SPORTSBEAT: Column by Peter Jakey
It was a remarkable post-season run for the Huron baseball and softball teams, who had a chance to make history over the weekend at Bailey Park in Battle Creek. The teams had a Michigan High School Athletic Association record in sight going into the weekend, as no school had ever swept the baseball and softball titles in the same school year. On five occasions, one school has played in both title games.
The Hurons came close to making that number six as the baseball team was one out away from winning its semifinal contest against Bay City All Saints, before a triple crushed ther Hurons? hopes. The schools that made the championship games were Center Line St. Clement (1977), South Haven (1979), Bay City All Saints (1991, 1999), and Grandville Calvin Christian (1994).
The play that will most be remembered from the softball team?s trip to Bailey Park will be the three-run homer from junior Ashley Fleming. She had been blasting balls over the fence in practice, so it was no surprise to the Huron coaches that she did it at crunch time. The Cardiac Kids were down 2-0 in the sixth inning when Laura Konieczny and Cassy Brege singled ahead of Fleming. Vandercook Lake pitcher Jenny McDaniels had dominated the Rogers City hitters and grooved a ball over the plate to Fleming on a 2-2 count. Fleming lifted the pitch high and deep to the aluminum stands in left field. I think the lasting image I?ll have of that play will be of the left fielder looking up and realizing the ball was going to be over her head. She reacted by running to the fence, but ran out of room.
In the championship game against perennial state power Waterford Our Lady of the Lakes, I?ll remember coach Mike Boyd, who has won eight state titles, encouraging his hitters throughout the contest. He kept telling them to get the bat on the ball and ?protect the plate.? Against Fleming, who said later she didn?t have her best stuff against the back-to-back champs, only two batters struck out. Coach Boyd, who told the Detroit News he couldn?t sleep and had been up since 2 a.m. before the title game, has won 669 games. RC coach Karl Grambau is into his second year as manager of the Hurons has posted a 58-16 record. That averages out to almost 30 wins a season. To catch Boyd, Grambau would have to win 30 games in each of the next 22 years.
Baseball coach Howard Madsen, into his 23rd year with 540 wins, has been to the final four, four times, and has yet to get to the championship game. Of course, as it was mentioned earlier in the column, the boys were close to making that happen this year. I asked Madsen Tuesday if it?s starting to get to him a little? ?No, we?ll be back,? he said. Madsen said getting over the quarterfinal hump, where his squads had dropped five in a row, was starting to bother him, but not playing in the championship game wasn?t. The snapshot memory I?ll have of the appearance in Battle Creek will be of the seniors at the back of the bus, shortly
Judd Vekaryasz complimented fellow senior Adam LaLonde on his outstanding pitching performance. ?Adam threw, I think the best game I?ve ever seen (him) throw,? Judd said of LaLonde?s two-hitter. ?I mean, he really stepped up today.? Most of the ball players were there on Saturday in the stands, cheering on the softball team, and lingered around for the Division IV baseball championship game. Madsen said the 2004 team will be noted not so much for their talent, but for their hard work and heart.