Steve Sontich

Steve Sontich, a 1983 DeWitt graduate, earned five varsity letters in basketball and baseball.  Standing at six-foot six-inches tall, Sontich’s athleticism and fierce competitiveness helped his Class C Panther teams compete against mostly Class A and Class B foes in the Capital Circuit.  On the basketball court, he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds as a senior, leading DeWitt to a 20-4 record, a League Championship, and the 1983 Class C District Championship, while earning All-League, All-Area, and All-State recognition.  It was on the baseball diamond, and specifically on the mound, where Sontich truly dominated and experienced the most team success.  His Panther teams won two League Championships, three District Championships, a Regional Championship, and the 1983 Class C State Championship.  He was a two-time All-League, All-Area, and All-State honoree.  During his senior season, Sontich was the team’s top pitcher and played outfield on games he was not on the mound.  He finished the year with a 10-1 record and an incredible 1.64 earned run average, while striking out 77 batters.  He was also a threat at the plate, hitting four consecutive home runs in a doubleheader against Charlotte, finishing with a .418 batting average, six home runs, and 38 runs batted in.  He left DeWitt with a school record 16 career wins on the mound.  After high school, Sontich accepted a basketball and baseball scholarship at Northwood University, where he was a four-year starter in basketball, scoring over 850 points and securing over 550 rebounds.  He was selected to the All-Defensive team in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) as a senior.  Sontich also played two years of baseball, compiling a 6-3 record as a pitcher before being forced to step away due to injuries.