Gaylord, Johannesburg-Lewiston softball both top ten in MHSSCA preseason rankings
GAYLORD ― As the seasons officially change (and hopefully the weather) and area prep athletes make the switch back outdoors, watchful eyes in Gaylord will be on the area softball diamonds.
That is because some of the best teams in the state reside in the Gaylord area, with many of the top college prospects taking the field for the various area teams.
While games are set to kick off this week, the Gaylord Blue Devils and Johannesburg-Lewiston Cardinals won't have to wait for their results to receive the recognition they deserve as both teams received top-ten rankings for their respective divisions on the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association's preseason lists.
Gaylord starts the season as the No. 2 ranked team in MHSAA Division 2, while JoBurg came in at No. 10 on the Division 4 list when the lists were published on Friday, March 17.
The Blue Devils have been one of the most dominant teams in the state regardless of division in the past two seasons, compiling a 70-5 overall record, 19-1 Big North Conference record, two straight conference titles and two straight D2 district titles over the past two years as well as a regional championship in 2021.
That 2021 team, made up of mostly freshmen and sophomores, advanced to the D2 state semifinal game before falling to the eventual state champs, Owosso, in a one-run heartbreaker. Last season, they came within one out of a return to the state quarterfinals before Escanaba, the No. 4 team in D2 2023 preseason rankings, pulled off a miracle comeback to upset the Blue Devils in the final inning.
Now, with a core of juniors and seniors with a ton of postseason experience, the Gaylord girls are looking to end the season not just with a postseason run, but with a D2 state championship.
The Blue Devils are led by a host of talented players, including junior Jayden Jones, a Virginia Tech commit and the No. 6 player in the nation in the class of 2024 according to Extra Innings Softball, sophomore Aubrey Jones, the No. 9 ranked player in the 2025 class, as well as seniors Alexis Kozlowski and Abby Radulski and juniors Taylor Moeggenberg, Avery Parker and Alexis Shepherd, all members of all-state or all-conference teams at some point in their careers.
Meanwhile, the JoBurg girls come into the season ranked No. 10 for D4 after a successful 2022 campaign, finishing with a 26-6 overall record and an undefeated Ski Valley Conference record (12-0) while not losing a single game over the month of May.
They return their top player from 2022, junior Jayden Marlatt, after she put up a first-team all-state-worthy season a year ago, leading the Cardinals with a .531 batting average, 52 hits, 35 RBI and three home runs while pitching 94.2 innings with a 1.99 ERA.
Other top returners include Cassie Tallman and Gloria House, both All-Ski Valley honorees from last season hoping to push JoBurg to a deep postseason run.
Gaylord is set to kick off the season for the area softball teams on Thursday, April 6 as they are set to take on Rogers City. JoBurg will open its season on Tuesday, April 11 at Pellston.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Gaylord, Johannesburg-Lewiston softball both top ten in MHSSCA preseason rankings
