Top high school athletes in the Blue Water Area were recognized for their performances from April 6-11, including Jack Betts from Sandusky, who achieved a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts in a win over Birch Run.
PORT HURON — Throughout the 2025-26 MHSAA sports season, The Times Herald will highlight the top performances of the past week from local high school athletes.
If you'd like to nominate an athlete, inform their coach to email Times Herald sports reporter Brenden Welper (bwelper@usatodayco.com). Please submit entries by 10 p.m. Sunday.
Listed below are the top performers in alphabetical order.
Jack Betts — Sandusky: Betts threw a complete-game shutout in the Wolves' 8-0 win over Birch Run on April 8. He totaled 10 strikeouts and surrendered two hits.
Justin Pendry — Richmond: Pendry clinched his first varsity win as a pitcher in the Blue Devils' 15-2 victory over Otisville LakeVille Memorial on April 9. He finished with two strikeouts in three innings of work and allowed two hits.
Cole Taylor — Richmond: Taylor threw seven strikeouts and earned the win in the Blue Devils' 8-2 triumph over Algonac in six innings on April 8.
Cole Thaler — Algonac: Thaler batted 2-for-4 and had three RBIs in the Muskrats' 15-0 win over Ortonville Brandon on April 11. He also scored three runs.
MORE: Vote for the Blue Water Area Athlete of the Week for April 6-11
Lola Battaglia — Almont: Battalgia scored seven goals in the Raiders' 8-0 victory over Armada on April 8.
Malencia Price — Port Huron: During a meet against Warren Woods-Tower on April 9, Price set the school record in the long jump with a leap of 17 feet, 11 inches. The previous record of 17 feet, 7 inches, had stood since 2008.
Port Huron's Malencia Price competes in a girls track & field event during a meet last season.
Ellyanna Hagen — Port Huron Northern: Hagen threw a complete game and tossed 12 strikeouts in the Huskies' 5-2 triumph over St. Clair Shores Lake Shore on April 9.
Clara Moore — Marysville: Moore pitched a complete-game shutout and threw 10 strikeouts in the Vikings' 3-0 win over St. Clair Shores Lakeview on April 9. She surrendered just one hit.
Kayla Raines — Algonac: In a doubleheader against Richmond on April 9, Raines batted 5-for-7 with two doubles, one home run and six RBIs.
Yale softball's Kendal Krause was voted the Blue Water Area Athlete of the Week for the week of March 23-28. In three games over that stretch, she batted .556 (5-for-9) with two doubles, one home run and four RBIs.
Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@usatodayco.com. Follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @BrendenWelper.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Blue Water Area's top high school sports performers of the past week
The top performers included Jack Betts from Sandusky, who threw a complete-game shutout against Birch Run.
Jack Betts achieved a complete-game shutout with 10 strikeouts in an 8-0 victory over Birch Run.
Athletes can be nominated by having their coach email the Times Herald sports reporter, Brenden Welper, by 10 p.m. on Sunday.
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