The Week Ahead: Baseball, Softball and Soccer Playoffs Kick Off

The regular season for high school spring sports is officially over, and now the real fun begins. 

Districts for baseball, softball and girls soccer kick off this afternoon and the regional semifinals for boys and girls lacrosse are scheduled.

Top contenders 

Marian soccer (Division 2)

• Marian soccer has dominated the Catholic League for two years in a row now; last year, the Mustangs beat Grand Rapids Forest Hills Northern in last year's state finals 2-0, while defeating East Grand Rapids 1-0 in the 2009 state finals. Marian dominated the Catholic League again this season for its ninth straight league championship and have a shot at a third consecutive state title.
  
  The girls start their title defense with an opening district match against Avondale at the Ultimate Soccer Arena at 8 p.m. Tuesday. If Marian advances, the team will play the winner of Ferndale and Lamphere at 7 p.m. Friday in the district semifinals.
  
  Marian’s squad has six four-year players, including Liz Tresnek and Erin Ring. The strong veteran leadership should help the Mustangs advance through the early rounds with ease.

Groves, Seaholm and Brother Rice baseball (Division 1)

• All three teams play in the same district and one of them should advance to regionals. The Warriors eliminated both (9-1) and (13-3) last year at districts and lost in the regional finals to Canton (3-2).
  
  But if Brother Rice wants to reach regionals again this season, it will have to deal with one of the hottest teams in Oakland County right now: Groves. The Falcons lost one game in May and captured its first Oakland Activities Association title in three years with the help of an 18-game win streak.
  
  For the Falcons, Jake Balicki’s bat is red hot and Mike Mestdagh is one of the top pitchers in the state. The Falcons also have home field advantage in the district. The Falcons play the winner of the OAA White division Saturday morning at Southfield Lathrup. A win could set up a game against Brother Rice or a third meeting against Seaholm.
  
  For the second straight year, Brother Rice will have to play a pre-district qualifier, facing off against West Bloomfield at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Groves. The winner of that match will play Seaholm at 10 a.m. Saturday morning.

Country Day soccer (Division 3)

• The Country Day girls lost a 2-1 heartbreaker in the regional finals to Williamston last year after a great regular season (16-4). The lady Yellowjackets are ready to make another run deep into the playoffs.
  
  That run starts at home this week against Livonia Clarenceville at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home (Country Day is hosting the district this year). If the Yellowjackets win on Tuesday, they play the winner of Detroit University Prep and Notre Dame Prep at 7 p.m. Thursday.

Quick hits

Groves, Marian, Seaholm softball (Division 1):

• Marian plays a pre-regional game against West Bloomfield at 4 p.m. Tuesday at Groves. The winner plays Seaholm Saturday.
• Groves will play Lathrup at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Seaholm, Groves soccer (Division 1):

• Seaholm (competing in the Troy district) plays Walled Lake Central at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Walled Lake Central. If Seaholm advances, it will play the winner of Troy and Walled Lake Northern at 3 p.m. Thursday.
• Groves (competiting in the Novi district) plays Walled Lake Western at 7 p.m. Tuesday at home. If it advances, Groves will then play the winner of Novi and North Farmington at 6 p.m. Thursday at Novi.

Country Day baseball and softball (Division 2):

• Country Day baseball (competiting in the Lamphere district) plays Center Line Saturday afternoon (30 minutes after the the morning game). The winner of that game plays the winner of St. Clair Shores South Lake and Lamphere Saturday night.
• Country Day softball plays Centerline at 10 a.m. Saturday morning. If it advances, Country Day plays the winner of South Lake and Lamphere Saturday night.