JoBurg 3-Sport Great Capping Career Filled with All-State Honors, Team Trophies
By
Tom Spencer
Special for MHSAA.com
April 5, 2024
It won’t be hard for Jayden Marlatt to remember opening day on the softball field from any of her four years at Johannesburg-Lewiston.
As a freshman, she missed the opener due to needing to quarantine. Her sophomore and junior years started on the road because the Cardinals’ field was under construction.
This season the Cardinals will open up — weather permitting — on their brand-new field, hosting Mio on Monday, April 8. Marlatt is slated to be the starting pitcher again and add to her school record collection.
While Johannesburg-Lewiston is looking forward to playing on the new diamond, Marlatt and her teammates have high hopes of finishing the season almost 200 miles south. They’re looking to get back to Michigan State University – the site of the Division 4 Semifinals and Final.
The Cards have had their sites on that goal since they fell 4-2 to Mendon in last year’s Semifinal at Secchia Stadium. The loss ended a 30-4-1 campaign that saw the Cardinals play every game on the road for a second consecutive year, but come up only one victory short of a first championship game appearance.
The trip to East Lansing also came after the Cards won the program’s first District title since 2008 and advanced to the Semifinals for the first time since 1981.
“It has been a long two seasons on the road,” said eighth-year head coach Kim Marlatt, noting the team utilized a Little League field for practices during the stretch. “They’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason, so it is excited to get going.”
The new field isn’t the only new things this spring. The Cardinals will have a junior varsity team for the first time during the Marlatt’s tenure. The JV squad is coached by Ryan Marlatt, who has been serving the program the past eight years as assistant coach. He also has been the head girls basketball coach at JoBurg the past two seasons.
The Marlatt coaches are the proud parents of Jayden, who continues to garner recognition as perhaps the greatest athlete in Johannesburg-Lewiston’s history.
The three-sport star had a huge hand in all that JoBurg accomplished last season leading the team in batting average (.670), home runs (13) and runs batted in (61). As the team’s ace pitcher, she collected 249 strikeouts and compiled a 1.32 ERA.
“Jayden has put in the hard work,” Kim pointed out. “She is a very humble athlete. ‘She doesn’t like to talk about herself. She likes to compete, and she likes to be on the top of her game for her teammates.”
Jayden has been named all-conference and all-state in softball, basketball and volleyball nearly every season over her four years at JoBurg. She’s led her teams to Ski Valley Conference, District and Regional titles along the way.
She’s also been named Player of the Year by multiple publications. And she’s a front runner to be voted the Most Valuable Player of the Ski Valley Conference in softball. Earlier this year, league coaches voted her the MVP for both basketball and volleyball.
“The Ski Valley never used to vote on an MVP,” Ryan Marlatt said. “Hopefully she can add the triple crown and get softball this year.”
Jayden Marlatt, who has played all three sports all four years, acknowledged softball is perhaps her most treasured, and she’ll continue in that sport at Ferris State. Her career total of more than 500 strikeouts, and her 14 home runs last season, are both JoBurg school records. "I like them all but probably softball,” she confirmed when asked to name her favorite sport.
She averaged 12 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists and four steals per game this winter helping the Cards basketball team to a conference runner-up finish. She was key to JoBurg's ability to put a 12-game winning streak together, and she topped the 1,000-point career mark along the way.
Her outstanding senior year on the basketball court and this spring’s possibilities nearly vanished as the volleyball season ended.
She suffered what looked to be a serious lower-leg injury in the final game of the JoBurg volleyball season. “She finished in the emergency room,” Kim Marlatt said.
Diagnosed a high ankle sprain, it was an aggravation to an injury from her junior year in basketball. She wasn’t quite at 100 percent on the basketball court this season until the holiday break. She’s starting the softball season healthy, though.
Before the injury, Jayden led the Cards to their third volleyball conference championship over the last four years. After becoming JoBurg's all-time kills leader during her junior season, and with many of her teammates from her first three seasons graduating, Jayden had to fill a variety of roles while anchoring the offense from her outside hitter spot.
She ended up leading the team in both kills with 421 and digs, with 431, in her final season on the volleyball court. And she is listed among MHSAA’s all-time leaders in kills for a single match and career.
It’s more than Marlatt’s stats that stand out for Kristine Peppin, the school’s volleyball coach the past 15 years.
“It is not about the size of the school or the size of the player, it’s the heart that they have inside,” she proclaimed. “This girl would be a successful player on whatever team she was on.
“Yes we’re a small school, small town,” she continued. “That kind of leadership and heart and drive to be the best is what’s given her that success.”
Marlatt’s work ethic is second to none, Peppin noted. She never saw Jayden give less than a “1,000” percent in practice or games in her career.
“She’s a super hard worker and extremely modest for the kind of skill she possesses and the success she’s had,” Peppin said. “Her teammates think it’s amazing to be on her team.”
Marlatt’s volleyball skills caught the eye of at least one of her conference opponents’ coaches back in junior high. Ron Stremlow was performing one of his many coaching duties for Fife Lake Forest Area when he first saw Jayden on the volleyball court.
“I could tell then this girl was somebody special,” said Stremlow, who became one of the winningest coaches in state volleyball history with the Warriors. “When she got in high school, it just took off.
“She puts the time into it, and she works hard,” Stremlow continued. “Kids like that get what they deserve – they work for it.”
Stremlow, now retired, also acknowledged he’s enjoyed being able to watch the hard-throwing Marlatt on the softball field the last couple of seasons as Forest Area hosted the Cardinals consecutively due to JoBurg’s lack of a home field.
It’s something he’ll have to travel to do this year though, as JoBurg is scheduled to host the Warriors on April 15.
The Cardinals also will host a Regional on their new field June 8. The winners of District play at Rogers City, Harbor Springs, St. Ignace and Gaylord St. Mary will participate.
To play in the Regional, the Cards will have to emerge from the Rogers City District featuring the host Hurons, Atlanta, Hillman, Onaway, and Posen.
Tom Spencer is a longtime MHSAA-registered basketball and soccer official, and former softball and baseball official, and he also has coached in the northern Lower Peninsula area. He previously has written for the Saginaw News, Bay County Sports Page and Midland Daily News. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Manistee, Wexford, Missaukee, Roscommon, Ogemaw, Iosco, Alcona, Oscoda, Crawford, Kalkaska, Grand Traverse, Benzie, Leelanau, Antrim, Otsego, Montmorency, Alpena, Presque Isle, Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Emmet counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Johannesburg-Lewiston’s Jayden Marlatt drives a pitch during softball season. (2) Cardinals’ 1,000-point scorer Marlatt sets up for a free throw attempt. (3) Also a standout in the fall, Marlatt prepares to connect during volleyball season. (4) Marlatt celebrates a trophy win during last season’s Semifinals softball run with parents (and coaches) Kim and Ryan Marlatt. (Action shots by Dylan Jespersen/Petoskey News-Review; family photo by Breya Domke.)
Mendon Focused on Taking Last Remaining Step to Claim 1st Finals Championship
By
Scott Hassinger
Special for MHSAA.com
April 3, 2024
MENDON – Mendon's run to the Division 4 softball championship game last spring may have shocked outsiders, but it wasn't a surprise to the Hornets or co-coaches Steve Butler and Mike Smith.
Mendon gave four-time reigning champion Unionville-Sebewaing a major scare before falling 5-4 to the Patriots in the Final at Michigan State University's Secchia Stadium.
But there could be a new Division 4 champion in the near future as Mendon, ranked No. 10 in the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association preseason poll, returns all but two players from its 2023 squad.
In finishing 35-6, the Hornets set a program record for most wins in a single season last spring and also were Southwest 10 Conference champs, claimed District and Regional trophies, pulled off dramatic wins over Fowler (13-12) in the Quarterfinal and Johannesburg-Lewiston (4-2) in the Semifinal before a seventh-inning rally fell short in the loss to USA.
That was Mendon's first Finals appearance since 1992, when it lost in the Class D championship game 2-0 to Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes.
While Butler admits last year's run was a bit unexpected, he said the Hornets showed their potential by winning a prestigious early-season event. With a squad featuring just two seniors and 10 sophomores and freshmen, Mendon defeated three state-ranked teams, all via the 10-run mercy rule, to win the Holton Tournament.
"Quite honestly, I figured we'd be lucky to go 8-5 those first couple of weeks last season. We had a difficult early-season schedule. Winning the Holton Tournament was a big momentum builder for us," Butler said.
Butler and Smith, both former standout athletes at Mendon, took over the softball program seven years ago.
"At Mendon, the goal is always to make it to the state championship no matter what sport you're in,” Butler said. “Mike and I have played a lot of baseball and softball over the years. We both had daughters coming up through the program. So when the coaching opening came up, we just felt our knowledge and desire to win would help us provide the program with the best experience and chance for the girls to get to the championship game.”
Modest goals were set the first few seasons of their coaching tenure.
"That first year we set a goal of winning 20 games, and we fell one game short of that. Then we set a goal of winning a District, getting state-ranked and getting that Regional trophy. Then the goal was to become state-ranked, win Districts and Regionals and then we set the bar higher and higher," Butler said.
The experienced Hornets hope to complete their mission of winning it all this spring.
"This is a special group of kids, probably one of the best to ever come through this school. The tenacity and ferociousness they show is amazing. There's no quit in them, and that's evident in every sport they play. They believe they can win every game, are calm under pressure and work hard. They just have that championship aura and won't be satisfied until they win one," Butler said.
Several Mendon softball players were members of the state-ranked volleyball team this past fall and the basketball squad that reached the Division 4 Quarterfinals last month.
Abby and Ally Butler, Steve's junior twin daughters, return for their third season on Mendon's softball varsity, along with classmates Brielle Bailey and Kaidee Gonser.
Abby, a two-year starter, can play all three outfield positions and is working hard on being a slap hitter.
"I feel like I'm very useful in right field, especially when Rowan (Allen) is pitching for us. Her speed is a big adjustment for teams with right-handed hitters, so they tend to hit the ball more to me," Abby Butler said. "I'd like to be a more versatile hitter at the plate. I enjoy the other team not really knowing what I'm gonna do when I'm up there."
Abby Butler hit .302, Ally Butler .287, and Bailey .330 last season. Ally Butler is 15-0 for her career as a varsity pitcher and has played in more than 50 games. She'll be Mendon's No. 2 pitcher.
"We probably could've used her more as pitcher before now, but she is our biggest leader on the team. The kids really look up to her," Steve Butler said.
Ally Butler has a lot of trust in her teammates as well. "I think I communicate well with my team and lift them up when we're down. We have lots of trust in each other and are confident in ourselves," she said.
Bailey becomes the full-time starter at third after splitting time there with Carlie Doehring, who graduated.
"Brielle played third base and spent a lot of time as our designated hitter. She came up with a lot of big hits, including the game-winning RBI and a couple doubles in our Quarterfinal win over Fowler," Steve Butler said.
Gonser returns at catcher. She hit .496 with 60 hits and 34 runs scored last season. "Kaidee has improved defensively and is the best hitter on our team. She does a nice job back there for us. We hope to get her more rest this season so she's more effective for us the whole season," Butler said.
Sophomore Rowan Allen takes over as Mendon's No. 1 pitcher replacing Lauren Schabes, a three-time all-stater. Allen posted a 12-3 record with 150 strikeouts and a 1.64 ERA in 2023, and batted .419 with 44 hits, 49 runs scored and 31 RBI.
"Rowan had a phenomenal freshman season pitching. We're looking forward to seeing where she can take us this year. She's been in lots of big-pressure moments and has beaten many ranked teams," Butler said. "Her change-up pitch is her equalizer; it's nasty and she also throws a good fastball and dropball."
Allen closed out Mendon's Quarterfinal win over Fowler and locked down USA the last two innings in the championship game, giving the Hornets a chance to win in the seventh.
“My biggest strength is my fastball and being able to go to a changeup and being able to mix it up whenever I want,” Allen said. “Our teammates are always there to pick us up, and they never let us down. We have the confidence we need to reach our goals."
Other key sophomores include Mattea Bingaman, Gracie Schultz, Cienna Nightingale, Brooke Gerth and Jadyn Samson. Samson, Mendon's starting shortstop and No. 3 pitcher, fills another vital role as the lead-off hitter. She set a school record as a freshman with 46 stolen bases and was thrown out only once, also batting over .435 with 53 hits, 60 runs scored and 35 RBI.
"Jadyn is the leader of our infield. She covers a lot of ground and doesn't make many errors. We're looking forward to having her and our entire infield back the next two years. She threw only one inning for us last year, but she's another hidden gem on the mound and will see some time there as well," Butler said.
"The experience last year was huge,” Samson added. “I have to keep working hard to be productive. We're young, but I think everyone is going to continue to grow. I feel the energy I bring to my position is a big help, and I'm always talking to my teammates. We are all in this for each other, like family.”
Nightingale is another key returning starter at first base. "Cienna is the best defensive first baseman we've ever coached. It's not the easiest position to play. She's very agile, quick, can scoop balls out of the dirt, stretch high and makes everyone else look good," Butler said.
Bingaman is Mendon's centerfielder. She finished last spring with a .434 average, 52 hits and 31 runs scored. "Mattea has a really strong arm and is very fast," Butler noted.
Gerth is pegged as Mendon's top utility player, while Schultz is another valuable contributor in the outfield.
"Depending on who's pitching and where we move people around, I feel we are one of the best defensive teams in the state. Our pitchers don't give up many runs. Offensively, five of our top nine hitters batted over .400. I expect our lineup to have more power too. We're more of a gap-hitting team though. We take a lot of walks, and we stress being aggressive on the basepaths," Steve Butler said. "All 10 of our players are in the mix and could be starters.
"The biggest thing is these girls feel they should've won a state title last season. They were immediately focused on this season after that loss. After their basketball Quarterfinals loss, I got a text at work at 11 p.m. from one of them wanting to know when softball practice started the next day. They are ready to go."
Mendon joined the Southern Central Athletic Association at the beginning of this school year, and preseason Division 4 honorable mention Burr Oak is among opponents on the schedule. The Hornets’ goals are to win the league and get back to Michigan State with a chance to hoist the first-place trophy.
"Repeating what we accomplished last year won't be easy because now everyone expects it,” Butler said. “We won't sneak up on anyone. It's a tough road. All the teams we played last year will be there again in the championship hunt.”
Scott Hassinger is a contributing sportswriter for Leader Publications and previously served as the sports editor for the Three Rivers Commercial-News from 1994-2022. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Berrien, Cass, St. Joseph and Branch counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Mendon starting shortstop Jadyn Samson fields a ground ball during a home game last season against Kalamazoo Christian. (2) Rowan Allen pitches for Mendon in a 2023 Regional game at Colon. (3) Abby Butler makes contact during last season’s Division 4 Final against USA. (4) Ally Butler readies to make a throw from her spot at second base. (Photos by Nicci Plummer.)