FREMONT – Elmwood’s Reid Rothenbuhler is the baseball co-player of the year in the Suburban Lakes League
in voting by the coaches.
A junior shortstop, Rothenbuhler hit .537 this season with 40 RBI, 21 runs scored, 13 stolen bases and
two home runs. He was also 3-3 with a 3.95 earned run average and 36 strikeouts.
Rothenbuhler shares the player of the year honor with Genoa junior pitcher Connor Wendt.
There are a total of five players from Wood County on the 11-player first-team, including Eastwood junior
Clay Rolf, a repeat first-team selection. Rolf was selected as designated hitter/utility. He was also an
honorable mention pick in 2007.
Other Elmwood players on the first-team in addition to Rothenbuhler, a repeat first-team pick, are senior
outfielder Aaron Blachuta; senior third baseman Kyle Benschoter; and junior pitcher Adam Tyson. Tyson
was on the honorable mention last season year.
Genoa’s Greg Hillabrand, a junior first baseman, is also a repeat first-team selection. Playing at Lake,
Hillabrand was the first-team pick at second base in 2008. Other Comets on the first team are: sophomore
outfielder Seth Duffendock; senior second baseman Zach Apel; and Wendt. Wendt was a second-team pick
last season while Apel and Duffendock were on the honorable mention list.
Genoa won the league with a 14-0 record.
Rounding out the first-team are Gibsonburg sophomore outfielder Brett Diekman and senior catcher Pat
Cantrell. Cantrell was an honorable mention pick last season.
There are nine-county players on the 11-man second team, including five from Eastwood.
The Eagles are: junior outfielder Clayton Ruch; junior second baseman Justin Bockbrader; senior shortstop
Josh Zellers; junior third baseman Brett Teall; and senior catcher Luke Eschenbrenner. Ruch, Zellers,
Teall and Eschenbrenner all moved up from the 2008 honorable mention list,
Also on the second-team from the county are: Lake’s Jake Judy, a junior outfielder; Ryan Hotmer, a junior
first baseman; Brandon Maze, a junior pitcher; and Otsego’s Travis Podolak, a sophomore designated
hitter/utility. Hotmer was on the honorable mention list in 2008.
Rounding out the second-team are Woodmore senior outfielder Jack Rospert; and Genoa junior pitcher Matt
Bassitt. Bassitt was a second-team pick at third base in 2008.
On the 33-player honorable mention list are:
Eastwood – senior outfielder Ashton Brown, a second-team selection in 2008; and junior outfielder Nick
Schmetlz;
Elmwood – junior first baseman Tyler Chamberlain; and sophomore outfielder Jack Waldock;
Genoa – senior outfielder Callan Bialorucki, senior outfielder Troy Espinoza, senior outfielder Josh
Hillabrand, senior catcher Beau Lamb; and junior third baseman Josh Palmer;
Gibsonburg – senior outfielder Nick Baker, senior pitcher James Cantrell, senior first baseman Lucas
Damschroeder; junior second baseman Cody Brubaker and junior shortstop Michale Molina;
Lake – senior catcher Taylor Barteck; junior designated hitter/utility Paul McGee; sophomore shortstop
Casey Witt; and freshman second baseman Josh Tantari. Barteck was an honorable mention pick in 2008;
Lakota – senior designated hitter/utility Josh Dennis, senior outfielder Alec Gillian, senior outfielder
Bo Gillian, senior first baseman Josh Miles, senior shortstop Jake Stoudinger; and junior third baseman
Jake Sampson. Stoudinger was a the first-team last season and Miles is a repeat honorable mention
selection;
Otsego – senior second baseman Kyle Luttrell, senior outfielder Keith Riffner; junior first baseman Ryan
Williams; sophomore shortstop Codie Serrato and sophomore third baseman Korey Amos. Riffner is a repeat
section;
Woodmore – senior catcher Michael Fahle, senior outfielder Cody Schnabel, senior shortstop Robert
Schumacher; and sophomore second baseman Jake Zollinger. Fahle was a second-team pick last season.