Who were the top performers in the Cheboygan area during the week?
CHEBOYGAN – My goodness, it’s been quite a week.
From more records being broken, to impressive displays on the diamond and everywhere in between, Cheboygan area spring sports athletes and teams produced in a big way.
So, with another week in the books, here were some of the most impressive performances from around the area.
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SOFTBALL
Cheboygan all over Boyne City – I’ve talked a lot about the Cheboygan softball team this season, mainly because they’re really good.
But perhaps their most impressive performance of the campaign came on Tuesday, when they swept the Boyne City Ramblers with 7-4 and 17-1 victories at home. Before Tuesday, the Chiefs suffered a bitter defeat against the Ramblers in Boyne’s home tournament. It was a tough day for the Chiefs, who only went 1-2 in that tourney, but Cheboygan bounced back nicely by topping a strong program twice.
Whether it was Libby VanFleet’s solid pitching, the clutch hitting of Emily Clark, Emerson Eustice, Amelia Johnson, Presley Chamberlain, Tessa Lake and so many others, or just battling the weather elements, the Chiefs were up to the task and have momentum as we head into May.
BASEBALL
Inland Lakes’ unbeaten run continues – The Inland Lakes Bulldogs aren’t slowing down right now.
Hitting the road again for a Ski Valley doubleheader at Forest Area, the Bulldogs cruised to a pair of shutout victories behind the pitching of Connor Wallace and Aidan Fenstermaker, a big offensive display from Jake Willey (who homered), and a collection of Bulldogs who played their respective roles in another dominant day.
Bigger challenges await, like this upcoming Monday showdown with Gaylord St. Mary, but Inland Lakes continues to look like a team that’s going to be so difficult to beat in this conference.
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TRACK AND FIELD
Santiago and Mix’s big days for Onaway – The Onaway track and field team doesn’t feature a ton of athletes, but some of the ones they have are remarkable.
In Bellaire on Tuesday, senior Xavier Santiago was incredible again, becoming the state leader in the high jump with a career-best and school-record 6-10 jump. I’m running out of words to describe this kid, but what he’s done over the last two years in this event is as impressive as anything I’ve seen.
Meanwhile, senior Jadin Mix broke a 45-year-old Onaway school record by clocking 41.91 in the 300 hurdles.
If those performances are any indication, I believe we have a couple of athletes who could make some real noise again at states. I certainly can’t wait to watch them going forward.
LATE SHOUTOUT
The Cheboygan baseball team needed an energy boost in a big way, especially after a tough start to the season.
Well, the Chiefs got it on Thursday when they swept the Rudyard Bulldogs – a team that drilled them 17-1 last Saturday – at home.
Whether it was the stellar pitching of Sean Postula and Dylan Balazovic, the clutch hitting of Jacob Seaman and Brennan Bradley, or excellent defense being played, this will be a major confidence boost for a Cheboygan team that was looking for a couple of signature wins.
Major props.
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: What Cheboygan area spring sports athletes and teams stood out this week
