2024 6AA Foley State Baseball

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

The Foley Falcons baseball team — Jace Molitor (front, from left), Alex Jennissen, Brett Leabch, Jaden Enerson, Derek Dahmen, Bryce Gapinski, Josiah Petersen and Chase Dahler; (middle, from left) Jake Monson, Keagon Frisbie, Reed Hermanson, Wyatt Lueck, Tyler Wilhelmi, Trey Emmerich, Gavyn Wirth and Jordan Lewandowski; (back, from left) assistant coach Jay Storkamp, head coach Mike Beier, Teddy Rasmussen, Noah Gapinski, Noah Brunn, Gavin Owen, Michael Yanta, Deegan Beck, assistant coach Mitch Keeler and assistant coach Dan Marod — receive their Section 6AA championship trophy June 7 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. The Falcons repeated as section champions with a 10-6 win over Albany.

Foley baseball’s senior class as experienced as they come

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

As the Foley Falcons baseball team prepares to take on the ZumbrotaMazeppa Cougars in the first round of the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament, they know it will take trust and relying on each other to claw their way to a state championship.

However, for the 10 seniors keeping their eyes ahead amid their final days as high school athletes, that will not be difficult. After all, all but two of them have been playing America’s pastime together since elementary school.

“It means a lot to end my baseball career with many of the same people I started with way back when we were little,” said Alex Jennissen, catcher and infielder. “We’ve won a lot as a group throughout high school, but never a state title, and it would be incredible to get that

Success many years in the making

done as seniors.”

Seniors Jennissen, Josiah Petersen, Trey Emmerich, Gavin Owen, Bryce Gapinski, Jaden Enerson, Gavin Owen and Jace Molitor have all suited up in Foley blue since the second grade. During those early years, they were often broken up into different squads to take on area competition, but during the weekend, the budding young Falcons would team up at tournaments. It was here, united in one dugout with a shared

aspiration to succeed, that Foley’s eventual seniors began forming bonds to last an entire career.

“Doing well at those tournaments was the first sign to us we could be really good,” Jennissen said.

Even the others who came aboard later quickly were assimilated into the Falcons way of life, including shortstop and pitcher Derek Dahmen, who moved to Foley from Pierz as a fifth grader. It did not take long before the newcomer was being welcomed to team activities.

spend time away from baseball or fine-tuning their skills together, the class of 2024 built cohesion through simply being around each other.

“We were always together,” Dahmen said. “It was like another family. We grew closer and closer as the years went on. We’d go to the lake together, we’d go to practices, everything. It was all of us. We were all together whenever we’d do anything.”

in that squad a class of kids that had the potential to rewrite Foley baseball history.

“They believe they’re going to win every game, and they compete to the very last out,” Beier said. “It’s a unique group of kids.”

What has happened since then has lived up to that “unique” label.

“I was scared to meet new people as a fifth grader, but it was good,” Dahmen said. “I showed up in my Pierz hat and I got a new hat, and we ended up having a party and they invited me. I got accepted with open arms as a fifth grader.”

The seeds of friendship have since sprouted into a connection that is rare in high school sports setting that are often, for better or worse, built around cliques and distinct, separate friend groups. Whether it was going up to the lake to

Helping to establish chemistry among such a large crop of athletes was one key common denominator: They love the sport of baseball. After participating in youth baseball and traveling leagues, the time came for the group — which eventually included Brett Leabch and Chase Dahler — to showcase what they had picked up over the years. With the eventual seniors playing a huge role, the Foley VFW baseball team captured the Minnesota VFW State Baseball Tournament title in summer 2022, which proved to be a pivotal turning point in their baseball journeys and a memory they have cherished ever since.

“The VFW championship was really the first time we came into an important tournament and won multiple close games over and over again,” Jennissen said. “With how many games it takes to win a baseball section, that experience was super important.”

That run to a state championship at the VFW level also included Foley baseball head coach Mike Beier, who was an assistant coach on that team. Beier saw

Many of the seniors were members of a Foley American Legion Post 298 baseball team that became the smallest team in Division I to qualify for the Minnesota Division I State Tournament in 2023, and the Falcons varsity team have now rattled off two consecutive Section 6AA championship seasons with this class leading the way. As their last moments as baseball teammates arrive, Foley’s 10 seniors have full faith in each other, stemming over a decade’s worth of togetherness and teamwork.

“It’s everything when you can lean on the guy next to you,” Dahmen said. … “We’ve got to believe in everybody, and that’s what growing our friendships has helped us with.”

PHOTOS SUBMITTED

Foley baseball’s 2024 senior class consists of Gavin Owen (from left), Alex Jennissen, Chase Dahler, Josiah Petersen, Bryce Gapinski, Trey Emmerich, Brett Leabch, Derek Dahmen, Jaden Enerson and Jace Molitor. Much of this decorated class of seniors have been playing together since elementary school.

Alex Jennissen stands atop Josiah Petersen (front left) and Trey Emmerich during the 2016 baseball season. The trio are one of 10 seniors on a Foley Falcons baseball team, which is headed back to the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament.

All season long, the Foley Falcons baseball team has relied on the strong arms of ace pitchers Josiah Petersen and Trey Emmerich. Petersen boasted a 5-1 record on the mound, hurling 42 1/3 innings while striking out 62 bat-

Two ace throwers

ters on his way to a 2.48 ERA. Emmerich was nearly identically effective as a thrower for the Falcons, as the lefthander posted a 7-2 record and a 2.47 ERA in 39 2/3 frames, striking out 70. Both athletes will be competing collegiately;

JOSIAH PETERSEN

Whe di

Petersen is set to attend Augustana University, while Emmerich will be representing the Huskies of St. Cloud State University.

The Benton County News asked both pitchers several questions about their premier position.

Petersen is set to attend University, f St. Cloud State University The Benton everal

TREY EMMERICH

PITCHER PITCHER

Wh

When did you first start pitching? I first started pitching around fifth or sixth grade.

What is your favorite aspect about taking the mound? I like knowing that I have control over part of the game. I like knowing if I pitch well, there’s a good chance we are going to win.

What has been your favorite moment of your pitching career? Pitching in the state tournament last year against Perham. What has been the toughest moment you have had on the mound, and how did you get out of it? With runners on, just throwing strikes, and if they hit it, I have trust in my defense to make a play.

Bottom of the nd the game. w, and what am, change-u

How many different pitches can you throw, and what are they? Four. Fastball, slider, curve and change-up.

With the bases loaded and a 3-2 count, what is your pitch? I’d throw a fastball just to challenge the hitter and make them hit it.

Who has helped you improve as a pitcher? Coach Beier. He has coached a lot of years now and played college baseball, so he understands hitting and pitching and helps understand where and what to throw in certain situations.

What do you feel makes Foley’s pitching staff so tough? Having experience helps our staff a lot, and trusting our pitches.

When you’re on the mound, what are three words that describe you? Cool, calm and collected.

What do you hope to bring to your future collegiate team? The ability to adapt and learn new things.

When did you first start pitching? Second grade. What is your favorite aspect about taking the mound? You have the control and pace of the game. What has been your favorite moment of your pitching career? Pitching in the section championship in 2023. What has been the toughest moment you have had on the mound, and how did you get out of it? seventh, we are up 3-2 against Cathedral, bases loaded, nobody out. I struck out three in a row to end the game. How many different pitches can you throw, and what are they? Five pitches. Four-seam, two-seam, change-up, slider and split-finger.

hat is your onfidence in it. ? My

With the bases loaded and a 3-2 count, what is your pitch? Fastball, because I have the most confidence in it. Who has helped you improve as a pitcher? My dad, because he has taught me everything he knows about pitching.

What do you feel makes Foley’s pitching staff so tough? We have good depth in our pitching staff.

ing to o tough? aff

When you’re on the mound, what are three words that describe you? Calm, confident and leadership.

What do you hope to bring to your future collegiate team? Passion and work ethic.

three ee words that derership. ure urecolcollegiate

Good Luck at State!

Determined for

BY TOM FENTON STAFF WRITER

They remember. And the 11 seniors on the Foley baseball team are determined to avoid a repeat performance.

The Falcons were one of the favorites in the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament in 2023, and they appeared destined for a treasured spot in the semifinals as they took a 4-1 lead into the seventh inning against Perham. Then, baseball happened.

A hit here, a wild pitch there allowed a few negative thoughts to creep in, and the Yellowjackets stung Foley with a three-run seventh and went on to win 7-4 in a 12-inning marathon. The Falcons state championship dreams were suddenly squashed.

The Falcons’ mantra in their second straight state appearance is to erase that experience from their memories while also using it as motivation.

“We’ll feel more

confident going into state since we’ve been in that situation,” said Jaden Enerson, senior. “We know every game is going to be close. We just have to come together and battle.”

Enerson’s three-run double in the first inning keyed his team’s 10-6 Section 6AA championship victory over Albany June 6. Coming off the 2023 section title, which required two wins over Eden Valley-Watkins to advance, Foley again was the team to watch with so many key players returning. Things started off a bit rocky, however, as the Falcons lost three of their first seven games. Foley is 18-1 since, and a common theme for the getting

things rolling was simply chilling out — an attitude they plan on carrying into state.

“Last year, I feel like we were really tense and really didn’t play our game,” said Trey Emmerich, senior. “This time around, I feel like we’ve got to relax a bit and play with confidence.”

Mike Beier, in his 21st year as head coach, loved last year’s team and what they brought to the field, but he admits this group getting a second chance is special and certainly was not guaranteed.

section, but the field opened a bit when topseeded Holdingford was defeated by No. 8 Staples-Motley in the second round. As Foley has learned in previous section tournaments, making a long run through the elimination bracket is not easy, and if it does happen, the pitching staff is taxed.

wanted to go out,” Petersen said. “We just have to go out, have a little fun and take in the moment.

whelmed at all,” Beier said. “We’ve played the last five games in this park, and last year we played in the state

“It’s a great group of seniors we’ve got,” said Beier, who holds a 276-186 record as a coach. “But you just never know when you’re going to get back here, and that’s what I told them. This could be it. We don’t have a lot of seniors coming next year, and when you get to my age, you don’t know when the next one will be. So, this one is special.”

The Falcons were the second seed in the

Foley’s pitching staff, led by Josiah Petersen and Emmerich, should be well-rested as the Falcons avoided the elimination bracket with five straight playoff victories. The duo provides a legitimate 1-2 combination, and Derek Dahmen brings another experienced and strong arm.

Offensively, the Falcons showed their potency early in the section final and again after the Huskies cut a seven-run deficit to one.

“This one definitely means a lot and this is how the seniors

Good Luck,

We’re not ready for it to end.”

something that

Beier understands this team has extraordinary leadership, could prove pivotal in close games.

good down here, and we learned it’s never little more confident, and they believe they can make a run.”

Bryce

“We’re not going to be over-

spins his helmet like a basketball with his finger June 7 at Dick Cloud. Gapinski and the Falcons are looking to redeem themselves at the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Baseball State Tournament after a disappointing end a year ago. y d. sy, ppen, f is hld s ded e uo mate , and ced the the s cut cit fiot and eniors

Putz Field in St.

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

Gapinski

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON

Reed Hermanson scampers home for a run in the Section 6AA championship against Albany June 7 at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud. Hermanson has been one of the main offensive weapons in a strong Foley batting order.