All-stars enjoy state softball event
By Dennis Grall - dgrall@dailypress.netESCANABA - Gerry Smith and Sam Ramos of Gladstone picked up one more softball victory Saturday before they officially parted ways.
Nikole Metter of Rapid River was not as fortunate in her final high school game.
Smith, the veteran Gladstone High School manager, and Ramos helped the Red team beat the White 8-0 in the Division 3 state all-star game.
Metter's Red team dropped a 16-6 decision to White in D-4.
Ramos was 1-for-3, collecting the team's first hit and scoring the first run. She played first base and the outfield.
Smith coached with Deb Norm of Allen Park Cabrini, the D-3 state runner-up last month. He was in the first base box.
"It was nice and relaxing and a lot of fun," said Smith. "It was a great experience. We just made sure everybody had equal playing time and got the signs straightened out."
He said the Michigan High School Softball Coaches Association determines how players will be used, with all-staters getting first call, followed by state honorable mention and all-region choices.
His team was led by Miss Softball, pitcher Katie Osborne of Cabrini. However, Osborne broke her arm Friday night in an ASA game and did not play.
"We had a couple of other good pitchers who probably weren't recognized too much in the state," he said.
Ramos said "it was extremely cool. All the girls were awesome. It was different being around such serious athletes who are going off to (play in) college."
Ramos singled off a change-up to right-center, then stole second base. "I wasn't going to do it," she said of getting the unexpected sign. Asked how many steals she had in her career," she laughed and said "in my life, like none."
She said the experience "was definitely an out-of-body thing. It was definitely ideal. I couldn't picture it any other way. It was like over-whelming."
Ramos, who overcame knee surgery as a junior, may consider joining the softball team as a walk-on at Michigan State, depending on academics. She is entering pre-law.
Metter played shortstop for all six innings, handling several chances. She was hitless in two at-bats. The game was trimmed from eight innings when the Division 1 game was delayed by rain.
"It was a lot of fun. It was a blast," said Metter, who plans to play at Finlandia University. "I thought our team had the funnest time. We did everything together."
The game provided her a chance to see the quality of competition at the state level and prepped her for college.
"It was very intense. All these good athletes coming together, you look at these girls and say wow.
"I think it gave me a bigger outlook being able to watch the D-1, 2 and 3 games. I could be facing something like this in college," she said. "It gave me a broader look of what I will be coming up against next spring."
