WHAT IF ... we had spring sports?

Editor’s Note: The WIAA recently canceled spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the Star-News, we’d like to give recognition to the athletes and coaches who had their seasons stopped prematurely. So over the next few weeks, we’ll run a series of stories on the teams that didn’t get a chance to perform in 2020.   The seven seniors believed they’d go out with a bang. The younger players were hungry, gifted, and anxious to show their stuff. Yes, Sauk Prairie’s baseball team thought it was ready for big things in 2020. Of course, we’ll never know. The WIAA canceled spring sports last week due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. And the Eagles — like all teams across the state — can only wonder what would have been? “We would have been a scrappy, competitive team,” Eagles coach Darin Pape said. “We returned seven seniors for this year, all of which are competitors, and feeling like they had something to prove.   “We had a team that was hungry and wanting to show what they were capable of. There would have been a nice mix of experience combined with younger players ready for their moment as well. We believe that they would have made a splash this season.   “I think they were going to surprise people. We were actually kind of relishing the idea of being the underdog. We were hoping to grind through the tough Badger North Conference schedule, and then peak at the right time.” The Eagles were picked to finish sixth in the ultra-competitive Badger North Conference, but believed they could be a surprise team. The pitching staff would have been anchored by seniors Dylan Andrews, Ben German, Brooks Leister and Domenic Adair.  “Any one of them had the potential of a dominating performance on the mound on any given night,” Pape said.   Juniors Tyler Uselman and Kyle Breunig both pitched in games last year, as well, and were expected to help.   “We also have several talented underclassmen that were eager to show that they are ready to compete at the varsity level,” Pape said. Leister, Andrews and Tyler Uselman were all returning starters on the infield. And in the outfield, Owen Kolnik, Jay Liedtke, Marcus Hankins, German and Breunig all had experience, while several talented underclassmen were also fighting for jobs. In addition, German, Andrews and Liedtke were all honorable mention all-conference players last season. “Our defense had the great fortune of several solid players returning, and competing for starting position,” Pape said. The Eagles needed to find a catcher, but had several quality candidates. And overall, Pape was extremely optimistic about what might have been. “We were going to be aggressive offensively, solid defensively, and had pitching experience and depth,” Pape said. “I think that our team was going to be very competitive. Our team was very athletic.  “I think that our team would have been the team that nobody wanted to play during the postseason. If we would have peaked at the right time, I think this team had the potential to make a deep playoff run in Division 2.”          SAUK PRAIRIE  BASEBALL ROSTER Seniors: Domenic Adair, Dylan Andrews, Ben German, Marcus Hankins, Owen Kolnik, Brooks Leister, Jay Liedtke Juniors: Brandon Breunig, Devin Breunig, Kyle Breunig, Riley McGee, Quinn Pliskie, Braeden Richardson, Tyler Uselman, Landon Wimer. Sophomores: Spencer Alisch, Quinn Baier, Lucas Been, Eddie Breunig, Phillip Enerson, Noah Frey, Bryce Haag, Harrison Huelsemann, Adam Hutter, Bo Kinney, Brenden Larsen, Kurtis Price, Gavin Sass, Wyatt Urban. Freshmen: Landon Ballweg, Jonny Esparza, Brandon Frey, Gage Helgerson, Wesley Himebauch, Parker Hooper, Kyle Markley, Luke Pipitone, Michael Pipitone, Seth Pliskie, Gage Ranzenberger, Grant Sorg, Nolan Vils.