Fond du Lac Boys 17U Legion Post 75 Wins Baseball State Championship

By: Nick Van Nocker – KFIZ Sports

The Fond du Lac Lakers 17U Legion Baseball team capped off a remarkable season with a state championship, solidifying their place in Wisconsin baseball history. Coached by Jack Cole and Austin Wagner, the team—comprised of talented sophomores and juniors from Fond du Lac, Oakfield, and New Holstein—entered the state tournament with the best record in the state, having lost only once during regional play.

The Lakers finished their season with an outstanding 29-2 record, dropping just one game in the tournament. One of the most memorable moments came on Saturday, when the team staged a dramatic comeback. Trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the 7th inning with two outs, Espen Ketelhut delivered a clutch single that drove in two runs, sealing a walk-off victory and sending the team to the championship game.

Tuesday’s title matchup was a tense, low-scoring affair against Chippewa Falls Legion Post 77 in Clintonville, the team with the second-best record in the tournament. Strong pitching and timely hitting propelled the Lakers to a 3-1 win, securing the state title.

Roster for the 17U Championship Team: Ben Tschetter, Logan Bonlander, Ethan Stafford, Mason Geasland, Evrett Avila, Kaden Horn, Grant Guderski, Gavin Supernand, Parker Ziebell, Carson Fisher, Tate Winter, Brody Haus, Austin Demos, Kaden Horn, Espen Ketelhut, Easton Schwartz, Jake Neubauer.

The future looks bright for the Lakers program, as the 16U team also made a strong showing at the state tournament. Composed of freshmen and sophomores from Fond du Lac and WLA, the 16U squad battled hard but fell in two close games—6-5 to Sparta and 3-2 to Wittenberg.

Tim Norton one of the co-founders of the program talks about the historic run, the future and how kids can participate in Legion baseball.