The Shawano 10U Black baseball team would not accept anything less than a Shawano Youth League tournament championship.
After tying with Central Wisconsin Impact in the opening round Friday, Shawano Black rattled off three straight wins en route to the tourney title, including a 14-5 drubbing of De Pere in the championship game Sunday.
“After the (Central Wisconsin) game, I told the kids we can get through this,” Shawano 10U Black coach Clint Sumnicht said. “They got a little rattled, but got up.”
The team entered the tournament with only one loss and recent championships at tournaments in Oconto and Stevens Point.
Shawano Black outscored its opponents 57-9 in the SYL tourney, including a 19-1 semifinal win over Little Chute.
“We have a great combination,” Sumnicht said. “Pitching, we have 10 kids that can throw at any time. Hitting wise, there is not a bottom of the order, nor top of the order; every kid can hit.”
Members of the team are Owen Curran, Will Bieber, Ashton Henning, Ethan DeMunck, Jacob Landon, Karsten Wolff, Jack Sumnicht, Brady Hannes, Brady Glych, Mikey Metcalf, Deacon Carroll and Aidan Preston.
The Shawano Red squad went 0-3 in the tournament.
Bonduel went 2-0 in pool play but lost in the semifinals to Hortonville, 4-3.
Boys 9U Baseball
Shawano beat Bay Port 4-1 to finish third in the 9U tournament.
The Shawano squad went undefeated in pool play, defeating Rapids Rage and Eau Claire by a combined score of 28-2.
Coach Justin Popp said teamwork and fundamentals were instrumental to the team’s success.
“The strong point is playing together as a team,” Popp said. “We emphasize teamwork and everyone puts in 110 percent.”
Shawano beat Manitowoc 10-0 in the quarterfinals before losing to eventual champion Madison Kennedy 5-2 in the semifinals.
Popp is optimistic the success of the local teams in the SYL tournament bodes well for the future of the Shawano Community High School baseball program.
“The more you watch from the kids from 12U and younger, the better it looks,” he said. “If we can get the kids advancing all the way through high school, it could be exciting times.”
