The Dexter Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
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Dexter Avalanche finish up successful season
PUBLISHED: August 7, 2008
The Dexter Avalanche 12-under baseball team will put the finishing touches on another successful season when it travels to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware for a week-long tournament that starts Monday.
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The local squad, comprised of 10 Mill Creek Middle School students, improved to 38-8 overall this past weekend after placing second in the Baseball Madness tournament in Bay City. The Avalanche went 3-1 and split with tourney champion St. Clair - winning 5-2 before losing 6-1 - but the loss came in what was considered the championship game.
In other contests last weekend, Dexter thumped the Essexville Hammers, 12-0, and the Clio Mustangs, 21-0.
"It's been an enjoyable season," said manager Matt Seidl, whose team is sponsored by Dexter Pharmacy and Dexter's Pub. "We've held our own against some outstanding competition. While our Little League commitments prevented us from playing in enough USSSA tournaments to make a dent in the rankings, we managed to beat several teams who are ranked."
In 2008 alone, the Avs have knocked off Diamonds West, the Grand Rapids Flames, the Detroit Metro Stars, the Saline Stingers, and the Adrian Lookouts - all ranked in Michigan's top 10. They also swatted the Miamisburg Hornets, one of Ohio's top teams, while playing in Kentucky.
The locals opened their season by placing second in the April Showdown in Kentucky. They then finished runner-up at the Memorial Day NIT in Battle Creek and the Lakeside Challenge in Holland before winning the Tecumseh Area Little League tournament in June. In addition, Dexter placed first in the 10-team Washtenaw Amateur Baseball Association league with a 15-1 record.
"If you count the boys' Little League games, they'll reach 70 for the season once we get back from Delaware," Seidl said. "That's a lot of baseball. You worry about playing too much, but these guys love it. Most of them are even talking about playing fall ball."
All 10 of the Avalanche players were named to Dexter Little League's Major baseball all-star team. The squad went on to win the area's first Major baseball district title and later competed in the state tournament in Bay City.
"The Little League state tournament was a big disappointment," Seidl said. "We lost two of three games and came home early. It wasn't for lack of effort; we just didn't hit. It was frustrating, though, when teams we had beaten in earlier tournaments were moving on to later rounds."
The Avalanche roster includes Cameron Winston, Derek Seidl, Nate Mellifont, Brennan Maisch, MacKay Little, Tyler King, Colin Hanss, Patrick Gronvall, Gregory Goffee and Brett Garwood. The assistant coaches are Don Little, Duane Garwood and Steve Goffee.
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