By Dan Hardenbrook
Two of Newberry’s top senior baseball players will represent Newberry in one more high school baseball game later this month. Indians 1st Baseman/Pitcher Ethan Pavey, and Pitcher/Shortstop Matthew Rahilly have been selected to participate in the 1st Annual U.P. All Star Baseball Game on Monday, June 23, at the Mike Maule Field in Norway.
Newberry 1st/3rd Baseman Jude Taylor was also invited to participate but will not play due to other conflicts.
The new all-star event is hosted by the Cold Weather Baseball Coaches Alliance, which was founded this past winter to enhance opportunities for players, coaches, and programs while growing the game in the Upper Peninsula. The founding committee consists of coaches from Norway, Gladstone, Jeffers, Escanaba, Rudyard, and Newberry. Upper Peninsula coaches nominated their top senior players, who then invited top players from this past season to participate.
Players were placed into a draft and split into the two teams who will go head to head in Norway.
Pavey will play for Team Michigan and Rahilly will be a member of Team Superior. Indians Head Coach Dan Hardenbrook, a member of the CWBCA Coaches Committee, will also be an assistant for Team Superior in the contest. Newberry is one of 14 different schools that will be represented by players in the inaugural game, which will rotate sites in future seasons.
As part of the All Star festivities, Pavey and Rahilly will be part of a special ceremony on the field prior to the game. Both players will receive a plaque and shirt commemorating the event. Then the longtime teammates will go head to head with one bringing bragging rights back to Newberry. The game will be broadcasted on 100.7FM – Radio Now in Iron Mountain and streamed online at 906daily.com.
