With a dozen of the 22 players on the varsity baseball team ninth graders, 2026 will go down as the year of the freshman.
But for first-year head coach Walker Froehling, that was a good thing.
“They made things fun. They kept the dugout fun. Next year things will be better. We’re going to be older.”
And despite their youth (the starting lineup in their last game featured three freshmen and two sophomores) the Clippers finished the year with a respectable 14-9 record. The year prior, they were 14-6.
In an extremely tough section—the eventual state champ Madelia won it, but it was not an easy victory—the Clippers had their longest section playoff run, four games, since a an equal run in 2019.
The Clippers wrapped up their season with an awards banquet in the school commons on July 14.
Voted as the Most Valuable Player and the winner of the Clipper Award for overall leadership and team spirit was junior catcher and sometimes pitcher Caleb Connor (above left).
Connor was 25 for 58 at the plate for a team best .431 batting average. He had nine doubles, batted in nine runners and walked seven times. He had the team’s best on-base percentage (.616) and the second-best slugging percentage (.586). From behind the plate, he caught 10 runners stealing and picked off five. On the mound, he recorded 17 strikeouts in his 11 innings.
Froehling said that another conference coach argued for Connor to win player of the year.
“It’s a testament to how valued he is at his position and what he adds to his team, and the Clipper award speaks to that value,” Froehling said.
Connor was also voted by his teammates as the team’s defensive Most Valuable Player.
“I think we had a few people who played the best at his position in the conference,” Froehling said. “This one is hard to argue with.”
Sophomore Miles Tomaszewski (second from left) was voted by the Clippers as the team’s Defensive MVP. He had the team’s most hits (28), highest slugging percentage (.648), the second most RBIs (24), the most triples (two), the most home runs (three) and the third most doubles (five). He was second in on-base percentage (.482) and batting average (.394).
Alex Kortuem (right) took home the Ace Pitcher award. The senior spent 44 innings on the mound, the most for the Clippers. He struck out 59, also the most for the Clippers. He did a good job getting the Clippers out of jams. When he was on the mound, the Clippers stranded 52 runners, the most of any Clipper pitcher
The Most Improved Player award went to freshman first baseman Jake Mueller (second from right).
“Jake really stepped up the second half of the year,” Froehling said.
Winning both First-team All-Conference and All-Section awards were Connor, Tomaszewski and Kortuem.
Along with the award winners, earning letters were seniors Killian Kunkel and Hollis Knish; juniors Carson Lyons and Braydon Smith; sophomore Kiptyn Coon; freshmen Nolan Schlaak, Pierce Lyons, Jack Mons, August Keltgen, Brayden Seeman, Max Freier, Tony Hollerich, Uriah Hoheisel, Creidin Lee, Jeremy Miller and Austin Tarkey and eighth graders Tyler Smith and Johnathan Cink.
Other stats to note: Coon had the most RBIs (25) and struck out 20 in his 12 and two thirds innings on the mound. Kortuem had the second-most doubles (seven) and the third best slugging percentage (.400) and on-base percentage (.432). Braeden Smith was third in batting average (.307) and stole the second most bases (10). Carson Lyons hit three doubles, one triple and the team’s only other home run. He also stole the most bases (15). Hollerich had the team’s fourth best on-base percentage (.422) and the second most walks (19). In 28 fielding plays, Schlaak was error free. In 24 chances, Mons only committed two errors and struck out 26 in his 28 innings on the mound.
With a GPA of 3.75 or higher during the season, Connor and Carson Lyons earned Academic All-Conference awards.
Froehling commended the younger players for sticking with the program.
“The JV guys don’t play as many games as you want to, something I’m working on next year—but they showed up for every day for practice and worked hard. Everyone had a good attitude. It’s not fun playing just a few innings. They struggled at first, but as the year went on, they got better and better.”
Froehling said it is a tough season for all players, especially for those coming off other sports, and it is easy to get burnt out at times, but the Clippers hung together.
“You kept rolling with it and enjoyed playing baseball for what it is. In May, we started to play really well together. We beat Springfield in playoffs. They didn’t get overexcited; they handled it really well. They just enjoyed it and had fun.”
Froehling said Section 2 is extremely competitive. Madelia won all the state championship games by more than five runs. In the sections, with the exception of their opening game, they didn’t win a single game by less than five runs and lost once to Sleepy Eye. Sleepy Eye, which had beaten the Clippers before Loyola ended the Clippers’ season, had to play Madelia again in the section championship.
But the section landscape will change next year with some of the top teams losing lots of seniors, Froehling said, and he thinks the Clippers will be in the hunt.
Froehling acknowledge his trio of seniors.
“Alex, Hollis and Killian were awesome to have every day. They had so much fun in practice. They made things interesting. They made things enjoyable. In my first-year coaching I couldn’t ask for three kids with more different personalities who bring more great things to the team.”
Froehling wrapped up the banquet by thanking assistant coaches Alec Rogers and Dave Cink and junior high coaches Dave Roberts and Blake Lyons, especially as they covered for him when he became a new father. He thanked parents for their flexibility and support, for example driving an hour and a half and then having getting the game canceled due to lightning after just 15 minutes and then driving another hour to a game the next day.
Froehling was also appreciative of the Baseball and Softball Association for its efforts in improving the field.
All-Conference and All-Section award winners Alex Kortuem, Miles Tomaszewski and Caleb Connor.
Letter winners, from L-R: Brayden Seeman, Killian Kunkel, Caleb Connor, Braeden Smith, Hollis Knish, Alex Kortuem, Tony Hollerich, Miles Tomaszewski, Kiptyn Coon, Jack Mons, Jake Mueller, Max Freier, Jeremy Miller, Austin Tarkey, Nolan Schlaak, Johnathan Cink and Tyler Smith. Missing are Carson Lyons, August Keltgen, Creidin Lee and Urijah Hoheisel.
All Academic Award winner Caleb Connor. Missing is Carson Lyons.
Seniors Alex Kortuem, Hollis Knish and Killian Kunkel
The banquet featured varieties of pizza.
Miles Tomaszewski receives an award from head coach Walker Froehling.