REGIONAL- Being named to the all-state roster is among the highest honors a high school baseball player can earn, and this year, two standouts from the North Country made the cut.
Ely’s Caid Chittum and North Woods’ Louie Panichi were named to the 25-player Class A All-State Team by the Minnesota High School Baseball Coaches Association, capping off remarkable seasons and careers with well-earned statewide recognition.
Ely head coach Frank Ivancich has seen plenty of talented multi-sport athletes come through the program but said few have stood out quite like Chittum. In a small school setting like Ely, three-sport athletes are common, Ivancich noted, but Chittum set himself apart not just by playing them all, but by committing himself fully to each one.
Ivancich said that Chittum approached each sports season, whether cross country, basketball, or baseball, with discipline, attention to detail, and a positive attitude. He said Chittum’s accomplishments across all sports reflected the kind of athlete who didn’t just show up, but actively worked to improve.
He also pointed out that Chittum’s leadership extended beyond performance. While top athletes can sometimes be overly critical of their teammates, Ivancich said Chittum led by example and built others up. Whether a teammate struck out or bobbled a grounder, Chittum was the one encouraging them to shake it off and keep going.
Academically, Chittum excelled as well, maintaining a GPA over 3.5 while racking up accolades on the diamond. A four-year starter, he helped lead Ely to Section 7A runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2025, along with third- and fourth-place finishes in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He earned All-Arrowhead and All-IRC Conference honors for three straight years and was named to the All-Section team each season from 2023 to 2025.
Chittum’s selection to the all-state squad and his nomination for the prestigious Joe Mauer Award is fitting recognition for a standout career – honors backed up by a statistical resume that leaves little doubt.
His numbers speak for themselves: 321 career at-bats, 232 hits, 100 runs scored, 98 RBIs, and a .503 batting average over his junior and senior seasons. Defensively, he recorded 140 putouts, 216 assists, and just 24 errors across four seasons at shortstop, good for a .942 fielding percentage.
But for Ivancich, it’s not just the stats that stick.
“Caid is certainly one of the top players I have had the pleasure of coaching in my 25+ year career,” Ivancich said, “but he is also one of most genuine, hardworking, polite, and respectful players that I have had the joy of coaching; those are the memories we as coaches do not forget. The wins and statistical memories are not remembered but the character of a player like Caid and their impact on others are the memories that are never forgotten.”
North Woods senior Panichi, also a top-performing multi-sport athlete, joined Chittum on the all-state team after a dominant two-way season that turned heads across the region and saw him picked as a player next year for the Minnesota North-Vermilion team.
Panichi hit .500 for the season, going 28-for-56 with 27 runs scored and 19 RBIs. He hit eight doubles and four triples, walked nine times, struck out just five, and stole nine bases.
As a pitcher, Panichi threw 40 innings and struck out 79 batters. He gave up 16 hits and 10 earned runs, finishing with a 2.25 ERA. His fastball velocity was recorded at 80 mph. He issued 28 walks and ended the season with a 5–3 record.
North Woods head coach Steve Baker, who has been with the Grizzlies for three seasons and took over as head coach this year, said Panichi made a strong impression from the start. It was clear early on, Baker noted, that Panichi wasn’t just talented, he was driven.
“His hard work and dedication to the game and the team help him stand out as an elite athlete and role model,” Baker said.
Baker said that commitment showed up not just in Panichi’s stats, but in how he broke the mold for left-handed players. Traditional baseball wisdom often limits lefties to certain roles, but Panichi defied that thinking. When he wasn’t pitching or serving as the team’s catcher, he shifted over to third base or shortstop without missing a beat.
Panichi led the Grizzlies in several major statistical categories and, Baker said, was a key contributor in every phase of the game.
Baker credited Ivancich for pointing him toward nominating both Panichi and teammate Talen Jarshaw for all-state consideration. Ivancich told Baker that both players had the kind of seasons that coaches would take notice of in the selection process.