Vestaburg Community Middle/High School

Vestaburg welcomed teams to town this weekend for the Phil Block Memorial Tournament, a day dedicated to honoring former coach Phil Block, who made a lasting impact on the Wolverines program during his time on the sidelines. With members of Block’s family in attendance, the event served as both a competitive showcase and a meaningful tribute. In the opening game, Vestaburg battled Houghton Lake in a back-and-forth contest that ended in dramatic fashion, as the Wolverines pulled off a 10-9 walk-off victory. The game remained tight early before Houghton Lake used a big fifth inning to take an 8-5 lead. Vestaburg responded with a run in the bottom half of the inning to make it 8-6, and after a scoreless sixth, Houghton Lake added another run in the seventh to extend the lead to 9-6. Down to their final three outs, the Wolverines mounted a clutch rally. Terian DeVerney, Jaiden Anderson, and Jersie Miller each delivered singles to load the bases and cut the deficit to 9-7. Hayden Lott then came through with her first varsity hit—a double that scored Anderson and brought Vestaburg within one. Moments later, Abagail McNamara delivered the game-winning blow, lacing a double that scored Miller and Lott to secure the 10-9 walk-off win. DeVerney, Anderson, and Miller each recorded multiple hits in the victory, while Miller also earned the win in the circle, striking out nine. In the championship game, Vestaburg faced Webberville but fell 13-3. Webberville jumped out early, scoring six runs in the first inning and maintaining control throughout the game. Vestaburg’s offense showed life in the second inning, plating three runs, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the early deficit. Emma Myers and Abagail McNamara led the Wolverines at the plate, both going 2-for-2. In the circle, Ella Beres and Jersie Miller combined to pitch the game, but control issues proved challenging as the duo issued 11 walks while recording two strikeouts. Despite the loss in the championship, the tournament marked a step forward for the young Vestaburg squad, which showed resilience and offensive growth throughout the day. More importantly, it was a fitting tribute to Coach Phil Block, whose legacy continues to be felt within the program he helped shape.