Abby/Colby co-op aims to retain title
The Abbotsford /Colby baseball co-op enjoyed a great deal of success last season thanks to a deep senior class. The 2021 season was highlighted by a 16-10 record, and a shared Marawood - North title with Rib Lake and Athens.
It’s a younger team that will take to the baseball diamond in 2022, but both the co-op and returning head coach Ryan Bargender are aiming for even greater heights, like a stand-alone conference title and a deep playoff run.
“For us, a successful season is adding another conference championship to the mix. We haven’t won a playoff game as a co-op, so being competitive in the playoffs will be the next step,” Bargender says.
For that to happen, Bargender will need players to step up. While the co-op does bring back some solid pitching and hitting, it’s also true Abby/Colby has lost a bit of both, as well as the bulk of their outfielding crew.
“We graduated three seniors that covered a lot of ground, so outfield right now will be our biggest competition for spots,” Bargender said.
Mason Carpenter, Cade Faber, Hunter Soyk, Marco Olvera and Ross Elmhorst all graduated last spring, taking with them the lion’s share of the co-op’s offense and pitching. However, Bargender is optimistic that Evan Reis, Brandon Diedrich, JV Castillo, Blake Bargender and Mateo Lopez can fill in the gaps and replace the departed firepower.
“Last year we had six guys that could throw out there any day and be very confi dent. We return Nick, Mateo, Brandon Nick, when he gets healthy, will be a huge boost for us,” Bargender said about his returning pitchers. “We’re going to need three more guys. That could be JV, possibly Evan Reis, and Payton Schreiber, he’s a freshman, but he could see some time on the mound for us.”
One advantage that 2022 has over 2021 is the season finally returns to something resembling normal, getting started at its usual time after COVID-19 halted 2020, and forced a late start to last year.
“We’re kind of getting back to a normal routine and not worrying about COVID at this point has been refreshing,” Bargender noted. “We’ve got a young team, but enough guys that we do have some veteran leadership.”
That leadership is going to be tested very early in the season, with Abby/ Colby traveling to the Woodside Sports Complex to begin the year. Bargender is hoping the early tough schedule will help the team grow and develop as players.
“We have a pretty tough schedule, especially early on. There’s a lot of games in a short amount of time against quality teams.”
Another issue to work around is a smaller team from last year. The co-op will only have 17 players instead of 22, and as a result, will not have a junior varsity season. However, Bargender anticipates each player will see the baseball diamond.
“Our numbers are down slightly . . .but I’d rather take 17 guys that are going to bust their tail every day and compete at practice. So yeah, there’s definitely competition in practice and guys are trying to prove themselves.”
Bargender has already seen a few players step up, and he has his eye on a few players that will see the field early.
“Braxton Smith, Preston Bunkleman and Jaxson Polivka, Evan, AJ Brodhagen, any one of those guys can step up. I met with them and said ‘Hey, any one of you guys can be starting. I need you to prove to me you can be the guy.’ “We’re going to give all of them action early on and hope they will take control, but it will change from game to game. We’ll take a page out of Craig Counsell’s book, and go with the hot hand.”
And with several years of leading the team, Bargender says the players have gelled well together.
“Since Day One of the co-op, the kids have gotten along great. They put their minds together for one goal and that’s to compete and have a successful season. They live close enough and all know each other . . . the biggest thing is being able to communicate with both communities, both schools and both sets of parents about what’s going and what’s needed.”
Above all, Bargender says his biggest goal is to get players to enjoy the game, learn from it, and improve.
“We raised the bar last year with a very successful season. So, guys are pretty serious. There’s a pretty workmanlike attitude with this group, but they proved they can have fun too.”
