A not-so-brief look ahead to the spring prep season

Mar. 31—TRAVERSE CITY — Spring break is almost over for many area schools.

That means the start of spring high school sports in earnest. Many teams began practices in one way or another already, with spring break and our lovely weather likely not letting baseball and softball teams hit the diamond until well into April.

In the meantime as we wait for snow to melt and fields to dry out, we can look ahead to just a few of those teams and athletes.

Here's a spotlight on just a few of the top teams in northwest Lower Michigan to keep an eye on this spring.

SOFTBALL

First and perhaps foremost is the team I predicted on TV would win the state championship this year — Gaylord.

Simply put, the Blue Devils are loaded.

They already have five players signed to play college sports (four in softball).

Junior pitcher/infielder Jayden Jones, one of the early front-runners for the Record-Eagle Player of the Year, committed to Virginia Tech, and her younger sister Aubrey is headed to a similarly big decision in the coming years as all the big college programs are recruiting the star sophomore pitcher.

Junior second baseman Alexis Shepherd is headed to Toledo, senior corner infielder Alexis Kozlowski committed to Ferris State and junior catcher Taylor Moeggenberg to Cornerstone. Infielder and pitcher Avery Parker could certainly play college softball, but already committed to Northwood for basketball.

Tony Vaden takes over the talent-laden team that advanced to the regional finals last year and the state semifinals in 2021 with a mostly-freshmen lineup.

"It starts with Jayden," said Vaden, who coached Gaylord's junior varsity since 2018. "She's a leader. She has a way about her that the girls around her elevate their game."

The Jones' father, Greg, joins Vaden's coaching staff as an assistant. Greg Jones coached most of the current roster to a Little League state championship.

The Devils have plenty of other help, with senior pitcher/first baseman Abby Radulski, junior catcher Addison Wangler, sophomore Kennedy Wangler, outfielders Braleigh Miller and Hali Lenartowicz and the addition of last year's junior varsity MVP, junior utility player Natalia Garrido. Eleven of the Devils' 12 players are returners from last year's team that was ranked No. 1 at the end of the regular season and started this year ranked No. 2 behind Stevensville Lakeshore (Escanaba is No. 4) in Division 2.

"Our slogan this year is a championship mindset," Vaden said. "We're trying to get them to strive to be the best in everything they do."

The team that eliminated Gaylord in regionals last spring now is in their district. Escanaba topped Gaylord last year 3-2 in a matchup of star freshman pitchers (Aubrey Jones and Esky's Grayson LaMarche, who struck out 12). The rest of the district, hosted by Gaylord, also includes Petoskey, Cheboygan, Kingsford and Sault Ste. Marie.

Other area teams in the preseason rankings are Kingsley (No. 8) and Traverse City St. Francis (No. 9) in Division 3 and Johannesburg-Lewiston No. 10 in Division 4. St. Francis boasts last year's softball co-Player of the Year in catcher Brooke Meeker.

Traverse City West looks to challenge Gaylord in the Big North Conference, along with Traverse City Central and transfer Camryn Craig from St. Francis. The Titans feature slugging senior catcher Lydia Heymes and highly-ranked freshman pitcher Piper Cavanaugh among four freshmen (Autumn McSawby, Ashlyn Cummings and Macy Polhad) who look to see extended playing time. TC West also gains junior Taylor Williams, a junior transfer from Ohio who already earned a spot as a captain.

Some other players to watch: Cate Heethuis, TC Central, Sr., 2B; Kenzie Bromley, Petoskey, Sr., 1B; Anna Kemp, Charlevoix, Jr., C; Olivia Mikowski, Glen Lake, Sr., SS; Hannah Grahn, Kingsley, Sr., IF; Caitlin Butzin, McBain, Sr., SS; Kelsey Quiggin, Mesick, Sr., P; Kinzee Stockdale, Frankfort, Sr., C; Hunter St. Peter, St. Francis, Jr., OF; Maggie Napont, St. Francis, Sr., SS; Janie Suliecki, TC West, Sr., SS; Hannah Vasicek, Lake City, Jr., 1B; Katelynn Wolgamott, Central Lake, Sr., C; Zoe Jetter, St. Francis, So., 3B; Sophie Hardy, St. Francis, Sr., 2B; Anna Wood, Grayling, So., SS; Leah Fleis, Lake Leelanau St. Mary, Jr., 1B; Jaycee Mitchell, Kalkaska, Sr., OF; Jessie Pugh, Glen Lake, So., OF; Chloe Crick, Glen Lake, Sr., OF; Allie Hawkins, Kingsley, Sr., OF; Lauren Klepadlo, Petoskey, Sr., IF/OF; Cassie Tallman, Johannesburg-Lewiston, Jr.. OF; Reagann Merchant, Elk Rapids, Sr., P; Ryleigh Yocom, Elk Rapids, Sr., SS; Hailey Hart, Onekama, Fr., 2B; Allee Shepherd, TC St. Francis, Sr., P; Stella Balcom, Cadillac, Sr., 3B; Ellen Roggenbeck, Central Lake, Sr., 3B; Grace Lewis, Kingsley, Jr., P; Katelyn Kanary, Grayling, So., P/IF; Grace Heiges, Benzie Central, So., CF/P; Alyssa Hamilton, Kingsley, So., 3B; Danyelle Cadarette, Petoskey, Jr., OF; Cathryn Mikowski, Lake Leelanau St. Mary, Jr., CF; Kylie Dorst, Charlevoix, Sr., P/SS; Kensley Thorpe, TC St. Francis, So., P; Izzy Covert, TC Central, Sr., 2B; Cali D'Amour, Grayling, So., OF/1B; Autumn Wallington, Benzie Central, Sr., C; Carly Bennett, Onekama, Sr., 1B; Ella Flores, Glen Lake, Jr., 2B; London Birgy, Kalkaska, So., C; Kerigan Schroeder, Forest Area, So., C; Gloria House, Johannesburg-Lewiston, Sr., CF; Quinn Boyle, TC St. Francis, Jr., DH; Hannah Fellows, TC Central, Sr., IF; Daisie Brewer, TC Central, Jr., OF; Mallory Smith, TC West, Sr., OF; Lauren Tkach, TC West, Jr., IF; Katelyn Gaylord, TC Central, Sr., P; Avery Strange, Ellsworth, Jr., SS/P; Rachel Clausen, Boyne City, Sr., 3B; Lucy Uy, Boyne City, Jr., 2B; Jessica Campbell, Grayling, So., OF; Jillian Hartman, Grayling, Sr., C; Skylar Barnett, East Jordan, Sr., C/CF.

BASEBALL

The Big North Conference could very well run through Traverse City.

Just about everyone else will.

Somehow, Traverse City Central managed to put together a schedule with 30 out of 38 games at the Trojan Athletic Complex for the facility's second season of competition.

"I just kept calling downstate teams asking if they wanted to come up for games and they kept saying yes," TC Central head coach Pat McDonald said.

The Trojans lost eight seniors, but both Traverse City coaches in the BNC labeled Central as the league favorite.

"I kind of feel the target is on us, with what we have returning," McDonald said. "Josh (Klug) is great, but we have a lot around him, too."

Klug, a Louisville commit, takes the mound as Central's top pitching option, with Josef Meyer and Donnie Meyer among other top hurler options. Lefthanders Drew Rokos and Nick Van Nes also add to the pitching staff

Central has only 14 players, with seniors JJ Dutmers, Reed Seebase, Grayson Spinniken, Owen Dawson, Parker Welch and Ben Rice and juniors Andrew Fender, Zander Lorincz and Declan Feeney also expected to contribute.

The Trojans also host several night games under the TAC lights this season.

West also has 14 on varsity, with a big junior class led by pitcher/outfielder Jack Griffiths, infielder/pitcher Quinten Gillespie, catchers Sawyer Vanderlinde and Blake DuBois, outfielder/pitcher Isaac Kelsey and utility player Mike Healy. The Titans will rely on three seniors — infielder/pitcher Ian Robertson, pitcher Tristan Simrau and outfielder Hunter Witham — for leadership in addition to production.

Sophomores Caden Stoops and Owen Hendricks made varsity, both playing the infield and pitching.

"It's going to be a competitive league," West head coach Matt Bocian said. "Gaylord has very good numbers, Cadillac was very good last year, Petoskey is always fundamentally solid and Alpena has a new coach."

The Titans are playing five of their home dates at Turtle Creek Stadium, the home of the Traverse City Pit Spitters, as their field is under construction. West is playing all of its home Big North doubleheaders there, as well as two other home games, plus several doubleheaders at TAC.

Area teams appearing in the top 20 in the preseason rankings are Petoskey (No. 16 in Division 2), TC St. Francis (No. 17 in D3) and Glen Lake (No. 10 in D4).

Some other players to watch: Eli Graves, Kingsley, So., OF/P; Gavin Hewitt, Boyne City, Jr., 3B/P; Kelan Pletcher, Ellsworth, Jr., SS; Troy Nickel, Charlevoix, So., SS; Caleb Linna, Mesick, Jr., 1B/C/P; Colin Basinski, Johannesburg-Lewiston, Jr., C; Reece Broderick, TC Christian, So., 3B/P; Grant Miller, Central Lake, Fr., C; Daniel Jacobson Gaylord St. Mary So. SS/P; Landon Kulawiak, Buckley, So., IF; Gavin Bebble, Gaylord St. Mary Sr. SS/P; Dylan Barnowski, Lake Leelanau St. Mary, Sr., P/IF; Patrick Sterrett, Charlevoix, Sr., OF; Adam Workman, Manistee, Sr., CF; Jason Kihn, Mancelona, Sr., SS/P; Jaret Edmondson, Manistee, Sr., C/P; Donavyn Kirchinger, Manistee, Sr., P/1B; Dominic Lopez, Benzie Central, Sr., DH; Cael Katt, Benzie Central, Sr., SS; Jeffrey Huber, Manistee, Sr., 3B/P; Rily McVannel, Johannesburg, Sr., P/CF; Ethan Edmondson, Manistee, Sr., SS; Jack Prichard, TC St. Francis, Sr., P/SS; Noah Lamb, Glen Lake, Sr., IF; Sean Shananaquet, Suttons Bay, Sr., 3B; James St. Peter, Glen Lake, Sr., OF/P; Riley Pierce, Kingsley, Sr., IF; Logan Lewis, Frankfort, Sr., 3B; Sam Baron, Lake City, Sr., IF; Justin Grahn, Kingsley, Sr., P; Ben Parrish, Mesick, Sr., 1B/C/P; Carter Simmer, Mesick, Sr., IF; Ashtyn Simerson, Mesick, Sr., 3B/SS; Jason Naumcheff, Mancelona, Sr., C; Zach Griffis, Bear Lake, Jr., P/1B; Dillon Croff, Gaylord St. Mary, Jr., P/3B; Owen Waha, Charlevoix, Jr., P/2B; Ben Reid, East Jordan, Jr., C; Dakota Dawson, Benzie Central, Jr., 2B; Drayton Evans, Central Lake, Jr., OF; Lucas Gordon, Suttons Bay, Jr., SS; Ethan Coleman, Suttons Bay, Jr., C; Garrison Barrett, Central Lake, Jr., IF; Aiden Gokey, Glen Lake, Jr., 1B; Cameron Patton, Forest Area, Jr., P; Wyatt Noffsinger, Benzie Central, Jr., P; Ben Humphreys, Mesick, Jr., OF/IF; Connor Sisson, Mesick, Jr., C/SS.

SOCCER

Elk Rapids has the look of a team primed for another long postseason run.

The Elks won the program's first girls soccer regional championship last year after numerous close calls over the years. They lose 10 seniors from that team, including six starters.

Still, the Elks have a good amount of experience back among its roster of 18. Eleven of those 18 played varsity last season, with seven newcomers, including foreign-exchange students Miriam Ribera (Spain) and Lèa Tribouillard (France).

Ribera was on the Elk Rapids boys tennis team last fall so she could play both tennis and soccer.

Four stars from last year's team return in goaltender Jorja Jenema, midfielder Kendall Standfest, defender Lily Morton and reigning girls soccer Player of the Year Lauren Bingham at forward. Add in returning junior defender Ally Plum on defense, junior Elizabeth Pike, sophomores Sofie Bellner and Pipre Meteer, and plug-in seniors Morgan Standfest and Allison Frank, and Elk Rapids coach Andrea Krakow thinks this year's team can be just as dangerous as last year's.

Krakow, in her 17th year coaching the Elks, said this year's returners have already been using last year's momentum as something to motivate this year's squad.

"The upperclassmen were talking about how they had that momentum," she said. "The kids definitely want to get back there and they can definitely do that if they come together as a team."

Some other players to watch: Ahna Campbell, Traverse City West, Sr.; Tessa Petty, TC Central, So.; Elizabeth Thaxton, TC Central, Sr.; Jada VanNoord, McBain NMC, Jr.; Kate Farley, Petoskey, Sr.; Ruby Hogan, Glen Lake, Sr.; Mikayla Sharrow, Charlevoix, Sr.; Gemma Lerchen, Glen Lake, Sr.; Paige Steffke, Glen Lake, Jr.; Claire Gorno, Gaylord, Jr.; Paige Ebels, McBain NMC, Sr.; Claire Dutton, Kingsley, Sr.; Hannah Abner, TC Central, Sr.; Elly Day, Boyne City, Sr.; Sydney Deer, Gaylord, Sr.; Maddy Johns, Kingsley, Sr.; Maddie Smith, Boyne City, Sr.; Allie Lewis, TC Central, Sr.; Bailey Charter, Kingsley, So.; Addie Booher, TC Central, Jr.; Ava Boss, Charlevoix, Jr.; Lilianna David, Traverse City St. Francis, So.; Grace Diotte Glen Lake, Sr.; Danielle U'Ren, North Bay, Sr.

TRACK & FIELD

If you haven't seen Hunter Jones run yet, get out to a track near you that's hosting Benzie Central.

This spring is the last time to see this generational area talent in action before he heads far away to Wake Forest for his collegiate career.

(Also, if you've gotten this far in this and haven't seen Hunter Jones run yet, what's the holdup?)

Jason Morrow takes over the TC West boys track program after Tom Brown retired following a long and successful career with the Titans.

TENNIS

Watch out for Elk Rapids.

Traverse City St. Francis is the perennial powerhouse when it comes to Division 3 and 4 in the region, the Elks are making a push.

That's evidenced by Elk Rapids starting the 2023 Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association rankings in the No. 5, four slots ahead of the Gladiators.

Traverse City Central is tied for No. 10 in the Division 1 rankings with Holland West Ottawa and Rochester Stoney Creek in Lisa Seymour's second season guiding the program.

Think your team should have been in this? Of course you do! But there's only so much time and space. Email me at jcook@record-eagle.com and make your case. See you at an athletic facility in the near future.

Follow @Jamescook14 on Twitter.