Keweenaw Report Your Source for Local News and Sports
Former Hancock High School hockey standout Scott Mikesch has been named the team’s new head coach. The board of education approved his appointment unanimously last night.
Mikesch was the league MVP for the Bulldogs in his senior year of 1981-82, then skated the University of Wisconsin-Superior.
Mikesch went on to serve as head coach for the Waterloo Blachawks and Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL, the Green Bay Roadrunners
Midget AAA team, and the Finlandia University Lions. He has not been a head coach for the past 20 years, but has assisted with the local Team Copper Country squad, and acted as a consultant for other coaches, including his brother, Pat, who is the current head coach of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.
Mikesch succeeds longtime Hancock coach Dan Rouleau, who retired at the end of last season.
The Hancock school board also promoted Heather L’Esperance from JV to Varsity head coach for the girl’s volleyball team and extended its agreement with Finlandia University to continue to be able to use McAfee Field for the foreseeable future.
MLB
The Detroit Tigers will play their first preseason tune-up game tonight. The team will travel to Cincinnati to face the Reds in exhibitions tonight and tomorrow, before opening the season there Friday evening.
Broadcast coverage of the preseason games is not being provided. Pregame coverage of Friday’s contest will begin at 5:45 on 99.3 The Lift.
Top prospect Casey Mize will not open the season as part of Detroit’s starting rotation. Mize was among 19 players assigned to the alternate training site in Toledo yesterday. Others headed south include outfielders Travis Demeritte and Riley Greene, catcher Jake Rogers, and this year’s top draft pick, Spencer Torkelson. General manager Alex Avila said the focus continues to be on developing the team’s young players. Detroit still needs to make an additional seven cuts to get to this year’s major league roster level of 30 players.
The Milwaukee Brewers play their final intrasquad scrimmage today. They’ll play an exhibition against the White Sox tomorrow, then open the season Friday night against the Cubs in Chicago.
Pitcher Brett Anderson will not make his scheduled start on Saturday. He’s been placed on the 10-day injured list because of a blister on his throwing hand. Yesterday, manager Craig Counsell also said that Ryan Braun may not be available for the start of the season. Braun is dealing with an oblique strain.
NFL
Rookies will report to Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers training camps today. Concerns continue about how players and staff members will be protected from COVID-19, but team owners did agree yesterday to provide daily testing through most of the season. The owners’ latest proposal also includes eliminating all preseason games.
Slow Pitch Softball
In Copper Country Slow Pitch Softball League action last evening…
• Koppers edged Auto Pro/Thermoanalytics 34-33.
• Koppers vs. Pat’s Foods/Bucko’s – not reported.
• McGann’s/Northern Auto shut down Monte/Coke/UP Splice 30-6.
• McGann’s/Northern Auto vs. Bucko’s/Labatts – not reported.
Horseshoes
In Copper Country Horseshoe league play last night…
• Dreamland One downed Harter’s Party Store 7-2.
• Calumet One blanked Dreamland Two 9-0.
• Ahmeek Fire Department defeated 41 Lumber 6-3.
• Loading Zone dispatched Calumet Electronics 7-2.
• Drift Inn edged Bucko’s Party Store 5-4.
• L and L got past Rocky’s Bar 6-3.
In a make-up from week six, Bucko’s Party Store defeated Calumet Electronics 6-3.
Email sports news and scores to mornings@up.net.
