The Escanaba High School baseball team held its post-season banquet to celebrate a season that had its ups-and-downs. The Eskymos finished with a 21-14 record, which is the worst in school history. But the boys also won a district championship and have a solid foundation for the future with 11 freshmen and sophomores on the roster.
Pictured, from left, with their trophies: Ben Kleiman, Alex DeHaan, Austin Young, Ian DeMarse, Bailey Lamb, and Devin Olsen. (Sheila Olsen photo)
The Rapid River Rockets may have lost in the state softball semifinals last weekend, but four girls are being honored with spots on the Division Four All-State Team. Shortshop Ashleigh Monticello, second baseman Averi Kanyuh, first baseman Neena Brockway, and pitcher Heather Sanderson were all picked to the All-State team by the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association. Click the headline to read more.
The Gladstone Indians continued to dominate their Mid Peninsula League opponents on Sunday, posting 11-2 and 11-6 wins over the Kingsford Blues. Cody Frazer had four hits and Jared Stenson had three hits in the opener, then Frazer slugged a three-run homer in the nightcap. Gladstone is undefeated in the league's South Division.
Click the above headline to read the story and see photos.
The Escanaba Junior Cubs American Legion Baseball team swept a doubleheader from the Marquette Reds, 3-2 and 12-2, Sunday at Al Ness Field. Devin Olsen pitched a complete game to win the opener, and Andrew Sedlar worked five innings to win the nightcap. Escanaba is now 6-0 on the season, and the Junior Cubs will play a doubleheader next Sunday in Daggett against the Mid County Mavericks. Click the headline to see photos.
The Escanaba Cubs jumped into the American Legion Baseball season with both feet this weekend, playing five games against tough competition in Wisconsin. The Cubs won two and lost three in a series of high-scoring games at the Fathers Day Invitational in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Escanaba lost its finale on Sunday, falling to Kaukauna, 10-7. Click the above headline to read about the games, and see a bunch of photos.
The Gladstone High School softball team played toe-to-toe with the defending state champion Clinton Redskins on Saturday, actually collecting one more hit than their opponent. But the Braves could not get a hit with runners in scoring position, and the Redskins took advantage of two Braves mistakes to post a 4-0 state title game win.
Click the above headline to see numerous photos, video highlights and interviews, audio highlights, and the game's statistics.
The Rapid River Rockets jumped to a 3-0 lead in the first inning of their Division Four softball state semifinal game Friday in Bailey Park. But the Rockets could not score again the rest of the way and two mistakes cost them dearly as the Dansville Aggies came from behind to stun the Rockets, 4-3. Click the above headline to read the story, see pictures and watch videos, and listen to audio highlights from the game.
The Gladstone Braves softball team shook off a sluggish start and earned a trip to the state championship game by beating the Springport Spartans, 5-4, in the Division Three semifinal Friday at Battle Creek's Bailey Park.
Katie Becker's RBI hit in the top of the seventh inning broke a 4-4 tie, and Alison Austin pitched 6 2/3 innings of relief to earn the win. Click the above headline to read the game story, see pictures and video highlights, and listen to audio clips.
The Gladstone Indians scored three runs in the third inning and Matt Weyers took care of the rest as the Tribe beat the Marquette Blues, 3-0, Thursday night at Don Olsen Field. It was a match-up featuring the two top teams in the Mid Pen League, and the Indians avenged an earlier 5-2 loss to the Blues. Click the above headline for more details.
They've both been there, done that. Now, the Gladstone Braves and Rapid River Rockets softball teams are both looking to bring home some hardware. The Braves returned to Battle Creek for the eighth time in ten years on Thursday, while the Rockets made the trip to Cereal City for the third time in four years. Click the above headline to read details, and see video interviews with players and coaches from both teams.
The Escanaba Polecats rallied from two runs down and beat the Ishpeming-Marquette-Negaunee North Stars, 4-3, in Wishigan Men's League baseball Wednesday night at Al Ness Field. Team Coach Jon Bintner got the game-winning hit and also pitched the final three innings in relief of starting pitcher Josh Brodersen.
The Gladstone High School softball team started slow on Tuesday, but finished strong to beat the Reed City Coyotes, 8-0, in the MHSAA Division Three state quarterfinal at Traverse City West High School. The game was tied 0-0 in the fourth inning before the Braves put together two big innings to back the pitching of Christine Sharon.
Click the above headline to read the game story, see more pictures and video clips, and listen to audio highlights. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for the material.
The Rapid River Rockets got a complete game pitching effort from Heather Sanderson and overwhelmed the Bellaire Eagles, 10-0, in the MHSAA Division Four state quarterfinal Tuesday at Traverse City West High School.
Neena Brockway had three hits and a sacrafice fly and Ashleigh Monticello was on base all five times and played stellar defense at shortstop.
Click the above headline to read the game story, see more pictures and video highlights, and listen to audio highlights from the game. Thanks to Mike Dagenais for taking the pictures and videos in cold, rainy conditions.
The Escanaba High School softball team had its best season in almost a decade come to an end on Tuesday, as the girls fell to the powerhouse Saginaw Swan Valley Vikings, 12-1, in the MHSAA Division Two state quarterfinals at Central Michigan University. The Eskymos were in a 0-0 game in the fourth inning before the roof caved in against the state's #3-ranked team. Click the above headline to read details about the game.
Cody Frazer hit a three-run homer to help the Gladstone Indians build a 4-0 lead against the Kingsford Blues Tuesday night in Gladstone. But Gladstone had to hang on for dear life at the end of the game as Ian Wienke hit a three-run shot for the Blues before the Indians posted a 4-3 win at Don Olsen Field. Click the above headline to read more about the game.
Big news in Upper Peninsula high school football. Longtime Menominee Maroons Coach Ken Hofer announced his retirement on Monday. He won 320 games over more than four decades coaching at both Stephenson and Menominee, using the old single wing offense. Hofer won three state championship games in Menominee, and was inducted into the U.P. Sports Hall of Fame in 1987. Click the above headline to read more.
A nightmare scenario played out for Escanaba Baseball Coach Kirk Schwalbach as his team took the field Saturday in the Division Two regional semifinals in West Branch. He saw his young team walk six batters, hit four others, commit four errors, and come up with no clutch hits. And as a result, his group of Eskymos was eliminated by the Warriors, 8-1, on a hot, sunny afternoon in Lower Michigan. Click the above headline to see more pictures and listen to post-game interviews.
Three Delta County high school softball teams will play for a trip to Battle Creek's Bailey Park on Tuesday as the MHSAA state quarterfinals are held in Traverse City and Mount Pleasant.
The Escanaba Eskymos will face Saginaw Swan Valley in the Division Two quarterfinal at Central Michigan University. The Gladstone Braves take on the Reed City Coyotes in the D-3 quarterfinal at Traverse City West High School. And the Rapid River Rockets will face the Bellaire Eagles, also at Traverse City West.
Click the above headline to read more about Tuesday's matchups.
If the Escanaba High School girls softball team was flying high after winning a district championship last Monday, then the girls must be floating on Cloud Nine right now.
The girls beat a pair of Vikings teams to capture the Division Two Regional Championship Saturday at West Branch Ogemaw Heights High School.
First, the Eskymos overwhelmed Howard City Tri-County, 10-0, in six innings, and then topped Cadillac, 9-1, in the regional championship. The girls will face Saginaw Swan Valley in the state quarterfinals on Tuesday at Central Michigan University.
Click the above headline to see more pictures, watch video highights, and hear interviews with Coach John LaMarch and Eskymo senior Erin Gregoire.
The Gladstone Braves and Rapid River Rockets are both returning to Michigan's cherry capitol for some softball playoff action. Both Delta County teams won regional championships again on Saturday, and advance to the state quarterfnal rounds in Traverse City, just as they both did last year. Gladstone beat Tawas, 8-0, and then topped Traverse City St. Francis, 6-2, to win the Division Three regional. Rapid River outlasted Posen, 2-1 in nine innings, before slipping past Rogers City, 6-1, to win a Division Four regional. Click the headline for details.
The Escanaba Eskymos baseball team arrived in West Branch Friday afternoon, and the boys held a two-hour practice there in preparation for this weekend's MHSAA Regional Tournament. Escanaba had an up-and-down regular season, but put together two strong games in Monday's district tournament to earn this trip to the regionals. Escanaba faces Remus Chippewa Hills in the regional semifinal Saturday at 12:30. Click the above headline to read more.
The Escanaba High School softball team won its first district championship in seven years last weekend, and the girls don't want the fun to end just yet. Escanaba will open Division Two Regional Tournament play Saturday morning in downstate West Branch. The girls will face Howard City Tri-County in their first game.
The Gladstone Indians are finding ways to win, even in games that are sometimes ugly. Wednesday's game against the Menominee Red Wave certainly qualifies, as the Indians committed four errors but rallied to post a 5-4 win in nine innings. Click the above headline to read more details and to see pictures and listen to audio clips from the game.
The Gladstone Indians fell behind by four runs by playing some uninspiring baseball Tuesday night, but the Indians woke up in time to rally past the Iron Mountain Golds, 10-5, at Ranger Field.
The Indians got two-run triples from Cody Frazer and Jake Pearson and Colin O'Neal pitched three innings of relief to earn the win. Click the above headline to read the story, see pictures and videos from the game, and listen to audio highlights.
The Escanaba High School softball team used good pitching and defense to win a pair of tight games at the MHSAA Division Two softball district tournament Monday afternoon in Sault Ste. Marie. The Eskymos edged Petoskey, 2-1, and then shut out Cheboygan, 2-0, to win the school's first softball title since 2005.
Click the above headline to see more pictures, watch video highlights, and hear interviews with Coach John LaMarch and winning pitcher Codi Jenshak.
The Escanaba Eskymos baseball team came from behind to beat Cheboygan, 9-7, as sophomore Devin Olsen turned in a heroic relief pitching effort. And then in the district championship game, the Eskymos stunned the Petoskey Northmen, 9-2, pounding out eleven hits in the process. Click the above headline to read the game story, see pictures, watch video clips, and listen to audio highlights from the game.
The Marquette Redmen swept the Division One boys and girls championships at the Upper Peninsula Track and Field Finals in Kingsford on Saturday. In Division Two, the Saint Ignace Saints took the team title for both the boys and girls. And in Division Three, Pickford and Brimley took first-place trophies back to the Eastern U.P.
Delta County was well-represented, with Gladstone's boys taking second place in Division One and Bark River-Harris's boys taking second in Division Three. Click the above headline to see all of Saturday's results.
The MHSAA Division Two district tournament baseball and softball games scheduled for Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie have been postponed by rain. Escanaba High School Athletic Director Dave Wilson says he was informed by Sault High officials that the fields were unplayable due to overnight rains, and more rain is in the forecast.
