Sleepy Eye High School’s Jackson Huiras and St. Mary’s High School’s Joey Herzog took part in the Minnesota Baseball Coaches Association Junior Showcase July 8th at Minnetonka.
First Team
Marah Hulke, Jr.,
Nicollet, P/SS
In 15 games in the circle this season, Hulke had a 1.15 ERA and 124 strikeouts. The All-Conference, All-Section and All-State junior also was key for the Raiders as a leadoff hitter with 39 hits and a .534 batting average. She also had eight doubles, seven home runs, three triples and 33 RBIs with an OBP of .622. For her career, Hulke has a .473 batting average and a 1.70 ERA.
Brooklyn Sturm, Fr., Springfield, SS
Sturm was a key reason for the Tigers’ run to state with a standout freshman season that saw her named an All-State, All-Conference and All-Section player. The shortstop hit .529 for Springfield with a .956 slugging percentage. She also had 36 hits, nine doubles, six homers, a triple and 40 RBIs. Defensively, Sturm had a .900 fielding percentage and turned three double plays and had 51 putouts.
Sarah Mohr, Sr.,
Cathedral, SS
Mohr was named the Tomahawk Conference Co-Player of the Year this season and hit .441 at the plate. A three-time All-Conference player (2018, 2019, 2021), three-time All-Section player (2018, 2019, 2021) and two-time All-State Player (2019, 2021), Mohr was also named a 2021 MFCA All-Star this season. She also drew 20 walks, scored 34 runs, had 30 hits and added 14 RBIs. In 92 plate appearances, Mohr struck out just eight times and had an OBP of .571.
Kiah Helget, Fr.,
Cathedral, P
Helget wrapped up her freshman year of softball as an All-Conference player and an All-State honorable mention. In 96 1/3 innings of work, Helget went 13-3 with a 3.05 ERA and 82 strikeouts. She allowed 53 walks and 98 hits for a WHIP of 1.57. At the plate, Helget led the team in batting average with a .513 average. She scored 28 runs, had five homers and drove in a team-leading 35 runs in 76 at-bats. She also had 10 stolen bases and led the team in hits with 39.
Jaeli Richert, So.,
Springfield, P/OF
Richert’s All-Conference, All-Section sophomore season helped carry the Tigers to the state tournament. She hit .350 with a .470 OBP and had 28 hits, five doubles, two homers and a triple. In the circle, Richert had a 7-1 record, a 2.50 ERA, 43 strikeouts and 24 walks allowed in 56 innings of work.
Haley Ditch, Sr.,
MVL, SS
Ditch was a standout player for Minnesota Valley Lutheran during her senior year of softball, leading the team with a .463 batting average. She also had 25 hits, six doubles, 13 runs scored, a homer and 10 RBIs to go with a .630 slugging percentage. The three-year varsity player was a unanimous selection to the Tomahawk All-Conference team this year.
Sarah Franta, Sr.,
Wabasso, P
Franta led the Rabbits at the plate this season with a .470 batting average and 39 hits. She also scored 28 runs and had seven doubles, two triples, two home runs, 24 RBIs and stole 19 bases. In the circle, she went 11-12 in 143 1/3 innings with a 3.04 ERA. She also had 107 strikeouts and allowed 40 walks. She was also named to the Tomahawk All-Conference Team this season.
Hayley Selby, Jr.,
Nicollet, P/SS
Selby was one of Nicollet’s top all-around players this season as an All-Conference and All-Section player, hitting .346 at the plate and holding a 1.86 ERA in the circle in 13 games pitched. She also had 115 strikeouts this season in the circle and had 27 hits, seven doubles, two homers, 25 RBIs and a triple at the plate. For her career, Selby has a 2.84 ERA and a .411 batting average.
Emily Schommer, Jr.
Cathedral, C
Schommer wrapped up her junior year as an All-Conference player, the second time in her career. She was also named an All-Section and All-State player this year and hit .308 while driving in 22 runs and walking 20 times. She scored 18 runs also this year in 52 at-bats and had 16 hits, six of them being home runs.
Second Team
Jalivia Richert, Fr.,
Springfield, P/OF
Joining her sister Jaeli in the circle this year, Jalivia Richert pitched 89 innings for the state-appearing Tigers this season and had a 10-2 record to show for it. She also had 83 strikeouts and 29 walks allowed with a 2.83 ERA. The All-Conference, All-Section player also hit .302 at the plate.
McKenna Strong, Sr., Sleepy Eye, CF
Strong ended her senior year with the Indians as an All-Conference, All-Section and All-State player. She led Sleepy Eye on offense and defense this year, hitting .400 with 22 hits, 22 RBIs and 15 runs scored. The No. 4-hitter also had a slugging percentage of .691, drew nine walks and stole five bases. Head coach Sydney Geiger said that Strong’s passion, grit, power and knowledge would be tough to replace in years to come.
Miranda Suess, Jr.,
NUHS, P
Suess was a veteran pitcher this season for the Eagles but it was her first varsity season. The Big South All-Conference player also was utilized at third base when not pitching and hit .283 with an OBP of .411. In the circle, Suess pitched 89 2/3 innings with 64 strikeouts, 40 walks allowed and a 3.59 ERA.
Kelsey Frank, So.,
Wabasso, C
Frank was one of the top hitters for Rabbits this season with a .411 batting average. She had 30 hits, 22 RBIs, five doubles, scored 27 runs and was a threat on the basepaths with 27 stolen bases. The sophomore catcher also drew 18 walks and had a .560 on-base percentage. Frank was an honorable mention in the Tomahawk Conference this season.
Megan Haala, So.,
Cathedral, CF/P
Haala was an All-Conference player this season with a .400 batting average in 65 at-bats. She had a team-leading eight doubles and also had 16 RBIs and 26 hits. In 37 2/3 innings in the circle, Haala had a 5-1 record and a 1.86 ERA, striking out 35 and allowing 12 walks and 29 hits.
Allie Labat, So.,
St. Mary’s, 3B
Labat’s first year of varsity softball was a successful one as she hit .406 with 28 hits. Labat also drove in 18 RBIs, scored 21 runs, had nine doubles and added a home run. Labat was an All-Section player this year also and hit .500 in a strong postseason run for the Knights.
Julia Helget, Jr.,
St. Mary’s, CF/P
Helget was an All-Conference selection her junior year, hitting .372 with 32 hits and 31 runs scored. She also had 19 RBIs, a homer, a triple and eight doubles while striking out just nine times. In 24 1/3 innings in the circle, Helget had a 3.16 ERA and 24 strikeouts while allowing 25 hits and 16 walks.
Lily Brennan, So.,
Cathedral, 3B
Brennan used her speed to log 25 singles, hit .413 and steal 14 bases this season for the Greyhounds during her sophomore year. Brennan also had four doubles and hit two homers with 19 RBIs while scoring 29 runs. She was an honorable mention in the Tomahawk Conference this season.
Megan Ploeger, Jr.,
Springfield, C/SS/DP
Ploeger was an offensive leader for the Tigers this season in multiple positions, hitting .372 with a .577 slugging percentage. She had 29 hits, four doubles, four homers, 24 RBIs and 27 runs scored. Defensively, Ploeger had a .976 fielding percentage. The Tomahawk All-Conference player also caught five players stealing and picked off two runners as a catcher.
Honorable Mentions
Lacey Mathiowetz, So., St. Mary’s, P
Gracie Linbo, Fr., NUHS, RF
Maddie O’Connor, Jr., NUHS, SS
Brooklyn Bode, So., Nicollet, CF
Corban Tatro, Fr., Madelia, P
Front- Alexis Hoffman, Jace Schauman, Taylor Mathiowetz, Callie Evers, Ella Arkins. Back- Rivers Helget, Sidney Tauer, Taylor Berkner, Jaelynn Schauman, Alexandria Confer, Kaliya Confer. Coaches- Kayla Mathiowetz and Nikki Evers
by Mindy Berkner
The Sleepy Eye 12u Fast Pitch Softball team had an amazing weekend at the Southern Star tournament in Lake Crystal! Tournament play started on Saturday, but was quickly rained out after one game vs Jackson. That win set up the team to play in the top half of the bracket on Sunday morning. Sunday started with a tough loss to Lake Crystal Blue. The team then had to battle back through the bottom half of the bracket. They fought hard and earned a chance to play in the championship game. The SE 12u team defeated Mankato Peppers 10u Blue, New Ulm Blue, Windom, Jackson, and Lake Crystal Grey. The final game was against Lake Crystal Blue, the same team who beat them at the start of the day. Exhausted, but not giving up, the Sleepy Eye 12u team won with a final score of 5-1 and won the championship. It was an excellent showcase of determination and perseverance to play so many back-to-back games and continue to give 100% each and every time.
Ethan Stade, Sr., NUHS, P
Stade was New Ulm’s ace on the mound this season, throwing 47 1/3 innings with a 1.18 ERA. He also had 60 strikeouts and hit .333 with an on-base percentage of .481. Stade was an All-Conference and All-Section player this year and will continue his baseball career next season in Marshall playing DII ball with Southwest Minnesota State University.
Leonard wrapped up an All-State, All-Section and All-Conference senior year with a 5-3 record on the mound and a team-best .95 ERA. He also led the team with 85 strikeouts on the mound and allowed 24 walks in 59 innings of work. At the plate, Leonard hit .273 with two homers and 21 RBIs. Leonard will be playing DII ball for the University of Sioux Falls next season.
Wabasso, P/C
Benz, the 2021 Tomahawk All-Conference Co-Player of the Year, finished his senior campaign for the Rabbits with a .485 batting average as the team’s catcher. He also had 33 hits, 29 RBIs, six triples, four doubles, a homer and 16 stolen bases. Benz also pitched 66 2/3 innings for Wabasso and had a 6-4 record with a 2.94 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 16 walks allowed.
Cathedral, IF/P
Knowles was the Tomahawk Conference Co-Player of the Year, hitting .456 as a junior. He finished the 2021 season with 30 runs scored, 29 RBIs, 22 stolen bases and a .549 OBP. On the mound, he went 4-2 and struck out 50 in 51 innings of work, compiling an ERA of 3.38. He was also big in the clutch for the Greyhounds all season and will be back next year to lead the team once again.
Lang was a force at the plate for New Ulm this season, hitting two homers and driving in 28 RBIs with a .431 batting average. He also had seven doubles, two triples, drew 10 walks and had an on-base percentage of .500. Lang also struck out 17 on the mound and stole 10 bases. A late-season injury for him left a mark on the Eagles, but he still finished as an All-Conference player.
Helget wrapped up his senior year as an All-State, All-Conference and All-Section player for the Tigers, who finished third in the state tournament. Helget was one the area’s biggest threats on the bases this season, stealing 41 bases. He also hit .312 this season and had 24 hits, two doubles, 10 RBIs and scored 26 runs. On the mound, Helget threw 36 2/3 innings with a 5-2 record and a 1.34 ERA. He also had 47 strikeouts.
Ranweiler was the Eagles’ leadoff hitter this year and got better throughout the year, hitting .500 in the playoffs. He led the Eagles with 26 runs scored, four doubles, three triples and 10 stolen bases. A solid defender that spent much time at shortstop, Ranweiler earned All-Conference honors and an invite to the All-Star Series this summer. He will play DII baseball with the Mavericks next year at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Carlson was the team’s top hitter for average during his senior year, hitting .500. The Tomahawk All-Conference player also had 37 hits, five doubles, a triple, 11 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
Sehr hit .370 his senior year for the Eagles and had an OBP of .580. The leftie also scored 24 runs and drove in 18. Sehr was described by his head coach Kevin Briggs as a player with great discipline and two-strike approach hitting out of the No. 2 hole for New Ulm.
Sehr also made nine appearance on the mound this year, mostly in relief, and struck out 23 in 20 innings of work. The All-Conference, All-Section player will be playing baseball next year at Wartburg College.
Caleb Carlovsky, Sr., MVL, P/IF
Carlovsky took off this year for the Chargers, leading the team in batting average and in wins. He went 5-2 with a 4.28 ERA and 32 strikeouts on the hill. At the plate, he hit .383 with 22 RBIs and 15 runs scored. He also stole 18 bases for the Tomahawk Conference champions this year.
Strong hit .456 and had 31 hits this season to lead the Indians at the plate during his Tomahawk All-Conference senior year. Strong also had nine doubles, four triples, three homers, scored 19 runs and drove in 27 runs for Sleepy Eye.
The last remaining player from the 2018 state team, Strong finished his career with a .427 batting average.
Domeier was named to the All-Conference team in the Tomahawk Conference this year and hit .364 with 28 hits and 20 RBIs. He also went 5-2 on the mound with a 2.55 ERA and 43 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings.
Buerkle finished his junior season as an All-Section and All-Conference player. He had a team-leading .357 batting average, along with five doubles, 12 RBIs, 24 runs scored and 25 total hits. He also stole 17 bases and drew 10 walks.
A strong defensive catcher for the Eagles this season, Wiltscheck hit .600 in the Big South Conference this year and .417 overall. He had an OBP of .486 and also hit seven doubles, had 20 RBIs and scored 22 runs. Wiltscheck was also an All-Conference selection.
Brau hit .382 with 26 hits, 16 RBIs and 23 stolen bases for the Chargers this year. He scored 29 runs and had five doubles and a triple. He also went 2-0 on the mound with a 2.52 ERA.
Nachreiner wrapped up an impressive freshman year for the Tigers as one of the team’s top pitchers. The All-Section and All-Conference player had a 7-1 record on the mound with a 2.26 ERA. In 49 2/3 innings of work, he allowed just 13 walks and struck out 51 batters.
Cathedral, IF/P
Rieser was steady in the leadoff spot, hitting .407 with 37 runs scored and was always a threat to steal with 20 stolen bases. On the mound, he went 4-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 16 strikeouts.
MVL, P/IF
Giefer went 3-3 with a 3.14 ERA for the Chargers in his first varsity season for the Chargers. He also hit .290 with 14 RBIs, 13 runs scored and seven stolen bases. Giefer played a key part in MVL’s 2021 Tomahawk Conference championship and will be leaned on to be a major contributor next year.
Seniors pose with coach Bryant Mages. From left: Jack Nelson, Logan Netzke, Mages, Toby Weiss and AJ Arneson.
The Sleepy Eye golf team placed third at the State Golf Meet. From left: Coach Bryant Mages, Jacob Schultz, Carson Erickson, Jack Nelson, AJ Arneson, Toby Weiss, Logan Netzke and Coach George Schwint.
The State Golfers enjoyed the traditional Fire Truck ride through town Monday night (6/21)
by Bryant Mages, Sleepy Eye United Coach
Liz Schwint (individually) and the Sleepy Eye United boys (team) competed in the State Class A Golf Tournament this past week (June 15-16) at Pebble Creek Golf Club in Becker, MN.
Schwint:
It was Liz Schwint’s first appearance at the annual “best of the bests” tournament, and she looked to enjoy the experience while having the goal of shooting two good rounds of golf. On day one of the tournament, Liz shot a score of 112 on her way to familiarizing herself with the ins and outs of the golf course at Pebble Creek. On Wednesday, Liz rounded out her first state tournament appearance in style, as she tied her season low 18-hole total of 104 for a 62nd place finish in the state.
I was really proud of how Liz ended the state tournament this year by tying her low 18-hole score on the year. Toward the end of the year, Liz really proved that it didn’t really matter what golf course she was playing – she will bring a good mental game with her wherever she goes, and it definitely paid off for her down the stretch.
Boys:
The Sleepy Eye United boys’ golf team came into the 2021 State Class A Golf tournament optimistically, after shooting the 3rd lowest section tournament score (633) in the state – behind North Woods (625) and Fertile Beltrami (628).
Day 1 of the state tournament definitely did not start off on the right note for us. I watched as a number of the kids took some pretty big numbers on the opening couple of holes. However, that kind of made the first day more rewarding in the end. They ended up battling back to shoot a really solid team score of 321 and cut what was an early 10+ stroke deficit to a tie for first with Fertile Beltrami by the end of the day. Its just the type of thing I reiterated to the guys all year long – forget about the bad shots and bad holes and move onto the next. Seeing that level of perseverance they had on the first day is just what a coach loves to see.
Day 1 Scores included: (321 team score)
Carson Erickson – 74
Toby Weiss – 79
Logan Netzke – 82
Jack Nelson – 86
The guys struggled a bit on the second day of the state tournament. On the second day, the Sleepy Eye United boys got off to a more promising start, and actually gained a brief two stroke lead over Fertile Beltrami after just a few holes of play. However, in the end Fertile Beltrami’s consistency in their top four golfers was what led to the school’s first ever state championship. We definitely didn’t play as well as we could have on the second day of the state tournament, but I was really proud of how we battled. There aren’t many kids that can say that they contended for a state title, and from beginning to end, the class A title was basically a three-team race. Being one of the three teams in contention is something that this team can be really proud of.
Day 2 Scores: 335 team score
Logan Netzke – 80
Toby Weiss – 81
Carson Erickson – 85
Jacob Schultz – 89
Final Results
1st – Fertile Beltrami 629
2nd – Legacy Christian Academy 642
3rd – Sleepy Eye United 656
4th – North Woods 675
5th – West Central Area 691
6th – Benson 707
7th – Lanesboro 714
8th – Adrian 731
Comments About Season:
If there’s one overarching feeling I have about my first season as head coach for the golf team, its definitely that I’m just super proud of these kids. They worked hard, they improved, they got knocked down, they got back up again, and they came back stronger and lived up to their potential. Its honestly just really inspiring to me.
The state tournament was a really exhausting couple days for me, I’m not gonna lie. I wanted the kids to have the best experience they could have in the final days of the season, and it really got me thinking about why I started coaching in the first place. When I took the head coach position for the golf team, I wanted to be able to give these kids the same awesome experience I had when I was in golf in high school.
The primary reason for why I think I enjoyed golf so much in high school was because of my high school golf coach, Tom (‘Doc’) Larson. Its crazy to think about how one person can have such an impact in a person’s life, but Doc really influenced me in many ways – both on and off the golf course. He really took the time to get to know every one of his players individually, to celebrate their victories no matter the size, and to keep things positive when things didn’t go well. Overall, he was an incredibly invested and dedicated coach – much much more than any coach I ever had. He truly cared, and that’s why he has had the impact he has had on so many golfers over the years.
It never really hit me how much of an impact I might have been making on these kids this year until I saw the four seniors out on their last hole at the state tournament. The exchanges we had I will never forget, even long after I coach. It was really rewarding because I realized I had made an impact on these kids, and it also made me a bit emotional because I realized they impacted me as a coach and as a person as well.
MINNESOTA STATE HIGH SCHOOL
BASEBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION
2021 CLASS 1A ALL-STATE SELECTIONS
June 15,2021
NAME YEAR SCHOOL
1.Easton Fritcher Junior Hayfield
2.Karver Heydt Junior Hayfield
3.Joey Tempel Senior Hayfield
4.Nolan Klocke Junior Hayfield
5.Cole Walter Senior Lyle-Pacelli
6.Jed Nelson Senior Lyle-Pacelli
7.Carson Domeier Junior Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s
8.Kadon Strong Senior Sleepy Eye Public
9.Eli Fest Senior Heron Lake-Okabena/Fulda
10.Aidan Elfering Senior BOLD
11.Sam Knowles Junior New Ulm Cathedral
12.Caleb Fogal Senior Mankato Loyola
13.Mason Leonard Senior Springfield
14.Tori Helget Senior Springfield
15.Marhsall Wagner Senior Adrian
16.Carter Benz Senior Wabasso
17.Andrew Price Junior Legacy Christian Academy
18.Brady Johnson Senior Hinckley Finlayson
19.Derek Lindow Senior Nevis
20.Isaac Call Senior Kerkhoven
21.Jaden Norby Senior Ashby
22.Ero Wallin Senior Silver Bay
23.Jaxson Bennett Junior South Ridge
24.Connor Nelson Junior Norman County East Ulen-Hitterdal
25.Jason Lindgren Senior Stephen Argyle Central
CLASS A PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ero Wallin- Silver Bay
