Escanaba junior McKenzie Engebretson (3) trots to home plate after hitting her second home run of the game during a MHSAA Division 2 regional semifinal game against Freeland on June 8, 2024 at Cadillac Softball Field in Cadillac. This home run gave the Eskymos a 5-4 lead in what became an 8-4 win over the Falcons.

With 2024 coming to a close I decided to take a look back on the year as a whole.

Honestly, there’s been a lot of good and a fair amount of bad. But through it all I can honestly say that the last year has been one of the best of my career so far.

Today, I explain to you, the reader, why that is the case.

After looking through hundreds of stories I wrote throughout the last year, I shrunk the list down to 10. These stories bring back a lot of memories, and in all the best ways possible.

In no particular order, here are my 10 favorite stories from 2024.

Professional wrestling is cool in the U.P.

For those who know me really well they know that me writing about professional wrestling was inevitable. But this particular story was fun and challenging simultaneously.

For me, the challenge was trying to properly portray an incredibly entertaining blend of sport that’s also entertainment so that the average joe had no choice but to be sucked into the story. I believe I accomplished that challenge, and man was the interview and photography process a blast.

‘Professional wrestling is cool in the U.P.’ appeared in the April 30, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

How one hole shaped the Island Resort Championship final

When I arrived at the sopping wet Sweetgrass Golf Club on a Friday afternoon I maneuvered around the front half of the course. My attention was immediately grabbed by hole No. 15: a 165-yard par 3 island hole.

My initial thought was how many golf balls, and most likely clubs, would I put in the water if I played this hole. As I watched competitors try to survive the hole I knew it was going to be the deciding hole of the tournament.

In the end, it was.

‘How one hole shaped the Island Resort Championship final’ appeared in the June 24, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Hear them roar, see them pull: U.P. Garden Tractor Pullers make grand return to Delta County in 2024

I’ve learned a few things during my time in the U.P.: the season of spring is a myth, people could care less about your faults and garden tractor pulling is a thing.

And man, it’s a sport like nothing else.

I grew up with a basic understanding of tractor pulling. But never in my life did I think a lawn mower could be modified to that degree.

I highly recommend going to an event at least one time. This is as patriotic as apple pie and baseball in the best way possible.

‘Hear them roar, see them pull: U.P. Garden Tractor Pullers make grand return to Delta County in 2024’ appeared in the July 19, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Maki’s immortal Monday: Keira Maki becomes sixth Escanaba girls’ hooper to score 1,000 points

Apparently this is the year where a lot of area basketball players reach the 1,000 career point plateau. Before I moved here though, I never had a basketball player in my coverage area accomplish the milestone.

Then I met Keira Maki. Then I continued to watch Maki on her historic senior season which saw her etch her place in the program’s record book.

She was and forever will be my first 1,000 point scorer.

‘Maki’s immortal Monday: Keira Maki becomes sixth Escanaba girls’ hooper to score 1,000 points’ appeared in the Feb. 7, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Caden returns home: Escanaba senior Caden Smith returns from basic training for home opener

I’ve met hundreds of high school athletes in my short journalism career, but few have impressed me as a human being. I can confidently say that Caden Smith is one of them.

I found out about Caden’s story the day of Escanaba football’s home opener. As someone who’s had college roommates serve in the Navy, Marines and National Guard, I knew this was a story I had to not only pursue, but hit square on the head.

I can say that this story sits toward the top of my list of not only my favorite stories of 2024, but of my entire career.

‘Caden returns home: Escanaba senior Caden Smith returns from basic training for home opener’ appeared in the Sep. 16, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Road to Mackinac Island: Mid Peninsula basketball makes journey for varsity doubleheader against the Lakers

Journalism gives me the opportunity to do some really neat things. So far in my career I’ve been fortunate to ride shotgun in a drag race (while keeping my pants dry). Now I can say I’ve done that and covered basketball games on Mackinac Island.

How many journalists can say that?

Learning about the process behind Mackinac Island’s school and athletic department was incredibly interesting in the best way possible. The whole day was a bucket list experience that’s also once in a lifetime. I’m so grateful I was able to make the trip with Mid Peninsula.

‘Road to Mackinac Island: Mid Peninsula basketball makes journey for varsity doubleheader against the Lakers’ appeared in the Feb. 21, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

No. 5 Eskymos drop regional title game to No. 1 Gaylord

Yes, it was a game story that had Escanaba losing. But the games itself aren’t the reason why I have this on the list.

It’s for the insanity the whole weekend provided.

I left Escanaba at 4:45 a.m. Saturday morning and arrived in Cadillac at around 9:30 a.m.. The first game ended with an Eskymos 8-4 win over Freeland. Happy day so far.

Then it rained. Hard. For six hours straight.

I was able to crash with my brother and his wife in Wayland for the night. By the time Sunday morning came around I was able to bargain for extra time from our printing facility. By noon I was back in Cadillac for the second regional semifinal game. By 2 p.m. it was Esky vs Gaylord. By 4 p.m. I was back on the road.

By 10:30 p.m. Sunday night I finally put my head to my pillow at home after successfully meeting our normal print deadline and not unaliving a deer on U.S. 2.

It was an insane stretch of time. And I’d do it all over again without hesitation.

‘No. 5 Eskymos drop regional title game to No. 1 Gaylord’ appeared in the June 10, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Esky baseball avenges ghosts of losses past, wins second district title in last four seasons

Escanaba’s 2024 baseball season was such a fun ride. The Eskymos had the perfect blend of seniors and underclassmen, and weirdly enough no juniors, which was a first for me.

Trying to cram an entire season’s worth of information is not easy. But the key moments for the season were fairly apparent, which honestly made the journey incredibly enjoyable.

‘Esky baseball avenges ghosts of losses past, wins second district title in last four seasons’ appeared in the June 15, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

COLUMN: Braves bet on Soderman, and the payout was massive

School spirit is such a cool thing. John Soderman embraced that so much during his senior season.

Was he the greatest athlete in his class? No, he was clutch.

And in his last stand on the mound he cemented his legacy as a clutch performer for Gladstone. A young man that didn’t back down when the lights were on the brightest.

I’m going to miss watching him this baseball season.

‘COLUMN: Braves bet on Soderman, and the payout was massive’ appeared in the June 7, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

Why I decided to add ‘The Big Dog’ to my byline

During my time with the Manistee News Advocate I did a three-part feature on Hannah Harrington. She was a star basketball player at Bear Lake and had her future set on playing college basketball before enrolling in the Air Force.

She did both. But they were both short lived when her body let her down each time. There was one phrase she said that sticks with me to this very day.

“One person’s story of struggle may be someone’s survival guide.”

I hope this column does the same for someone.

‘Why I decided to add ‘The Big Dog’ to my byline’ appeared in the March 23, 2024 edition of The Daily Press.

“The Big Dog” Mitch Vosburg is a multi-time award-winning sports writer and photographer who serves as sports editor for The Daily Press. He can be reached at mvosburg@dailypress.net.