Baseball: Henry will return strong core from state runner-up squad

Sitting in the dugout after the Class 1A State championship game, Henry-Senachwine junior Teagan Williams reflected on what made the 2023 Mallards a history-making group.

“Just the connection with everyone,” Williams said. “We’ve all grown up playing together since we were little. We play as a team. We’re all like family. We love each other and that’s what kept us going.”

“We return seven starters, and we have other guys who can step in there. People have to step up. Everyone will be a year older and stronger.”

The Mallards will lose several key members of their baseball family after this school year with the graduation of Colton Williams, Mason Johnson, Grey Thompson and Jacob Sharwarko.

“They meant a lot,” Teagan Williams said. “They’re big helpers. They were great with the community. They’re just awesome people.”

“We return seven starters and we have other guys who can step in there. People have to step up. Everyone will be a year older and stronger.”

—  Max Kirbach, Henry-Senachwine coach

Colton Williams was the team’s starting catcher and a middle of the order hitter. Entering the state tournament, he was hitting .388 with 14 doubles, two home runs, 22 RBIs and 10 runs scored.

Williams will play at the College of Lake County next year.

Johnson was the Mallards’ No. 2 pitcher and also played first base when he wasn’t on the mound.

Entering state, he was 6-1 with a 1.92 ERA, 57 strikeouts and 24 walks in 62 innings. In Henry’s 2-1 win over Newman in the state semifinals, Johnson allowed one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks in a complete game.

Johnson also hit .200 with two doubles, a triple, 25 runs scored and eight RBIs.

Johnson currently is not committed to play baseball in college, but Henry coach Max Kirbach said he’s received some calls about Johnson recently.

“We lose four seniors. All of them were a huge part of the team,” Kirbach said. “All of them were an integral part of what we do. We have to try the best we can to replace them just like after last year.”

While the Mallards lose four players, they will have a strong core with seven returning starters, including ace pitcher Lance Kiesewetter.

Kiesewetter was 10-1 with a 1.33 ERA, 121 strikeouts and 37 walks in 63 innings entering the state tournament. He threw complete games in the regional final, sectional semifinal and supersectional to help propel the Mallards to state.

Kiesewetter has drawn interest from NCAA Division III schools and junior colleges. He said he had more coaches reach out during the postseason run.

“I’m going to get in the gym and live there and see how it works out,” Kiesewetter said about his offseason plans.

Other players returning who started in the state tournament are Mason Guarnieri as center fielder and leadoff hitter, Preston Rowe in left field and the No. 2 spot in the order, Carson Rowe at shortstop, Zachary Barnes at third base, Jacob Miller in right field and Teagan Williams at second base.

Jacob Miller, a freshman, hit a walk-off single in the semifinal to score classmate Carson Rowe to lift the Mallards into the state championship.

“We just need to keep going, practice harder and be ready for this moment,” Teagan Williams said about the returning players.

Kirbach is confident the Mallards will be able to fill the holes left by graduation.

“We return seven starters, and we have other guys who can step in there,” Kirbach said. “People have to step up. Everyone will be a year older and stronger.”