Rogers City Swinging for Semifinal Return
April 12, 2019
By Chris Dobrowolski
Special for Second Half
ROGERS CITY — The well of softball talent never seems to run dry at Rogers City High School.
So, even though the Hurons lost five key players from last year’s team that went 32-6 and reached the Division 4 Semifinals, they entered the 2019 season with the same high expectations and a No. 3 ranking in the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association Division 4 poll.
“I think we’re going to be OK again,” said Rogers City head coach Karl Grambau. “We lost an awful lot. We lost some pretty good players. Some of them are playing in college now, but there’s enough back and we added some good, young kids. We’re pretty excited with what we’ve got coming back.”
The caliber of players the Hurons have to replace is high and might wreck many programs. Among those who are gone is starting shortstop Kayla Rabeau, a four-year standout who was Division 4 Miss Softball. They also have to fill big shoes at third base and second base — Hannah Fleming and Jayna Hance earned all-state and all-state honorable mention, respectively, while designated player Jazmyn Saile and centerfielder Kristin Brege were both all-region selections.
To make up for those losses, Rogers City is leaning heavily on its top returning players — a core that supplied major contributions for the Hurons over the past three years. Junior pitcher Kyrsten Altman and senior Taylor Fleming, who is moving from first base to shortstop, both received all-state honorable mention in 2018, while catcher Amanda Wirgau, another fourth-year veteran, and outfielders Linnea Hentkowski and Alissa Bowden also are returning starters. Additionally, the Hurons have players like senior third baseman Cathryn Hart, sophomore first baseman Jeffra Dittmar and sophomore second baseman Karissa Rabeau ready to step in and show what they can do.
“Every year I’ve been on varsity we’ve lost some key players,” said Taylor Fleming. “We’ve always been capable of filling those positions that we’ve lost. I think we’re more than capable of doing it again this year. As long as I can remember, Rogers City softball has always been a good program and they’ve always made it pretty far (in the postseason).”
Indeed, the Hurons can put their accolades up against nearly any program across the state. Since 2012 they’ve gone 230-48, the highlight being winning the Division 4 title in 2014. They’ve also reached the Semifinals twice, won three consecutive Regionals and seven straight Districts. There also were Finals runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2001.
“I think we’ve built up a pretty good tradition all the way through, especially since 2012,” said Grambau, who took over for Charlie Fairbanks in 2003. “We want to keep it going. We’ve talked about how we have a target on our back. We also know it takes a lot of hard work to keep climbing and it’s easy to slide back, and we don’t want to do that. We want to keep going in a positive direction.”
After getting a taste of playing in a Semifinal last year, the Hurons are hungry to get another opportunity that deep into the postseason.
“A lot of us really, really want to get back (to East Lansing),” said Altman, who had a record of 17-3 last year and struck out 118 batters in 111 innings using a wicked rise ball as her go-to pitch. “It’s such an amazing experience to get to play there, and we hope to do that again and maybe get the win.
“The team has very high standards. The past couple of years we’ve always gotten super far in the playoff round, and we keep pushing and pushing to get farther and farther. We just have to keep working hard.”
The Hurons want to remove the bitter taste left from last year’s 2-0 loss to Coleman in the Semifinals. Rogers City’s bats couldn’t string together hits, and the quest for a second championship in four years was dashed.
It’s been a rare occasion when the Hurons have had trouble generating offense. Rogers City has become notable for its hefty home run totals. The Hurons have clubbed at least 30 homers each year since 2013, including a whopping 48 during the 2014 championship season. In the District Semifinal against Johannesburg-Lewiston last year, they belted nine home runs.
“I’m not going to say we’re going to hit 30-some this year, but I think we’ll hit our fair share again,” said Grambau. “We’ve got some good kids, and we work on the power hitting a lot. What we’ve done has worked. Knock on wood, we can keep it going. We’ve got to stay healthy. The kids work hard, and they buy into the system. I’m really happy with the results.”
Grambau has coached a number of sports — boys and girls basketball, track & field and cross country among them — but his tenure as the Hurons’ softball coach has stretched into its 17th season.
“It’s just been a lot of fun,” said Grambau. “It was a strong program when I started. It just happened that I could keep it going. We’ve had great volunteer help over the years. It’s just something I enjoy doing. I’ve had a chance to coach a lot of great kids and meet a lot of great people.”
Grambau has gone 435-157 as the Hurons’ head coach, a record made even more impressive by the fact that the Hurons play an extremely challenging schedule every year. Rogers City will face many of the teams listed as well in the preseason rankings and isn’t afraid to take on teams in any division.
“We’ve always tried to play a really tough schedule, and it’s really helped us come postseason time,” said Grambau. “We like to play good competition.”
That begins with a season-opening tournament at Farmington Hills Mercy, along with tournaments at Holton and Boyne City that will feature quality competition. A rematch with Division 4 runner-up Coleman also is on the schedule. The purpose is to be well-prepared by the time the postseason starts, when elimination is only one game away.
“Anything can happen on any day,” said Grambau. “We just have to try and get ready for the next day. One day at a time, and one pitch at a time. That’s what we tell the girls. Things will work out as long as we believe in what we’re doing.
“Our No. 1 goal is to have fun. We’re going to do our best to keep it going this year.”
Chris Dobrowolski has covered northern Lower Peninsula sports since 1999 at the Ogemaw County Herald, Alpena News, Traverse City Record-Eagle and currently as sports editor at the Antrim Kalkaska Review since 2016. 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) Pitcher Kyrsten Altman and first baseman Taylor Fleming (20) get ready to start an inning during last season’s Division 4 Semifinal against Coleman. (Middle) Rogers City catcher Amanda Wirgau prepares to apply the tag and prevent a run during the eventual 2-0 defeat at Secchia Stadium.
Performance: Schoolcraft's Lydia Goble
May 31, 2018
Lydia Goble
Schoolcraft senior – Softball
The Eagles’ standout shortstop has enjoyed a career full of highlights, and added to her most memorable over two games May 23 against Delton Kellogg. Goble drilled three home runs during the doubleheader to set the MHSAA single-season record at 25 – and counting – and earn the Michigan Army National Guard “Performance of the Week.”
Goble had hit 23 home runs total over her first three high school seasons. But she entered the Delton Kellogg games with 22 this spring, which at the time tied her for the record set last season by both Taylor Dew of Muskegon Mona Shores and Brooke Nadolny of Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse. A shot to right field against the Panthers put Goble alone atop the list, and that accomplishment will join the 17 other entries in the record book that she’d earned entering this season. This spring she’s hitting .564 with 25 home runs and 62 RBI, and heading into this weekend she’s tied for 11th in MHSAA history with 230 career runs scored, tied for 11th with 31 career triples, tied for fifth with 48 career home runs and tied for fifth all-time with 229 career RBI.
Schoolcraft is 26-3 this spring and will play Saturday at Comstock for its third straight Division 3 District title. Goble also the last two seasons led the girls basketball team to a pair of Regional titles, the first in that program’s history. She made basketball all-state this winter averaging 19.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.8 steals per game as the Eagles finished 25-1 and lost only in the Class C Quarterfinals. Goble will continue her softball career next season at Grand Valley State University, where she’ll study exercise science, and she graduated high school with a 3.7 grade-point average while also taking classes at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. But a few final high school memorable moments could be in store over the next few weeks – she’s only two behind in the race for the career home runs record, and a Regional title in softball would be a program first as well.
Coach (and father) Jim Goble said: “I remember when Lydia was 5 years old and went to a soccer camp. The guy running the camp was coaching a team that age and right away asked if Lydia could play for him even though she had never played before. He saw that she just (went) all out every time she had an opportunity to get the ball. Thirteen 13 years later, it hasn't changed. She doesn't know anything less than going all out. She does it in basketball and does it in softball and really anytime playing a competitive sport. The other thing I have found unique with her is she is committed to the current sport she is playing. When it is basketball season, we do occasional batting lessons and she'd go to travel ball practices, but her focus and passion was on basketball. Now we are in softball season, and that is what is getting all of her attention. … She loves the game inside of the game! Watching and observing her opponent to take advantage of any weakness she sees, especially when running bases – she loves the challenge of stealing a base. … Lastly, she recognizes that the player she is and the success she has isn't just due to her (but because of) her teammates, her family, her coaches, her friends. I believe that is due in part to her life experiences, her faith in God and just who she is.”
Performance Point: “Before the game I was tied for the record, and my team made sure I knew about that. So I was actually pretty nervous and just wanted to get it over with,” Goble said of the matchup with Delton Kellogg. “My goal was to hit (the record homer) as soon as I could so I could stop worrying about it. They were like, 'Oh, you're tied. Better not strike out.' They were just messing with me. They know it won't get to my head, but they like to have some fun with it. ... (The first homer) just sounded weird coming off the bat, kinda like it was an indoor (foam practice) ball, so it didn't feel very good. I was just hoping it would keep going, and it actually did, so I was just thanking the Lord that I got it over with. (After that) it didn't really matter anymore, so I was just playing my game.”
Power surge: "In the fall before basketball season I worked out with a personal trainer. I definitely found that helped me during basketball season, and I'm assuming that carried over to softball too. That was something different I had never done before. He worked a lot on our core and our endurance – because your core plays into pretty much every part of your body. I just think it overall made me a better player and person."
Multi-sport crossover: “I see my jumping ability, that gets a lot better with basketball and it helps me on the field when I get a line shot over my head and I can go up and get it. And basketball, definitely with my hand-eye coordination from being a shortstop. And being able to read people, what they're about to do on the basketball court helps me see base-runners -- sometimes I can tell when going to steal because they have a different stance, so that helps me.”
Thanks Coach Dad: “It's definitely pretty rough sometimes because he's telling me what to do at home and he's telling me what to do on the field. … (But) at the end of the day he's doing it to help me, and he wouldn't even be coaching if it weren't for me. So it's a good bonding thing for us and definitely strengthened our relationship at our house as well as on the field.”
What a way to finish: “I didn't have any expectations coming into this year for basketball or for softball. God has just blessed me a lot this year. … (Team success) has meant a lot. Last year was the first year we won Regionals for girls basketball; honestly, it felt like we won the state. The school was just so proud of us, and it was a place personally where the girls had never gone. And just to be a part of that and help lead that was amazing. And then to come back this year after losing five seniors and do the same thing again was truly amazing – I didn't even think we'd be able to do it this year. We just came out and played hard every night and it ended up being a great season. Then for softball, freshman year we lost in Districts, and that was a pretty tough loss (3-2 to Gobles in the District Final). Then the next year we ended up winning Districts, and the past two years we’ve lost to Coloma in Regionals – so it's been rough having to see them each year and having them take us out. But we're hoping to change that this year.”
- Geoff Kimmerly, Second Half editor
Every week during the 2017-18 school year, Second Half and the Michigan Army National Guard will recognize a “Performance of the Week" from among the MHSAA's 750 member high schools.
The Michigan Army National Guard provides trained and ready forces in support of the National Military Strategy, and responds as needed to state, local, and regional emergencies to ensure peace, order, and public safety. The Guard adds value to our communities through continuous interaction. National Guard soldiers are part of the local community. Guardsmen typically train one weekend per month and two weeks in the summer. This training maintains readiness when needed, be it either to defend our nation's freedom or protect lives and property of Michigan citizens during a local natural disaster.
Previous 2017-18 honorees:
May 24: Corinne Jemison, East Kentwood track & field - Read
May 17: Reagan Wisser, Richland Gull Lake soccer - Read
May 10: Clayton Sayen, Houghton track & field - Read
May 3: Autumn Roberts, Traverse City Central tennis - Read
April 26: Thomas Robinson, Wyoming Lee track & field - Read
March 29: Carlos Johnson, Benton Harbor basketball - Read
March 22: Shine Strickland-Gills, Saginaw Heritage basketball - Read
March 15: Skyler Cook-Weeks, Holland Christian swimming - Read
March 8: Dakota Greer, Howard City Tri-County wrestling - Read
March 1: Camree' Clegg, Wayne Memorial basketball - Read
February 23: Aliah Robertson, Sault Ste. Marie swimming - Read
February 16: Austin O'Hearon, Eaton Rapids wrestling - Read
February 9: Sophia Wiard, Muskegon Oakridge basketball - Read
February 2: Brenden Tulpa, Hartland hockey - Read
January 25: Brandon Whitman, Dundee wrestling - Read
January 18: Derek Maas, Holland West Ottawa swimming - Read
January 11: Lexi Niepoth, Bellaire basketball - Read
November 30: La'Darius Jefferson, Muskegon football - Read
November 23: Ashley Turak, Farmington Hills Harrison swimming - Read
November 16: Bryce Veasley, West Bloomfield football - Read
November 9: Jose Penaloza, Holland soccer - Read
November 2: Karenna Duffey, Macomb L'Anse Creuse North cross country - Read
October 26: Anika Dy, Traverse City West golf - Read
October 19: Andrew Zhang, Bloomfield Hills tennis - Read
October 12: Nolan Fugate, Grand Rapids Catholic Central football - Read
October 5: Marissa Ackerman, Munising tennis - Read
September 28: Minh Le, Portage Central soccer - Read
September 21: Olivia Theis, Lansing Catholic cross country - Read
September 14: Maddy Chinn, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep volleyball - Read
PHOTOS: (Top) Schoolcraft's Lydia Goble winds up to throw out a runner during a game this season. (Middle) Goble powers through a swing. (Photos by Lingering Memories Photography.)