John Jacobson presents the 2024 CCX All-Area Baseball Team. It was a very good year for individual and team talent in the area and this year a record 18 players made our team, plus 17 more honorable mention selections.

2024 CCX All-Area Baseball Team: Dayton Franke, Armstrong | Charlie Gearen, Benilde-St. Margaret’s | Caleb Koskie, Benilde-St. Margaret’s | Tommy Belman, Breck | Chase Oxborough, Champlin Park | Tyler Phenow, Champlin Park | Jonah Moulton, Heritage Christian | Jake Nordean, Hopkins | Evan O’Dwyer, Maple Grove | Nathan Schmidt, Maple Grove | Jorda Sivoravong, Osseo | Tomas Palomarez, Providence | Matthew Galatzer, Totino-Grace | Tommy Heifort, Totino-Grace | Adam Deselich, Wayzata | Noah Filer, Wayzata | Riley Leatherman, Wayzata | Michael Reem, Wayzata

Honorable Mention: Luke Weisjahn, Armstrong | Jack Anderson, Benilde-St. Margaret’s | Colin Mitchell, Breck | Nick Carlson, Champlin Park | Griffin Booms, Heritage Christian | Austin Madler, Heritage Christian | Travis Godfrey, Osseo | Cooper Skov, Osseo | Ty Lovcik, Park Center/CH/Maranatha | Jacob Cisewski, Providence | Gabe Nathe, Providence | Kellen Westphal, Totino-Grace | Jake Rantz, Totino-Grace | Matthew Berkland, Wayzata | Tyler Gullickson, Wayzata | Brady Lash, Wayzata | Gaard Swenson, Wayzata

CCX Media Sports

Dylan Vokal’s two-run single in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Maple Grove baseball team to a 4-3 win over Champlin Park in the opening round of the Section 5AAAA tournament.

The Crimson led 1-0 into the sixth inning before the Rebels scored three times with Paul Dylong’s two-run single breaking a 1-1 tie.

Good pitching and defense had dominated most of the game with Maple Grove starting pitcher Evan O’Dwyer carrying a shutout into the sixth and Champlin Park pitcher Tyler Phenow allowed just one run until the seventh.

Matthew Kuno pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn the save for the Crimson.

Maple Grove (11-9) plays Thursday at top-seeded Mounds View in the winner’s bracket semifinals while Champlin Park (11-8) falls into the loser’s bracket of the double elimination tournament and will host Irondale.

CCX Media Sports

The serious part of the high school baseball season is nearly underway. Before playoffs begin, Maple Grove and Osseo baseball have to finish what they started. The crosstown rivals played nearly three innings before Mother Nature intervened.

Maple Grove scored three runs before Osseo answered with three runs of their own to tie the game. The game was tied 3-3 when play was paused in the bottom of the third inning with the Crimson at bat. The game resumed on Wednesday.

Osseo is attempting to end the season on a high note. They will fall just short of sharing a piece of the Northwest Suburban Conference crown but they will soon have bigger fish to fry. On May 13, Osseo beat Breck and that sparked a three-game winning streak.

The Orioles then beat Robbinsdale Armstrong and Buffalo before they started the matchup against Maple Grove on May 17.

After falling behind 2-1 to the Mustangs on May 13, Osseo scored 10 runs between the third and fourth innings to take an 11-3 lead. They won 13-3 in six innings after they scored twice in the sixth.

Jorda Sivoravong was 3-for-4 with a double and scored two runs against Breck. Travis Godfrey was 3-for-4 with two triples, four RBI and a run. Logan Partanen had two hits, including a triple. He scored twice and drove in a run. Gavyn Krzoska had a two-run homer. Matthew Titus (W) struck out three in four innings and allowed three runs (one earned). Eddie Moore pitched two scoreless innings out of the bullpen and struck out three.

Osseo scored eight runs on 13 hits during an 8-6 win against Robbinsdale Armstrong. Brenden Kranz was 3-for-4 with a triple, a double, three RBI and a run. Partanen also hit a triple. Sivoravong, Cooper Skov and Tyler Weum joined Kranz with their own multi-hit games. Gavin Phenow and Weum both had doubles. Jack McHugo (W) struck out six in 5.2 innings. Joe Capra and Partanen also pitched out of the pen.

Skov pitched a complete game shutout against the Bison on Thursday, May 16. He needed just 83 pitches to go the distance with five Ks. He allowed five hits and walked five. Isaac Johnson scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an error by the pitcher.

Maple Grove lost to Coon Rapids 7-6 on May 14. Two days later, the Crimson beat the Falcons 6-4.

Brody Berglin had a two-run homer against the Cardinals for Maple Grove. Kaden Harney and Brady Aubut also drove in a run. Berglin, Aubut, Beckett Shimpa, Nathan Schmidt and Evan O’Dwyer all scored runs against Coon Rapids.

Harney struck out three in three innings on the bump. Ian Schock and Sam Hagan (L) both got work out of the pen. Shimpa (W) struck out five in five innings against the Falcons. He allowed three runs on four hits and three walks. Matthew Kuno (S) struck out two in two innings and allowed a run on one hit.

Harney and O’Dwyer both drove in two runs against the Falcons. Schmidt and Kellen Riskedahl both recorded two hits. Schmidt hit a homer. Harney and Riskedahl both had doubles.

Maple Grove and Osseo finished their game on Wednesday. Osseo (12-6, 8-3 Northwest Suburban) ends the regular season against Alexandria (11-5) at home on Thursday starting at 6:30 p.m.

Maple Grove (8-8, 5-6) played Eden Prairie (10-5) on Monday and Mounds View (13-6) on Tuesday. Both games were after press deadline. They end the regular season with a road game against Brainerd (5-13) on Thursday, May 23.

The double-elimination Section 5-4A Baseball Tournament begins on Tuesday, May 28, and runs through Thursday, June 6.

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