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With 2023 now in the past, PBR Michigan is eagerly anticipating bringing the state the best high school coverage that can be found anywhere in 2024. Starting in February, we began releasing team previews for squads across the state. Ahead, we will have Preseason All-State Teams as well as the Preseason State Rankings coming your way.

To view the full list of 2024 Team Previews that we have already completed, please click here.

If you are a coach and haven't filled out your 2024 Team Preview, click here.

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2024 Spring Team Preview: Woodhaven Warriors

BROWNSTOWN - Is this the year Brownstown Woodhaven gets over the hump after two Division I state runners-up finishes in the past five seasons played?

Seven key returnees, including five from a strong senior class, has veteran mentor Corey Farner optimistic as the 2024 campaign gets ready to begin.

“Our strengths going into the season will be our defense,” noted Farner, who begins his 16th season as head coach, the past nine at Woodhaven. “We will be strong up the middle. Offensively, we should be improved from last season with many returners that hit in the middle of the order last year.”

Five of the top seven hitters in the lineup are back including Gary Pilgrim and Jake Wright at the top of the order. Pilgrim, the sixth-ranked senior catcher in the state who played center field last year, could take on the role of catching this season after losing Joe Gutierrez (Kalamazoo Valley) to graduation. Wright is the ninth-ranked 2024 outfielder in Michigan who is committed to Saginaw Valley State. 

Jimmy Chwalek, a senior ranked 243rd in the 2024 class in Michigan who has signed with Kalamazoo College, is back at first base with fellow senior Andrew Phillips, the 34th-rated 2024 outfielder in the state, a returnee in the OF.

Jace Davis, the 10th-ranked junior shortstop in the state, returns to play short and also provides depth behind the plate. Sophomore Dante Perry is another returnee in the outfield.

Paul Kinnison, a senior recruited by Madonna University, is part of a pitching staff that must replace Evan Langlois (Wayne State) and Tyler Harris (Kalamazoo Valley). Langlois pitched a six-hitter in a 6-4 win over Dakota in the state semifinals last season while Harris was the losing pitcher in the state finals.

“We lost our number one and two to graduation, so we’re looking for guys to step into bigger roles as the season approaches,” Farner said.

Wright and Phillips both pitched in relief in the 8-3 state championship loss to Novi a year ago and are being counted on to help on the mound along with Chwalek and Perry.

Farner, who coached at Taylor Kennedy from 2009-14 before coming over to Woodhaven and has a 339-148 career record, sees a lot of positives in looking at this year’s squad.

“Our athleticism should be very good and we can build off of that,” noted Farner, who led the Warriors to the state finals in 2018 in addition to last year. “We have a talented senior class that we can mix with some talented underclassmen.”

In addition to Perry, a speedy outfielder ranked 24th in Michigan’s 2026 class, Farner points to freshman Cameron Thorning, the second-rated 2027 catcher in the state who can play outfield and corner infield, as another athletic underclassman that could help out the Warriors, which are coming off a 32-12 season a year ago.

“Our program is built on the standard that we have set for ourselves,” Farner explained. “The standard drives everything we do. I think when teams play us they expect to play a talented team that plays the game with passion and grit, but at the same time we respect the game and try to be a first-class program.”

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