By Staff
Niles High School varsity baseball players Nick Saviano and Cory Coquillard recently completed an 85-game summer schedule for the Kalamazoo Maroons 18U baseball club.
The Kalamazoo Maroons baseball program is one of Michigan's premier travel baseball programs. The Maroons are recognized annually as one of the premier programs within the Midwest.
The Maroons roster included 20 players from the state of Michigan, many of which competed during the high school seasons within the Southwest Michigan Athletic Conference.
Schools represented were Portage Central, Kalamazoo Central, Mattawan, Niles, Paw Paw, Comstock, Decatur, Vicksburg and Otsego. Of the 20 roster players, 15 recently completed their high school careers and will continue playing college baseball.
The Kalamazoo Maroons 18U team is an AABC, USSSA and NABF affiliated travel team while participating in a number of leagues, including the Detroit-based Midwest Super League.
Saviano was a regular fixture in center field for the Maroons and will continue his playing career in the fall of 2003 at Olivet College.
Coquillard spent the majority of his playing time at catcher and first base. Coquillard will be a junior this fall at Niles and has received an invitation to return to the Maroons in the summer of 2004.
This summer's travel provided Saviano and Coquillard the opportunity to play in front of college coaches and scouts in tournaments throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, New York and Canada. Participation included the NABF World Series in Memphis, Tenn., the USA Wooden Bat Tourney in Jefferson City, Tenn., and the Black Swamp Classic in Bowling Green, Ohio.
The Maroons are coached by Mike Hinga, Don Ampersee, Joe Wilmeyer and Dan Perrin. The most recognized former Kalamazoo Maroon is Kalamazoo Central graduate and current New York Yankee shortstop, Derek Jeter.