High school baseball state tournament preview
By Butch Harmon
The high school baseball state tournament gets into full swing during June with regional and state final action. Following is a look at some of the top teams this spring in baseball by division and district.
DIVISION 1
Top teams in the state: Birmingham Brother Rice, Rochester Adams, Bay City Western, Woodhaven, Hudsonville, Detroit Catholic Central.
Top area teams: Bay City Western, Midland Dow, Rockford, Grand Ledge, Okemos, Mt. Pleasant, Mason.
Local districts to watch:
Mt. Pleasant District
Teams: Bay City Western, Midland, Midland Dow, Mt. Pleasant, Saginaw Heritage
Team to beat: Bay City Western
Top contenders: Midland Dow, Mt. Pleasant
Scouting report: Ranked fifth in the state, Bay City Western is again primed for a deep post-season run. Dow will provide a serious challenge. Ranked 10th in the state, the Chargers did take a doubleheader from Western earlier this season and is capable to winning the trophy. Mt. Pleasant is a dangerous team that can beat anyone down on any given day led by junior pitching standout Aryan Punjabi.
Grand Ledge District
Teams: DeWitt, Grand Ledge, Holt, Lansing Everett, Lansing Waverly
Team to beat: Grand Ledge
Top contender: DeWitt
Scouting report: The Comets have been one of the strongest D1 teams in the Lansing area this spring and swept a twinbill from DeWitt this season. DeWitt is the only other team in this district with a winning record and is the prime challenger to Grand Ledge.
Mason District
Teams: Mason, Battle Creek Central, Battle Creek Lakeview, Jackson, Gull Lake
Team to beat: Mason
Top contender: Battle Creek Lakeview
Scouting report: Mason has totaled 24 wins this season and has split doubleheaders with teams like Grand Ledge and Novi. The Bulldogs have a pure ace on the mound in senior Ryan Myers who possesses a 91mph fastball. Battle Creek Lakeview is a tested-tough team that defeated the likes of Grand Ledge and Williamston this season and is more than capable of winning the district title.
Hartland District
Teams: Brighton, East Lansing, Hartland, Howell, Okemos
Team to beat: Okemos
Top contenders: Hartland, Howell
Scouting report: This is one of the deepest Division 1 districts in the state. Hartland, Howell and Okemos are all ranked in the top 20 in various state polls. Brighton, with a 19-7 record, is also a team worth of being state ranked. Okemos has split doubleheaders with Novi and Battle Creek Lakeview and also defeated Hartland. Okemos has plenty of firepower on offense with seniors Keagan Noble and Jimmy Pignataro who are both hitting in the upper .400s and Ray Smith who will be playing college baseball. Hartland took a pair of games from No. 1-ranked Birmingham Brother Rice in early spring.
Muskegon Reeths-Puffer District
Teams: Greenville, Muskegon, Muskegon Mona Shores, Muskegon Reeths-Puffer, Rockford
Team to beat: Rockford
Top contender: Mona Shores
Scouting report: Rockford is tested tough after going through the gauntlett of the Ottawa-Kent Red Conference that features some of the toughest teams in Division 1. Mona Shores features on of the premier junior pitchers in the state in Owen Tornga. The 6-foot-6 righthander throws in the mid 90s and has already committed to the University of Louisville of the ACC and is capable of pitching the team to a district title.
Middleville District
Teams: Caledonia, Forest Hills Central, Lowell, Middleville
Team to beat: Lowell
Top contender: Caledonia
Scouting report: This district looks to come down to a Lowell/Caledonia battle. The Red Arrows swept Rockford earlier this season but also dropped a pair to Caledonia.
DIVISION 2
Top teams in the state: Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, Pontiac Notre Dame Prep, New Boston Huron, Richmond
Top area teams: Williamston, Lakewood, Lake Odessa, Freeland, Essexville-Garber, Swan Valley, Shepherd
Bay City John Glenn District
Teams: Bay City Central, Bay City John Glenn, Essexville-Garber, Freeland, Saginaw United
Team to beat: Freeland
Top contender: Essexville-Garber
Scouting report: Both Freeland and Garber are state-ranked teams while John Glenn comes in with a 17-13 mark. Freeland swept Garber 7-6 and 7-4 so the Falcons may have a slight edge. The Falcons are led by pitching ace Carter McLaren. Garber will be a tough out led by first baseman Ryan Brey and pitcher/outfielder Nathan Forest.
Owosso District
Teams: Alma, Owosso, St. Johns, Swan Valley
Team to beat: Swan Valley
Top contender: Owosso
Scouting report: Swan Valley is ranked as high as eighth in the state polls. The Vikings have a dominant one-two punch on the pitching mound in senior Jaxon Hartley, a Saginaw Valley State recruit, and junior Brady Stephens. Hartley was 7-0 in early May while Stephens started out the season 6-1. Stephens is also a standout at the plate. Owosso has turned in a strong season led by senior standout Eden Ackley. A force on the basepaths, Ackley has stolen 45 bases this season and had 116 stolen bases for his career. Ackley is also hitting .421 this season. Juniors Cyril Thompson and Ryan Maier are both hitting well over .300 this season as well. Alma has hovered around .500 this season. The Panthers are led by senior catcher Ethan Helinski who as of early May had scored 26 runs, totaled 17 RBI and added four home runs and eight doubles.
Shepherd District
Teams: Bullock Creek, Gladwin, Ogema Heights, Shepherd, Standish-Sterling
Team to beat: Standish-Sterling
Top contender: Shepherd
Scouting report: Standish-Sterling is ranked 11th in the state and has posted a glittering 24-1 record heading into the final week of May. Shepherd has fashioned a 22-7 record of its own. Senior Bryce Smith leads the way with a .342 batting average with 26 runs scored and 20 stolen base. Junior pitcher Kaden Yuncker is the ace of the pitching staff and one of the premier junior pitchers in mid-Michigan. Yuncker is also force at the plate. Kody Wheeler is another strong arm for the Bluejays while Sam King is another talented senior at the plate.
Cadillac District
Teams: Big Rapids, Cadillac, Chippewa Hills, Clare, Ludington
Team to beat: Chippewa Hills
Top contenders: Big Rapids, Ludington
Scouting report: Four of the five teams in this district have winning records with Big Rapids, Chippewa Hills and Ludington all have 16 or more wins. Hunter Richter and Bodie Hadder lead the way for Chippewa Hills both on the mound and at the plate and have been key in the Warriors winning 20 games this season. Big Rapids swept a doubleheader from Chip Hills this season and features a senior-laden group capable of going on a post-season run.
Charlotte District
Teams: Charlotte, Eaton Rapids, Lansing Eastern, Lansing Sexton, Portland
Team to beat: Charlotte
Top contender: Eaton Rapids
Scouting report: The Orioles have been coming on strong down the stretch including a big win against Lakewood-Lake Odessa. With their blend of strong pitching and balanced hitting the Orioles can get on a post-season run.
Parma Western District
Teams: Haslett, Jackson Northwest, Michigan Center, Parma Western, Williamston
Team to beat: Williamston
Top contender: Parma Western
Scouting report: Ranked as high as sixth in the state in the latest baseball polls, Williamston is poised for a long state-tournament run. Senior Kaleb Nielson is hitting .526 with 25 RBI and 27 stolen bases while senior Hawk Harding is hitting .479 with 28 RBI and 14 steals. Hunter Vansickler is hitting .429 with 38 runs and 20 stolen bases. On the mound, Brett Palmer is 7-1 with a 0.66 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched while Harding is 8-2 with a 2.85 ERA.
North Branch District
Teams: Birch Run, Bridgeport, Clio, Frankenmuth, North Branch
Team to beat: Frankenmuth
Top contender: North Branch
Scouting report: Frankenmuth is the team to beat led by standout pitcher Caden Sommerfield who has a 6-2 record with a 0.43 ERA and 84 strikeouts. Luke Purves provides plenty of pop at the plate.
Sparta District
Teams: Cedar Springs, Fremont, Grant, Howard City Tri-County, Sparta
Team to beat: Grant
Top contender: Fremont
Scouting report: With a 21-6 record Grant is the team to beat in this district.
Wayland District
Teams: Hastings, Hopkins, Lakewood-Lake Odessa, Grand Rapids South Christian, Wayland
Team to beat: Hopkins
Top contenders: Lakewood-Lake Odessa, Wayland
Scouting report: Hopkins, ranked 18th in the state, is the team to beat after sweeping a doubleheader from a Lakewood-Lake Odessa squad that is ranked 20th in the state. Don’t overlook Wayland which swept the season-series from South Christian and has navigated a rugged schedule.
DIVISION 3
Top teams in the state: Jackson Lumen Christi, Detroit Edison, Brooklyn Columbia Central, Traverse City St. Francis
Top area teams: Lansing Catholic, Saginaw Valley Lutheran, Montrose, Laingsburg, Beaverton
Lansing Catholic District
Teams: Bath, Laingsburg, Lansing Catholic, Olivet, Springport
Team to beat: Lansing Catholic
Top contenders: Springport, Laingsburg
Scouting report: Lansing Catholic is ranked third in the state and won 22 of its first 24 games this season. The Cougars have a high-powered offense led by Ethan Link who was hitting .538 in mid-May with 29 RBI, 28 stolen bases, 34 runs scored and 15 doubles. Elijah Jungwirth is hitting .452 with two home runs and 12 doubles. Jungwirth is also 6-1 with an 0.42 ERA as a pitcher. Anthony Branoff is hitting .441 with 27 RBI while Jason Boldman is hitting .435. Springport dropped a pair of close games to Lansing Catholic during the season and is ranked 20th in the state with a 23-4 record while Laingsburg was 19-9 in mid-May.
Saranac District
Teams: Belding, Central-Montcalm, Ithaca, Pewamo-Westphalia, Saranac
Team to beat: Ithaca
Top contenders: Central-Montcalm, Pewamo-Westphalia
Scouting report: Ithaca is turning in a solid season and is 18-8 heading into the final week of May. At the plate, Greyson Merchant, Connor McMurphy and Carsen Shankel are leading the way with Merchant and McMurphy hitting over .400. Merchant and McMurphy have also combined to steal over 30 bases. The Yellowjackets are also getting strong pitching from Brady Paradise, Merchant and McMurphy.
Montrose District
Teams: Millington, Montrose, Mt. Morris, Otisville-LakeVille, Reese
Team to beat: Montrose
Top contender: Reese
Scouting report: Montrose is ranked among the honorable-mention in the Prep Baseball Report poll. The Rams have totaled 20 wins this season as has Reese. Millington is also a team capable of surprising at this district.
Beaverton District
Teams: Beaverton, Farwell, Pinconning, Sanford-Meridian, St. Louis
Team to beat: Beaverton
Top contender: Sanford-Meridian
Scouting report: Beaverton has reached the 20-win mark and has been solid all season. Sanford-Meridian and Farwell both have over double-digit wins and are capable of taking home the title.
New Lothrop District
Teams: Burton Bentley, Durand, Flint Hamady, New Lothrop, Perry
Team to beat: New Lothrop
Top contender: Durand
Scouting report: This district looks to come down to a Durand/New Lothrop battle. Senior Nathan Kuchar is turning in a big season for New Lothrop as he is hitting .380 with 24 RBI and 12 doubles. Freshman Nathan Baldwin is making a big impact with 24 RBI and a .364 batting average.
Carrollton District
Teams: Carrollton, Chesaning, Hemlock, Ovid-Elsie, Saginaw Valley Lutheran
Team to beat: Valley Lutheran
Top contenders: Hemlock, Ovid-Elsie
Scouting report: Valley Lutheran is ranked ninth in the state and has a 21-9 record. Isaac Rupprecht and Ryan Pittman have been offensive leaders for Valley Lutheran this season. Hemlock and Ovid-Elsie have both won 15 or more games this season and are capable of hoisting the trophy. With pitching ace Gavin Schmidt on the hill Hemlock is capable of winning a district-defining game.
Manistee District
Teams: Evart, Leroy-Pine River, Reed City, Mason County Eastern, Manistee
Team to beat: Evart
Top contenders: Reed City, Pine River
Scouting report: This district is shaping up as a three-way battle between Evart, Pine River and Reed City. Keep on eye on Evart’s Aidan Anderson who has a solid blend of speed and power.
DIVISION 4
Top teams in the state: Portland St. Patrick, Beal City, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, Kalamazoo Hackett Prep
Top area teams: Portland St. Patrick, Beal City, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, Fulton-Middleton, Fowler, Breckenridge
Coleman District
Teams: Beal City, Coleman, Mt. Pleasant Sacred Heart, Marion
Team to beat: Sacred Heart
Top contenders: Beal City
Scouting report: As usual, this district features two of the top three teams in the state in Division 4. Sacred Heart is ranked second in the state is the coaches’ poll and Beal City is ranked third in the state by Prep Baseball Report. Both squads have totaled over 25 wins this spring against rugged competition outside of their leagues. Sacred Heart features a plethora of solid arms in seniors Brady Davis and Noah Zein and junior Nathan Siler. Siler recently had a streak of 28 strikeouts in 12 innings pitched. Siler is also a standout at the plate. Beal City is led by veterans Blake Walcutt and Cuyler Smith along with talented sophomore Parker Klopf. Don’t be surprised if the winner of this district reaches the state title game.
Blanchard Montabella District
Teams: Blanchard Montabella, Breckenridge, Carson City-Crystal, Fulton-Middleton, Vestaburg
Team to beat: Fulton
Top contender: Breckenridge
Scouting report: Fulton is ranked seventh in the state and has won 20 games this spring. Parker Billings, an Alma College commit, leads the way while Bryson Sattler is turning in a big season on the mound and at shortstop. Breckenridge is also a top-ten ranked team and have totaled 23 wins this season. The Huskies are led by senior Blaze Snyder who is hitting close to .500 with over 30 RBI this season. Noah Barr, Gavin Corbat and Dylan Davenport have also been turning in big seasons for the Huskies.
Merrill District
Teams: Merrill, Michigan Lutheran Seminary, Saginaw Arts & Sciences, Saginaw Nouvel, St. Charles
Team to beat: Michigan Lutheran Seminary
Top contenders: Merrill
Scouting report: Michigan Lutheran Seminary is a big favorite at this district. The Cardinals have a 19-9 record heading into the final week of May and are led by senior standout Noah Reif. Reif is hitting a robust .427 with 34 RBI and 25 runs scored. Reif has also swiped 22 bags. Junior Zach Scharrer is also turning in a big season at the plate.
Fowler District
Teams: Fowler, Lansing Christian, Morrice, Portland St. Patrick
Team to beat: St. Patrick
Top contender: Fowler
Scouting report: The defending state champions, St. Patrick is on a mission to make it two state titles in a row. The Shamrocks are ranked No. 1 in the state and have posted a 23-2 record with the two losses coming against Division 3 Pewamo-Westphalia (0-3) and Division 1 Grand Ledge (1-3). The Shamrocks have an abundance of talent led by junior shortstop/pitcher Jerryd Scheurer who is hitting close to .500 and is the ace of the pitching staff. Senior Brady Leonard is another dominating arm and lethal bat. Senior Charlie Thelen is another big bat in the lineup and is a defensive standout. Fowler has the task of stopping the Shamrocks in the district. Ranked eighth in the state, the Eagles have a solid squad in their own right and have posted a 17-10 record against a formidable schedule.
Maple Valley District
Teams: Bellevue, Martin, Potterville, Vermontville Maple Valley
Team to beat: Maple Valley
Top contenders: Martin
Scouting report: Maple Valley has put together a 17-7 record and is ranked among the honorable-mention in the state. The Lions are strong with the bats having scored in double figures in 11 games this season. Martin has turned in a winning record so far this season and is a solid challenger.