News Photo by Jonny Zawacki The Alpena High softball team is, from left to right, back: Allie Funk, Abbie Funk, Lizzy Kendziorski, Lizzy Heath, Jasmyn Schultz, Kady Gehrke andTara Myers; Alyssa Gehrke, Jade Schultz, Emma Fraser, Jessica Marwede, Emily Vivian, Taylor Kunath and Mallory Kautz.

After winning the Big North Conference title six years in a row, the Alpena softball team will look to make it seven straight in 2017 as the expectations remain high for a program that has been so good for so long.

“Our goals are the same every year. We want to win the BNC and make a run to the state finals in (East) Lansing,” Alpena coach Paul Marwede said, “We also want to get better every day as individuals and as a team. Every day is an opportunity to improve and get ready for postseason play.”

The Wildcats will be tested throughout the season as they not only play stiff competition in their conference with the likes of Petoskey, Cadillac, Traverse City West and Traverse City Central, but Alpena will also be tested in several tournaments it competes in during the spring.

The Wildcats will travel to play in tournaments at Swartz Creek, Midland Dow and Grand Blanc among others. Alpena will also host its annual tournament and the tournaments will open the team up to talent from across the state as it prepares for the postseason.

Alpena finished 29-11 last season, but lost a 1-0 heartbreaker in the district final to Marquette. The Wildcats will look to avenge last season’s defeat as they have a roster loaded with talent from top to bottom.

Emma Fraser, Abbie Funk, Allie Funk, Alyssa Gehrke, Kady Gehrke, Lizzy Heath, Mallory Kautz, Lizzy Kendziorski, Taylor Kunath, Jessica Marwede, Tara Myers, Jade Schultz, Jasmyn Schultz and Emily Vivian make up the 14 players on the roster that will all play a significant role in the teams success this season.

“This is a very hard working group that takes pride in themselves about getting better every day,” Marwede said. “If we have good pitching, play solid defense and get some timely hitting it should all add up to a lot of wins this year.”

This roster will be coached by a staff who has been together for over a decade. Marwede enters his 19th season, while assistant coach Louie Hoppe returns for his 17th season and Christin Sobeck, Jason Barbeau and Jim Bromund have all been with the team for 10 years.

“The importance of this if that the coaches know each other and we are all on the same page,” Marwede said. “To have this extended coaching staff really helps because the kids get a lot of individual practice time and during the games there is a ton of communication going on between the coaches and players which helps throughout the course of the season.”

Of the 14 players that make up the roster, Alpena returns eight girls from a year ago and the Wildcats have a good amount of experience throughout their entire team.

“This years mix of new players to varsity along with our ones returning is strong because we have some of our more experienced players helping out the younger players which makes for good team chemistry,” Marwede said. “I’m excited about this group. They are going to work hard all season and throughout the year we will do our best to continue getting better each and every day as we strive for our goals.”