'They've been unforgettable': Petoskey baseball's senior class helped build a dynasty
The longtime head coach of the Northmen that's had to do so to many teams for over two decades now, dreaded the day a group of 13 seniors played their final game.
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Competing in a Division 2 regional championship at Turcott Field in Petoskey, that day unfortunately came Saturday, June 7 in a 5-2 loss to Standish-Sterling.
It's a group of players Racignol has been around since they were five years old and first picking up a glove.
'They've been unforgettable,' Racignol said. 'They had high expectations, we practiced at a very high level with our pace and the amount of information we were able to give, these guys never faltered in their focus and execution. If they didn't get something right the first time, this was a team that was laser focused in that area. That's how you get a 30-win season.'
Petoskey seniors Peyton Harmon (12), Haden Janes (4) and others walk off Turcott Field one final time after falling to Standish-Sterling in a Division 2 regional championship Saturday, June 7.
The Northmen finished a 30-6 campaign, exiting in regionals or beyond for a sixth consecutive season. Many of the seniors on the field Saturday were part of half of those seasons at the varsity level.
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'I couldn't be prouder of our effort and attitude,' Racignol added. 'Our work ethic. It's just an unbelievable group that I think really had a legitimate shot at the state level. There's not a lot to hang our head about, it's more about good fortune. We just needed a little bit of luck there.'
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Luck can indeed be part of the game and there was seemingly none left for the No. 9 ranked Northmen Saturday against No. 2 Standish-Sterling.
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From bad and exaggerated hops in the field to balls finding every hole, infield and outfield. Then there was the pitch Sam Briggs of the Panthers squared up perhaps better than anyone all season at Turcott Field in the first inning, a two-run shot over the left field fence and Briggs' lone hit of the day.
Petoskey's Drew Olson field a ball during a Divison 2 regional championship against Standish-Sterling on Saturday, June 7.
'We have to give credit where credit is due,' Racignol said. 'We made some great pitches that they were able to stay on and they went to places we didn't have guys. That's baseball. We hit some hard balls today that found some gloves.'
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It opened a 5-0 advantage in the first inning, which Petoskey cut into in the third.
Later in the fifth, it finally looked as if fortune had turned. Petoskey's Brendan Swiss and Peyton Harmon found their way on base with no outs, then it looked as if Haden Janes was on his way after catching a pitch in the helmet. The umpire instead called an attempt into the ball. Next pitch, Janes was hit on the hand, though again, the ball was called to have hit the bat. On the next pitch, Janes popped out, then two more outs followed.
Petoskey senior AJ Speigl fields a ball and gets ready to send it to first base against Standish-Sterling in a Division 2 regional championship Saturday, June 7.
'Against a guy throwing upper 80s, low 90s, to load the bases there with nobody out would have been a different ball game,' Racignol said. 'Our player was defending himself, turning away and I don't know how that can be called an attempted bunt, but that's what was called. Nobody is perfect, we don't expect perfection, but it happened twice in the same at-bat and neither one went our way.'
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Janes himself couldn't believe it.
'It's…,' Janes began, before stopping himself as he showed his bloody hand afterward. 'I'm not going to complain about it, but it's going to haunt me for a while for sure.'
Petoskey later put two runners on in the top of the seventh with two outs, though the threat ended and so too did the season.
Petoskey's Harmon took the loss across all six innings, while Briggs earned the win for Standish across all seven.
AJ Speigl finished with an RBI single for Petoskey, with Janes and Drew Olson also adding a single and run scored each.
Standish-Sterling went on to earn a 7-1 quarterfinal win over Fruitport, sending them to a Division 2 semifinal vs. Mason at Michigan State's McLain Stadium.
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Petoskey's 13 seniors included Janes, Speigl, Olson, Harmon, Swiss, Spencer Fettig, Rowan Dohm, Wyatt Hahn, Ben Lansing, Ely Pethers, Garrett Wodek, Barrett Elliott and Trent Black.
Petoskey senior Brendan Swiss watches a pitch late against Standish-Sterling in a Division 2 regional championship Saturday, June 7.
'I asked them to do a couple things,' Racignol said of the group. 'One was to walk the rest of this life with your head held high about your baseball career and two, thank the people who got you here.'
Racignol also took the time to do just that, acknowledging how special the sport is within the community, evident Saturday at a packed Turcott Field.
'To the parents in this baseball program, this is rare,' he added. 'The kind of support we get for baseball in this town is rare and it's not ever taken for granted and it's greatly appreciated. I want to thank them for that and all of the assistant coaches; Matt Henning, Jake Kanine, Scott Moore, Reed Moore, Tyler Goeldel, Steve Speigl, Dave Elliott and always, Mike Loper.'
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For more on a Northmen senior and standout career, check back with the News-Review.
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: Petoskey baseball's 'unforgettable' group exits season vs. Standish-Sterling
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