06-20-19 Tri-City Area Sports

Hartford Prress Box By Jerrod Birmele

Hartford 8U Softball captures Coloma All-Star Tournament title!

This past weekend, Hartford’s youth softball programs competed in the 2019 edition of the Coloma All-Star Softball Tournament. The Hartford Council for Recreation has been sending teams to this tournament for a number of years, and many of the players you’ve seen on the high school fields and beyond have crafted their skills at this tournament. Hartford has been successful in recent years, winning championships on several occasions, as recent as a year ago.

The 8U Division team, featuring players ages 6, 7, and 8 years old, played in a rather large field, a field that featured eight other teams. Other teams included Watervliet, North Lincoln, Bridgman, Buchanan, South Haven, Lakeshore, J-Shock (Jimtown IN), and host, Coloma. The tournament featured two pool games that seeded the field for bracket play, of which a tournament champion would be crowned.

In their two games of pool play, Hartford defeated North Lincoln, 14-4 and Bridgman, 11-4. By rule, which says that margin between runs scored and runs allowed would be the seeding criteria, Hartford was seeded third for bracket play, only behind one seed, Watervliet and the two seed, South Haven.

Their first game of bracket play, which was scheduled to be against J-Shock, was forfeited to Hartford, moving the team on to the semifinals. In the Sunday afternoon semifinal, the team held on for a 9-6 victory over South Haven. That set up the division final against fourth seeded Buchanan just a short time after their semifinal matchup. Many teams would be worn out playing back-to-back games, but this Hartford team was different. They came out hitting and playing great defense, and ended up winning 12-7 versus Buchanan to win the division championship!

The 10U Division team, which features players ages 9 and 10, was also in a large bracket, with the bracket also featuring nine total teams. Other teams at this level included North Lincoln, Bangor, Watervliet, South Haven, Eau Claire, Buchanan, Dowagiac and the host, Coloma. In pool play, Hartford played against Eau Claire and Buchanan, but fell short in both games, losing to Eau Claire, 4-0 and Buchanan, 13-2.

After pool play, Hartford was seeded seventh and would face the second seeded team in the division, which happened to be the host team from Coloma. Unfortunately, for Hartford, their tournament ended there, as the team suffered an 18-6 defeat.

The 12U Division team, which features players ages 11 and 12, played in a bracket that featured six other teams, which included Niles Brandywine, Watervliet, Dowagiac, Buchanan and Bridgman. Hartford was not represented.

The 14U Division team, which features players ages 13 and 14, played in a five team bracket that was loaded with a lot of talent from top-to-bottom. In pool play, Hartford faced off with Buchanan and South Haven, with the team winning both games on Friday. They defeated Buchanan by a score of 11-5 in game one and came back from 9-4 down to win 10-9 against South Haven in their second game.

After pool play, Hartford was seeded in the top spot in the bracket. They would go on to play their rivals from Watervliet on Sunday afternoon. In a hotly contested game from the get-go, neither team wanted to go down to the other. They played each other close, and the game went to extra innings after a fierce seventh inning that saw Watervliet take a late lead, and Hartford tied it right back up.

Via the tournament rules, the game would go to international rule, with the team’s last batter going to second with nobody out. In the first extra inning, Watervliet put two on the board to take a two-run lead, 11-9. Hartford, needing runs desperately in the bottom half, put the tying runs in scoring position, but failed to score, and fell out of the tournament two games short of victory.

The next tournament for these teams looks to be the Hartford All-Star Softball Invitational, which will take place from June 21 through June 26 at Indian Pride Park. This summer tradition is a long time success story, and another great tournament is looked forward to this year!

Hartford youth baseball teams compete hard in Paw Paw tournament

This past weekend, Hartford’s youth baseball programs were also busy, as three teams competed in the 2019 edition of the Paw Paw Youth Baseball Tournament. This tournament has some of the best competition in the area, and this year would be no exception. With teams as far away as Mendon in the field that featured nearly 30 teams across four divisions, the Indians needed to be at their best to be competitive. And, on a rainy weekend, they did their very best.

The Instructional team, featuring players ages 6, 7 and 8, competed in a six-team bracket that also featured teams from Gobles, Three Rivers, South Haven, Decatur and host, Paw Paw. They received a first-round reprieve and faced the winner of the South Haven – Three Rivers matchup, which would end up being South Haven. Unfortunately, the team fell in that game, relegating them to the loser’s bracket and putting them on edge of elimination.

They would eventually take on the loser of the Gobles – Paw Paw matchup in the loser’s bracket, which ended up being Gobles. The young Indians battled all game long, and ended up with a great team victory in the end, continuing their tournament run for one more game. The next game saw the team match-up with Decatur, and that game was a thriller. Trailing by three runs with two outs in the last inning, Hartford rallied for exactly three runs in the last inning, and tied the game when play was suspended.

Returning the next morning, Hartford had the winning run at first. However, the next batter suffered a tough strikeout, sending the game into extra innings. Unfortunately, for the green and white, a win was not meant to be, as Decatur scored two runs in the extra inning, and held the little Indians scoreless, to officially end their run. The team did great and played hard until the last out.

The Minor team, featuring players ages 9 and 10, competed in the largest bracket. It featured a total of eight teams, including communities such as Cassopolis, Decatur, Gobles, Lawrence, Dowagiac and, of course, the host teams from Paw Paw. Hartford began the tournament on Saturday morning by facing Dowagiac. The Indians did not play their best game, as they were struck out 11 times and fell to their opponents, giving them the daunting task of having to battle from the loser’s bracket.

In their first game in the loser’s bracket, the team would face the loser of the game between Gobles and Lawrence. It would end up being the team from Gobles, and the Indians rebounded in a big way. They hit the ball hard, they played great defense, and above all, they played as a team. The result was a victory for Hartford, who was on their way to starting to play great baseball. That was the expectation of the veteran coaching staff.

Because of inclement weather, their next game, against the loser of Cassopolis and Paw Paw #2, was moved to Sunday morning. Their opponent would be Cassopolis, and neither the opponent nor an early morning game, seemed to slow down the green and white. They played great baseball in defeating Cassopolis handily, ending Cass’ tournament run. One player, Alex Morsaw, hit a home run in this game, and it wasn’t just any home run. He actually hit one over the fence!

The next game on the docket featured Paw Paw #1, a team that had been in the winner’s bracket, but lost at the hands of Decatur. Both teams came to play in this one, and it seemed like the balls were flying off of the bat most of the game. The game came down to one big inning – and unfortunately for Hartford, it was against their defense. The opponent took advantage of some big hits and costly errors in the field to put up a large sum of runs, and put up a deficit the team couldn’t overcome, which ended their tournament prematurely.

The Pony team, featuring players ages 13 and 14, competed in a seven team bracket, featuring the likes of Dowagiac, Coloma, Mattawan, Mendon, Decatur and host Paw Paw. Hartford began the tournament on Saturday morning by playing Mendon, and this was a battle from start-to-finish. Mendon held a game-high four-run lead after three innings, before Hartford battled back with a run in the fourth.

Mendon led by three runs in the sixth inning, before the Indians began hitting the ball. They scored three runs in that last regulation inning and tied the game, but left the winning run on third base. The game went into extra innings, and the rules dictated they would play by the international rule, with a runner on second and one out. Two innings went by, and no one scored. Mendon scored two in the ninth inning, leaving Hartford two behind with two outs left. The Indians scored one run, but left the tying run in scoring position, falling by one in nine innings.

Despite being relegated to the loser’s bracket, the expectations were high heading into Sunday for the team, but the excitement of Saturday didn’t spill over to the next day. Hartford took on Decatur in their first game of the day, which had lost to Paw Paw the afternoon before. The team was actually leading by one run after the first inning, but Decatur scored in all but one inning and Hartford scored just one more time in the game, suffering a defeat that put them on the cusp of elimination.

In their next game, Hartford would take on Dowagiac, with the loser being eliminated from the tournament. The Indians, as the away team, batted first and scored three runs in the first inning to take an early lead. After that, the wheels came off, as the team walked numerous batters and committed several fielding errors in the field. The result would be a ten-run rule loss to their opponents, and the team went home from the weekend on a sour note, having suffered three straight losses.

The next tournament for these teams, at this time, looks to be the Hartford All-Star Baseball Tournament of Champions, which will take place from June 28 through July 3 at Indian Pride Park. This summer tradition is a favorite of many, and we look forward to another successful tournament this year!

As always, GO GREEN!

Press Box Player of the Week!

By Dave Vollrath

The Press Box Player of the Week this week is Coloma Comet senior softball shortstop, Hannah Mathis. Hannah had an outstanding tournament in helping the defending D-3 state champion Coloma Comets win their fourth consecutive D-3 district title recently held in Bloomingdale. Hannah played exceptional defense up the middle, from her shortstop position, in helping the Comets hold their opponents to two total runs in the three wins versus Hartford (3-2) in nine innings, and two shutouts against Bloomingdale 10-0, and Watervliet 2-0.

In the win against Hartford, Hannah had the biggest hit of the game. The teams were locked in a scoreless tie in the ninth inning when she slapped a single to left field which scored the first run of the game. The Comets tacked on a couple more runs but the hit by Mathis was huge in breaking the ice. Hannah also had a double in the win against Bloomingdale.

Hannah is a three sport star for the Comets as she has also participated in volleyball and basketball during her athletic career in Coloma.

During the recent graduation ceremonies Hannah received the highest honor for a Coloma Comet student, as this year’s Green and Gold award winner. The winner of this award must display outstanding qualities of scholarship, leadership, industry, and citizenship throughout their four years of high school. Hannah is also a member of the National Honor Society, and plans to attend St. Mary’s of Notre Dame, as she continues her education. Congratulations Hannah and best of luck for all you take on in the future.

Watervliet Press Box by John Oliphant

Panther Softball awards and honors

The Panther girls varsity softball team recently held their awards banquet, closing the curtain on the 2019 season. The team finished the season with a 19-19 overall record, never wavering more than a few games below .500 while playing several of the better teams in the area.

The Lady Panthers finished second place behind Coloma in the SAC Lakeshore Division with a 7-3 record. You know you’re in a tough conference when you face the 2018 state champion three times and the 2019 runner-up (Schoolcraft) is also in the conference. The team was awarded the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association 2019 Team Sportsmanship Award for Division 3.

The top individual honor was announced after the banquet when outfielder Sabrina Klimkiewicz was named to the Division 3 All-Region team.

Three players were named First Team All-Conference. Junior Alex Worley batted .341, with 44 hits, including six doubles and six triples. Senior Celina Klimkiewicz led all hitters with a .432 average. She had 51 hits, including seven doubles, six triples, and two home runs, with just four strikeouts the entire season. She was also the starting pitcher in 21 games, compiling an 11-11 record while striking out 111 batters on just 25 walks. Senior Sabrina Klimkiewicz batted .356 from the leadoff position, pounding out 38 hits including eight doubles, a triple, and a home run.

Three players earned All-Conference-Honorable Mention. Freshman Addison Riley batted .281 with 32 hits, including four doubles and two triples. Sophomore Natalie Knight was a top defensive player, splitting time behind the plate and at third base. Senior Emalie Gitersonke led the team in home runs with three and RBI with 34 while batting .331.

Three players were named to the All District Team, including Alex Worley, Celina Klimkiewicz, and Sabrina Klimkiewicz. Senior Brenna Langston was named to the Academic All-State team.

The team Defensive Award was given to infielder Alex Worley. The team’s Offensive Award was given to Celina Klimkiewicz. The Most Improved Player was awarded to senior Brenna Langston. The team MVP award was presented to Celina Klimkiewicz.

Coach Tom Golden thanks everyone who supported the team this year. He noted how well the team worked together this spring, and said, “Thank you for being coachable!”

Panther Baseball awards and honors

The Panther varsity baseball team also held their post-season awards banquet last week. The team finished the season at 12-12-1, taking third place in the SAC Lakeshore Division. They got hot at just the right time, claiming the district championship and narrowly missing a chance to advance in regional play.

RECOGNIZED FOR HIS EFFORTS ON THE BASEBALL FIELD… Wa-tervliet standout varsity baseball player Andrew Chisek was selected as First Team All-Conference for the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Lakeshore Division.

Two players were named First Team All-Conference. Senior Garrett Matthews was the top pitcher, compiling a 6-3 record including no-hitters against Martin and Fennville. Freshman Andrew Chisek pitched three wins and was a clutch hitter all season.

Junior players Nick Polaskey and Jordyn Angelo were named Honorable Mention All-Conference.

Garrett Matthews and Andrew Chisek were named to the All-District Team.

PITCHING HIS WAY TO FIRST TEAM… Watervliet Class of 2019 star varsity baseball pitcher Garrett Matthews earned a spot on the Southwestern Athletic Conference – Lakeshore Division’s First Team All-Conference roster.

Several players were named to the Academic All-District Team, including Cole Pline, Jordyn Angelo, Garrett Matthews, Jakob Aldrich, and Nick Polaskey.

Coach Josh Tremblay was named District Coach of the Year for the third time in his tenure at Watervliet.

Ladies Monday Night Happy Hour Golf League

June 17 Golf Report from the Paw Paw Lake Golf Club:

Weekly Event Winner – Sandy Johnson; Low Gross – Kathy Osborne with 57; Low Net – Sandy Johnson with 34; Low putts – Sandy Johnson with 17.

Coloma Press Box By Dave Vollrath

Coloma softball team garners all state and all conference honors.

The Coloma Comets girls softball team found out that getting to the top is one thing, but staying at the top is quite another.

Wendy Goodline’s team did a great job in winning their fourth straight district title because of their pitching and defense, as they won their three district games by only giving up two runs. But the Comets even in winning still had their struggles at the plate. They were held scoreless by Hartford before scoring three runs in the ninth inning, and had to scratch out a 2-0 win against a Watervliet team that they had scored double digits against just a couple of weeks previously.

Their hitting once again became an issue as their run for a second state title came to a close against a fine Schoolcraft team by a score of 3-2. It was a game the Comets could have easily won, as they left 14 runners stranded on the bases.

Coloma still had an outstanding season under the leadership of Coach Goodline, who just completed her 19th season at the helm for the Comets. They won the Lakeshore Division of the SAC, with a perfect 8-0 record. The good news also is Coloma has a fine group of players coming back next season including Megan Koenigshof, the outstanding Comet pitcher and leadoff batter, and Megan Neubecker, the junior center fielder and number three hitter in the Comet lineup.

The Comets finished the season with a final overall record of 24-13, which is an extremely respectable season by any one’s standards, and we congratulate Coach Goodline and her team on all this season’s accomplishments.

Those players receiving honors for the Comet squad are Megan Koenigshof who was the Comet MVP for the season. Megan also received first team District 3 all state honors for her great season on the mound for Coloma, and of course she was also first team all conference. Megan Neubecker also made the honorable mention all state team as the center fielder, as well as first team all conference.

The Comets who also garnered all conference first team honors were Hannah Mathis and Taryn Blazier. Making the all district team were Koenigshof, Neubecker, and Mathis. Koenigshof and Neubecker were also named to the all regional team.

NEIL PETERS AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED… Adiel Granados, a member of the Coloma varsity track and cross country teams, was an-nounced recently as this year’s winner of the Neil Peters Award.

Koenigshof finished the season with an off the charts .596 batting average at the plate, and on the mound had a miniscule 1.70 earned run average, and she also stole 41 bases. Megan Neubecker finished with a great .420 batting average, and Mathis finished at .424.

Coloma Baseball finishes above .500

The Comet baseball team coached by Kevin VanPeteghem also had a fine season finishing with a 14-11 record as they bowed out of the district, but did make it to the finals. They also had a great chance to win the Lakeshore division of the SAC but finished second, as they lost two heart-breaking games to close out the regular season. A victory in either one of those would have given them the conference crown.

The Comets had a young team and as one would expect they had a tendency to be up and down for the most part, but had flashes of what the future could hold as they played hard to grind out wins. They played equally hard even in defeat, as they never quit on a game.

COLOMA ANNOUNCES MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR… Colo-ma High School recently recognized basketball star Zach Goodline as its 2019 Male Athlete of the Year. Goodline also quarterbacked the football team but was known for his success on the basketball court where he scored over 2,000 career points.

They have several fine young pitchers coming back and it is a sure thing the hitting will improve with some seasoning. This season the Comets had very little power, as they had only one triple and one home run, but they usually had plenty of men on the bases as they were patient at the plate, and worked opposing pitchers for over 200 base on balls and had a total of 41 batters hit by a pitch, ouch!

The leading hitter for Coloma was Ethan Price who hit a fine .352. He also led the Comets with 38 hits, 10 were doubles, led with 27 runs batted in, and was second on the team scoring 32 runs. Nick Eastman was second on the team in average hitting, .343. Nick had seven doubles and was first on the team scoring 42 runs. Kevin Hearn batted a respectable .289, and Kenyon Boyd was right behind him with a .288 average.

On the mound for the Comets Hunter Crist was the ace of the staff. Hunter finished with seven wins and four losses, and came in to close out one save for the Coloma team. Hunter pitched in 62-2/3 innings, striking out 62 batters and finished with a 2.64 ERA. Ethan Price had the next most work on the hill as he pitched a total of 42-2/3 innings. Ethan had a record of 3-6 and a 5.09 ERA. Dylan Nelson had a 1-2 record but a fine ERA of 2.66. Ethan Vandermolen had a 2-1 record and Nick Eastman finished at 3-2, and both had an ERA of 2.80.

Summer basketball camp for Coloma girls

Coloma Varsity Basketball coach Kim Swisher will be holding a basketball camp for girls from the 2nd thru the 8th grades.

The dates are June 25 through 27, at the Coloma High School gym. The cost is $20 and the times are 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. for the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades, and 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades. If you need further information you are asked to call Coach Swisher at 269-277-7253.

MATHIS MAKES GOOD… Hannah Mathis, senior varsity basketball and softball player and member of the Class of 2019, was recently honored as Coloma’s 2019 Female Athlete of the Year. Mathis was a member of last year’s state championship softball team, the first time Coloma has won that distinction.

Play Ball! Hooterville Hitters and Paw Paw River Cats seek players

By Kristy Noack

Your hometown vintage base ball team, whose seasons last for one-game each year during the City of Watervliet’s annual Independence Day Weekend festival, is seeking players.

No experience is necessary, and the game is played according to 1858 base ball rules. That means no gloves for the gentlemen players, although ladies can wear one. Players cannot overrun the bases, and a hit that bounces on the ground once and is caught by a player is considered an out.

For the past six years, the Hooterville Hitters, made of up a rotating cast of local characters including Miss Watervliets, local business people, and city officials, has played their lone game against the visiting House of David Echoes. Due to a scheduling conflict, the Echoes are not able to field a team for this year’s game, which will be held on Saturday, June 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Hays Park.

To ensure a game will take place and continue the tradition of having America’s Favorite Pastime as a 4th of July event, a second vintage base ball team has been formed. The Paw Paw River Cats will make their debut against the Hitters.

Please consider playing for either team. Players need to between the ages of 16 and 100 years of age and previous playing experience is not required. There is no cost to join either team, and you will receive a t-shirt jersey on game day. Players should arrive at the field at 6:00 p.m. for playing instructions. To get signed up send a text to (269) 208-6823 or email hootervillehitters@gmail.com.

This game is about fun, family, and the fourth! Won’t you join us?