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 Back in the days of the Lakeshore Conference and the Michigan-Ohio Border Conference, Northwood was as much a small school baseball power as Clay was a big-school power then and today.
Granted, in 1989, the Rangers shared with Genoa and Eastwood their last league championship when Northwood was a member of the Suburban Lakes League.
This year, the Rangers came full circle and won the school’s first outright Toledo Area Athletic League baseball championship. Northwood is not just a football school, anymore.
Coach Dave Russell led Northwood to a 17-9 overall record and 11-1 in the TAAC. For his efforts, The Press is naming him the Alan Miller Jewelers All-Press Coach of the Year.
Northwood junior left-hander Cameron Juhasz (6-3) pitched a three-hit, nine-strikeout gem in Northwood's 2-1 over Toledo Christian, coached by Oregon resident and former Major League pitcher Ron Rightnowar, on April 22 to win the outright title. Juhasz is an Alan Miller Jewelers First Team All-Press selection.
Why might this be the start of a continued rejuvenation of Northwood baseball? Ask Juhasz.
“We're going to have this same team back next year,” Juhasz said. “We're going to miss some key seniors, but we're going to have the confidence that we've won it before and we don't want to give it up.”
On the mound, Juhasz had 73 strikeouts en route to a 6-3 record and 3.44 ERA. Other first team Rangers include shortstop Nick Russell (.421, 4 doubles, 4 triples, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 7 SB) and catcher Ben Wilson (.321, 3 doubles, 2 triples, 14 RBI, 4 SB).
From the TAAC, Cardinal Stritch center fielder Gabe Pinciotti, the grandson of former Chicago White Sox player Don Pinciotti, is a first team choice after leading the league batting .484 with 30 hits, 31 runs, 13 RBI, a .614 OBP, 20 walks, six doubles, 12 stolen bases in 13 attempts, and committing only one error in the field.
Another descendant of a major leaguer, TC shortstop Nick Rightnowar, joins the contingent after batting .438 with 30 RBI and 20 stolen bases.
While the decision to award Coach Russell is being made by The Press, all Alan Miller Jewelers first team, second team, and honorable mention choices are a direct reflection of each player’s respective accolade by their own league.
Eastwood senior Clay Rolf was named Press Player of the Year because he received a similar accolade by SLL coaches. While Elmwood won the league title and reached the Division III regional final under its coach, former Eastwood and Bowling Green State University player Kyle Reiser, it is current Eastwood player Rolf who rocked opposing pitchers the most in the SLL.
Rolf, who is headed to Bowling Green State University to play football, might want to consider playing baseball, too — if Falcon diamond coach Danny Schmitz or football coach Dave Clawson will allow him to play two sports. The way the last BGSU basketball season went (14-16), maybe Coach Louis Orr should ask the 6-foot-7 Rolf to join his team, too.
What did Rolf do on the baseball diamond this spring? Just a couple weeks into the season, he was turning heads by blasting seven home runs. By season’s end, he was batting an out-of-this-world .621 with 36 hits, eight home runs, 39 RBIs, plus he had 13 stolen bases despite weighing well over 200 pounds.
Other first team choices from the SLL are Lake outfielder Ryan Kohlhofer (.425, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 14 SB), Gibsonburg outfielder Gage Beaber (.494, 1 HR, 13 RBI, 11 SB), Genoa second baseman Matt Bassitt (.447, 3 HR, 18 RBI), Lake second baseman Josh Tantari (.366, 24 RBI, 13 SB), Lake designated hitter/utility Ryan Hotmer (.435, 7 HR, 38 RBI), and Gibsonburg catcher Brett Diekman (.444, 2 HR, 24 RBI).
Clay made the City League final four, but fell short of a league championship by losing in the semifinals. Under first-year coach Garry Isbell, the Eagles finished 13-14, but 8-3 in the City.
Austin Achter, who plays multiple positions, is a first team selection batting .444 with two doubles, five triples, three home runs, 12 stolen bases, and 24 RBI. Joining him is second baseman Jesse Castilleja, who batted .303 with three doubles, three home runs, and 20 RBI.
Achter, the younger brother of Michigan State pitcher A.J. Achter, is also a First Team All-District selection, as is Castilleja. Achter and Castilleja have both been offered an opportunity to participate in the Crossroads Baseball Series Showcase Invite.
From the City League, Waite shortstop and outfielder Phillip Hatch joins them on the Press First Team after batting .486 with two home runs and 35 RBI.
From Sandusky Bay Conference runner-up Oak Harbor are outfielder A.J. Cecil (.355, 22 hits, 3 doubles, 20 RBI) and infielder Josh Warnke (.528, 28 runs 38 hits, 4 doubles 2 triples, 17 RBI, 17 SB).
Besides Juhasz, pitchers include Castilleja (3.75 ERA, 3-6 record, 40 K) and Genoa’s Connor Wendt (1.62 ERA, 6-4, 58 K). Wendt was vicious at the plate, also, batting .464 with two home runs and 21 RBI and he led the SLL with 25 stolen bases.
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