Top performances from the opening of spring sports around Northern Michigan

There was plenty of action to look back on as spring sports got started late last week around Northern Michigan.

Here are the top high school sports performances from the end of last week and early this week.

Each week – sometimes twice a week – you’ll be able to keep track of who the top performers within the area are. There won’t be a set number of players chosen in each sport in a given week, just including performances which stood out and deserve recognition.

Check for another installment later in the week from area games.

BASEBALL

Korbyn Russell, East Jordan: Russell earned his first pitching win of the season in 4 2/3 innings with 10 strikeouts against Cheboygan in a 1-0 win Monday. In a 10-7 game two win, Russell then went 3 for 3 with a double and four RBIs.

Emmett Bergmann, Charlevoix: Bergman helped the Rayders off to a 2-0 start going 3 for 4 with a double and four RBIs in a 10-9 win over Rudyard, then added a double in a 7-1 game two win. Bergmann also doubled against Gaylord.

Carson Truman, Harbor Springs: Harbor Springs dropped a pair to Cheboygan to begin the season (11-3, 4-0) but Truman doubled and drove in two RBIs in game one.

AJ Speigl, Charlevoix: The single-season hits leader for Charlevoix, Speigl started hot with a pair of doubles and two RBIs against Rudyard in the opener, then singled twice in game two. Speigl added an RBI and single against Gaylord Monday.

Lucas O’Donnell, Petoskey: Petoskey dropped a pair of games against Flushing (8-7) and Grand Blanc (12-2) to begin the season, but O’Donnell singled twice and drove in two runs in the opener. O'Donnell also had four RBIs total vs. Harbor Springs Monday.

Troy Nickel, Charlevoix: In a pair of wins over Rudyard, Nickel went 4 for 7 with two doubles and three RBIs in the leadoff spot. He also scored three runs.

Tyler Goeldel, Petoskey: Goeldel went 3 for 3 with two RBIs and three runs scored in 15-0 win over Harbor Springs Monday, then added a 2 for 3 game with a double and two RBIs in a 12-2 win vs. the Rams.

More: "Any way I can help the team": Petoskey's Goeldel leading by example for Northmen

Jacob Haley, East Jordan: Haley got his 2024 season started with a double, three runs scored and an RBI out of the leadoff spot in a 10-7 win over Cheboygan.

Trystan Swanson, Mackinaw City: Swanson helped get Mackinaw City started 2-0 vs. Alanson, going 2 for 4 with a double, three runs scored, three RBIs and two stolen bases between the two games. He also struck out three and earned the win in game two.

Owen Waha, Charlevoix: In a 7-1 win over Rudyard, Waha went four innings on the mound, striking out five. He also singled in a pair of runs at the plate. Waha also added three hits, including a double and an RBI, against Gaylord on Monday, with Charlevoix falling 8-5 and tying 3-3.

More: The 19 area baseball players to watch for heading into 2024 season

More: Meet the 16 Petoskey area softball players to watch entering the 2024 season

SOFTBALL

Katelyn Dittmar, Boyne City: The Ramblers dropped three to start the season against Marshall (16-6), Harper Creek (11-6) and Eaton Rapids (10-9) but Dittmar started hot, going 6 for 11 with a double, two triples and five RBIs for the weekend.

Avery Kita, Charlevoix: The Rayders dropped two against Benzie Central (8-4, 10-5) to start the season, but Kita went 2 for 3 with three runs scored and a double in game two and singled in a run in the opener.

Danyelle Cadarette, Petoskey: Cadarette got her season going on the right foot when Petoskey traveled to Mount Pleasant Monday and took a pair of losses (12-4, 13-3). She had a home run, single, two RBIs and two runs scored in the opener, then singled in the nightcap and scored.

Lucy Uy, Boyne City: Uy had a solid start to the season with a 4 for 5 game that included an RBI, then added a double and two RBIs and three runs scored in two other games.

Natalie Grobaski, Boyne City: The first home run of the season for the Ramblers went to Grobaski in a game against Eaton Rapids, adding two RBIs. She also tripled over the weekend.

SOCCER

Stefi Reskevics, Harbor Springs: Reskevics has carried over a strong start to her freshman campaign from other sports, notching two goals in a win over Boyne City, followed by another two in a 3-3 tie vs. Gaylord.

Addison Boop, Charlevoix: The Rayders got their season started on a 2-0 victory over Kingsley, with Boop helping pitch the shutout in goal with three saves.

Lauren Cole, Petoskey: In a 7-0 win over Boyne City, Cole notched a hat trick with a trio of goals.

More: Petoskey's Cole shows she's ready to take next step in final season

Lizzie Bassett, Harbor Springs: Bassett scored a pair of goals against Boyne City, then added another in a 3-3 tie against Gaylord over the weekend:

TRACK & FIELD

Charlevoix girls 4x800 relay: Katie Rohrer, Laina Sladics, Rachel Dhaseleer and Maya Rohrer all helped the Rayder 4x800 relay to a victory (11:15.61) in the Yooper Invite at Lake State.

Jane Manthei, Petoskey St. Michael: Manthei picked right up where she left off 2023, winning the 800 meter run in the Yooper Invite at Lake State in 2:32.05, while placing second in the 1600 in 5:28.12.

Nevaeh Leonard, Petoskey: One of Petoskey’s top sprinters this season, Leonard started with a third place finish in the 55 meter run in 7.79 seconds, then was second in the 200 in 28.30.

Peyton Scott, Charlevoix: The Rayder senior placed second in the 55 meter hurdle event in 8.32 seconds, then was also second in the high jump with a new PR of 5-feet, 9-inches.

Petoskey boys 4x800 relay: Brady Odenbach, Dylan Odenbach, Zahar Rush and Reeve Oberman edged the competition to place first in a time of 8:44.53 in the Yooper Invite.

Sam Mitas, Petoskey: The Petoskey junior sprinter earned a victory in the 55 meter dash of the Yooper Invite at Lake State in 6.59 seconds.

Russell Vandermus, Petoskey St. Michael: Vandermus placed first in the 800 at Lake State with a time of 2:10.59, then was fifth in the 1600 in 4:54.22.

Charlevoix boys 4x400 relay: Hunter Eaton, Scott Bush, Brody Horrigan and Logan Wadkins claimed a win in 3:45.93 in the 4x400 relay at Lake State Friday.

Contact or send game stats/info to Sports Editor Drew Kochanny at dkochanny@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DrewKochanny, and Instagram, @drewkochanny

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Northern Michigan top performers as spring gets started