SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey: Too bad two had to go

It didn?t seem like a typical stop on the tournament trail Tuesday as the state high school baseball and softball playoffs started in Rogers City. I?ve grown accustomed to picking up a cup of coffee and snacks and heading out of town, but for Tuesday?s pre-district qualifier at Gilpin Memorial Field, the coffee wouldn?t have cooled for a sip for the three-minute trip down Third Street from The Advance. It actually took four minutes because I got behind a van going 15 m.p.h., but I wasn?t complaining.

The games provided a unique, and unwanted, situation for owner/publisher Richard Lamb and myself. We have covered the Hurons and Vikings throughout their short seven-week season and knew a day like Tuesday could come. The schools would face each other on the diamond and two of the teams would be gone from the tournament. Rogers City High School has seen declining enrollment over the years, and a year ago, the number dipped low enough for the Michigan High School Athletic Association to classify RCHS as a Division IV school in both baseball and softball.

Thanks in part to a tremendous Little League program, with its dedicated volunteer coaches and the parents who teach their kids baseball and softball skills, both schools have produced powerhouse teams. Since the late 1990s, four of the Huron and Viking baseball and softball teams have advanced to Battle Creek for the state finals.

ONE YEAR an Advance sports page headline trumpeted the winning of three of four district titles. That wouldn?t be possible this season. I wish the best to the Huron baseball and softball teams as they move on to play in the district tournament Saturday and I?ll be there on my tournament journey with them, and hope the teams have a long tournament run. But I kept couldn?t help but feel bad for Posen, probably because I?ve covered them this season. The Viking baseball team had a lot of young players on their roster, many of whom had to start. Coach Pat Kowalski also had veteran players playing out of position late in the season.

Posen scrapped in their 8-0 loss, but the Hurons received great performances from their seniors. Judd Vekaryasz led the way and was dominant on the mound, throwing bullets, and hitting a two-run homer. Viking senior Jesse Romel pitched well, and got support from his defense which committed no errors, but the Huron hitters were patient with Romel and the wide variety of junk he tosses.

IN THE SHOWDOWN on the softball field, a top-10 ranked school from Division IV was going to be eliminated from the

tournament. Both Rogers City and Posen had played some high-caliber competition leading up to Tuesday?s playoff game. And when the game got underway, Posen?s Michelle Bednarski and Rogers City?s Ashley Fleming were locked up in a great pitching duel. A couple of hits were turned into the lone run of the game in the first inning for RC, which would hold up for the Hurons. The Vikings had a few chances to score, including a play at the plate, but that would have only been the run to tie. There also was a Posen runner left at third in the later innings. It all came down to Rogers City getting a few more breaks.

Now the Huron softball team will be moving on and should be the favorite to clean up this weekend and advance to regionals, again on the home field next Saturday. The baseball team should add a district tournament banner when the the Hurons host games on Steven Schalk Memorial Field. It?s just too bad their tournament trip had to include the ousting of some familiar faces. Continued next week…