It’s district time.
In the Cheboygan area, there will be several teams vying for a postseason championship when they take the field in the next few days. While some squads have pre-district matchups coming off Memorial Day, there’s others that won’t play until their semifinal round on either Friday or Saturday.
As Cheboygan-area teams prepare for their baseball playoff games, let’s preview each district and the path each squad has to a potential title.
Division 2, District 34 (At Gaylord)
Pre-District, Tuesday, May 26
Petoskey vs. Sault Ste. Marie, 4 p.m.
District Semifinals, Saturday, May 30
Cheboygan vs. Petoskey/Sault Ste. Marie, 11 a.m.
Grayling vs. Gaylord, 1:30 p.m.
Final, Saturday, May 30
Semifinal winners, 4 p.m.
Thoughts: There’s no question it’s been a difficult spring for the Chiefs, who have struggled. However, the postseason presents a huge opportunity for any team. Draw-wise, the Chiefs are in the semifinal, but they’ll have to clash with the pre-district winner of Sault Ste. Marie or Petoskey. On the other side, Grayling and Gaylord face off in a semifinal. When I look at this bracket, Petoskey has to be the favorite.
If the Chiefs want to have a chance, their pitching will have to be at its best, along with a defense that’s had trouble finding consistency all spring. Offensively, the Chiefs will rely heavily on Nolan Schley, Josh Clark and Brody McGovern, three of their best hitters.
Division 4, District 100 (at Pickford)
Pre-District, Tuesday, May 26
Mackinaw City vs. Cedarville, 4:30 p.m.
Semifinals, Friday, May 29
Mackinaw City/Cedarville vs. Rudyard, 10 a.m.
Pickford vs. Brimley, 12 p.m.
Final, Friday, May 29
Semifinal Winners, 2 p.m.
Thoughts: It’s been an interesting season for the Comets, who have looked strong at certain times while struggling in other stretches. If they were to get past Cedarville in a pre-district clash, they would meet Rudyard, one of the best programs in Division 4 over the last several years. That winner would likely meet Pickford, which is having a strong campaign and is the likely favorite.
The Comets will be counting on their seniors, including ace Braylon Currie, as well as Tyler Hingston and Ben Strittmatter, two players very capable of delivering those big hits. Meanwhile, freshman Knox Wilson is Mackinaw City’s No. 2 and has progressed as a hitter as well.
Division 4, District 101 (at Hillman)
Pre-District, Tuesday, May 26
Onaway vs. Posen, 3 p.m.
Johannesburg-Lewiston vs. Atlanta, 5 p.m.
Semifinals (Saturday, May 30)
Onaway/Posen vs. Hillman, 10 a.m.
Johannesburg-Lewiston/Atlanta vs. Rogers City, 12 p.m.
Final, Saturday, May 30
Semifinal winners, 2 p.m.
Thoughts: It’s been an up-and-down campaign for the Cardinals, but they always seem to be a district threat even when their record isn’t great. I expect them to be in this unique district, which features likely favorite Rogers City, as well as Posen, the Presque rival Onaway meets in a pre-district battle.
The Cardinals have dangerous bats like Andrew Gulley, Eli LaLonde and Zach Schmoldt. Pitching-wise, Casey Kindt and Gabe Watson, a freshman, must perform at a high level if the Cardinals are to make a run. If things are clicking offensively and defensively, Onaway certainly has a shot.
Division 4, District 102 (at Pellston)
Semifinals (Friday, May 29)
Burt Lake NMCA vs. Harbor Light, 1 p.m.
Inland Lakes vs. Pellston, 3 p.m.
Final (Friday, May 29)
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
Thoughts: This could be the most intriguing district of the bunch, as it features three Cheboygan-area teams, including the four-time defending district champion Inland Lakes Bulldogs. However, I-L’s road is going to be a challenging one this year, especially if they meet up in the final with Harbor Light, which is a major threat to end the Bulldogs’ streak of district triumphs if they collide.
Inland Lakes is flooded with quality seniors, led by ace Cash DePauw, Ty Kolly, James Layman, Wyatt Hanel and Andre Bradford. These players have done nothing but win district titles in their careers.
As for the host Hornets, junior Brett Bonter has been one of the best area players this spring, while senior Lucas Livermore is a top pitcher on the squad, and Isaac Groff has had a quality sophomore campaign offensively. The problem for the Hornets is they’ll need to upset Inland Lakes to get into the final.
Rounding out the area teams is NMCA, led by a solid pitcher duo in senior Josh Ferraiuolo and junior Jeremiah Tucker, who are both dangerous hitters. Levi Schepperley and Trey Fosmore are two other Eagles to watch for, but they’ll need to stun Harbor Light to make the championship game.
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at jgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Previewing Cheboygan-area high school baseball district tournaments
Reporting by Jared Greenleaf, Cheboygan Daily Tribune / Cheboygan Daily Tribune
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