The Audubon School Board approved a merger between the Wheelers baseball program and Exira EHK for the upcoming summer season, a move prompted by a steep decline in participation that left only fifteen players on the roster this year.
A New Era for Wheelers Baseball
Among those who remain, senior Dawson posted a .407 batting average and a 2.60 earned run average over five starts and nine pitching appearances, while fellow senior Dalton posted a 2.57 ERA across four starts and eight relief appearances and batted .237, providing a rare blend of hitting and pitching prowess.
Coach Eric Borkowski highlighted the Miller brothers’ competitive spirit as a cornerstone of the new roster, noting that replacing departing center‑fielder and pitcher Brody Schultes will be a top priority as the team looks to rebuild its defensive backbone.
Sophomores Jorgen Nowatzke and Paxton Beane are slated to shoulder additional innings alongside the Miller brothers, and Borkowski welcomed a wave of newcomers from the Spartans program, even though he admits to knowing little about the incoming players.
Audubon finished the previous season with a 5‑16 record and will graduate two seniors, Schultes and Walter Vetter, leaving a void that the merger aims to fill while preserving the program’s competitive edge.
The consolidation reflects a broader trend of small‑town programs joining forces to remain competitive, a strategy that Borkowski says will test the team’s depth but also foster new rivalries and opportunities for growth.