-5 Quarterfinal win. The Trojans also defeated No. 16 Decatur in the Regional Final. Third baseman Garrett Engstrom joins Stefanovski and Collingham as the team’s only seniors, and there are eight underclassmen on the 15-player roster. Whitmore Lake has won league titles both seasons under Dreffs and improved this spring from 14-14-1 overall a year ago. Junior Dalton Bachman (1.83 ERA) provides another valuable arm.
PHOTO Beal City's Kaiden Andrews (7) attempts to beat the tag at the plate against Clare early this spring. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)