Preview: Reigning Champs, Stars Return
June 15, 2016
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
A pair of reigning MHSAA softball champions and three of the best-known players in all of Michigan will be among those most anticipated at this weekend's Semifinals and Finals at Michigan State University's Secchia Stadium.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central and Unionville-Sebewaing in Division 4 are back seeking repeat championships, led by arguably the top two pitchers in the state. Farmington Hills Mercy is back seeking the title in Division 1, powered by one of the top hitters in MHSAA history.
See below for a schedule of this weekend’s games, plus glances at all 16 teams that will take the field beginning Thursday.
Semifinals – Thursday
Division 1
Midland vs. Macomb Dakota, 10 a.m.
Mattawan vs. Farmington Hills Mercy, 12:30 p.m.
Division 2
Vicksburg vs. Livonia Ladywood, 3 p.m.
Escanaba vs. Richmond, 5:30 p.m.
Semifinals – Friday
Division 3
Millington vs. Grandville Calvin Christian, 10 a.m.
Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central vs. Gladstone, 12:30 p.m.
Division 4
Unionville-Sebewaing vs. Morenci, 3 p.m.
Indian River Inland Lakes vs. Holton, 5:30 p.m.
Finals – Saturday
Division 1: 10 a.m.
Division 2: 12:30 p.m.
Division 3: 3 p.m.
Division 4: 5:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $8 per round and include admission to baseball and girls soccer games those days also at MSU’s Old College Field. Radio broadcasts of all games can be heard online at MHSAAnetwork.com. All games will be streamed live online at MHSAA.TV and viewable on subscription basis. Click to order tickets in advance and for a parking map.
All statistics below are through Regionals. (Click for links to brackets and scores.)
Division 1
FARMINGTON HILLS MERCY
Record/rank: 41-2, No. 2
Coach: Alec Lesko, second season (67-5)
League finish: First in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2002.
Players to watch: Abby Krzywiecki, sr. 1B/P (.565, 20 HR, 16 2B, 90 RBI, 56 R; 12-1, 1.69 ERA pitching); Sophia VanAcker, jr. CF (.534, 54 R, 13 SB); Andrea Elmore, sr. P/1B (28-1, 1.18 ERA, 218 K pitching).
Outlook: Mercy made the Semifinals last season for the first time since 2003 and returns a number of key pieces including its top pitcher and a record-setting slugger. Krzywiecki’s 20 home runs are the most in one season in MHSAA history, and she made the all-state team last season while VanAcker and Elmore earned honorable mention. The lineup is loaded with strong hitters, with sophomore catcher Anna Dixon (.475) another of the best this spring.
MACOMB DAKOTA
Record/rank: 37-2, No. 1
Coach: Rick Fontaine, 12th season (245-157)
League finish: First in Macomb Area Conference Red
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Kendahl Dunford, jr. P (.345, 7 HR, 37 RBI; 33-2, 1.39 ERA, 212 K pitching); Corbin Hison, soph. SS (.433, 42 R, 16 2B, 36 RBI); Kelcie LaTour, sr. 1B (.468, 43 R, 12 2B, 11 HR, 49 RBI).
Outlook: Dakota has followed up its first Regional title with a first trip to the Semifinals, and its only losses this season were to No. 6 Lake Orion and Division 4 favorite Unionville-Sebewaing. Six players hit at least .400 and 13 at least .300; juniors Claire Hamlin (.516) and Julia Salisbury (.474) top that incredible list. Dunford also earned all-state honorable mention in 2015.
MIDLAND
Record/rank: 36-7, No. 7
Coach: Robin Allen, sixth season (146-66)
League finish: First in Saginaw Valley League North
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Maya Kipfmiller, jr. P/1B (.670, 23 2B, 38 RBI; 24-4, 0.65 ERA, 217 K pitching); Julia Gross, jr. SS (.493, 59 R, 19 2B, 20 SB, 57 RBI); Nicole Miiller, soph. C (.431, 46 RBI).
Outlook: After also making the Quarterfinals a year ago, Midland took the next step this week earning its first Semifinal berth since 1988. The Chemics eliminated honorable mentions Bay City Western and Marquette during their history-making run. Kipfmiller is a force in the circle and the batter’s box; she also had 17 doubles last season as a sophomore. The team has two more .400 hitters (Jillian Elmer at .462 and Tara Gross at .409) and another pair who hit at least .360.
MATTAWAN
Record/rank: 32-8, No. 4
Coach: Alicia Smith, 16th season (432-185-1)
League finish: First in Southwestern Michigan Athletic Conference East
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 2013), one runner-up finish.
Players to watch: Genny Soltesz, sr. 2B (.559, 53 R, 15 SB); Joanna Bartz, jr. 3B (.489, 51 R, 13 2B, 8 HR, 52 RBI); Meaghan Markus, jr. CF (.418, 43 R, 11 2B, 11 HR, 46 RBI)
Outlook: Mattawan has made the Semifinals five of the last six seasons, winning Division 1 in 2011 and 2013, and has four all-staters back from the team that advanced a year ago – Soltesz, Bartz, shortstop Alexis Taube (.402) and outfielder Sarah Hillsburg (.388). Total, six regulars are hitting at least .400, including also Mackenzie Swinehart (.444, 40 R) and Emily Koperdak (.416, 37 RBI). Koperdak also is the ace pitcher at 26-2 with a 1.74 ERA entering this week.
Division 2
ESCANABA
Record/rank: 35-2-1, No. 3
Coach: Jamie Segorski, second season (64-10-1)
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Championship history: Division 1 runner-up 2003.
Players to watch: Kathleen Ross, jr. CF (.469, 30 R, 16 2B, 61 RBI); Emily Bruntjens, jr. DP (.463, 45 R); Taylor Rathe, jr. P (.455, 42 R, 10 2B, 34 RBI).
Outlook: After reaching the Quarterfinals for the fourth time in five seasons, Escanaba broke through by downing top-ranked Saginaw Swan Valley 5-2 on Tuesday. Although a good part of the nucleus is made up of juniors, they also eliminated No. 7 Muskegon Oakridge along the way and won’t be fazed by the big stage. Middle infielders Taylor Gauthier (.423) and Callie Heller (.410) both also hit at least .400 as the team checks in at an overall .387 clip.
LIVONIA LADYWOOD
Record/rank: 32-12, No. 2
Coach: Scott Combs, eighth season (career record N/A)
League finish: Third in Detroit Catholic League Central
Championship history: Division 2 champion 2012, two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Alex Flores, sr. P/1B; Rozlyn Price, sr. P; Erika Selakowski, sr. 2B. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Ladywood is back after missing the Semifinals last season but making them every season from 2011-14. Price was the pitcher as well when the team finished Division 2 runner-up in 2014 and Selakowski also was a top hitter, and they help lead a team that starts four seniors but also three sophomores. Ladywood has scored 11 or more runs in four of six postseason games after battling through a Catholic League Central that included Mercy and reigning Division 1 champion Warren Regina.
RICHMOND
Record/rank: 30-9, honorable mention
Coach: Howard Stuart, 38th season (952-288)
League finish: First in Blue Water Area Conference
Championship history: Three runner-up finishes (most recent 1999).
Players to watch: Carley Barjaktarovich, soph. SS (.520, 52 R, 21 SB); Lindsay Schweiger, sr. 2B (.420, 31 R, 19 RBI); Allison Swantek, sr. P/OF (.349, 26 RBI; 10-4, 2.48 ERA, 60 K pitching).
Outlook: Richmond is making its first Semifinal appearance since 2005 but is led by one of the state’s winningest coaches; this will be Stuart’s eight semifinalist team. Richmond has given up three runs over five tournament games, and freshman Erin Shuboy (14-3, 1.15 ERA, 176 K) is scheduled to get the start in the circle. She also hits .348 and bats cleanup for a team with seven hitting .300 or higher.
VICKSBURG
Record/rank: 35-8, unranked
Coach: Paul Gephart, fourth season (111-41)
League finish: First in Wolverine B Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Carlie Kudary, jr. CF (.566, 58 R, 13 2B, 42 RBI, 29 SB); Grace Stock, jr. C (.516, 53 R, 17 2B, 57 RBI); Shaidan Knapp, jr. SS (.490, 53 R, 17 2B, 49 RBI).
Outlook: Vicksburg might be considered one of the surprises of the spring after eliminating reigning champion Wayland in the Quarterfinal – but shouldn’t be. The Bulldogs have added to their win total each of the last three seasons, and the team batting average is .433 with all but two of 11 players hitting at least .300. Vicksburg also beat No. 9 St. Joseph on the way to its first Regional title. Sophomore Avery Slancik is 22-4 with a 1.99 ERA pitching and also hits .468.
Division 3
GLADSTONE
Record/rank: 27-13, honorable mention
Coach: Ashley Hughes, third season (81-29-2)
League finish: Does not compete in a league.
Championship history: Three MHSAA titles (most recent 2014), one runner-up finish.
Players to watch: Morgan Kowalski, sr. C (.393, 34 RBI); Tasi Martinez, jr. 1B (.440, 9 HR, 36 RBI); Jenna Steinhoff, jr. P (.327, 30 RBI; 16-9, 2.56 ERA, 119 K pitching).
Outlook: Gladstone has won 11 of its last 12 since getting swept by Division 2 semifinalist Escanaba near the end of the regular season, and more than half of its losses were to either the Eskymos or Division 1 honorable mention Marquette. The Braves also will value the veteran experience of Kowalski and third baseman Sam Sailer, who both started in the 2014 championship game win. Seven regulars bat at least .300, and lead-off hitter Alyssa Polley (.351) also saw time in that Final as a pinch runner.
GRANDVILLE CALVIN CHRISTIAN
Record/rank: 32-10, unranked
Coach: Mike Gruppen, fifth season (126-49)
League finish: First in O-K Silver
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 1993), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Kaleigh Whitcomb, soph. P (.621, 40 R, 17 2B, 12 HR, 71 RBI; 21-8, 1.67 ERA, 210 K pitching); Marissa VanDenBerg, sr. SS/C (.514, 68 R, 34 2B, 63 RBI, 19 SB); Sarah Elderkin, soph. 3B/P (.402, 29 R, 21 RBI, 16 SB).
Outlook: This weekend’s Division 3 bracket includes teams that either are regulars or look good to be back soon, and count Calvin Christian among those that look solid to return over the next couple of seasons. Although VanDenBerg earned all-state honorable mention last season, she’s one of only two seniors – with the roster also including only two juniors, but 10 sophomores. VanDenBerg’s 34 doubles are one shy of tying the MHSAA single-season record, and Whitcomb looks like she’ll have a few entries as well before her career is done.
MILLINGTON
Record/rank: 42-1, No. 5
Coach: Greg Hudie, seventh season (150-81)
League finish: First in Tri-Valley Conference East
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Sydney Bishop, fr. C (.635, 63 R, 16 2B, 14 HR, 78 RBI); Taylor Wright, sr. P/IF/OF (.421, 31 RBI; 21-0, 0.56 ERA, 188 K pitching); Cally Cunningham, jr. LF (.454, 11 2B, 53 R, 47 RBI).
Outlook: This is Millington’s first run past the Regional round, and the numbers are staggering. The Cardinals haven’t given up a run in six tournament games, including a shutout of No. 10 Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest, and have 27 shutouts this spring. The only loss was to Division 1 No. 10 Canton early, and the team has only two seniors – but eight freshmen, including five who start. Six regulars hit at least .400, including also freshmen Hallie Maurer (.450) and Gabbie Sherman (.432) and junior Taylor Rueger (.472) – and six have driven in at least 40 runs.
MONROE ST. MARY CATHOLIC CENTRAL
Record/rank: 26-5, No. 1
Coach: John Morningstar, second season (63-10)
League finish: First in Huron League
Championship history: Division 3 champion 2015, three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Meghan Beaubien, jr. P; (.478, 4 HR, 37 R; 20-1, 0.25 ERA, 352 K pitching); Kenna Garst, soph. C (.394, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 34 R); Kelsey Barron, soph. SS (.395, 21 R, 4 HR).
Outlook: The reigning champion has one of the most heralded players in Michigan in Beaubien, who has committed to University of Michigan already and threw her team to last year’s title. She also leads off, with the next eight batters including only one senior – meaning they’ll continue to be favored in 2017 as well. The Kestrels beat No. 8 Grass Lake, No. 4 Clinton and No. 2 Grosse Pointe Woods University Liggett by a combined score of 18-3 over the last three games.
Division 4
HOLTON
Record/rank: 29-12, No. 7
Coach: Kirk Younts, second season (66-13)
League finish: First in Central State Activities Association Silver
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Morgan Murat, fr. C (.397, 38 R, 35 RBI); Emily Larabee, jr. CF (.520, 45 R, 22 RBI, 41 SB); Shelbey Younts, jr. LF (.373, 33 R, 22 RBI).
Outlook: Holton has reached the Semifinals three straight seasons, advancing this week with a 6-3 win over No. 1 Coleman in the Quarterfinal. The team lost three players who earned all-state recognition last season but filled in with new standouts and plenty who will be around past this year, with only three seniors in the starting lineup. Freshman Haylee Brant and junior Mikaela Baker have split most of the pitching, and both entered this week with 11 wins.
INDIAN RIVER INLAND LAKES
Record/rank: 25-2, No. 5
Coach: Krissi Thompson, 13th season (record N/A)
League finish: First in Ski Valley Conference
Championship history: Has never played in an MHSAA Final.
Players to watch: Cloe Mallory, jr. P; Sydney Depauw, soph. OF/3B. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Inland Lakes just missed advancing to the Semifinals last season, losing in the Quarterfinal in extra innings, but beat No. 6 Rogers City 8-7 to move on this time and for the first time since 1999. The Bulldogs beat their other four postseason opponents by a combined score of 32-2.
MORENCI
Record/rank: 25-14, unranked
Coach: Kay Johnson, 44th season (862-483)
League finish: Fourth in Tri-County Conference
Championship history: Two MHSAA titles (most recent 1986), two runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Madysen Schmitz, soph. OF (.449, 46 R, 14 SB); Daelyn Merillat, fr. C (.432, 46 R, 42 RBI); Allison VanBrandt, sr. SS/P (.403, 37 R, 10 2B, 25 RBI, 12-8 pitching).
Outlook: Morenci is a great story, returning to the Semifinals for the first time since 1994 and seeking its first championship game appearance since winning back-to-back Class C titles in 1985-86. Johnson’s 44th team at the school has only one senior, VanBrandt, and 14 underclassmen – and won a third-straight Regional title. Junior Mikayla Price is the likely starter in the circle with an 11-3 record and 2.73 ERA.
UNIONVILLE-SEBEWAING
Record/rank: Record N/A, No. 2
Coach: Steve Bohn, fifth season (record N/A)
League finish: N/A, Greater Thumb Conference West
Championship history: Four MHSAA titles (most recent 2015), three runner-up finishes.
Players to watch: Nicole Bauer, sr. P; Kayla Gremel, sr. 2B. (Statistics not submitted.)
Outlook: Bauer has signed with Stanford and is among the premier players in Michigan, regardless of division. She and Gremel both made the all-state team last season. USA has given up only one run over four tournament games, including a 3-0 shutout against No. 8 Waterford Our Lady.
PHOTO: A Holton runner attempts to slide in safely during her team's Quarterfinal win over top-ranked Coleman in Division 4 on Tuesday. (Click to see more from HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Among State's Best in Both, Johnston Has Almont Climbing in Softball, Track
By
Paul Costanzo
Special for MHSAA.com
May 26, 2022
It’s been quite a spring for Almont girls athletics.
The softball team finished the Blue Water Area Conference season 10-4, its best-ever mark in the league, which features three top-10 teams and 2021 Division 3 champion Richmond.
Almont’s girls track & field team also had its best finish in the BWAC, placing third at Tuesday’s league meet.
A major reason for both? Devin Johnston.
The Almont junior is a record-setting third baseman for the softball team and a record-setting sprinter for the track team.
“Devin is such a great kid,” Almont softball coach Erik Johnson said. “She’s a hard-working athlete, and she puts so much time into both. You can see it in the way she plays the game and the way she runs her events. She doesn’t miss much practice, she juggles both and she’s a great student.”
Johnston was a first-team all-state selection in softball as a sophomore, and has followed that up with a masterful junior campaign. She was hitting .550 with a .589 on-base percentage, four home runs, 10 doubles and a school-record eight triples heading into Wednesday’s doubleheader against Yale. She’s approaching the single-season hits record (63), which she set as a sophomore. Her .930 slugging percentage is also on pace to set a school record.
On the track, she has qualified for the Lower Peninsula Division 3 Finals in three events: 100 meters, 200 meters and the 400-meter relay. Her 200 time of 25.49 broke an 18-year-old Almont school record and is the second-fastest time in LPD3 this season. She’s ranked fifth in the 100 with her personal best of 12.63.
Being that good at two things during the same season can make for a lot of long days. But Johnston doesn’t mind.
“I enjoy doing both,” she said. “It doesn’t seem like a burden. I don’t see it as a struggle. I chose to do that. At the end of the week, yes, I’m exhausted every single week. But both of my coaches are very supportive. If I need to sit out of a certain thing on a certain day, or if I need to skip out on running in softball for that day, they understand.”
This level of individual and team success does, unfortunately, leaves Johnston with a difficult choice, as Almont’s Division 3 Softball District at Richmond is June 4, the same day as the Division 3 Track & Field Finals in Kent City.
She knows what she will be doing, and while she has told those who need to know, she is not ready to divulge that publicly.
“I want to help both teams, but I have to choose one or the other,” she said. “It’s really difficult, but it’s something that, going in, I knew I would have to do eventually.”
A year ago, Johnston chose the softball District. Although, at that time, she was Almont’s lone Finals qualifier in track and did not rank as highly as she does this year. The realization it was a choice she was going to have to make also hit her later, as she wasn’t expecting to see a ton of track success in her first year as a serious competitor in the sport.
“I didn’t even expect to qualify for states; especially that year in our region, there were some pretty good girls,” she said. “When I found out, I cried over it, actually. I didn’t know if I would have the chance to go to states again. When it did hit me, it was not good. I realized how big of a decision it was.”
This year, she was more aware of the chance. A campaign to move the District softball tournament to Friday, which is allowed, didn’t come to fruition. (All schools in the bracket must approve a switch.)
Moving things around is something Johnson has become used to as Almont’s softball coach, as getting one team to agree to a change in schedule is easier than having multiple track teams adjust a quad meet.
“I worked really hard to look at schedules ahead of time and anything in my power to make adjustments that would fit and allow her to do both,” he said. “I learned a lot from last year, when we did what we could last minute. This season, I got well ahead of it. My perspective is that I want to do anything I can for my girls. When you have someone like Devin who puts an immense amount of time into both track and softball, I’m going to do what I can for her. When I share that with other coaches, they’re like, ‘Yeah, OK.’”
Johnson and track coach James Wade have worked together for a decade with Almont’s girls basketball program, as Johnson is the varsity coach and Wade has been a JV coach and varsity assistant. That, combined with Johnston’s commitment to both, makes things a bit easier.
“I think she wants to succeed in both,” Wade said. “I don’t think she wants to let either of us down. That puts us in a position where we want to do what we can to help her. She’s committed to both, and she lets us know when she can’t be there for a practice. She does what she needs to do to make it work.”
Johnston appreciates that level of support.
“Them allowing me to do this and being lenient allows me to succeed so much more because I don’t have to worry about making a coach mad,” she said. “Their support contributes to my success, and I can just play freely. It means a lot.”
All of this could lead to another decision down the road – and not just this with same possible scenario a year from now. Johnston has spent the majority of her life playing softball, and continuing that collegiately always seemed to be her most likely path. That changes a bit, though, each time she steps on the track.
“I’ve played softball my whole life, and we’ve spent so much time and money on that,” she said. “My parents (who are assistant coaches on the Almont softball team) love track now. They don’t care which one I choose. In my mind, if I put a ton of time into track, and just worked and worked at it, I feel like my times will get even better. That is an opportunity that is really intriguing. That’s a decision that I’ll have to make next year.”
The support of her softball coach parents, who have become massive track fans, takes some pressure off of Johnston.
That’s becoming a trend, as the people closest to her continue to back her as she chases all of her dreams.
“This year, I think she’s probably going to run track,” Johnson said. “And rightly so, because she has a chance to be a state champion. I’ll support her 100 percent, and the kids will, too. Hopefully we can make it through to the Regional, and she can join us the next weekend.”
Paul Costanzo served as a sportswriter at The Port Huron Times Herald from 2006-15, including three years as lead sportswriter, and prior to that as sports editor at the Hillsdale Daily News from 2005-06. He can be reached at [email protected] with story ideas for Genesee, Lapeer, St. Clair, Sanilac, Huron, Tuscola, Saginaw, Bay, Arenac, Midland and Gladwin counties.
PHOTOS (Top) Almont’s Devin Johnston focuses on receiving a pitch during a rare appearance behind the plate this season. (Middle) Johnston, right, emerges from the blocks during a race. (Photos courtesy of the Johnston family.)