Two Vikings among Division D-4?s best
by Peter Jakey , Managing Editor
For the first time in the history of the Posen softball program, two players have earned first team all-state selections. Senior center fielder Christina Bednarski became the first repeat player to receive the honor and is joined by sophomore first baseman Leanne Buczkowski. Both worked hard, head coach Glenn Budnick said, and were all business when they stepped on the softball diamond.
Bednarski scored 63 runs and walked a record setting 45 times for Posen. She batted .413, but had a base percentage of .591. She also led the team with 13 doubles. ?Christina has a lighter side to her that might make some people think she might not be taking the game seriously,? said Budnick. ?Defensively, she?s as good as anybody else in the state of Michigan.? BUCZKOWSKI WAS consistent all season at the plate. ?She never went through a spell where she wasn?t getting on base,? said Budnick. She added about .200 points to her batting average. Butch led the team with 55 RBI, a .513 average, five triples and 61 hits.
?Players must be nominated at a position where they played the majority of their innings,? said Budnick. Buczkowski had an excellent season on the mound (10-4) but most of her innings were at first base. ?Personally, I thought Lindsay Ponik was one of the better players around, but unfortunately the bulk of her innings were on the pitcher?s mound,? the coach said. At
THERE ARE only 11 all-district players and 20 all-region players selected. From the eight regions, making up 160 all-state candidates, 30 are given first team all-state honors and 30 are eligible for honorable mention. Onaway?s Danielle Cleaver gave Presque Isle County three players on the first team, while Pomranke was an honorable mention.
?Is receiving all-state a great individual accomplishment, yes!? said Budnick. ?But it?s also a reflection of how well you team did.?