SPORTSBEAT by Peter Jakey–Huron baseball: not worried about streaks

Streaks come and streaks go. That?s the feeling of RCHS baseball coach Howard Madsen as June ushers in the Michigan High School Athletic Association baseball and softball playoffs. The district draw was Tuesday, pitting the Hurons against the Posen Vikings on Gilpin Memorial Field in both sports for pre-district games. Going into the playoffs in Onaway a year ago, the Rogers City baseball program had won 13 consecutive district titles.

It all came to an end quickly against Inland Lakes in a tight 2-0 loss. A few walks and errors in the opening inning against the Bulldogs, and it was over. It was a disappointing end for the players. I thought going into this week?s sports column I would talk about the Hurons wanting to build on another streak. I thought I would call Madsen and he would tell me his players have been waiting for this moment for 51 weeks and that they?ve had the tournament circled on their calendar and were hungrier than ever to win a district crown. That?s not what I heard on the other end of the phone line when I talked with the veteran Huron manager.

?I don?t think about streaks,? said Madsen. ?We?ve had a lot of streaks at Rogers City.? Along with the 13 years of reigning as district diamond kings, the Huron program also won four consecutive regional titles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Madsen was quick to remind me that that steak also ended. The players are focused on the task of doing well in this year?s playoffs and are not trying to concern themselves with streaks.

For Rogers City, and this is probably the only positive from declining enrollment in the school district, they?ll be playing in the Division IV playoffs this year. Will the Hurons be playing in Division IV this year only, get an infusion of students, and be back in Division III next season, or will they be in Division IV for years to come? It?s hard to tell. Madsen said his players will be going into the post-season knowing they can ?do something really special? now that they are in Division IV. The Hurons (21-9) seem primed for the playoffs after playing a tough schedule and dropping games to only top-notch competition. None of the losses have come to Division IV schools.

The boys have been roughing up opposing arms the last couple of weeks and improved their team batting average to .403, ?which is awesome,? the coach said. The coach described this year?s group as ?hard workers.? As an example, Madsen has conducted a couple of Friday specialty workouts, 45 minute sessions to fine-tune their skills. All the kids stayed and worked on the fundamenta

ls for an hour-and-a-half. If Rogers City continues to hit the ball well and play sound baseball, the only streak that will matter, is how many games in a row the Hurons win in this year?s playoffs.

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Speaking of streaks… The Posen softball team has a tremendous one going. With a 2-0 win in their opening game against Arenac Eastern Tuesday, the Vikings clinched their third consecutive North Star League crown. Arenac needed a sweep of Posen to earn a share of the league title. For the fifth game in a row against the Eagles, the two schools went to extra innings to decide the winner.

Posen won all 14 league contests this year, giving them an undefeated record in the NSL two of the last three years. Last year, the girls posted a 13-1 mark. Overall, the Vikings have won 41 of 42 games. It?s also meant a lot of NSL victories for seniors Michelle Bednarski, Shannon Ciarkowski, and Danielle Smolinski, who are 53-3 against league competition during their four years.

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