By Rich Palzewic
Sports Editor
BROWN COUNTY – With area fields finally cleared of snow and getting drier, local baseball teams are hoping to hit the diamonds soon.
Green Bay Preble will be looking for a return trip to the WIAA Division 1 State Tournament at Fox Cities Stadium this June after losing in the semifinals to Waunakee a season ago.
Due to a mid-April snowstorm in 2018, most area teams played a reduced schedule.
De Pere and Preble shared the Fox River Classic Conference title with 8-1 records.
West De Pere won the Bay Conference, while Green Bay NEW Lutheran finished in the middle of the Packerland Conference.
Editor’s notes: All stats/information are taken from Wissports.net and school websites. An asterisk symbolizes a graduated senior. Look for a season preview on preseason No.1 ranked Preble online next week.Â
Ashwaubenon
Head coach: Jay Krueger
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 5-14
FRCC record: 3-6
2018 all-conference: *Will Adair (first-team outfielder), *Logan Blazek (second-team pitcher) and *Michael Rottier (honorable-mention infielder).
Bay Port
Head coach: Mike Simoens
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 12-4
FRCC record: 7-2
2018 all-conference: Call Verlanic (first-team outfielder), *Brett Stanzel (second-team outfielder), Jake Berg (second-team infielder), *Bob Tilot (second-team infielder) and Carter Highline (honorable-mention pitcher).
De Pere
Head coach: Bob VanRens (2018 FRCC coach of the year)
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 12-9
FRCC record: 8-1
2018 all-conference: *Matt Freeman (first-team pitcher), Will Semb (second-team infielder), *Jake Fietz (honorable-mention outfielder) and *Matt Willems (honorable-mention pitcher).
Green Bay East/West
Head coach: Matt Rukamp
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 2-12
Bay Conference record: 2-8
2018 all-conference: *Zach Watzka (first-team infielder, player of the year), Aaron Schultz (honorable-mention outfielder) and Hayden Ostertag (honorable-mention infielder).
Green Bay NEW Lutheran
Head coach: Michael Stock
Division: 4
2018 overall record: 6-9
Packerland Conference record: 4-4
2018 all-conference: Sam Meerstein (first-team catcher), Lucas Bukowski (first-team outfielder) and *Erik Voskamp (second-team outfielder).
Green Bay Preble
Head coach: Andy Conard
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 21-4
FRCC record: 8-1
2018 all-conference: Max Wagner (first-team infielder, second-team pitcher, co-player of the year), Josh Nicklaus (first-team infielder), Ryan Stefiuk (first-team pitcher), *Colin Dougherty (second-team outfielder), *Casey Roeser (second-team catcher),
Green Bay Southwest
Head coach: Tate McMillan
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 9-8
FRCC record: 4-5
2018 all-conference: *Cole Milton (first-team outfielder), *JT Bolssen (second-team outfielder), Brett Whiffen (second-team utility/DH) and *Noah Schmidt (honorable-mention outfielder).
Notre Dame Academy
Head coach: Jared Barker
Division: 2
2018 overall record: 9-9
FRCC record: 6-3
2018 all-conference: *Jon Zacharias (first-team pitcher, co-player of the year) and Marcus Hornacek (honorable-mention infielder).
Pulaski
Head coach: Dennis Bogacz
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 7-11
FRCC record: 2-7
2018 all-conference: Carson Williquette (first-team catcher) and *Drew McDermid (first-team utility/DH).
West De Pere
Head coach: Joe Rukamp
Division: 1
2018 overall record: 24-5
Bay record: 13-2
2018 all-conference: *Cal Jensen (first-team outfielder), *Devin Tyler (first-team outfielder), *Mac Thomson (first-team infielder), Bennett Olson (first-team infielder), Connor Langreder (first-team pitcher), *Dylan Govin (second-team infielder), Cameron Dupont (second-team infielder), *Nick Pawak (second-team catcher), *Jordan Strick (second-team pitcher), Kaden Kosobucki (second-team utility/DH) and *Brady VanEnkebort (honorable-mention pitcher).