A brief outlook at each sport for the upcoming spring sports season in Gaylord
GAYLORD ― Two seasons down, one to go.
The long, winding road that is the winter high school sports season is officially over for Gaylord-area teams, meaning its time to shift attention to the last and arguably most important season for the area, the spring.
Multiple Otsego County teams have state championship aspirations heading into the 2024 spring season, headlined by the defending Division 2 state champion Gaylord softball team, as some of the best athletes in the area all look to finish the 2023-24 school year in style.
Here is a brief outlook at all the sports coming this season:
Baseball
Many eyes turn to the diamond this time of year, and while Otsego County might have more well-known softball programs, all three area baseball programs have high hopes heading into the 2024 season.
Gaylord St. Mary is hoping to win yet another district title this season and continue its postseason dominance. It had to battle JoBurg until the final outs of last season's D4 district final, but the Snowbirds prevailed to bring home the program's seventh-straight district title.
This season, the goal is to make it eight straight before pushing farther into the D4 bracket.
Returning their top pitcher from last season, Dillon Croff (1.42 earned run average in 2023), as well as impact players like Brett Koscielniak, Daniel Jacobson and Hogan McKinley should keep GSM among the contenders in the Ski Valley and a threat to make a run in the D4 postseason.
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Johannesburg-Lewiston should also have a decent chance to be back in contention for a district title, though it is replacing a bit more than its crosstown rivals.
Both their top pitcher (Rily McVannel) and top hitter (Colin Basinski) graduated at the end of last year, meaning the Cardinals will be relying on some new faces to bring them another winning season.
Thomas Fox should step up into a bigger role this season, much like he did in the football and basketball seasons, and junior Benny Lindbert added to the varsity lineup should help give the Cardinals a bit more depth.
Gaylord, the lone team looking to rebound from a less-than-successful 2023 season, hopes to contend in a tough Big North Conference without some of the top players from the 2023 team, Luke Enders and Louden Stradling. However, shortstop Torino Lamerato, pitcher/third baseman Aidan Locker and pitcher Will Bethuy should give the Blue Devils a strong core to work with.
Softball
There's no doubt the baseball teams will be fighting their own softball programs for eyes and attention this season.
Gaylord, the reigning Divison 2 state champions, and Johannesburg-Lewiston, a Division 4 state semifinalist, both are among the favorites to make it back to East Lansing this June.
Gaylord returns nearly the entire lineup that won last year's state title, a roster highlighted by sisters Jayden and Aubrey Jones, only needing to replace last year's seniors Alexis Kozlowski and Abby Radulski, while needed to fill the void of the injured Avery Parker. Still, anything less than another state title run might feel like a disappointment for a team this used to success.
Meanwhile, JoBurg announced itself as one of the best Division 4 teams in the entire state, making it all the way to the state semifinals before falling in a battle with the No. 2 ranked team in the state, Mendon.
And, with their star Jayden Marlatt back for her senior season, the sky is the limit for the Cardinals.
GSM, meanwhile, is hoping for a fresh start this season, with shortstop Kaylee Jeffers headlining its returning roster.
Girls soccer
Gaylord girls soccer had a disappointing finish to its 2023 season, falling in its first playoff game to a Cadillac team it knew it could beat.
This season, with a large group of all-conference players graduating at the end of last season, it'll be on senior Claire Gorno to carry the load. Gorno led the BNC with nine goals last season, earning first-team all-conference honors, and it'll be on her if Gaylord wants to be among the contenders in the Big North Conference this season.
Track and field
All three area schools have athletes that should be standouts amond their respective divisions.
For Gaylord, sophomore Katie Berkshire looks to build on what was a standout freshman season, placing third overall in the 3200-meter run at the Divison 2 state finals last season. Meanwhile, St. Mary's Miriam Murrell will be wrapping up a historic distance running career after finishing sixth in the 3200 in last year's D4 state finals.
JoBurg, meanwhile, returns multiple all-state athletes from its successful 2023 teams, including Allie Nowak (1600m, sixth), Malaki Gascho (3200m, fourth), Madalyn Agren (3200m, fifth), Blake Fox (800m, second) and Rosalinda Gascho (100m hurdles, eighth).
Golf
Gaylord golf will be adjusting to life without Kole Putnam this season as the now Ferris State Bulldog left a legacy as one of the Blue Devils' top golfers.
Now, it'll have to be more of a collective approach rather than a one-man show if Gaylord hopes to be competitive in one of the tougher golfing conferences in the state. Luke Somerville and Brandt Hogerheide are two of the top returning players, while Marshall Krajniak and Kane VanOosten figure to have impacts on a new look Blue Devil lineup.
Contact GHT Sports Editor Dylan Jespersen at Djespersen@gaylordheraldtimes.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @dylanjespersen, and Instagram, @dylanjespersen
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Outlook on the upcoming spring sports season in Gaylord and JoBurg
