Elk Mound baseball team hopes to return to top of D-SC conference
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by Marlys Kruger
Sports Correspondent
ELK MOUND — After placing third in the Dunn-St. Croix Conference a year ago, the Mounder baseball team has set their sights on improving on that placement this season. The last time Elk Mound won a conference title was in 2017 when they were co-conference champions with Durand. Last year they finished behind Boyceville and Spring Valley with a 10-4 record and were 13-6 overall.
Head coach Paul Andrea begins his 23rd year leading the Mounder varsity and carries a 273-143 record into the season. He has 31 players in grades 9-12 on the diamond which includes seven seniors, three juniors, 11 sophomores and 10 freshmen.
Gone through graduation are Aidan Balts, Ryan Bohl, Nate Lew and Ben Heath. Returning for the team are three players who were named second team all-conference last season including senior Avery Kaanta, a pitcher and infielder, junior Jereome Delikowski who pitches and plays first base and sophomore Kaden Russo, another pitcher and a utility player. Senior Ethan Johnson is another experienced player as an outfielder. Sophomore Carter Vieth will be expected to fill the catcher spot and several other players will be stepping up as the season progresses.
Andrea believes the team’s strengths should be their pitching staff as well as overall team speed. He looks for a weakness to be hitting with runners in scoring position and striking out versus making contact with the ball.
The team goal is to win the conference title and Andrea looks for Boyceville and Spring Valley to be the teams they need to beat once again to accomplish that goal. Game-by-game goals are to have five or fewer strikeouts at the plate and one or fewer errors in the field.
“Boyceville is the defending state champion and Spring Valley has several returning players from a year ago so they should be our top competitors,” Andrea said.
2022 Roster
Seniors: Ethan Johnson, Brex Todd, Avery Kaanta, Joseph Javanovich, Devin Balts, Terry Mercer, Carson Steinhorst
Juniors: Ryan Bartig, Jerome Delikowski, Evan Webster
Sophomores: Caleb Beskow, Lance Gorham, Brady Amble, Sam Wenzel, Jake Osborne, Carter Veith, Kaden Russo, Caden Ludwig, Lucas Johnson, Carter Garnett, Landon Cassellius
Freshmen: Londyn Jenson, Aaron Dostal, Kamron Diermeier, Braydon Borek, Ian Gerrits, Mason Books, Adrian Lombard, Jace Peterson, Josh Braker, Ethan Foiles
2022 ELK MOUND BASEBALL TEAM — Front row (L to R): Kamron Diermeier, Mason Books, Londyn Jenson, Ian Gerrits, Lance Gorham, Brayden Borek, Jace Peterson and Adrian Lombard. Middle row (L to R): Jacob Osborne, Brady Amble, Ryan Bartig, Carter Vieth, Lucas Johnson, Joseph Javonovich, Ethan Foiles, Caden Steffen-Ludwig, Carter Garnett and Avery Kaanta. Back Row (L to R): Aaron Dostal, Brex Todd, Kaden Russo, Jerome Delikowski, Sam Wenzel, Caleb Beskow, Carson Steinhorst, Evan Webster and Ethan Johnson. —photo by Shawn DeWitt