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SEASON PREVIEW: Gaylord, JoBurg softball hoping to return to East Lansing in 2024

Dylan Jespersen, The Petoskey News-Review
·4 min read

GAYLORD ― The past few years have been a great time to be a Gaylord athlete, with success coming out of each different season and individuals from multiple programs getting opportunities to play high-level college sports.

Even in this golden age of Otsego sports, no other sport has seen as much talent, success and accomplishment as area softball teams.

Gaylord climbed the mountaintop last season, winning the program's first state championship while setting multiple MHSAA records along the way. Meanwhile, 2023 was also a breakout year for Johannesburg-Lewiston, riding the stellar play of then-junior Jayden Marlatt all the way to the Division 4 state semifinals.

Now, with both of those teams returning many of the key players that made those runs possible, the Gaylord area is anticipating the return of their area softball teams and, quite possibly, their return to East Lansing at the end of the year.

Let's take a look at the outlook for each area softball team:

Spring is here: Take a look at opening week matchups for Gaylord-area sports teams

Gaylord

Gaylord is hoping to go back-to-back as D2 state champions in 2024.
Gaylord is hoping to go back-to-back as D2 state champions in 2024.

Last season: 39-2, Division 2 state Champions, Big North Conference Champions

Top returners: Jayden Jones, Sr., P/INF; Aubrey Jones, Jr., P/INF; Alexis Shepherd, Sr., INF; Taylor Moeggenberg, Sr., C

Preseason rank: No. 1 (Division 2)

Gaylord was undoubtedly the best team in MHSAA Division 2 last season.

This year, there's no reason to believe that's changed.

The Blue Devils accomplished their ultimate goal last season, running the table in the Division 2 state tournament and winning the program's first state title. This season, with nearly the entire roster back, they enter the year as the overwhelming favorites to run it back, starting the year as the top-ranked D2 team in the state.

With Division I recruits and all-state players Jayden Jones (Virginia Tech) and Aubrey Jones (Oklahoma State) leading the way alongside seniors and fellow future college stars Alexis Shepherd (Toledo), Taylor Moeggenberg (Cornerstone), Addison Wangler (Ferris State) and Braleigh Miller (Ferris State), the Blue Devils have a real chance to repeat as state champions in 2024, the last season this talented core of players will all play on the same team.

This season will be a bit more complicated than last season, moving on without last year's seniors Alexis Kozlowski and Abby Radulski (graduated) or former all-state player Avery Parker (torn ACL). Still, even with a loaded schedule, no team they face should have the same level of talent up-and-down the roster that Gaylord will have, making them the heavy favorites to be the last team standing in D2 again this season.

Johannesburg-Lewiston

With Jayden Marlatt back for one more year and a home field to play on (finally), the sky is the limit for the JoBurg softball team in 2024.
With Jayden Marlatt back for one more year and a home field to play on (finally), the sky is the limit for the JoBurg softball team in 2024.

Last season: 30-3-1, Ski Valley Co-Champions, Division 4 state semifinalist

Top returners: Jayden Marlatt, Sr., P/INF; Reagan Sides, Sr., C; Cassie Tallman, Sr., Utility; Brittney Fox, Jr., INF

Preseason rank: No. 4 (Division 4)

It's been a while, but JoBurg will finally get to play some home softball games in 2024.

Field renovations left the Cardinals without a home field for the entire of 2022 and 2023, meaning most of senior Jayden Marlatt's storied softball career has been spent on opposing diamonds. This year, however, the Cardinals will debut their brand-new home field for the first time, hoping to keep some of the same magic of the never-ending road trip that was the 2023 season.

Marlatt powered JoBurg's run all the way to the D4 state semifinals last season, putting up some staggering numbers both at the plate (670 batting average, 63 hits, 13 home runs, 61 runs batted in and 76 runs) and in the circle (19-1 record, 1.32 earned run average, 234 strikeouts in 117 innings pitched). With the Ferris State-commit back and ready to go in 2024, JoBurg fans can expect a whole lot of excitement coming from that brand-new softball diamond in the coming months.

Gaylord St. Mary

Kaylee Jeffers (right) has stepped up for both the volleyball and basketball programs this year and will likely be asked to do it again this spring for the GSM softball team.
Kaylee Jeffers (right) has stepped up for both the volleyball and basketball programs this year and will likely be asked to do it again this spring for the GSM softball team.

Top returners: Kaylee Jeffers, So., INF; Payton Glasby, So., INF

Preseason rank: NR (Division 4)

Gaylord St. Mary's is hoping to join in on all the softball success in the area after an up-and-down season in 2023.

They will be dealing with life without their best player from last year, Emma Glasby, but have returning All-Ski Valley honorable mention Kaylee Jeffers as well as Glasby's younger sister, Payton Glasby, hoping to turn the Snowbirds into a more competitive program this season.

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: Gaylord-area softball teams enter 2024 with high hopes after state finals runs in 2023