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HARTINGTON — Hartington 14-and-under baseball coach Cale Haberer has a unique problem — “problem” is definitely not the right word.
Haberer and Co. welcomed 24 baseball players to play for Hartington this spring.
In a day and age where towns struggle to find numbers to fill out a team, Hartington is the exception rather than the rule.
The ledger also reflects that not only does Hartington have the quantity, it also possesses some quality.
“We split up into two teams for league play,” Haberer said. “We split up the talent to try to make them even, then we have a tournament team, which includes everyone.”
That tournament team is a perfect 10-0, as of June 12.
The two league teams are Hartington Royal and Hartington Navy.
The Royal team consists of Bodie Hochstein, Brody Kleinschmit, Cash Lenzen, Easton Hochstein, Hunter Bensen, Justin Heimes, Kody Bartling, Landon Rutar, Landyn Keiser, Lane Heimes, Marek Heimes and Teyton Dendinger.
They are coached by Haberer, Beau Bensen, Jenni Bartling and Kyle Hochstein.
The Royal team has defeated Ponca, Neligh, Creighton, Crofton and two different Newman Grove teams.
The only losses suffered by the Royal team were to Laurel twice (7-3 and 2-1) to stand at 6-2 on the season.
The Navy team is made up of Cooper Hochstein, Dawson Dresden, Gavin Klug, Grady Haberer, Hudson Dendinger, Jake Hoebelheinrich, Joe Bowen, Mason Thoene, Micah Cattau, Ryan Hoebelheinrich, Tate Fischer and Will Feilmeier.
They are coached by Haberer, Chad Cattau, Jared Bowen and Trent Jansen.
The Navy team is undefeated at 8-0 and owns wins over Ponca, Newman Grove, Creighton, Laurel, Crofton, Plainview, O’Neill and Crofton.
The Hartington 14U tournament team has beaten Dakota Valley 13U 18-11, Wayne 8-0, Sioux Falls West 18-1, Mitchell White 12-0, Sioux Falls East 14-1, Yankton 18-4, Gayville 7-1, Wakefield 20-6, Lennox 6-2 and Pender 3-1.
The tournament team was set to take on Vermillion on June 13 north of the Missouri River and Brandon Valley and Huron on June 17, and compete in the Mid-Summer Classic in Wakefield June 23-25.
Hartington Navy was scheduled to be at home against Newman Grove on June 15 before heading to Neligh on June 18 and hosting Plainview on June 22.
Hartington Royal was slated to take on Plainview June 15 before heading west to O’Neill on June 19 and being at home versus Neligh on June 22.
