Baseball Softball Preview 2022

PREVIEW

EMPORIA CHASE COUNTY L E B O - WAV E R LY NORTHERN HEIGHTS SOUTHERN LYO N C O U N T Y

THE EMPORIA GAZETTE

Page 2

Saturday, April 2, 2022

EHS BASEBALL POISED MEET THE SPARTANS TO IMPROVE

By Christopher Adams The Emporia Gazette

The Emporia High School baseball program begins its 2022 campaign next week against Highland Park High School and the Spartans are ready to be in play.

They look to improve on last year’s 6-13 record.

“The energy level at our practices thus far have been great,” said seven-year head coach Anthony Markowitz. “We have a solid group of seniors who help provide that each day.”

A key strategy piece is emphasizing productivity in practice.

“Our seniors have developed a goal and mindset of valuing each practice so that we can progress towards playing our best baseball at the end of the year,” Markowitz said.

Defensive execution and solid pitching factor into the strategy too.

“I think we have a group that has shown

growth and maturity this far, which is something we have had to preach quite a bit of at this point in past seasons,” he said.

“If we can throw strikes and make routine plays, I think we have a team that can achieve its goal of playing their best at the most crucial time of the season.”

Emporia will rely on a number of returning players to meet season goals. In particular, the senior baseball class, who missed 2020 because of the pandemic.

Experienced seniors include Logan Thomas, Cam Geitz, Hunter Redeker, Hayden Knuth, Quinn Dold and Vance Kinsey.

Geitz and Redeker will be critical to the Spartans’ success on the mound, and the bats of Knuth and Kinsey should be productive in the middle of the Emporia order.

Juniors Drew Hess and Jaxon Dial should provide an offensive spark for the 2022 squad.

Jaxon Dial Junior

Kiana Flores-Delgado Junior

Elleana Bennett Senior

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Gabriella Arevalo Freshman

Hanna Britain Freshman

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Aiden Ewing Sophomore

Shaylee Ginter Junior

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THE EMPORIA GAZETTE

Saturday, April 2, 2022

CHASE COUNTY BASEBALL LOOKS TO RISE The Emporia Gazette

The Chase County Bulldogs enter the 2022 baseball campaign, looking to eclipse last season’s 11-9 mark with strong offensive play and an improving defense.

Third-year head coach, Alex Weiss, feels optimistic about this edition of Chase County baseball.

“We have a good group that loves to compete and play hard,” he said. “That won’t change. I’m looking for us to put the ball in play and put pressure on the defense with our speed.”

The Bulldogs proved effective in the box last year, and that should continue this season. They also expect to be competitive on the hill.

“We have arms that are going to compete and fill up the zone,” Weiss said. “Our guys have worked hard on the mound over last summer and on their own this winter, so hopefully we can be strong in multiple areas.”

The offense was a strong point for Chase County last season — with the exception of strikeouts — but pitching coupled with spotty defense qualified as the Eagles’ Achilles heel.

“Defense needs to step up and make plays behind them (pitchers),” he said.

But balance in all game phases is the

PHOTO COURTESY LINDA DRAKE

goal.

“Compete in every aspect of the game…We don’t want to put too much pressure on ourselves trying to make up ground in one aspect of the game,” Weiss said. “We want to be good all-around…Do

“It is my job to pull every ounce of things the right way and let good things baseball out of these guys, and they are happen.”

Weiss believes players flourish if you open to it,” he said. “That makes our job let them be themselves. He said his team as coaches easy and most of all fun. They takes pride in their school and who they Please see Chase, Page 5 are. This makes them more coachable.

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CHASE COUNTY SOFTBALL CONTINUE TRADITION The Emporia Gazette

Chase County softball has a storied past. Well, a recent storied past. The Bulldogs won five state titles between 20122017, setting an obscene amount of state records in the process.

The Bulldogs, under first-year head coach Linda Passmore, seek to continue that tradition of success in Cottonwood Falls.

“Our big team goal is to get back to state,” she said. “Chase County has a strong softball history, and we are looking to add to it!”

But the Bulldogs will be challenged by position changes to start the 2022 campaign.

“We have a few players that are having to move to new positions this year, so there are going to be some girls getting used to new spots….so we might be a little inconsistent to start with, but we are going to be playing our best softball at the end of the season,” Passmore said.

“Once they settle in, I can see some girls stepping up that hadn’t in the past.’

The returning starters for Chase County are Abby Tubach, Sierra Johnson, Isabella Zerbe, Havyn Schroeder, Grace O’Brien, Karsen Vandegrift, and standout wrestler Kinzie Rogers.

Abbey Vega is a new player expected to provide production at the plate.

The offense should be the team’s strength from the outset, with the defense catching up as the season progresses.

“We are moving some girls around defensively, so time will tell how we will adjust,” Passmore said. “I expect us to be just as strong defensively by the end of the season. I am excited to see what we can do. These girls have been practicing hard these first few weeks and getting better every day.”

CHASE From PAGE 4 show up to work every day.

Some of those returning easy-to-coach players are starters Cal Kohlmeier, Brock Griffin and Mitch Budke.

Kohlmeier is the ace of the pitching staff, compiling a 7-1 record last year and recording a 2.93 ERA. He was .515 at the plate, knocked in 23 runs and stole 21 bases.

PHOTO COURTESY LINDA DRAKE

Chase County players receive individual guidance and feedback from the coaching staff. Passmore — who spent the past six years as an assistant coach at Emporia State — believes the time spent with each player is crucial to their development.

“We do a lot of one-on-one talking with our players so they can hear straight from their coaches what we see, how they can get better, and what we, as a whole, need to stay focused on,” she said. “I have

found that one-on-one time with players is important. They know you care when you take time just for them.”

Passmore also feels the true takeaway from a softball season is there’s more to life than knocking in three runs, turning a double play, or striking out the side.

“We are trying to raise successful young women, not just softball players,” she said. “I want them to know they are more than just a stat on a roster sheet, and I will be cheering them on through

Griffin batted .439 and notched 23 RBIs along with 30 steals. On the mound, he went 3-0 with an ERA of 2.333.

Budke hit .418 with 19 RBIs and 29 stolen bases.

Leadership will be a part of the success equation too.

“Our seniors Rhett Reyer (.347 batting average, 14 RBI) and Duane Conley (returning after a year off) are good leaders who care about what we do on a daily basis,” Weiss said.

The Eagles have some incoming freshmen with potential who could see action

as role players.

“We are expecting them to keep working and get better,” Weiss said. “They can easily fill a role on the team that we are needing this season.”

But it’s the team’s attitude that has Weiss feeling confident about the upcoming season.

“Our kids hopped on the get-betterand-play-hard train early, and it is hard for them to get off,” he said. “It is my hope that they continue to love the game and know they got better mentally and physically.

life way past the time that they are done playing softball for me.”

Softball will teach the squad members a work ethic, grit, and perseverance, attributes that can help them achieve future goals, Passmore said.

“I hope I can congratulate them when they graduate college or get their first job, get married, or start their own family.”

The Bulldogs begin their season March 24 at home against Mission Valley High School.

Schedule: 3/24 Mission Valley: Home 4:30 3/31 Osage City: Home 4:30 4/2 MDCV: Away 4:30 4/8 West Franklin: Away 4:30 4/12 Northern Heights: Home 4:30 4/22 Council Grove: Away 4:30 4/26 Central Heights: Home 4:30 5/2 Lebo: Home 4:30 5/16-5/19 Regionals 5/26-5/27 State

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Page 6

Saturday, April 2, 2022

MEET THE SPARTANS MEET THE SPARTANS

Colton Hinrichs Freshman

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Chelsea Gomez Freshman

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McKenna Haynes Freshman

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MEET THE SPARTANS MEET THE SPARTANS

Luke Pitman Freshman

Gracie Gilpin Senior

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Owen Ruge Freshman

Mathew Moyer Sophomore

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Cameron Geitz Senior

Hayden Knuth Senior

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Scott Jones Sophomore

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Saturday, April 2, 2022

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Page 9

LEBO-WAVERLY BASEBALL TO BUILD ON SUCCESS The Emporia Gazette

The Lebo-Waverly baseball program looks to continue and build on its 2021 first-place finish in the Lyon County League.

For the Wolfdogs (15-3 last season), cooking up a recipe of continued success begins with a strong returning core of upperclassmen.

“We have a great group of seniors and upperclassmen, who bring a ton of baseball experience to this 2022 baseball team,” said fourth-year head coach Jason Konrade. “These guys love the game, work

hard and play the game with passion and toughness.”

The returning senior starters are Kyle Reese and Jonas Konrade.

Catcher-infielder Reese led the team in stolen bases, runs scored and HBPs (hitby-pitch). Shortstop Konrade led the Wolfdogs in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles, triples and home runs.

“Our two returning senior starters look to provide team leadership and set the tone fielding and hitting to produce and score runs,” Konrade said. “Seniors Noah Aiello and Ian Gaddis will work to make

valuable contributions as well.”

Konrade expects his junior starters to impact the season’s outcome too.

“Our junior class returners Isaac Durst, Landon Grimmett, Addison Smith and sophomore Corey Reese Jr. will be asked to step up and contribute in greater roles this year as well,” he said.

Lebo-Waverly will also rely on its nonstarters to supply productive play.

“New-comer freshmen, Zach Oswald, Drew Konrade, bring prior youth baseball experience with them to the team and look to take key roles helping the team,” Konrade said.

The freshmen group also includes Taegan Kelly, Caleb Durst and Ashton Lattimer.

The Wolfdogs are a bit shaky on the hill and need inexperienced arms to step up, minimize walks and develop their pitching, Konrade said.

Lebo-Waverly will be challenged inside and outside of their league in 2022. They lost to league rival Southern Lyon County in last year’s regional semifinal.

“League games are big,” Konrade said.

“We start with a tough opener against a good Valley Falls squad and two big midseason battles in Lyndon and Osage City.”

LEBO-WAVERLY SOFTBALL STAYS COMPETITIVE The Emporia Gazette Lebo High School has plenty of highachieving female athletes. One only needs to look at its volleyball and basketball programs to recognize this.

Add some Waverly student-athletes to the mix, and you’ll find a complete team that has a short but competitive past. The Wolfdogs made the state tournament in 2018, losing to Udall in the first round.

However, Lebo-Waverly went 5-13 last year. They hope to improve on that record this season. But the Wolfdogs are young.

“We’re going to be young, but I believe we’ve got the pieces to flip the previous year’s 5-13 record around,” said third-year head coach Jim Jones who also coaches travel ball. “Outside our two seniors, the entire team has one year experience or less.”

A young roster means the rotation on the mound will be inexperienced.

“Our team will be very young and pitching duties will more than likely be held down by two freshmen.”

Fortunately, for Lebo-Waverly, they’ll have more athleticism, speed and power in 2022 that could help offset the lack of experience, Jones added.

But the Wolfdogs will have to count on returning starters to be truly successful. Junior Brooklyn Jones (Lebo High School) was solid at the plate last year.

The standout volleyball and basketball player registered a .424 batting average, tallied four dingers and drove in 22 runs.

Teammate Abby Peek (Lebo), also known for her volleyball and hoop skill sets,

COURTESY PHOTO

Back row: Coach Becker and coach Jones. 2nd Row: Serenity Lockwood, Abbie Shields, Siara Crouch, Abi Jones, Chalie Crouch, Hannah Carpenter, Mgr Cassidy Potter. Front Row: Gracie Cameron, Saige Hadley, Abby Peek, Audrey Peek, Brooklyn Jones, Mgr Allison Konrade

boasted a .464 average in 2021, recorded 27 runs scored and stole 21 bases.

Jones said new players that should make an impact are freshmen Abi Jones (Lebo), Saige Hadley (Lebo), Siara Crouch

(Lebo) and Josie Romig (Waverly).

Though the squad is relatively young, the philosophy is to continually work through mistakes and make a push to become better, Jones said.

“I like to keep things on the positive and fun side. Girls in the past have said I’m tough, but will always be quick to point out the good things, the potential they have to be great.”

THE EMPORIA GAZETTE

Page 10

Saturday, April 2, 2022

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Drew Wells Sophomore

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Cait Meyers Senior

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Page 12

NORTHERN HEIGHTS

Saturday, April 2, 2022

The Emporia Gazette

PHOTO COURTESY MICHELLE PRINGLE

Northern Heights High School baseball is stacked. Bottom-heavy stacked.

That bodes well for the future and the forthcoming season.

Twenty-four players have turned out this year — reportedly, the most in program history — and many are underclassmen.

“I have an unusually large freshmen class that brings previous baseball pedigree and experience with them,” said head coach Shawn Wilson, who is in his eighth season at Northern Heights.

The freshmen cohort includes Logan Schlimme, Tripp Stormont, Gus Phillips, Mason Miner, Clayton Collier and Elijah Brammell. Wilson said they all played together last summer.

“Which of our young guys can step in and fill several of the openings on the field and in the lineup,” Wilson asked rhetorically.

Foremost is sophomore “spark plug” Cooper Hamlin, who compiled a .349 batting average in 2021 with 16 RBIs. He will also be a starter in the pitching rotation.

The young segment of the squad will be expected to contribute to a successful

Cooper Hamlin

Please see Heights, Page 13

PHOTO COURTESY MICHELLE PRINGLE

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Page 13

HEIGHTS From PAGE 13 season (the Wildcats went 6-14 last year), create a culture of winning and earn a few upsets along the way, Wilson said.

Compromised depth through injuries or other reasons could be the only setback for the Wildcats. But Wilson sees possibilities in adversity.

“This does however create instant opportunities for freshmen to come in and assert themselves and earn that varsity playing time.”

Despite the promise of a freshmansophomore-laden roster, Northern Heights will lean on the leadership of two seniors, Aaron Ross and the vocal “Yogi” Logan Centliver, as well as junior leadoff hitter Kolden Ryberg. The athletic Ryberg batted .327 last year with four home runs. He also posted a 2.78 ERA from the mound.

NORTHERN HEIGHTS SCHEDULE Varsity Schedule 3/24 vs Council Grove 3/31 vs Lyndon 4/8 @ Central Heights 4/12 @ Chase County 4/18 vs West Franklin 4/22 @ Wabaunsee 4/26 vs MdCV 4/28 @ Osage City 5/2 @ Olpe (Soden’s Grove) 5/6 @ Mission Valley

FILE PHOTO

FILE PHOTO

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Page 14

Saturday, April 2, 2022

COURTESY PHOTO

Back row left to right: Angel Cortez, Damon Redeker, Ted Skalsky, Blake Skalsky, Derek Hoelting, Trade Torrens, Blake Redeker, Dalton Mayer. Front row left to right: Rowdy Orear, Ethan Redeker, Brody Cole, Dexton Hoelting, Milio Anderson, Logan Hammond, Oliver Smith, Jordan Beeman. Not pictured: Braydon Fowler, Triton Ybarra, Blaine McComsey

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SOUTHERN LYON COUNTY BASEBALL

Page 15

ers are Derek Hoelting and Oliver Smith. coach Dalton Laird. to begin its 2022 season.

The strength of the squad is its experiThe key returning starters are Damon The squad is aiming for a state title The Olpe-Hartford baseball team is set this year, according to third-year head Redeker and Braydon Fowler. New play- enced upperclassmen, Laird said.

The Emporia Gazette

SOUTHERN LYON COUNTY SOFTBALL MIXES MYSTERY, POTENTIAL

COURTESY PHOTO

Front row (L-R): Taylor Cole, Lillian Castillo, Nya Sierra. Standing (L-R): Rhilee Scott, Grace Markowitz, Chiara Garcia, Kadey Robert, Aubriana Sanchez, Makenna Broyles, Tobye Sull, Grace Coughlin, Drew Haag, Makayla Linden, Karsyn Young, Keilee Finnerty, Bridget Judd, Mia Kingsley, Sophie Schobel (manager).

Missing: Stephany Stithem, head coach: Tony Haag and assistant coaches: Scott Steinke, Derek Temeyer.

The Emporia Gazette

The Southern Lyon County softball team has potential this spring. But the head coach says there’s one big problem.

“Our schedule is brutal,” Tony Haag said Wednesday.

Haag calls his team “kind of a mystery.” While SLC has won only one game in three seasons, with 2020 canceled due to coronavirus, he says several players showed “a lot of improvement” in workouts last summer.

The SLC season will begin Tuesday with a home doubleheader against Eureka in Olpe. But challenges await in the weeks ahead.

“Burlingame got second in the state (Class 2-1A) last year, and they’ve got everybody back,” Haag said. “Most of the teams that we play are really good teams.”

SLC returns most of its players from 2021. Returning regular starters include junior Makenna Broyles, senior Taylor Cole, sophomore Grace Coughlin, junior Drew Haag (granddaughter of the coach),

junior Grace Markowitz and sophomore Kadey Robert.

But Haag doesn’t want to limit the potential factor to them.

“We’ve got a bunch of girls who I think can step up,” he said. “We’ve got to stay positive, because we’re still young and still building.”

SLC is a combination of Hartford, Neosho Rapids and Olpe High Schools. Haag said the 18 players on his team are blending together well.

“I’m not seeing any problems being

on the same team,” Haag said. “They all really want to play.” The team alternates two weeks of practice at Olpe and Hartford fields.

While Haag is head coach, he’s officially retired. The former coach of Northern Heights High School baseball calls his two assistants Derek Temeyer and Scott Steinke both knowledgeable and valuable.

“It’s a three-man deal. It’s just wonderful,” Haag said. “It’s exciting to go to practice.”

THE EMPORIA GAZETTE

Page 16

EMPORIA HIGH SOFTBALL The Emporia Gazette

Emporia High School softball is back in action, officially beginning its season March 24 at Wamego.

The Spartans will field an experienced team but one hampered by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Last year’s team featured primarily a group of starters that missed out on their Sophomore and Freshman seasons (due to Covid), so there was a large learning curve,” said second-year head coach Aaron Hammond.

Despite the setback from the global virus, the Spartan squad forged an 8-12 season in 2021and ended its season with two wins, including a blowout of Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School now coached by Olympic Silver Medalist and two-time NCAA National Champion Kelsey Stewart.

And with a year of competitive experience fortifying the collective skill set, the returning starters are poised to improve on last season’s eight wins.

“Experience, with almost everyone

FILE PHOTO

The Spartans return seniors Gracie Gilback from last year’s team, there are not a lot of holes for us to fill…Now, we return pin, Maddyn Stewart and Elleana Bennett.

Gilpin logged a .370 batting average in seven players that started at least 17 out of 2021, amassing 20 hits, seven RBIs and 21 games,” Hammond said.

Saturday, April 2, 2022

22 runs. According to MaxPreps, Gilpin posted an ERA of 4.97 and compiled a 3-4 record from the mound. Stewart registered a 2021 batting average of .292 and accumulated 19 hits and 18 RBIs. Bennett collected nine hits, seven RBIs and nine runs.

The Spartans also bring back juniors Shaylee Ginter, Kaylee Reimer and Adrianna Hernandez.

Ginger churned out a .356 batting average last season, drove in 15 runs, and racked up 21 hits. Reimer put together 15 hits, 16 RBIs and 14 runs. Hernandez recorded 10 hits, 11 runs and seven RBIs. Addison Kirmer is the only returning sophomore starter. She batted .200 at the plate in 2021, along with 11 hits, 11 runs and eight RBIs. But at Emporia, the commitment, practice, hard work, and stats go beyond the win-loss column. Softball is a vehicle to better one’s life.

“I hope that our players take away a work ethic that can sustain them through athletics, academics and into their careers,” Hammond said.