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July 1, 2010
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL ALL-STARS PLAY AT COMERICA PARK, PAGE 4B
2010 All-HERITAGE BASEBALL TEAM
Kristy Richart is surrounded by Saline swim coach Todd Brunty, parents Linda and Willard Richart, Saline dive coach Gretchen Plamondon and Saline Athletic Director Rob White.
Richart to dive at Toledo By Don Richter Saline’s Al Zeiher finished the year with a perfect 12-0 mark on the mound.
Player of the Year Saline’s Zeiher named Mr. Baseball for state By Don Richter Heritage Newspapers
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t was a memorable year this season for baseball in Washtenaw County. Three teams from the county advanced to the state championship game in Division 1 and 3, respectively. In Division 1, Ann Arbor Pioneer defeated Saline 4-1 in an all Southeastern Conference Red Division final, while in Division 3, top-ranked Ann Arbor Gabriel Richard lost to Shepherd 13-6 in the championship game. Individually, four Washtenaw County players made the Division 1 first team All-State squad, while two from the county were selected Division 3 first team All-State. Saline senior Mark Weist batted over .600, while Ypsilanti Lincoln’s Andrew Dillon belted 16 home runs this season, placing each player among the state’s leaders. However, one player’s accomplishments and talent stood out among all this season. Saline’s Al Zeiher not only was the top performer in the Heritage Newspapers-West coverage area, but he also was deemed the best player in the state. Last week, Zeiher was chosen as Michigan’s Mr. Baseball. Selected by the Michigan High School Baseball Coaches Association, the Mr. Baseball award is the highest individual honor a player from the state can receive. Zeiher was more than deserving of the Mr. Baseball title. A two-time, MHSBCA Dream Team selection, Zeiher helped lead the Hornets to three straight Division 1 state final appearances. Zeiher, who’ll play next
season at Spring Arbor University, outdueled Michigan State-bound southpaw Jeff Kinley in Saline’s 3-1 win over Saginaw Heritage in the state semifinals this year. Selected Heritage Newspapers-West Player of the Year, Zeiher was a force on the mound and at the plate this season. In a year when top-flight talent was everywhere throughout the county, Zeiher was the best all around player. As the ace of the Hornet staff, the hard-throwing righthander faced some of the state’s best teams week-in and week-out in the Southeastern Conference. Saline also played a difficult nonleague schedule defeating Division 2 state champion Dearborn Divine Child and sweeping Pioneer during the regular season. Zeiher, who throws in the high 80s-low 90s, finished the year with a perfect 12-0 record from the mound. In 78 innings pitched this season, he allowed only 11 runs, with six earned, on 46 hits, striking out 90 and walking nine. With the bat, Saline’s clean-up hitter was just as impressive. Zeiher finished the year batting .410, with 42 RBI, three triples and 10 doubles. He had a slugging percentage of .541 to go along with five stolen bases, 14 base on balls, 51 total hits and 37 runs scored. Last Monday, Zeiher was further honored as he was selected to play in the 29th annual MHSBCA All-Star Baseball Classic at Comerica Park in Detroit. Thirty-six of the best prep players in the state participated in the contest. Zeiher suited up for the West squad. He finished the game 1-for-3 with a single. The East defeated the West 12-2.
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Saline
2010 All-Heritage Roster: Player capsules, Page 3B Al Zeiher Mark Weist Garrett Gordon Cam Keller Scott Powell Nigel Schuh Michael Craig Drew Harper Justin Hart Henry Haley Alex McMurray Andrew Dillon Kyle Deuel Mike Golowic Isaac Miller Tyler Garfield * Player of the Year
Saline Saline Saline Saline Belleville Chelsea Milan Milan Dexter Dexter Dexter Lincoln Lincoln Lincoln Manchester Ypsilanti
Senior* Senior Junior Senior Sophomore Senior Senior Senior Junior Senior Senior Senior Senior Senior Junior Sophomore
Heritage Newspapers
As one of the state’s top divers, Saline’s Kristy Richart spends a lot of time in the water. Because of that fact, she also spends an inordinate amount of time drying herself off over and over, again and again. “I use a new towel before each dive,” said Richart, who earlier this spring signed to continue her diving career at the University of Toledo. “Most divers use two towels the whole meet. Sometimes I use as many as 12. I have to be completely dry before my dives. And after I’m dry, I redo my hair. But I have a lucky hair tie I have to use.” Whatever her habits, it must be working. Richart (5-foot-3), a four-year varsity performer, is one of the state’s best when it comes to diving. This past fall, she helped lead the Hornets to a Division 1 girls’ swimming and diving state championship. The state title in the pool was the first in school history. “It was the most unbelievable feeling ever,” said Richart, who also excelled in gymnastics and track and field for Saline. “At that moment when they announced it at the pool (that Saline was state champion), it didn’t even feel like it was actually happening. It was so special to be a part of the first ever Saline swim and dive state championship.” Richart, 18, has come a long way since she first started diving at age 10. “I had been very involved in
SWIMMING AND DIVING gymnastics since I was five, but diving seemed like something new and fun to do,” she said. “I was also a swimmer and I was always impressed with the divers, so I wanted to try it for myself. My sister had started diving the year before and seeing her try made me want to try it even more.” Richart said the best part about diving is trying new dives and working on them until she’s confident. “This often requires smacking (the water) over and over again, but I’ve always been told smacking is part of diving,” she said. “You learn from each mistake and hope that the next time you try the dive it’s that much better than the last time you tried it.” The reward for Richart is the emotional high she feels when executing a perfect dive. “The feeling of ripping a dive and to know that you nailed a dive even before you come out of the water is amazing,” she said. Richart, who also considered Michigan State University, Grand Valley State University and Central Michigan University, said she knew Toledo was the school she wanted to attend right away. “Toledo has such a beautiful campus,” she said. “And it’s a very good school academically, which is very important to me. I
also really liked the coaches, as well as all the support given for academics.” Richart, who plans on going into Toledo’s early elementary program and eventually becoming a teacher, said meeting members of the Rockets’ women’s swimming and diving team on her visit to the school was also important in her final decision. “When I first met the team, all the girls were so nice to me,” she said. “I felt like I could really fit in. On the tour all the girls talked to me and made me feel at home. At that point, I could really picture myself becoming friends with all of them, as well as being teammates.” Richart said she is a creature of habit when it comes to diving competitions. “I always have to listen to music before my dives because it lets me focus,” she said. “Sometimes it’s something to pump me up if it’s a big dive and other times something slower to keep me calm. I also do the movements of dives on the side of the pool before I perform that dive.” That, of course, is after she dries herself off…again. And redos her hair…again. And fastens her lucky hair tie…again. And… For Richart, those idiosyncrasies helped bring a state championship to Saline and earned her a scholarship to the University of Toledo. Whatever works. Indeed. Just don’t forget the towels.
Ward named Saline MVP By Don Richter Heritage Newspapers
Saline softball concluded a successful year last month with its end-of-season banquet. The Hornets finished 21-18 overall this year. In league play, Saline was 12-10 placing third in the Southeastern Conference White Division. The Hornets won a Division 1 state district championship this past season. Individually for Saline, Kaitlin Ward was named MVP. Ward, who’ll play softball and basketball at the Coast Guard Academy next season, finished the year with a .455 batting average and a .762 slugging percentage. She earned first team All-SEC, AllDistrict and All-Regional honors this past season. She also was an All-SEC Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-State selection. Receiving Saline’s offensive MVP this year was Emily Ouellette. Ouellette batted .495 and stole 46 bases in 47 attempts this season. She was named first team All-SEC, All-District, AllRegional and All-State. She also was an All-SEC Scholar-Athlete and an Academic All-State pick. Honored with the defensive MVP award for the Hornets this season was Kristina Zalewski. A pitcher, Zalewski had a 1.92 earned run average and struck out 233 batters this year. She also hit .303 at the plate. She was named first team All-SEC and All-District. The Most Improved Player
Saline’s Sarah Tommelein earned All-Southeastern Conference honorable mention accolades this past season for the Hornets.
SOFTBALL Award went to Caleigh Bond. Bond had a fielding percentage of .952 for the Hornets. Lindsey Moore and Kristyn Frey received the Coaches Award for Saline. Moore batted .311 this year and had a fielding percentage of .976. She was named first team AllDistrict. Frey earned All-SEC Scholar-Athlete accolades this season. Kayla Brophy received the
Woody Merchant Award for the Hornets. She was named All-SEC Scholar-Athlete and Academic All-State this year for Saline. Julie Soisson received the Program Hornet Award. Earning All-SEC honorable mention recognition this past season for Saline was Sarah Tommelein. Tommelein had a fielding percentage of .977 this year. As a team, the Hornets received Academic All-State distinction this season.