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2023 Spring Team Preview: Northville

NORTHVILLE - Is this the year that Northville gets over the hump?

Veteran head coach John Kostrzewa is confident that the 2023 Mustangs have a shot to bring home a state title after losing in the quarterfinals a year ago, the second time in five years Northville has fallen a game short of the state semis. Additionally, there was a state finals defeat to Saline in 2017.

“We were pretty young last year,” noted Kostrzewa, who begins his 19th year as head coach with a 452-135 record. “We had 10 sophomores that got valuable experience, but we also had a number of seniors that graduated.”

A loaded junior class will lead the way this year for a program that finished 35-7 a year ago, winning the Kensington Lakes Activities Association championship.

“We have guys back that had valuable mound experience,” explained Kostrzema, who must replace a pair of second-team all-state pitchers that graduated in Luke Brodde and Josh Planko (7-0) along with southpaw Matt Gorski (6-3, 6 saves). The three B's - Cade Besco, Joey Broughton and Justin Brown - will anchor the staff as juniors, Broughton a left-hander committed to Pittsburgh ranked 10th in the state and Brown a Michigan recruit rated 22nd in the 2024 class. Broughton was 7-0 with a 2.10 ERA last season, Brown 3-2 with a 1.59 ERA and Besco 4-1 with a 1.40 ERA.

Another junior, Evan Deak, the 82nd-ranked 2024 in Michigan, returns after going 3-1 with a 1.37 ERA in 20.1 innings. Depth is expected from three more juniors, Carter Jurcisin (12 innings, 2-0, 3.4 ERA), Isaac Pace (10 innings, 2-0, 3.50 ERA) and Dominic Minghine, who was injured and missed the 2022 campaign.

Broughton will play first base and Besco is a utility player when not pitching, with Cullen Foley, a third baseman a year ago, anchoring the infield after the senior set a school record with 55 hits, earning first-team all-state honors with a .379 average, 44 runs and 26 RBIs as a junior. Leo Miksitz, the 387th-rated senior in Michigan and a Rochester Institute of Technology commit, will be in the middle infield following the graduation of second baseman Broddie (.357, 43 runs) and shortstop Zach Jurcisin (.356).

“It’s about figuring out the middle infield,” noted Kostrzewa, who must also replace first basemen Gorski and Planko.

Gabe Clark is back for his third season as starting catcher after averaging .333 with eight doubles, two home runs and 26 RBIs in 2022.

“When looking at the pitching and catching aspects, those two areas are strengths of ours,” pointed out Kostrzewa, who has junior Trevor Schueller as the backup catcher who can also play infield. “That, and our overall athleticism.”

When it comes to athleticism, outfielder Dante’ Nori leads the way. The fifth-rated junior outfielder in the nation and a Mississippi State commit, was first team all-state a year ago after compiling a .323 average with 11 doubles, four triples, four home runs, 38 walks and 49 runs.

Deak and Jurcisin will also play outfield along with senior David Clark.

“All four of the returning outfielders are extremely athletic and I expect to make major contributions in 2023,” the Northville head coach said.

Work ethic, effort, kids that love baseball, camaraderie and student-athletes are what Kostrzewa points to as reasons to like this year’s squad.

“From day one this offseason these guys have carried on what the seniors from last season established,” Kostrzewa said. “They are really really good teammates that are all about doing well and being committed. It's a close group that have a great passion for the game and are very competitive.

“Going deep in the tournament last year will help us going forward. The key for us will just be focusing on what we can control and taking the mentality of being ready for each pitch against everyone we play. It’s about getting hot at the right time, executing and focusing on the right now.”

The KLAA will feature a new home-and-home single-game format within your division this season on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“It’s like a state tournament game every day,” Kostrzewa said. “Teams that finish fourth or fifth could make a long tournament run.”

Kostrzewa is hoping a long tournament run is in the future of his team after falling just short of a Final Four berth a year ago, losing to Battle Creek Lakeview in a game that was tied 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth and Nori on third when a Foley rocket up the middle was snagged by the pitcher and Lakeview went on to score five in the seventh.

“That experience will help more than hurt,” concluded Kostrzewa, a head coach happy to be the leader of the Northville program.

“The landscape of high school sports with so many open enrollments is different,” Kostrzewa said. “To be able to compete with just kids from your own town is great.”

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