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Comets deal with season’s late start

WAUPACA – Area baseball teams are still feeling the effects of a late-season storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow in Waupaca two weeks ago.

Take the Waupaca Comets, for example.

The team’s first two games have already been rescheduled and this week’s games are still up in the air.

“This past storm really threw all the spring sports behind, which means gym time is more competitive,” coach John Koronkiewicz said. “We have teams scheduled there from 3:30 to 9:30 at night.

“That really kind of hurts us, but we’re doing the best we can,” he added. “You have to be able to adjust and do what you can inside. Traditionally, we’ve been pretty good at going through some fundamentals inside that we can transfer to outside play.”

Now all the Comets need is a baseball field.

“The first time we play might be the first time we’re outside on a field,” Koronkiewicz said while working out with his team in a Waupaca High School parking lot. “Had the schedule gone according to plan, we would have been playing a conference game against Clintonville today. That didn’t happen, so you go to the next one on your schedule. Antigo’s already been postponed, so we’re looking at Berlin Tuesday and (Fox Valley Lutheran) Thursday and those are still in question at this point. Hopefully, we lose the snow, get out on a field and start playing baseball the way it’s intended to be played.”

The Comets will field a team that lost its leading hitter, Ethan Dayton, as well as its top two pitchers, Will Marringa and Sam Gill, to graduation.

“Ethan was the glue that held us together and he had an outstanding season,” Koronkiewicz said. “It’s hard to replace a first team all-conference baseball player. He hit over .400, hit with some power and played a critical infield position at shortstop. Will was our No. 1 pitcher and Sam was our No. 2 pitcher. Hopefully, the guys coming up can step in and do their jobs.”

Returning players include Casey Nicewander, a first team all-conference catcher last year.

“You have to start with Casey Nicewander, who’s done a great job for us,” Koronkiewicz said. “Broghan Cullen will not only be expected to pitch, but play another position. Seth Deuman got a little experience playing at the varsity level. Hopefully, Cody Houtman can continue to improve like he did last year. After that, we’ll have some new faces and we’ll go from there.

“If we have a weakness coming in, it’s that we don’t have very much pitching experience from a year ago,” he said. “Kevin Moe will be called on do some pitching. Seth Deuman, Cody Zick and Broghan Cullen are the upperclassmen that will get the first look. Then we have a couple of promising youngsters that can come in and maybe play, but we have to determine who those are yet. We may not have a top-notch, Grade A pitcher, but I think we have enough depth.”

Koronkiewicz expects a number of solid teams to battle for the Eastern Valley Conference championship

“It’s a great baseball conference,” he said. “Ripon has an outstanding pitcher in (Jordan) Jess and Clintonville has an outstanding pitcher in (Patrick) VanDaalwyk, two big, tall left-handers that can throw the ball extremely hard. Winneconne has some great athletes coming back that have made them tough and Appleton Xavier and Fox Valley Lutheran have been very good. From top to bottom, I think the league is going to be as competitive and as good as it’s been in awhile. For us to compete, we’re going to have to play pretty good baseball on a daily basis.”

Waupaca Comets

Baseball

2011 Schedule

Varsity

Tuesday, April 5 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 7 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 9 – vs. New London (DH), 10 a.m.

Thursday, April 14 – at Stevens Point, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 – vs. Freedom (DH), 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 19 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 – at Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, April 26 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 30 – vs. Winneconne (DH), 10:30 p.m.

Monday, May 2 – at Antigo, 4:30 p.m. (rescheduled from April 4)

Tuesday, May 3 – vs. Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 5 – at Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 6 – at Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 9 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 13 – at Clintonville, 4:45 p.m. (rescheduled from March 31)

Saturday, May 14 – vs. Stevens Point Pacelli (DH), 10 a.m.

Monday, May 16 – at Appleton Xavier, 7 p.m.

Friday, May 20 – vs. Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.

Monday, May 23 – vs. Weyauwega-Fremont at Fox Cities Stadium, Grand Chute, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, May 24 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Junior Varsity

Thursday, April 7 – at Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 9 – vs. New London (DH), 10 a.m.

Thursday, April 14 – vs. Stevens Point at Plover, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 16 – vs. Freedom (DH), 10:30 a.m.

Tuesday, April 19 – vs. Appleton Xavier, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 – at Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, April 26 – vs. Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 30 – vs. Winneconne (DH), 10:30 p.m.

Monday, May 2 – at Antigo, 4:30 p.m. (rescheduled from April 4)

Tuesday, May 3 – vs. Clintonville, 4:45 p.m.

Thursday, May 5 – vs. Berlin, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 6 – vs. Hortonville, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 9 – vs. Fox Valley Lutheran, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 13 – at Clintonville, 4:45 p.m. (rescheduled from March 31)

Monday, May 16 – at Appleton Xavier, 4:45 p.m.

Friday, May 20 – vs. Little Chute, 4:45 p.m.

Tuesday, May 24 – at Ripon, 4:45 p.m.

Freshman

Monday, April 11 – vs. Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 14 – vs. New London, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, April 15 – vs. Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, April 19 – at Wild Rose, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 21 – vs. Hortonville, 4:45 p.m.

Monday, April 25 – at D.C. Everest, Schofield, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 28 – at New London, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 2 – at Antigo, 4:30 p.m. (rescheduled from April 4)

Friday, May 13 – at Mosinee, 4:30 p.m.

Monday, May 16 – vs. D.C. Everest, 4:30 p.m.

Friday, May 20 – at Hortonville (DH), 4:30 p.m.

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