Norway to face Rogers City in baseball and softball

by Peter Jakey–Managing Editor

It will be Norway and Rogers City competing in a pair of regional semifinals games in Pellston in baseball and softball. Unlike Posen’s district games where the fields are in different parts of town, the Pellston fields are next to each other. It should make it a little bit easier for Rogers City fans to cheer on their teams.

Norway, with its student population of 250, will be traveling three and a half hours from the far western side of the Upper Peninsula. The school is only 100 miles north of Green Bay.

The Norway baseball coach Randy Van Gasse can see Wisconsin across the Menominee River from the back window of his home.

Both programs are fairly new. Baseball has been around for seven years, while softball is only been going for five. Norway may be new to the game, but they are fast becoming familiar names in the state tournament.

Baseball has been to five regionals in seven years, while the Lady Knights are making their second straight trip. It’s also their second meeting in as many seasons with the Lady Hurons.

Huron girls celebrate a district championship Monday in Posen. Poor weather on Saturday postponed the tournament treated players and fans to much better conditions.. (Photo by Richard Lamb)

Rogers City defeated Norway (30-4) in last year’s regional tournament at Rogers City, 16-4.

“I am looking forward to it,” said coach Scott Conery of facing the defending Division 4 state champs again. “We learned a lot going down there. We had some young outfielders, we made some mistakes, and against them, you can’t make mistakes.”

The Knights dominated their home district tournament with a 16-2 win over L’Anse in a pre-district game; 14-1 over Baraga; 20-0 over Bark River-Harris; and 21-5 over Ishpeming in the district final.

“If we limit our mistakes, hopefully we can give them a game,” said Conery. The team will stay in Mackinaw City the night before.

Van Gasse brings in a team with a 21-7 record.

“We don’t play in a league,” said Van

Gasse. “We play Gladstone, Escanaba and Marquette. We want to be competitive against the bigger schools and sneak out a win if we can.”

Norway won the regional tournament last year in Rogers City before losing 5-2 in the quarterfinal game.

This year, the Knights defeated Bark River-Harris, 7-1, and North Central, 4-2. Van Gasse said his number No. 9 hitter provided the game-winning hit in the district.

“We have kids, one through nine, that get the bat on the ball with some authority,” said Van Gasse.

Additionally, the Knights have not committed an error in the last four games.

Both games start at 10 a.m.