This story is sponsored by Victory Apparel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
Athletes from Spencer and Marshfield Columbus Catholic dotted the All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division softball and baseball teams, which were released recently.
Seven Rockets earn all-Cloverbelt East softball honors
Cloverbelt Conference East Division champion Spencer had seven of its nine regular starters named to the all-Cloverbelt East softball team for the 2016 season.
The Rockets won their second-straight Cloverbelt East title, going undefeated again at 12-0 and ran their conference winning streak to 27 games in the process.
Senior pitcher Macie Weber was named conference Player of the Year and was a first-team selection after going a perfect 9-0 on the mound and hitting eight homers in all this season.
“Macie was a great player for us all four years,” Spencer coach Jason Gorst said. “She is a great kid and was very deserving of winning Player of the Year. Her hitting was top notch this year and she won a lot of games for us in the circle. She no doubt had a huge impact on our success. There will be big shoes to fill for sure.”
Shortstop Courtney Buss and catcher Mandie Schultz were also named to the 10-player first team for Spencer. Buss, the Rockets’ leadoff hitter, had two three-hit games during conference play.
“Mandie was a very smart and crafty catcher,” Gorst said. “Defensively, she was very good. Her ability to expand the strike zone for pitchers was remarkable. Courtney stepped in at shortstop and proved to be a high-level athlete. Her baserunning ability also really stood out.”
Sophomore first baseman Lexi Baehr and outfielder Jenna Schober were named to the second team, and outfielder Cinnamin Harwood and designated player Kallie Reckner were honorable mention picks for Spencer.
Columbus Catholic senior Abby Baierl was the Dons’ lone all-conference representative, earning second-team honors after the Dons finished 1-11.
2016 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Softball Team
First team: Emily Johnson, sr., Gilman; Morgan Birkenholz, sr., Gilman; Taylor Hendricks, jr., Gilman; Kaylee Learman, so., Greenwood; Morgan Reinwand, jr., Loyal/Granton; Devyn Schoonover, sr., Loyal/Granton; Dani Pfeiffer, sr., Neillsville; Macie Weber, sr., Spencer; Courtney Buss, jr., Spencer; Mandie Schultz, sr., Spencer.
Second team: Abby Baierl, sr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Kayla Chause, jr., Gilman; Lexi Hinker, sr., Greenwood; Ashley Walker, sr., Greenwood; Deveni Rowley, jr., Loyal/Granton; Ryleigh Wilke, sr., Loyal/Granton; Jenna Pavlac, sr., Neillsville; Baileigh Johnson, so., Neillsville; Lexi Baehr, so., Spencer; Jenna Schober, jr., Spencer.
Honorable mention: Venessa Lopez, fr., Colby; Mariah Person, sr., Gilman; Kasee Burton, so., Gilman; Kassidy Lamovec, jr., Greenwood; Kristyn Nigon, sr., Greenwood; Haley Rueth, fr., Loyal/Granton; Cinnamin Harwood, jr., Spencer; Kallie Reckner, sr., Spencer.
Player of the Year: Macie Weber, Spencer.
Columbus, Spencer have one named to baseball first team
Marshfield Columbus Catholic senior Matthias Gouin and Spencer sophomore Hunter Luepke earned first-team selections to the 2016 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division baseball team, as voted on by the conference coaches.
Luepke, an outfielder and pitcher, helped the Rockets to a second-place tie with Neillsville at 12-4, three games behind conference champion Loyal.
Gouin was joined on the all-conference team for Columbus by teammates Tyler Fuerlinger (second team) and Billy Young (honorable mention). The Dons finished 7-9 and in sixth place in the conference standings.
Spencer infielder Jonny Tomke was a second-team selection.
Loyal, which went 15-1 in conference play, had four first-team selections and seven picks in all, including Player of the Year Brenden Collins.
2016 All-Cloverbelt Conference East Division Baseball Team
First team: Matthias Gouin, sr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Brenden Collins, sr., Loyal; Kanyan Rachu, sr., Loyal; Colten Roehl, sr., Loyal; Riley Geiger, jr., Loyal; Jason Kurth, sr., Neillsville; Logan Matson, so., Neillsville; Kole Karaba, jr., Owen-Withee; A.J. Ovyn, so., Owen-Withee; Hunter Luepke, so., Spencer.
Second team: Aaron Morrow, jr., Colby; Tyler Fuerlinger, jr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Brock Opelt, jr., Granton; David Vesel, sr., Greenwood; Jake Waldhart, sr., Loyal; Josh Zupanc, sr., Loyal; Jacob Kunze, sr., Neillsville; David Harder, jr., Neillsville; Josiah Goerlitz, jr., Owen-Withee; Jonny Tomke, sr., Spencer.
Honorable mention: Billy Young, sr., Marshfield Columbus Catholic; Connor Skabroud, so., Gilman; Elliot Wininger, so., Gilman; Devin Toburen, so., Greenwood; Ben Zimmerman, sr., Loyal; Marshall Opelt, so., Neillsville; Ben Esker, sr., Owen-Withee.
Player of the Year: Brenden Collins, Loyal.