State Quarterfinal/Semifinal Preview.

Written Saturday June 11th at 11:00 PM
Updated Monday June 13th at 12:30 AM


The quarterfinals are here and here being the matchups for the two remaining OAA Teams that remain in Baseball and Softball and one team in Girls Soccer for the Final week of the High School Sports season for 2015-2016 season.

Both Baseball and Softball games will be played on Tuesday at Wayne State.

Softball:

Orion (35-5) vs Farmington Hills Mercy (40-2). 2 PM

The Marlins whom is ranked number two in the State have gotten all the hype, focus, and attention that has surrounded them all season, some of it deserved from shows like State Champs. Farmington Hills Mercy won the Catholic League for a second straight season and have been primed to get back to East Lansing since losing to Caledonia last season in the State Semifinals. The Marlins have a very good team surrounding them led by Brighton Native, and Mobile (South Alabama) bound Senior Abby Krzywiecki. Krzywiecki is likely going to be the Miss Softball in the State of Michigan, averaging a .565 batting average with 20 home runs, and 90 runs batted in this season. Farmington Hills Mercy also has a very talented starting pitcher in Andrea Elmore whom is 28-1 this season, having an earned run average under one run per game. The Marlins also have solid players as well in Anna Dixon, Cari Padula (going to Kalamazoo-Western Michigan next season) whom were both a combined four for six against Walled Lake Northern in their 11-1 rout of the Knights in the Regional Final and also Farmington Hills Mercy has Nicole Belans whom played well against Walled Lake Northern as well along with all-Stater Sophie Van Acker. 

The Dragons meanwhile just won their first regional final since 2004 and is ranked sixth in the State really hasn’t got much attention nor the respect they deserve from shows like State Champs but they bring a balanced attack to the party. Orion features their own power hitter in Shelby Misiak and young hitters such as Kassidy Carson, Carley McGhee, Erin Schroeder, Mackenzie Roy, Mackenzie Case, Tessa Nuss, Susie Bielecki, Jamie Bell, Bethany Gardner, and Peyton Shadaia. The Dragons do have a Senior pitcher in Sierra Gonzales whom is a big game pitcher herself and Lexi Aguilar is not bad herself. Orion has gone through some very good teams in Clarkston, Oxford, Groves and Romeo to get here.

This will be the first meeting of the season between Orion and Farmington Hills Mercy.

PROJECTION: Farmington Hills Mercy is very good, very talented, very athletic, and deserve the attention they have gotten from State Champs and the rest of the media. Yes, Abby Krzywiecki is likely going to win Miss Softball for the State but according to my source the Marlins can be had, it depends on any given day. Orion has not gotten no State love lately besides the local media and could make history if they pull this one off. The experts say that the Dragons don’t match up well with the Marlins but looking at the matchup here, both of these teams I would say are about even, both have played tough schedules, won league crowns, and won tournaments. The only difference is the Marlins have playoff experience on their side and have well known players who been here while Orion has not. This could be an offensive shootout or a defensive slug-fest pending if the Dragons offense shows up. I’m tempted to take the upset here, I think Orion has what it takes to get to Elmore and keep Krzywiecki and the rest of the Marlins off balance but they must be on the offensive pedestal because Farmington Hills Mercy has the talent to get to Gonzales.

Baseball:

Rochester (24-17) vs Hartland (32-5). 4 PM

The Eagles started the season at 1-3 but have rebounded nicely by being ranked in the State most of the year (currently 10^th in the State) with its senior heavy lineup, not to mention they are the defending State Champions. Hartland has two very good left handed pitchers and one of them is a stud in Nathan Lohmeier whom will be heading to Bowling Green next season. Lohmeier was huge in the Eagles regional final win over Novi Detroit Catholic Central by tossing a two hitter. Hartland is also loaded as well led by Hunter DeLanoy, Jack Slavin, Alexander Vydjak, Max Hendricks, and John Baker. The Eagles took out Howell in the district to get here and destroyed Livonia Stevenson 11-0 in the regional semifinal as well. 

The Falcons are a team that no one expected to be here and is playing with house money, by going 13-1 in its last 14 games. Rochester was a middle of the pack team in the Red this season has only one senior on their roster have made an impact in the tournament. The Falcons picked up two extra inning wins over Stoney Creek and Utica Eisenhower and beat Troy 2-0 in the regional semifinal but they upset Adams in a wild regional final 12-9, that featured five lead changes to get to this round and win its first regional since 1998. Rochester will have its hands full if they want to pull off a major upset.

This will be the first meeting of the season between Hartland and Rochester this season.

PROJECTION: The luck of the Falcons will run out here, I think that Lohmeier and the senior heavy Eagles will be too much for Rochester in this matchup. Hartland though can be had but the Falcons have to play perfect if they want to pull off the upset but I don’t know if I see it happening.

Girls Soccer-State Semifinals:

Novi at Stoney Creek- Tuesday 7 PM

The Cougars have gone through a lot to get to the State Semifinals, getting by a few State ranked teams in the process in Utica Ford, Macomb Dakota, Utica Eisenhower, and Troy Athens. Now Stoney Creek has a home game against third ranked Novi. The Wildcats beat Grand Blanc in the semifinals to get here along with Northville in the district playoffs. This will be an interesting game to watch between these two teams to get to the State Finals.

PROJECTION: Home field is huge, it didn't work out for Adams last season as they traveled down the road to Stoney Creek and lost. Now it's the Cougars turn on its home field but Novi is tough and very good in their own right, they are the only team to beat Grand Blanc twice this season. I think Stoney Creek will pull it off over the Wildcats and get to the State Finals on Saturday.