Baseball
In 2013 the Alma baseball program enjoyed one of their more successful seasons of the past decade, but the 2014 season was supposed to be a “down” year for the team from the perspective of everyone outside of the program. No one told the team that though. The team completed 2014 with a 17-10 record, and finished 8-6 in the TVC Central; good for 3rd place. The Panther’s offense manufactured runs all season, and they won games with good pitching and solid defense.
On the mound Alma was led by junior Zach Hanson and sophomore Justin Doyle. Hanson finished the year with a 6-2 record, with losses coming to just Bullock Creek and Shepherd and earned Second Team All-TVC Honors as a pitcher. Doyle finished the year with a 5-2 record, and also paced the Panthers at the plate. Doyle’s bat earned him First Team All-Conference honors as an outfielder. Freshman Konner Vedrode also had a strong campaign on the mound, finishing the season with a 4-1 record. Seniors Matt Young and Tyler Minnick each had solid seasons as well, providing leadership in the field and at the top of the order offensively. Minnick, Vedrode, Young and junior Aidan Kunkel earned Honorable Mention All-TVC Honors.
The Panthers look to continue their success next season, as they return ten players who saw action in varsity games this year.
Boys Golf
The Panthers golf team came into the season looking to repeat their success of 2013. Despite losing Brett Green and Sean Sommerville to graduation, the team returned a strong group, to once again make a run at the state tournament. Through conference play, Alma rolled as they once again took home the TVC crown, with senior Jay Green taking home medalist honors.
As districts came around, the team was poised to make another run. Green once again was medalist as he shot a 79 at districts. Senior Luke Mallory took third at the district competition, shooting an 81. The third place finish was good enough to advance the Panthers to the regional competition. At regionals, however, Alma would fall just short of qualifying for the state tournament.
In addition to Green’s TVC Medalist honors, he also earned First-Team All-Conference. Sophomore Cody Yates also earned first-team, while senior Luke Mallory was a Second-Team All-League award winner and junior Chance Allen took home honorable mention.
Girls Soccer
The Alma girls soccer team got off to a slow start in 2014 and was never quite able to recover. After dropping their first four contests of the season, the Panthers bounced back to win three out of four next games, with their only loss coming to St. John’s in the title game of the Alma tournament. The next two games would be close, two-goal contests followed by a tough loss to a state-ranked Birch Run team that would set the team’s record back to 3-8. Through the final stretch of the season, Alma would take two wins from Chesaning, and draw with Ithaca to conclude the season with a 5-14-1 record.
Senior Jacey Fetzner paved the way for the Panthers offensively, tallying 13 goals on the season. Senior Elise Bennett also was a major contributor for the team, netting six to go along with three assists, while senior forward Sydney McCarthy was instrumental in the finishing in the final third, accumulating a goal and three assists. Sophomore center back Maggie Bever and senior goalkeeper Danielle Francis solidified the Panther defense. Bever, Fetzner and McCarthy all earned First-Team All-Conference honors for the season.
The Panthers will graduate nine seniors after this season, but will return a solid group of underclassmen. The JV team went 3-4 on the season, led by freshman Cora Mallory’s 13 goals, and sophomore Gabby Ramon’s six assists.
Softball
The 2014 edition of the Alma Panthers softball team enjoyed their most successful season since 2010 finishing with a 7-21 record and a district win. Under their new leader Coach Block, the team took a new, positive attitude into the season. The team was comprised of a large group of underclassmen, and is looking forward to some good success down the road.
A core group of juniors anchored the middle of the Panthers lineup, and provided much of their offensive spark. Karli Hyatt, Kendall Vedrode, and Justina Moreno all were leaders offensively for their team. Vedrode and Hyatt manned the left side of the infield, playing primarily short stop and third base respectively. Moreno spent most of her time catching, but Vedrode caught a lot of innings for the Panthers as well. Sophomore Emma Ceja and freshman Emmy VanBlaricum pitched well all season. A high point of their year came when the duo threw back to back no-hitters against Montabella.
Vedrode was a first-team all-TVC award winner, while Moreno and sophomore Taylor Kinnunen won honorable mention all-conference. With Alma returning eight of nine starters for next season, the future looks bright for the program.
Track and Field
The Alma Panthers track and field program had another good season in 2014. The boys team finished second place in the TVC Central, and the girls finished fifth place. The boys team was led all season by TVC Champions Dom Garcia (3,200 meter), the 4x400 team of seniors Jake Morey and Malcolm Davis, junior Damian Castillo, and sophomore Brevan Bender.
The girls were led by 4x800 team of junior Seraphina Provenzano, sophomore Alyx Wesley and freshmen Alli Munger and Mariah Castillo who were TVC Champions, along with senior thrower Lexi Morton, who led the team in points on the year. The boys will return a large amount of points next season with the return of junior Chase Austin and Bender, while the girls will return nearly their whole team.
In 2013 the Alma baseball program enjoyed one of their more successful seasons of the past decade, but the 2014 season was supposed to be a “down” year for the team from the perspective of everyone outside of the program. No one told the team that though. The team completed 2014 with a 17-10 record, and finished 8-6 in the TVC Central; good for 3rd place. The Panther’s offense manufactured runs all season, and they won games with good pitching and solid defense.
On the mound Alma was led by junior Zach Hanson and sophomore Justin Doyle. Hanson finished the year with a 6-2 record, with losses coming to just Bullock Creek and Shepherd and earned Second Team All-TVC Honors as a pitcher. Doyle finished the year with a 5-2 record, and also paced the Panthers at the plate. Doyle’s bat earned him First Team All-Conference honors as an outfielder. Freshman Konner Vedrode also had a strong campaign on the mound, finishing the season with a 4-1 record. Seniors Matt Young and Tyler Minnick each had solid seasons as well, providing leadership in the field and at the top of the order offensively. Minnick, Vedrode, Young and junior Aidan Kunkel earned Honorable Mention All-TVC Honors.
The Panthers look to continue their success next season, as they return ten players who saw action in varsity games this year.
Boys Golf
The Panthers golf team came into the season looking to repeat their success of 2013. Despite losing Brett Green and Sean Sommerville to graduation, the team returned a strong group, to once again make a run at the state tournament. Through conference play, Alma rolled as they once again took home the TVC crown, with senior Jay Green taking home medalist honors.
As districts came around, the team was poised to make another run. Green once again was medalist as he shot a 79 at districts. Senior Luke Mallory took third at the district competition, shooting an 81. The third place finish was good enough to advance the Panthers to the regional competition. At regionals, however, Alma would fall just short of qualifying for the state tournament.
In addition to Green’s TVC Medalist honors, he also earned First-Team All-Conference. Sophomore Cody Yates also earned first-team, while senior Luke Mallory was a Second-Team All-League award winner and junior Chance Allen took home honorable mention.
Girls Soccer
The Alma girls soccer team got off to a slow start in 2014 and was never quite able to recover. After dropping their first four contests of the season, the Panthers bounced back to win three out of four next games, with their only loss coming to St. John’s in the title game of the Alma tournament. The next two games would be close, two-goal contests followed by a tough loss to a state-ranked Birch Run team that would set the team’s record back to 3-8. Through the final stretch of the season, Alma would take two wins from Chesaning, and draw with Ithaca to conclude the season with a 5-14-1 record.
Senior Jacey Fetzner paved the way for the Panthers offensively, tallying 13 goals on the season. Senior Elise Bennett also was a major contributor for the team, netting six to go along with three assists, while senior forward Sydney McCarthy was instrumental in the finishing in the final third, accumulating a goal and three assists. Sophomore center back Maggie Bever and senior goalkeeper Danielle Francis solidified the Panther defense. Bever, Fetzner and McCarthy all earned First-Team All-Conference honors for the season.
The Panthers will graduate nine seniors after this season, but will return a solid group of underclassmen. The JV team went 3-4 on the season, led by freshman Cora Mallory’s 13 goals, and sophomore Gabby Ramon’s six assists.
Softball
The 2014 edition of the Alma Panthers softball team enjoyed their most successful season since 2010 finishing with a 7-21 record and a district win. Under their new leader Coach Block, the team took a new, positive attitude into the season. The team was comprised of a large group of underclassmen, and is looking forward to some good success down the road.
A core group of juniors anchored the middle of the Panthers lineup, and provided much of their offensive spark. Karli Hyatt, Kendall Vedrode, and Justina Moreno all were leaders offensively for their team. Vedrode and Hyatt manned the left side of the infield, playing primarily short stop and third base respectively. Moreno spent most of her time catching, but Vedrode caught a lot of innings for the Panthers as well. Sophomore Emma Ceja and freshman Emmy VanBlaricum pitched well all season. A high point of their year came when the duo threw back to back no-hitters against Montabella.
Vedrode was a first-team all-TVC award winner, while Moreno and sophomore Taylor Kinnunen won honorable mention all-conference. With Alma returning eight of nine starters for next season, the future looks bright for the program.
Track and Field
The Alma Panthers track and field program had another good season in 2014. The boys team finished second place in the TVC Central, and the girls finished fifth place. The boys team was led all season by TVC Champions Dom Garcia (3,200 meter), the 4x400 team of seniors Jake Morey and Malcolm Davis, junior Damian Castillo, and sophomore Brevan Bender.
The girls were led by 4x800 team of junior Seraphina Provenzano, sophomore Alyx Wesley and freshmen Alli Munger and Mariah Castillo who were TVC Champions, along with senior thrower Lexi Morton, who led the team in points on the year. The boys will return a large amount of points next season with the return of junior Chase Austin and Bender, while the girls will return nearly their whole team.