MONROE - Whether it's intercepting a fourth-quarter pass, making a late free throw or getting on base to lead off a baseball game, Monroe junior Carter Sawdey has a nose for the action.
Sawdey is a three-sport athlete at Monroe High School. He plays football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. He has a knack for making big plays no matter the sport.
Sawdey's first five games as a varsity baseball player are off the charts for a leadoff hitter setting the table. He is hitting .304 with eight RBI, seven runs scored and six stolen bases for the Cheesemakers.
"He (Sawdey) is our spark plug," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "He's in the lead off spot because he can get a bunt down, make contact, and he can steal bases. He's always a stolen base threat with his speed. The top of the order hitters are up there for one reason - to get on base for the rest of the order. Any time they drive in a run it's above and beyond and icing on the cake."
Sawdey said a big part of being a leadoff hitter is getting on base and stealing. He welcomes the challenge of making an impact right away at the plate.
"It's good to get a first look at a pitcher and see what he has coming next," he said. "They (teammates) get to see pitches and see if he has a breaking ball or a good fastball."
Sawdey has a quiet confidence and a competitive drive to get better.
"He's a hard worker," Huffman said. "He's coachable. He's a good athlete who is respected by his teammates because he works so hard."
When he's not playing in a game or practicing in one of the three sports he plays, Sawdey is an avid outdoorsman.
"I like to go hunting and fishing," he said.
He also enjoys playing video games. His favorite is NBA2K, a basketball game.
As a hunter and fisherman, Sawdey often has to make adjustments, and it's no different on the diamond. After playing on the junior varsity team last year, Sawdey has noticed some differences in his move to varsity this year.
"The pitching on the varsity is a lot better," he said. "You have to make adjustments to the pitchers. The speed of the game is faster."
To combat the more advanced pitching he's seeing, Sawdey has fine-tuned his batting stance.
"I'm trying to keep the weight on my back foot and swing my hips through for more power," he said.
Due to jobs and other sports commitments, Monroe didn't field a Senior Legion baseball team last summer. That has not stopped the Cheesemakers from starting the season with high expectations after losing their first conference game to Madison Edgewood 5-4. Edgewood along with Oregon and Stoughton are considered to be teams vying for a conference title. Oregon is the defending Badger South Conference champion, but after the Cheesemakers defeated Stoughton ace pitcher Dillon Nowicki, the Cheesemakers believe they can be a contender.
"I don't think we have lost that big of a step by not playing," Sawdey said of Senior Legion baseball. "When we knew we were not going to have a team, everyone did their own part and worked on what they had to work on in the offseason. We were working hard in open gyms and in the offseason. I think after this one (win over Stoughton) we are moving in the right direction. We just have to take this game and run with the momentum. Our mindset has to be win every time we step on the field."
Huffman strives to field a baseball team at every level in Monroe in the summer.
"In a perfect world, I would love to see all of our kids playing baseball in the summer," Huffman said. "I know kids have a lot going on. Your best programs in the state are playing Senior Legion or traveling baseball. It just helps with the knowledge and the situations. Whether they played summer or not it's early in the season, and we would still have growing pains."
With Sawdey setting the tone at the top of the lineup, Huffman hopes those growing pains become fewer and fewer with each game. Sawdey has been getting more opportunities to knock in runs early in the season.
"We have been getting good production from the bottom of our lineup," Huffman said. "Carter has had more chances to drive in runs."
Sawdey is a three-sport athlete at Monroe High School. He plays football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball in the spring. He has a knack for making big plays no matter the sport.
Sawdey's first five games as a varsity baseball player are off the charts for a leadoff hitter setting the table. He is hitting .304 with eight RBI, seven runs scored and six stolen bases for the Cheesemakers.
"He (Sawdey) is our spark plug," Monroe coach Dustin Huffman said. "He's in the lead off spot because he can get a bunt down, make contact, and he can steal bases. He's always a stolen base threat with his speed. The top of the order hitters are up there for one reason - to get on base for the rest of the order. Any time they drive in a run it's above and beyond and icing on the cake."
Sawdey said a big part of being a leadoff hitter is getting on base and stealing. He welcomes the challenge of making an impact right away at the plate.
"It's good to get a first look at a pitcher and see what he has coming next," he said. "They (teammates) get to see pitches and see if he has a breaking ball or a good fastball."
Sawdey has a quiet confidence and a competitive drive to get better.
"He's a hard worker," Huffman said. "He's coachable. He's a good athlete who is respected by his teammates because he works so hard."
When he's not playing in a game or practicing in one of the three sports he plays, Sawdey is an avid outdoorsman.
"I like to go hunting and fishing," he said.
He also enjoys playing video games. His favorite is NBA2K, a basketball game.
As a hunter and fisherman, Sawdey often has to make adjustments, and it's no different on the diamond. After playing on the junior varsity team last year, Sawdey has noticed some differences in his move to varsity this year.
"The pitching on the varsity is a lot better," he said. "You have to make adjustments to the pitchers. The speed of the game is faster."
To combat the more advanced pitching he's seeing, Sawdey has fine-tuned his batting stance.
"I'm trying to keep the weight on my back foot and swing my hips through for more power," he said.
Due to jobs and other sports commitments, Monroe didn't field a Senior Legion baseball team last summer. That has not stopped the Cheesemakers from starting the season with high expectations after losing their first conference game to Madison Edgewood 5-4. Edgewood along with Oregon and Stoughton are considered to be teams vying for a conference title. Oregon is the defending Badger South Conference champion, but after the Cheesemakers defeated Stoughton ace pitcher Dillon Nowicki, the Cheesemakers believe they can be a contender.
"I don't think we have lost that big of a step by not playing," Sawdey said of Senior Legion baseball. "When we knew we were not going to have a team, everyone did their own part and worked on what they had to work on in the offseason. We were working hard in open gyms and in the offseason. I think after this one (win over Stoughton) we are moving in the right direction. We just have to take this game and run with the momentum. Our mindset has to be win every time we step on the field."
Huffman strives to field a baseball team at every level in Monroe in the summer.
"In a perfect world, I would love to see all of our kids playing baseball in the summer," Huffman said. "I know kids have a lot going on. Your best programs in the state are playing Senior Legion or traveling baseball. It just helps with the knowledge and the situations. Whether they played summer or not it's early in the season, and we would still have growing pains."
With Sawdey setting the tone at the top of the lineup, Huffman hopes those growing pains become fewer and fewer with each game. Sawdey has been getting more opportunities to knock in runs early in the season.
"We have been getting good production from the bottom of our lineup," Huffman said. "Carter has had more chances to drive in runs."
