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2026 High School Team Preview: New Boston Huron Chiefs

NEW BOSTON - With a dozen key players back, another strong season is expected at New Boston Huron.

“Our strengths are both pitching and hitting this year,” explained head coach Phil Yancey, who in nine seasons with the Chiefs has a record of 196-82, highlighted by a Final Four appearance in 2021.

Two-way standout Cash (Muzzy) Moczydlowsky, who was the team co-MVP as a sophomore, is back after hitting .347 with 10 doubles and 26 RBIs while striking out only three times in 111 plate appearances. On the mound, the Toledo commit was 7-1 with a save, posting a 1.387 ERA with 50 Ks while opponents hit just .166.

Jordan Jenkins and Tyler Gray bring more experience on the hill. Jenkins gave up five runs in 20 innings as the closer a year ago while Gray, a senior, also pitched out of the pen.

“Over the past five years our pitching has dominated our strengths, with the hitting being our downfall,” explained Yancey. “But this year, not only do we have great pitching, we are going to have the hitters as well with last year’s returners averaging .385 at the dish.”

Center fielder Dayton Miller, a Lansing CC commit, hit leadoff with a .395 average, .547 slugging percentage and a 1.073 OPS, scoring 35 runs. Noah Banas, a Saginaw Valley signee, was an all-state second baseman after batting .510 with a 1.246 OPS and .647 slugging percentage, pounding out 14 doubles with 52 hits.

A trio of juniors are other standouts, with shortstop/RHP Owen Delano expected to “be among the best hitters in the state this year” according to Yancey. Jackson Surma, the team MVP as a freshman and co-MVP last season, returns at third base after hitting .380 with an OPS of 1.089 last season, driving in 28 runs and scoring 40. Outfielder Jakob Furkas batted .349 with a .500 slugging percentage, drawing 19 walks while producing 28 RBIs and scoring 17 runs.

Two more 11th graders are back for their second year as starters. Dominic Russo, an outfielder and infielder, hit .329 with 23 runs, 16 walks and more than 20 steals. Max Morse, a catcher and first baseman, is a “team hitter” in the eyes of Yancey, “always hitting for the team and not for a personal batting average. A coach cannot ask for a better offensive mindset from a player.”

One more junior, Cole Forster, a returning outfielder, may move to leadoff this season while senior Aiden Sainato is back behind the dish for year two as a starter.

“The returning players averaged .385 last year and with the improvements made during the offseason are expected to average closer to .400, shattering all previous year’s best team average of .328,” Yancey said. “We also have a couple of good freshmen that may break into this already potent lineup and we have some up-and-coming juniors that may be able to fill some spots when rest is needed.”

Delaino, Furkas, Surma, Russo and Miller not only bring the tools to the plate, but are being counted on to help with pitching for the Chiefs, which finished 27-7 a year ago.

“What I like about this year's team is the ability to adapt to the situation on the fly during the game, with the approach at the plate when the situation calls for it, just move the runners or must reach base safely,” Yancey explained. “It’s about not being selfish and approaching each at-bat one pitch at a time and doing the job. The never-give-up attitude. The ability to slow the game down to a pitch at a time on offense or defense.”

A difficult schedule will bring challenges to New Boston Huron.

“We will be playing a tough schedule, probably one of the toughest schedules since I’ve been here,” Yancey noted. “We will be playing teams like Brother Rice a home and away, University of Liggett, Detroit Catholic Central, Southgate, Allen Park, Trenton, Woodhaven, SMCC, Grosse Pointe South, Divine Child, Warren DeLaSalle, Hartland, Detroit Edison, Flat Rock, pretty much all teams that are ranked during the pre-season. If we can play these teams competitively, we will be successful.”

The veteran coach did not pull punches when talking about his view of the season.

“Our league expectation is to win the Huron League while our season expectation is to win 25 of these very competitive games,” Yancey said. “We expect to play at Michigan State this year.”

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