Spring 2016
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SCZUBLEWSKI LEADS TIGERS INTO NEW SEASON, NEW SECTION P. 9
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SPRING SPORTS YEARBOOK
2016 Starting 4
4
3
Tigers see new coach, new players on the softball field
10
Previous head coach moves to assistant for Albert Lea girls’ track and field team
18
Bulldogs return four state qualifiers in track and field
27
NRHEG softball team looks to keep winning-season momentum going
A team of veterans led by experience Northwood-Kensett returns 15 state qualifiers / PAGE 22
9
24
New year, new section
Looking to improve
Albert Lea baseball looks to make an even bigger impression in a new section
New coach, return of key players look to improve Knights’ record
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SPRINGSPORTSYEARBOOK Editor Colleen Harrison Contributing writers Colleen Harrison, Kat Ladwig, Sarah Stultz and Sam Wilmes Cover design by Kathy Johnson Cover photo of Albert Lea’s Dora Ogunkanbi by Micah Bader Photos by Micah Bader, Colleen Harrison and Lory Groe To purchase advertising, call 507-379-3427 or fax 507-373-0333 To subscribe, call 507-373-1411
A season
By Kat Ladwig
full of changes
New coach, new starters for the Tigers 2 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, april 13, 2016
Albert lea
Softball U
Kathryn Flaherty/ C
Hanna Schilling/ p
nrecognizable may be the most suitable description for the Albert Lea softball team in 2016. Not only did the Tigers graduate six key starters last spring — the program named a new head coach as it heads into its first season of Class AAA softball after the Minnesota State High School League announced an expansion from three to four classes last year. First-year head coach Casey Elsen is set to lead the new system after taking the reins from eightyear head coach Dan Harms, who rebuilt the Tigers to competitive status in the Big Nine Conference, including a near-.500 record in 2014. Harms stepped down to assist the Tigers baseball team. As for Elsen, the young coach brings both enthusiasm and experience to the position. She is a 2015 graduate of Minnesota State UniversityMankato, and serves as a substitute teacher in District 241. Elsen played varsity softball at Logan High School in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and coached the Mankato East junior varsity team for the past three years. “I loved helping out the younger girls, but I’m ready to take on the older teams,” Elsen said. “So I figured ‘Why not dive right into head coaching?’ Especially while I’m substitute teaching and not full time at this point.” Despite losing numerous starters, Elsen said there is talent and potential in her 2016 squad. Senior Allison Grandstand returns with Big Nine AllSEASON OVERALL CONF. Conference Honorable Mention 2014-15 9-12 4-7 honors at third base, where she 2013-14 11-13 8-9 is a defensive standout in the hot 2012-13 7-12 4-9 corner. Senior Hanna Schilling 2011-12 2-18 1-13 2010-11 0-18 0-17 leads a developing pitching staff Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net in the ALBERT LEA SOFTBALL / PAGE 13
5-year Glance
Dayna Edwards/ if
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 3
Albert lea boys’
Tennis By Kat Ladwig
A
lbert Lea boys’ tennis head coach Tom Dyrdal brings 30-plus years of head coaching experience to the Tigers program. But this year, the longtime coach looks to the veteran skills of six returning letter winners to lead the way. “We have a good number of players returning with varsity experience; our players are The Tigers bring back seven willing to work letter winners: Taylor Herfindahl, Schafer Overgaard, hard to get better,” Nikk Christianson, Foster Dyrdal said. “Our Otten, Andy Woitas, Austin key to success will Dulitz and Grant Herfinddefinitely be focusahl. ing only on the things we can control, which are effort and attitude.” Leading the Tigers’ efforts is twoyear All-Conference honoree and co-captain Taylor Herfindahl, who went 8-9 individually in 2015 at No. 1 singles among some of the toughest competition in the state, according to Dyrdal. “He’s just a good overall court player who is really consistent,” the head coach said. “For him, who only has access to outdoor courts around here, to earn All-Conference going against guys who can play year-round with indoor facilities is pretty impressive.” Helping lead Albert Lea are fellow co-captains Schafer Overgaard and Foster Otten. Overgaard hits the courts with a record of 7-9, while Otten brings a winning record of 9-8
PLAYERs TO WATCH
Taylor Herfindahl / singles
to the lineup. The duo is set to fill the No. 2 and No. 3 singles spots. “Schafer is like a backboard, he’s able to keep the ball in play,” Dyrdal
4 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, april 13, 2016
said. “Foster is an excellent net player. He played doubles for years, so his ability to attack the net will ALBERT LEA BOYS’ TENNIS / PAGE 13
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Albert lea Boys’
Track&Field By Kat Ladwig
T
he Tigers boasted experience last spring, but this year’s squad debuts strength in both its youth and upperclassmen, despite graduating three section placers in former captains Matt Nemec (discus), Caleb Troe (distance) and Sam Thompson (long jump, 400meter relay). Picking up the torch are senior distance gurus and letter winners Head coach: Kevin Gentz Assistant coaches: Lon Jackson Goodell Nelson, Don Kropp, Jerry and Jonathan Kaphers and Derek Fritz “Herbie” Lein. Former players Goodell clinched competing in college: sixth place at the Bryce DeBoer, Bethel University, throwing events; Big Nine Conference chamCaleb Troe, Concordia University, running events pionships last year, and third place at sections in the 1600-meter run. Senior Colton Mowers looks to improve on top-eight finishes in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at conference in 2015, while senior Abraham Peterson returns to anchor the hurdles after just missing a podium finish at the Big Nine in the 110- and 300meter hurdles. As for the youngsters, sophomores Spencer Indrelie (hurdles), William Kreun (distance) and Htee Wah Shee (mid-distance/pole vault) are set to turn heads in their respective fields as 2015 letter winners, as well as ninthgrader Dane Brownlow in the sprints. Sixth-year head coach Kevin Gentz said his goal this season is simple.
Fast Facts
Colton Mowers / Sprints, Long jump
“Become better human beings,” Gentz said. “Develop persistence, commitment and role modeling for
6 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, april 13, 2016
younger athletes. Teach all the fundamentals of track and field. Become three deep at every event.”
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New year,
By Kat Ladwig
new section
Tigers look to be competitive in 1AAA 8 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, april 13, 2016
Albert lea
Baseball T
Jake Thompson / ss
Parker Mullenbach / 3b, 1b
hey’ve got the hitters, the coaches and the fielders. They even have three returning players with Big Nine Conference honors. Now all the Albert Lea baseball team needs is a full pitching staff. The Tigers finished second to Glencoe-Silver Lake in the section finals the past two years in a row, but graduated team MVP Chris Enderson last spring. Enderson recorded an ERA of 1.73 and notched 65 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. Albert Lea also graduated regulars on the mound in Tristin Muillenberg and Tyler Steele. Longtime head coach Joe Sczublewski, who reached 400 wins last season as one of 19 coaches in the state to do so, said he needs to see results on the mound for the Tigers to compete in their new postseason pool, Section 1AAA. “We graduated most of the pitchers (who) threw significant innings for us last season,” Sczublewski said. “So for us to be successful, our returning pitchers and our underclassmen will need to step up and perform as well as the coaching staff expects them to.” Senior co-captains Jake Thompson and Parker Mullenbach return with conference accolades and impressive stats to lead the Tigers at both the plate and on the field. Mullenbach, a defensive staple at the corners of the infield, earned a .368 batting average in 2015 while driving in 24 runs for his squad. Thompson anchors the defense at shortstop while swinging a heavy bat, having crossed home plate 22 times last spring SEASON OVERALL CONF. while recording a .349 average. 2014-15 14-12 4-7 Junior catcher Alex Bledsoe 2013-14 9-15 3-13 returns with All-Conference 2012-13 9-12 8-9 Honorable Mention honors after 2011-12 11-10 9-9 2010-11 16-6 13-5 batting .348 with 20 RBIS. Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net Another offensive threat includes senior ALBERT LEA BASEBALL / PAGE 13
5-year Glance
Alex bledsoe / c, if
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 9
Albert lea Girls’
Track&Field By Kat Ladwig
C
hanges abound for the Albert Lea girls’ track and field program this spring as Margo Wayne, a 34-year staple as head coach, takes on assistant duties under the debut lead of Jasmine Hansen. Hansen is a University of MinnesotaMoorhead graduate and a current math teacher at Albert Lea High School. Head coach: Jasmine The first-year head Hansen coach also serves Assistant coaches: Margo Wayne, Jim Haney, David as assistant girls’ Cheeks and Amy Kubat basketball coach Keys to success: and worked with dedication, commitment the Tigers track to the sport and team and field girls for cohesiveness four years prior to replacing Wayne. “She was a successful college thrower and has lived in the track world a long time,” Albert Lea activities director Afton Wacholz said. “She is a wonderful influence on the students and athletes.” But it’s not just a new era of coaching. The Tigers look to reboot after graduating 12 seniors from 2015, making the team “young and eager to learn,” according to Hansen. The returning letter winners represent an array of events, led by established sprinter Dora Ogunkanbi. The sprinter earned a spot as part of the 4X200-meter relay team, which placed eighth at the Section 1AA championships last spring.
Fast Facts
Sarah DeHaan / distance, high jump
Sarah DeHaan returns to the mid-distance events and jumps following fifth-place honors in section high jump in 2015 with a leap of 5-1,
10 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, april 13, 2016
while Anna Grossman (sprints), Katie Mondeel (throws) and Alexis Tasker (hurdles) round out the varsity veterans.
Albert lea Boys’
Golf
Alex Syverson / Golf
By Kat Ladwig
T
wo years ago, the Albert Lea boys’ golf team lost by two strokes in the Section 2AA finals in Jordan. One year later, the Tigers earned the section runner-up title once again. This season, they plan to hurdle the final barrier before the state tournament with a section Albert Lea senior Alex title over postseaSyverson will look to make son favorites his third consecutive state Jordan and tournament appearance for Shattuck. the Tigers.
PLAYER TO WATCH
To do so, thirdyear head coach Casey McIntyre said he needs his inexperienced varsity athletes to improve their scores after graduating individual state participant Brady Loch from the 2015 squad. With Loch on the team, the Tigers went 59-19 overall, and 9-2 in the Big Nine Conference amid powerhouses Mankato East and Red Wing. “We have a mixture of a good amount of varsity experience with few
Good Luck Tigers!
of our players, but we have a fair number of golfers without any varsity experience,” McIntyre said. “We will need some golfers with little varsity experience to step up and continue.” Returning to the course for the Tigers this season are senior Jack Pulley, junior Sam Chalmers and twotime state entrant Alex Syverson, who
committed to play for the University of St. Thomas next year. Pulley competed at the state tournament last year and earned Most Improved Golfer at season’s close, while Syverson was dubbed MVP as well as Most Consistent. Chalmers and Syverson both earned All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades.
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Albert lea Girls’
Golf By Kat Ladwig
W
ith 19 members of its roster returning from the 2015 state-qualifying squad, the Albert Lea girls’ golf team is in prime shape for a section title repeat. Coach Shawn Riebe enters his 14th season at the helm of the Tigers program, adding another veteran dimension to an already experienced team that beat out Jordan by seven strokes at the Section 2AA meet at New Prague Golf Course last spring. Albert Lea returns six letter winners and section championship golfers in Sam Nielsen, Natalie Nafzger and Bailey Sandon — who led Albert Lea in scoring at both the section championship ALBERT LEA GIRLS’ GOLF / PAGE 13
Samantha Nielsen / Golf
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ALBERT LEA BASEBALL / PAGE 9 Mason Hammer, a .346 hitter named to the Section 2AA All-Tournament team in 2015. The Tigers will be tested early on, as eligibility issues limit roster depth, but Sczublewski hopes to pick up steam as
the season progresses. “We return several key regulars that produced a robust team batting average of .322 last season, so we are optimistic that we will hit the ball well,” Sczublewski said. “We are also hopeful our team defense will be a strength for us.”
ALBERT LEA GIRLS’ GOLF / PAGE 12 and state meets — as well as Sara Rasmussen, Emma Loch and Kayla Jensen. Nielson led the team on the state course at Ridges at Sand Creek in Jordan with a combined score of 181 over two days. The Tigers claimed a 43 on the front nine and 46 on the back nine on Day 1, then shot a 41 on the front round of Day 2, before finishing with a 51 after the turn to place 57th overall. As for the team last season, the section title was a first for Riebe with the
Tigers, and the coach is anxious to return to the big show. “We have all the girls from last year’s section championship back again,” Riebe said. “We have had three girls working hard over the winter season, getting their games ready for spring. We need to be strong as a team.” Consistency will be key for the Albert Lea girls, according to Riebe, who added that his goals and expectations for their 2016 showing are cut and dry. “We will place higher in the Big Nine Conference and win the section title again,” he said.
ALBERT LEA SOFTBALL / PAGE 3 circle and shares outfield duties, while junior Kathryn Flaherty brings intensity behind the plate as catcher. Elsen said Flaherty’s blocking skills are unmatched. “She gets down and dirty for every ball, she hustles and she will stop anybody and everybody,” Elsen said. Other players to watch are returning letter winners Meliza Lopez and Dayna Edwards in the outfield, and ninth-grade
pitcher Megan Johnson. From what Elsen has observed, the Tigers display strong communication, as well as defense and base running ability, but hope to improve in pitching, consistent offensive generation and team depth. “I have high expectations for the girls,” Elsen said. “(Be) ready at all times, learn from mistakes, win games and have fun.”
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ALBERT LEA BOYS’ TENNIS / PAGE 4 really help in singles.” Other key players include returners Nikk Christianson and Austin Dulitz, whose flexibility strengthens the lineup against a tough Big Nine Conference schedule. Dulitz went 11-6 at No. 2 doubles last spring, and could see time at singles this spring. Despite graduating three solid seniors — Garrett Matz, Will Martin and Matt Carlson
— Dyrdal has high expectations in his fifth season after nearly recording a .500 season in 2015 at 7-8 overall. The Tigers finished ninth of 12 in the conference, where Rochester Mayo captured the team title. “I expect us to be very competitive this season,” Dyrdal said. “Our goal is to be the best we can be. We will focus on giving a great effort every day in practice and during matches, having positive attitudes, and demonstrating incredible sportsmanship.”
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All-area SPRING 2016
cALENDAR April 14 (THU) Baseball: Albert Lea at Mankato West, 5 p.m. Lyle-Pacelli at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Schaeffer Academy, 4:30 p.m. NRHEG at Maple River, 5 p.m. Blooming Prairie at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger at St. Clair, 4:15 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in triangular at Nashua-Plainfield, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in invitational at Red Wing, 12:30 p.m. Softball: Mankato West at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Lyle-Pacelli at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Faribault at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: NorthwoodKensett at Lake Mills, 5 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Northwood-Kensett at North Iowa, 5 p.m. April 15 (FRI) Baseball: NRHEG at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Lyle-Pacelli, 4:30 p.m. United South Central at JanesvilleWaldorf-Pemberton, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: United South Central at St. Clair, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Triangular at Lake Mills, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in tournament at Faribault, 10 a.m. St. Clair at United South Central, 4:30 p.m. Softball: United South Central at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger at Blue Earth, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Lake Mills in meet at Northwood-Kensett, 5 p.m. April 16 (SAT) Boys’ golf: Alden-Conger in tournament at Blooming Prairie, 9 a.m. Softball: Albert Lea in tournament at St. Clair, 9 a.m. Alden-Conger in invitational at GlenvilleEmmons, 9 a.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea in triangular at Rochester Mayo, 9 a.m. April 18 (MON) Baseball: Alden-Conger at Martin Luther/ Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, 5 p.m. Mabel-Canton at Glenville-Emmons, 4:30 p.m. Medford at NRHEG, 5 p.m. Bethlehem Academy at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger in tournament at Bethlehem Academy, 12:30 p.m. Lake Mills in quad at North Iowa,
4:15 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in quad at Nora Springs, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Mankato West at Albert Lea, 2:30 p.m. Softball: Bethlehem Academy at United South Central, 5 p.m. April 19 (TUE) Baseball: Owatonna at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea at Mankato West, 2:30 p.m. United South Central in meet at NRHEG, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Albert Lea at Owatonna, 5 p.m. Martin County West at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Blue Earth at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Winona, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills at Belmond-Klemme, 5 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in invitational at Charles City, 5 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Meet at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, 4:30 p.m. Northwood-Kensett at Garner-HayfieldVentura, 4:30 p.m. April 21 (THU) Baseball: Blooming Prairie at NRHEG, 5 p.m. Maple River at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Northwood-Kensett in meet at Central Springs, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: NRHEG in meet at United South Central, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Mabel-Canton at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. United South Central at Hayfield, 6 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea at Rochester Century, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: NorthwoodKensett in meet at North Iowa, 5 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Northwood-Kensett in meet at Nashua-Plainfield, 4:30 p.m. April 22 (FRI) Baseball: Houston at Glenville-Emmons, 4:30 p.m. United South Central at Blue Earth, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea in triangular at Mankato, 2:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger in tournament at Southland, 3 p.m. Madelia at United South Central, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills in triangular at Eagle Grove, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Girls in invitational at Ridges at Sand Creek, noon Softball: Madelia-Truman at AldenConger, 5 p.m. Blue Earth at NRHEG, 6:15 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Kasson-Mantorville, 4:30 p.m.
14 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Invitational at United South Central/ Alden-Conger, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Lake Mills at Belmond-Klemme, 5 p.m. April 23 (SAT) Baseball: Northfield doubleheader at Albert Lea, noon Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in invitational at Ridges at Sand Creek, noon Softball: Albert Lea doubleheader at Northfield, noon United South Central in tournament at Nicollet, 10 a.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea triangular, 9 a.m. April 25 (MON) Boys’ golf: Albert Lea in invitational at Byron Somerby, 11 a.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger at Leroy-Ostrander, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills in triangular at West Hancock, 4:15 p.m. Meet at Northwood-Kensett, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea triangular, 2:30 p.m. Softball: Alden-Conger at GlenvilleEmmons, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Mankato West at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: Meet at Northwood-Kensett, 5 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Meet at Lake Mills, 5 p.m. April 26 (TUE) Baseball: Austin at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Schaeffer Academy at GlenvilleEmmons, 4:30 p.m. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: United South Central at St. Peter, TBD Boys’ and girls’ golf: Granada-HuntleyEast Chain at Alden-Conger, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Albert Lea at Austin, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at St. Clair, 5 p.m. United South Central at WatervilleElysian-Morristown, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea at Stewartville, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Mankato West, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger at Maple River, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Owatonna, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills vs. Forest City at Waldorf College, 4:30 p.m. April 28 (THU) Baseball: Albert Lea at Rochester John Marshall, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Loyola Catholic, 5 p.m. NRHEG at Faribault Academies, 5 p.m. United South Central at Medford, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: NRHEG in meet at United South Central, 4:30 p.m.
Boys’ and girls’ golf: Madelia at AldenConger, 4:30 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in triangular at Osage, 4 p.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea at Rochester John Marshall, 2:30 p.m. Softball: Rochester John Marshall at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea at Owatonna, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Northwood-Kensett in meet at North Union, 4:30 p.m. April 29 (FRI) Baseball: Glenville-Emmons at AldenConger, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: United South Central vs. Alden-Conger, 4:30 p.m. Lake Mills in triangular at Forest City, 4:15 p.m. Softball: NRHEG at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Lyle-Pacelli, 4:30 p.m. Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s at United South Central, 5:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger at Hamline University, TBD Lake Mills at Hampton-Dumont, 4:30 p.m. April 30 (SAT) Boys’ golf: Lake Mills in tournament at West Hancock, 8 a.m. Girls’ golf: Lake Mills in tournament at Clarion-Goldfield, 9 a.m. May 2 (MON) Baseball: NRHEG at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: United South Central at Triton, TBD Triangular at Lake Mills, 4:15 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in meet at St. Ansgar, 4:15 p.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in triangular at Winona, TBD Softball: Kasson-Mantorville at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Blooming Prairie, 5 p.m. United South Central at NRHEG, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Lake Mills at West Hancock, 4:30 p.m. Northwood-Kensett in meet at GarnerHayfield-Ventura, 4:30 p.m. May 3 (TUE) Baseball: Faribault at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at United South Central, 5 p.m. Randolph at Glenville-Emmons, 4:30 p.m. NRHEG at Zumbrota-Mazeppa, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea in triangular at Faribault, 2:30 p.m. United South Central in meet at Blooming Prairie, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ golf: United South Central in
tournament at St. Peter, TBD Softball: Albert Lea at Faribault, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Loyola-Catholic, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Fairmont at Albert Lea, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ track and field: Albert Lea meet, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger at Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Mankato West, 4:30 p.m. May 5 (THU) Baseball: Mankato West at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Nicollet at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Spring Grove, 4:30 p.m. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at NRHEG, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: St. Clair at AldenConger, 4:30 p.m. Girls’ golf: United South Central in meet at NRHEG, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Albert Lea at NRHEG, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Madelia-Truman, 5 p.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea at Winona, 4:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Lake Mills in conference meet at North Union, 4 p.m. Conference meet at Northwood-Kensett, 4 p.m. May 6 (FRI) Baseball: Albert Lea at Byron, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Glenville-Emmons, 5 p.m. United South Central at Lake CrystalWellcome Memorial, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger at Fairmont, 4:30 p.m. May 9 (MON) Baseball: Cleveland at Glenville-Emmons, 4:30 p.m. United South Central at Jackson, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea triangular, 2:30 p.m. Lake Mills in conference meet at Spring Valley, 10 a.m.
Boys’ and girls’ golf: Northwood-Kensett in conference meet at Nashua-Plainfield, 10 a.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in triangular at Northfield, 2:30 p.m. Lake Mills in conference meet at BelmondKlemme, 10 a.m. May 10 (TUE) Baseball: Albert Lea at Owatonna, 5 p.m. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton at AldenConger, 5 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Mabel-Canton, 4:30 p.m. Maple River at NRHEG, 5 p.m. United South Central at Blooming Prairie, 5 p.m. Softball: Owatonna at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Nicollet at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Blooming Prairie at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in Section True Team at Winona, 3 p.m. Meet at United South Central/AldenConger, TBD May 12 (THU) Baseball: Albert Lea doubleheader at Mankato East, 4 p.m. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial at AldenConger, 5 p.m. NRHEG at Medford, 5 p.m. United South Central at Bethlehem Academy, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Triangular at AldenConger, 4:30 p.m. United South Central in meet at Faribault, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Mankato East doubleheader at Albert Lea, 4 p.m. Alden-Conger at Janesville-WaldorfPemberton, 5 p.m. United South Central at Bethlehem Academy, 5 p.m.
Boys’ and girls’ track and field: District meet at Northwood-Kensett, 4 p.m. May 13 (FRI) Baseball: Loyola Catholic at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Lyle-Pacelli at Glenville-Emmons, 4:30 p.m. NRHEG at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Alden-Conger at JanesvilleWaldorf-Pemberton, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Glenville-Emmons at AldenConger, 5 p.m. NRHEG at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 4:30 p.m. May 14 (SAT) Baseball: PACT Charter at NRHEG, noon Softball: United South Central in tournament at Jackson, 9 a.m. Boys’ tennis: Albert Lea in Big Nine Conference tournament at Rochester Outdoor Tennis Center, 9 a.m. May 16 (MON) Baseball: Alden-Conger at Nicollet, 5 p.m. NRHEG at Blooming Prairie, 5 p.m. United South Central at Maple River, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea in quad at Austin, 2:30 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: United South Central in tournament at Waseca, TBD Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in quad at Rochester Mayo, 2:30 p.m. Softball: Albert Lea at Rochester Century, 5 p.m. NRHEG at Blooming Prairie, 4:30 p.m. Maple River at United South Central, 5 p.m. Girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Winona, 4:30 p.m. May 17 (TUE) Baseball: Albert Lea at Winona, 5 p.m. Cleveland at Alden-Conger, 5 p.m. Glenville-Emmons at Houston, 4:30 p.m.
Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger at Madelia, 4:30 p.m. Granada-Huntley-East Chain at United South Central, TBD Softball: Winona at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial at AldenConger, 5 p.m. Boys’ track and field: Albert Lea in meet at Northfield, 4:15 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Conference meet at United South Central/AldenConger, 4:30 p.m. May 19 (THU) Baseball: Rochester Mayo at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: United South Central in tournament at Waseca, 10 a.m. Softball: Albert Lea at Rochester Mayo, 5 p.m. May 20 (FRI) Baseball: Rochester Century at Albert Lea, 5 p.m. Alden-Conger at Blooming Prairie, 4:30 p.m. St. Clair at United South Central, 4 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea invitational, 1 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: Alden-Conger at St. Clair, 4:30 p.m. Softball: Alden-Conger in conference tournament at St. Clair, 4:30 p.m. May 21 (SAT) Boys’ golf: Albert Lea invitational, 8:30 a.m. Boys’ and girls’ track and field: United South Central/Alden-Conger in tournament at Stillwater, TBD May 23 (MON) Baseball: Nicollet at United South Central, 5 p.m. Boys’ golf: Albert Lea in Big Nine Conference meet at Rochester Northern Hills Golf Course, 10 a.m. Girls’ golf: Albert Lea in Big Nine Conference meet at Northfield, 10 a.m. May 24 (TUE) Baseball: NRHEG at Blue Earth, 5 p.m. Boys’ and girls’ golf: United South Central at Blue Earth, 4:30 p.m. May 27 (FRI) Boys’ and girls’ track and field: Albert Lea in Big Nine Conference meet at Faribault, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 15
Glenville-Emmons
USC/A-C
softball
Track&Field By Sarah Stultz
By Colleen Harrison
W
ith the return of two powerful starters, the Wolverines plan to be contenders this year. The Glenville-Emmons softball team will return juniors Kayla Gerber and Lani Poole, who will also be the team’s captains. Gerber called the Wolverines’ games last year as their catcher, and also led the team in batting with a .500 average and a .677 slugging percentage. Shortstop and pitcher
Kent Viesselman / Coach
Poole was second on last season’s team in RBIs and stolen bases. Other returning letter Mackenzie Hanssen / of
winners are Savanah Schipper (second base, shortstop); Daniela Rizo (third base); Zoe Gerlach (outfield); Mackenzie Hanssen (outfield); Hailey Lau (outfield); Kennedy Severtson (out-
5-year Glance SEASON OVERALL CONF. 2014-15 5-8 4-3 2013-14 1-10 1-5 2012-13 6-8 2-3 2011-12 2-15 1-7 2010-11 5-10 4-4 Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net
field, pitcher); and Jadelyn Williamson (outfield, infield). GlenvilleEmmons will miss the presence of pitcher Madi Ziebell and first baseman Rachel Hagen. Hagen had
a .892 fielding average and Ziebell was a three-year All-Conference selection, two-year Most Valuable Player and First Team All-Area, and led the Southeast Conference in strikeouts. Without any seniors on the team this season, the Wolverines’ prospects for next year look bright, as well. “My expectations for the team: Work hard, come to practice every night with the drive to improve each and everyday,” said Wolverines coach Lisa Ziebell. “To push one another G-E SOFTBALL / PAGE 17
16 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
T
hough the United South Central/ Alden-Conger boys’ and girls’ track and field teams will have a large number of new members this year, head coach Kent Viesselman said he remains optimistic for the season. “It’ll definitely be an interesting year,” said Viesselman, who has coached for more than 50 seasons. “Approximately half of both the girls’ and boys’ rosters are new to the program. We’ll be spending a large part of the early season sorting things out.” Expected to lead the girls’ team are Beth Stevermer, Caitlyn Klocek, Claire Christianson and Katherine Cory. Viesselman said these four girls were the top three through seven scorers on last year’s team. Also scoring in the top 10 last year were Tyra Johnson and Hope Hendrickson. “This gives us a nice nucleus to USC/A-C TRACK / PAGE 17
Glenville-Emmons
baseball
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his season will be the Wolverines’ first time having a varsity baseball team since 2011. At the helm for their first year back is Lucas Knutson, who coached the JV baseball team the past two seasons. Without having lost any key players from last year’s JV roster, the GlenvilleEmmons team has bright prospects heading into this season. Juniors Derek Van Ryswyk and Carter Dahlum are both left-handed and have great pitching potential, according to Knutson. He said the team will have shortstop Seth Chapek and catcher Zach Jacobson, who he
said are both solid hitters, along with Van Ryswyk and Dahlum. The Wolverines will also have Hunter Robertson as another option on the mound, Knutson said. “We are trying to build a program back up and give kids a chance to play a great game like baseball,” he said. “We will be short on numbers and experience, but we do have some talent and potential. We will look to improve throughout the season and have some fun.” Knutson considers Mabel-Canton, Lyle/Pacelli, Houston and Randolph to be Southeast Conference favorites. He said Lewiston-Altura and Chatfield have won the last two Section 1 titles.
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G-E SOFTBALL / PAGE 16 to become better, but build on the team concept while doing so.” Ziebell, in her 14th year at the helm for the Wolverines, will be assisted by Jim Smith. She sees Randolph and Blooming Prairie as conference and section favorites. While Ziebell thinks her team’s weakness is in its players being younger, she believes its smaller numbers act as a strength by providing more one-on-one practice time to add to their success. She wants her team to have fun and to play as a team — as she hopes they do every year — and to play good defense with the help of some aggressive offense. Ziebell also thinks smart base running and playing the short game — bunting, slapping, being aggressive on the bases — are vital keys to potential success for the Glenville-Emmons team.
USC/A-C TRACK / PAGE 16 build around,” he said. “It appears we will also have some rookies that will contribute. For sure, we’ll be stronger in the relays this year.” The boys’ team, which was Gopher Conference champion in 2015, will be without six of its top 10 scorers from last year. Among those returning are Jeven Poland, Roel Perales, Thomas Mantor and Chris Mulholland. “We’ll have some pretty good events, but we’ll also have some serious holes in our lineup — most noticeably the hurdles, which has always been a strong event for us,” Viesselman said.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 17
Lake Mills
Track Field
Brianna Holstad / hurdles
&
By Sam Wilmes
T
he Lake Mills boys’ track and field team is looking to rebuild in the Top of Iowa West Conference with a solid core of upperclassmen. In Dan Rice’s 14th season at the helm, the Bulldogs return 12 letter winners. Rice said senior Krister Beal is the team’s most decorated returning letter winner. A state The Bulldogs return four state qualifiers. qualifier in the Boys: Krister Beal and Max 3200-meter run in Bergo 2014 and a 2015 Girls: Brianna Holstad and cross country state Lexi Groe qualifier, Rice added that he believes Beal is the team’s most dedicated out-of-season runner. The Bulldogs will rely heavily on Max Bergo, a state qualifier in the 2014 shuttle hurdle relay and 4x400 relay; as well as sophomore Gabe Irons and juniors Charlie Dugger and Slade Sifuentes in various events. The Bulldogs will look to replace Josh Peters and Scott Aamodt in distance events; and Alex Lau and Sean Smalley in sprints. Other returning letter winners are sophomores Alex Albert, a middle distance runner; thrower Cole Bergo; sprinter and hurdler Grant Fjelstad; junior sprinters Thomas Canny, Parker Eaton and Luke Groe; and senior Grant Boehmer. Rice said team strengths include
State Skills
distance, hurdles and discus events. He said the team will look to continue to build the athletes up as the season progresses to make a run at state in several events. Rice will be assisted by Parker Comention and Matt Daniels.
Lake Mills
girls set goals
The Lake Mills girls’ track and field
18 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
team is looking to finish in the top of every meet and compete at state in several events. “This group of girls are hard-working and dedicated to improve their skills,” Lake Mills coach Becky Dahn said. The Bulldogs are classified as 2A this year. Dahn said the team will not LAKE MILLS TRACK / PAGE 28
Lake Mills
Golf By Sarah Stultz
A
fter finishing fifth in conference action and third in sections last year, the Lake Mills boys’ golf team looks to continue to improve this season. Head coach Lyle Thomson, who is in his 27th year of coaching, said the key to success for his team is for his players to give their best efforts. In the past five years, the team’s best finish was eighth at the state tournament. Lake Mills’ record last year was 24-15. This year, the team lost Cody Haugo to graduation. Haugo made district play and was a medalist numerous times last season. Thomson said he has a young team that he hopes will find success as it gets more experience. He said conference favorites are Algona Garrigan and Eagle Grove.
Building
last year. Head coach Brady Kurtz said the team had its best finish in the last five years in 2015, when it finished sixth out of 11 teams in the Top of Iowa Conference. Returning letter winners this year are sophomore and All-Conference player Claire Grothe, juniors Jewell Gasteiger and Madison Westcott, and senior Emily Orban. Kurtz said though the team is somewhat inexperienced as a whole, the key to the team’s success will be consistency. The team finished 25-15 last year. Kurtz is in his second year as head coach. He said conference favorites are Garner-Hayfield/Ventura and Bishop Garrigan.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 19
USC
USC
baseball
softball
By Colleen Harrison
By Colleen Harrison
R
iding a steady Trevor stencel / p, of streak of winning seasons over the past three years, the Rebels will look to continue the burgeoning tradition this year. Led by Pat Frank in his 10th year at the helm, assistant coaches for the United South Central baseball team will be Todd Rasmussen, Pierre Stencel and Adam Slander. With the loss of AllConference players Riley Kloos, Cody Latusek and Colin Wegner, along with three-year starter Matt Harpestad, the Rebels may have a few holes to fill in the lineup. Frank said he expects those holes to diminish throughout the season, especially with the return of letter winners Grant Becher year starter who was All-Conference (shortstop); Trevor last season, is key to the Rebels’ Stencel (pitcher, defense, according to Frank. outfielder); Jorden Frank expects his team to be comKirkeide (right petitive for the Gopher Conference SEASON OVERALL CONF. fielder); Derek title. He thinks conference favorites 2014-15 14-8 7-5 2013-14 10-6 7-2 Herman (desigare most likely Maple River, 2012-13 12-6 8-3 nated hitter, outWaterville-Elysian-Morristown and 2011-12 11-12 4-7 fielder); and Ryan Faribault-Bethlehem Academies; 2010-11 12-7 8-3 Kloos (third basewhile Section 1A favorites could be Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net man, pitcher). Lewiston-Altura, Kenyon-Wanamingo Becher, a fouror Chatfield.
5-year Glance
20 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Kia Legred / cf
W
ith most of last year’s starters returning, the Rebels will look to be contenders in the Gopher Conference this season. The United South Central softball team will be without All-Conference and All-Section pitcher Taylor Schultz, but will return Leah Johnson, Kia Legred, Tessla Morton, Danielle Johannsen, Lilly Gonsalez and Erin Engebretson. Johnson, a senior, returns to third base after being named All Conference last season. Rebels coach Shannon Albers described her as a strong fielder who is smart at the plate and brings aggressive base running to the team. Albers said senior Legred, a centerfielder, is a good glove to have in the outfield and is a strong RBI hitter. “With losing two seniors from last year, we should have most of the same team back. Our biggest shoes to fill will be on the mound, after graduating Taylor Schultz last year,” Albers said. “Otherwise, these girls are USC SOFTBALL / PAGE 23
USC
Golf By Sarah Stultz
C
oming off of a sixth-place finish at state last year, the United South Central boys’ golf team looks to improve even further this year. The Rebels were Gopher Conference and Section 2AA champions last year, and will return this season with defending state champion and senior Ryan Pederson. Other returning letter winners are senior Nick Neubauer, junior Devon Archer, sophomore Aaron Schaper and freshman Blake Legred. The team lost All-State player Nate Pederson to graduation. Brad Huse, who is in his fifth year as head coach at the school, said the team’s experience will be its strength this season. He hopes the players get better each time they play. He said the key to success will be for his players to cut down their strokes around the green. He is also looking for third and fourth scorers who can be consistent. The USC team and Faribault Bethlehem Academies are the conference favorites, with FBA being the section favorite.
An
experienced team
Huse, who also coaches the girls’ team,
GO REBELS!
Ryan Pederson / Golf
said he expects the team to be competitive in every meet this spring. Returning letter winners are seniors Katelyn Loegering, Kendall Stenzel and Isabel Schindler; junior Kate Koestler; and sophomores Morgan Pyzick and Maddie Hart. The team lost Kyley Bullerman, All-Conference and state participant, to graduation. Despite the loss, the team has a lot of varsity experience, and Huse said he hopes to cut down their strokes around the green. USC’s best finish in the last five years came in 2014 when the team went to state. Conference favorites this year are USC and Blooming Prairie, and the section favorites are Springfield and New Ulm Cathedral. Huse will be assisted on both teams by Rob Stevermer.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 21
Northwood-Kensett
Track&Field By Colleen Harrison
W
ith the return of eight state qualifiers, the Vikings look to be serious contenders in boys’ track and field. Northwood-Kensett will see the return of state champion Tom Yezek (discus), who also placed third in last season’s Drake Relays; as well as the return of state qualifiers Scott Hengesteg (sprintThe Vikings return eight ing and relay state qualifiers for the events); Sully boys’ team and seven state Reyerson (hurdles); qualifiers for the girls’ team Josh Einertson from last year. (4x400 meters and 4x2); Mason Olson (4x2); Caleb Kliment (4x4); Jalin Davis (shuttle hurdles); and Cade Tindall (shuttle hurdles). While the Vikings will be without Coleby Bratrud, who was a state qualifier in three relays last season, coach David Capitani — who is in his 21st year at the helm — expects his athletes to be solid in most events.
State Skills
Vikings
look to conquer
The Northwood-Kensett girls’ track and field team will return seven state qualifiers from last year. The Vikings will see the return of state qualifiers Shelby Low (long jump); Hattie Davidson (running and relay events); Ashlyn Schaefer (4x4, 4x2); Terran Haberman (4x2 relay); Callie Christiansen (4x4); Mackenzie Duvall (4x2 and 4x4); and Dusti Bratrud (discus). Seniors Low and N-K TRACK / PAGE 23 22 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Tom Yezek / discus
Northwood-Kensett
Golf By Sam Wilmes
T
Girls
he Northwood-Kensett boys’ golf team is coming off of a 7-16 finish last year. The Vikings return five letter winners: seniors Trace Carman, Kyle Stumo and Trevor Varner; and juniors Hayden Halbach and Nate Wilder. Coach Greg Parks is in his 20th season at the helm for the Vikings.
USC SOFTBALL / PAGE 20 hard workers and willing to play any position, which only makes them a better athlete, and they keep improving more each year.” USC is coming off of a 4-14 record overall last season, and a 1-5 Gopher Conference record. “We have really improved on our hitting and scored more runs last year, but we still left too many runners on base,” Albers said. “A lot of these girls have played varsity for two to three years already, so they are gaining more confidence and learning to play more aggressive at the varsity level against competitors.” The Rebels will face some different teams this season, as they’ve moved over from Section 2A last year to Section 1A this year. Albers, in her second year at the helm, believes Maple River, NRHEG and Faribault Bethlehem Academies will be conference favorites after having tied for first in the conference last year.
bring back winners
4
letter
The Northwood-Kensett girls’ golf team is looking to finish in the top half of the Top of Iowa Conference with a team led by returning letter winners. The Vikings are returning four letter winners of last year’s team, who finished with a 25-15 record: senior Aliyah Creger, and juniors Erika Heideman, Jocelyn Kluender and Miranda Stambaugh.
N-K TRACK / PAGE 22 Davidson are both previous Most Vaulable Player recipents, and sophomore Duvall received the Newcomer award last season. Other returning letter winners for the Vikings include Jenna Schaefer (12x8, discus); Tyra Sledge (sprints); Tegan Cotter (hurdles); Paige Olson (hurdles); Taylor Jorgenson (long jump, hurdles, sprints); Sarah Pederson (400, 800); and Ivy Rollene (800, 1500 and 3000). Ryan Severson will be coaching Northwood-Kensett for his 11th year, and will be assisted by Mike Kessel. Severson expects the Vikings to be competitive in the race for the district title once again this year, and thinks of his team as a section favorite along with West Hancock. According to Severson, the Vikings’ strengths are in their numbers, as well as in field and sprinting events. He believes the development of NorthwoodKensett’s distance runners and its freshmen are both keys to the program’s success, both this season and in seasons to come.
Heideman placed sixth in the conference last season and advanced to the second round of the regional tournament. The team is looking to replace Sam Butler. The Rockford girls’ golf team is a conference favorite, according to NorthwoodKensett coach Steve Hartman. Hartman has compiled a 277-223-8 record in his 15 seasons as head coach.
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 23
Alden-conger
Softball By Colleen Harrison
T
he Knights are looking to rebuild this year with a new coach after the loss of a few key players from last season. With former standouts Jessica Price (pitcher), Cassie Gilster (third base) and Kasey Knutson (catcher) having graduated, Alden-Conger will look to its returning players to lead the team. Senior catcher and outfielder Renae Linn and senior first baseman and pitcher Madison Erickson will be looked to for their hard work ethic and leadership, SEASON OVERALL CONF. according to coach 2014-15 5-10 2-7 Richard Lackey. 2013-14 9-4 6-3 Returning letter 2012-13 9-4 6-3 2011-12 11-4 7-3 winners for the 2010-11 6-10 2-8 Knights include Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net Linn and Erickson; infielders Abby Reyerson, Kelsey Newman and Miranda Theusch; and outfielder Elena Schewe, who was last year’s Most Improved Player. Freshman Erica Bute — who pitched all the eighth-grade AldenConger games last year — will see a lot of time pitching, according to Lackey. He also said Bute’s varsity leadership in volleyball and basketball will help settle her into the position of pitcher. Lackey said the varsity experience Linn, Erickson, Reyerson, Theusch, Schewe and Newman bring to the team will be key to the Knights’ success, and will be needed to help the
5-year Glance
Abby Reyerson / if
freshmen girls get ready for the varsity season. According to Alden-Conger Athletic Director Paul Ragatz, the Knights have moved from Section 2A to 1A, so it’s difficult to predict which teams could be section favorites. He said Valley Conference favorites will most likely be Mankato Loyola, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial and Martin County West. In his first year at the helm for
24 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Alden-Conger, Lackey said he hopes to have the girls keep working hard and to keep learning the game as they go to overcome some lack of experience and a lack of numbers on the team. He also looks to “continue the winning ways Gary Nelson has instilled in Alden-Conger softball,” he said. “Remember mistakes will happen, but if you push through them, we can still win,” Lackey said.
Alden-Conger
Alden-Conger
Baseball
golf By Sam Wilmes
By Colleen Harrison
A
Player and All-Conference fter being shutout from any
wins last season, the Knights are looking to “pick up a few wins while having fun,” according to baseball coach Sam Hintz. Hintz, in his sixth year at the helm for Alden-Conger, said his team’s strength this year will be defense up the middle, with batting being the team’s potential weak-
Honorable Mention from last season. He leads the team’s defense with a .950 fielding average and is the Knights’ leading hitter with a .438 batting average. Hintz said Mankato Loyola, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton and Martin Luther/Granada-HuntleyEast Chain will be likely Valley Conference favorites.
T
he Alden-Conger boys’ and girls’ golf teams are looking to finish in the top third of the Valley Conference with consistency this season. Four letter winners are returning for the Knights: All-Conference Honorable Mention selection Jordan Hallman, and Bryce Banton, Ryan Hansen and Derek Minear. The boys will look to replace graduate Eli Hallman, an A-C GOLF / PAGE 28
ness. With the loss of four-year starters Brady Neel, Ty Lerum and Wyatt Ladwig from last season, the Knights will rely heavily on
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Wednesday, April 13, 2016 • spring SPORTS YEARBOOK | 25
NRHEG
NRHEG
baseball
golf By Sam Wilmes
By Colleen Harrison
T
W
ith a history of improving records for the last three seasons, the NRHEG baseball teams will look to continue the trend this year. Finishing with an overall record of 7-14 and a Gopher Conference record of 5-7 last season, the Panthers will be led by coach Drew Paukert in his second year as head coach. Paukert will be assisted by Ryan Tri. While the Panthers will likely feel the loss of key players Trevor Tracy, Matt Jensen and Dakota Thiele from last season, there will be a number of standSEASON OVERALL CONF. out players return2014-15 7-14 5-7 ing to round out 2013-14 4-10 4-5 NRHEG’s roster. 2012-13 5-10 4-6 Returning letter 2011-12 17-4 10-1 2010-11 7-13 3-8 winners for the Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net Panthers will be senior infielders John Hubly, Trai Wicks and CJ Schiltz; senior outfielders Palmer Peterson and Dempsey Tucker; and sophomore fielder Cole Staloch. Hubly led the team in both batting and fielding percentage last year. As a junior he hit .370 with 16 RBIs. He also had an on-base percentage of .425 and led the infield defensively, committing only four errors on the season
5-year Glance
Palmer Peterson / of
at third base and shortstop. He also won the team’s Golden Glove and Golden Bat awards last year, and was a member of the Gopher Conference’s All-Conference team. Staloch became a full-time starter halfway through his freshman season last year. According to Paukert, the sophomore might be the most versatile player the Panthers have on the roster this season. The coach said Staloch has the ability to play all nine positions effectively, and that he hit .360 as a freshman. Outfielder and pitcher Tucker threw 39 innings last year as a junior. He posted a 4.7 ERA as a junior and led the team with 40 strikeouts. “Dempsey was a solid pitcher for us last year,” Paukert said. “We look for his role to increase this year on the mound, taking the ball in a lot of our big games.” NRHEG BASEBALL / PAGE 28
26 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
he NRHEG boys’ golf team is looking to use good numbers to recapture the Gopher Conference title. The Panthers finished with a 15-10 overall record last season, and placed seventh in the 2AA South subsection tournament. Brad Root, NRHEG head boys’ and girls’ golf coach, said the team is set on six varsity spots, and added that the team has pretty good skills but needs to work on the mental side of the game, course management and consistency. The Panthers will feature returning letter winners Lucas Herrmann, Nick Schultz, Spencer Enger, Rob Jewett, Atom Oquist and Ethan Thompson. Other players include juniors Tyler Raimann, Luis Gaoren and Jake Holtz; sophomores Chris Stenzel and Aaron Olson; freshman Jadyn Surat; and underclassmen Michiah VanSykel and Ethan Thompson. Root is aiming for the Panthers to have an All-Conference selection this year, and wants this year to be a stepping stone for his golfers. “We want them to learn the game so they can enjoy it through their life,” he said. He said he wants the team to evolve throughout the season. “We need to move from being practice players to tournament players,” Root said. “Making sure they are prepared for whatever weather conditions exist, as well as dealing with situations on the course will be a priority.” NRHEG GOLF / PAGE 28
NRHEG
NRHEG
Softball
Track&Field By Sarah Stultz
By Colleen Harrison
I
A
fter finishing the last five seasons with winning records, the Panthers will look to do the same yet again this season. Wendy Schulz, who has been at the helm for the NRHEG softball team from 1993-2004 and again from 20102014, will once again coach the Panthers. Kate Quam will coach the junior varsity softball team. The team will have some adjustments to make after the loss of key players Kelli Harrington, Anna Stork, Alyssa Esplan, Ryann Hagen and Jade Peterson. According to SEASON OVERALL CONF. Schulz, the roster 2014-15 12-4 5-1 changes will mean 2013-14 14-8 9-1 younger players 2012-13 9-5 9-3 2011-12 16-4 7-3 playing in different 2010-11 10-9 7-5 positions than last Courtesy of Minnesota-Scores.net season. The Panthers will have some returning starters, though, with the return of AllConference pitcher Anna Lundberg, a senior; and All-Conference infielder Kayley Camerer, a junior. Other returning starters include junior infielders Rachel Collins and Grace Johns, and senior outfielder Torrie Stencel. Collins was awarded Most
5-year Glance
n Duey Ferber’s 26th season at the helm, the NRHEG boys’ and girls’ track and field teams hope to finish in the top half of both their conference and subsection. Last year, the girls’ team finished fourth in both the Gopher Conference and Subsection 5A, and this year, Ferber said the team will have an enthusiastic group of girls. Though they are young, they will try to get better every day, the coach said. He anticipates the team to be strongest in the hurdles, in short and middle distances and in high and long jumps. NRHEG TRACK / PAGE 28 Grace Johns / if
Improved Player last season, and Johns was the recipient of the Oil Can Award. Schulz said she considers junior Natalie Aaseth to be a potential standout player this year, as well. Schulz said she expects the Panthers to finish in the top half of the Gopher Conference, and to “continue to improve throughout the season and be playing our best softball during playoffs.” She believes her team’s strong work ethic, speed and team unity will help NRHEG to achieve those goals. Last season, the Panthers finished 12-4 overall and 5-1 in the Gopher Conference. According to Schulz, the conference favorites this season will likely be Maple River, WatervilleElysian-Morristown and Blooming Prairie, as she believes all three are teams that are well-coached.
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NRHEG BASEBALL / PAGE 26 While Paukert said one of his team’s weaknesses is pitching experience, he said the team brings back experience from last season in other positions. “Our biggest key for success this year will be to develop some depth in our pitching staff,” he said. “Dempsey
Tucker returns off of last year’s staff with 38 innings. We have a talented arm in Jack Schultz that we hope can develop into a solid 1-2 punch for us this season. If we can find a few more arms to provide us with depth, we have a chance to be a very competitive ball club.”
A-C GOLF / PAGE 25 All-Conference selection, Most Valuable Player and section qualifier. Co-head coaches Bob Hansen and Doug Johnson hope the girls’ team will be able to capture the conference title with five returning letter
winners: All-Conference selections Elynn Johnson and Annika Reibe; All-Conference Honorable Mention selection Lexi Jahnke; and Sydney Chicos and Autumn Soost. Johnson has coached the Knights for five seasons; this year is Hansen’s first season.
NRHEG TRACK / PAGE 27 The Panthers will be led by senior throwers Emily Eder and Sophia Fischer, distance runner Katherine Lewer and hurdler Hailey Schuller, who also participates in the long jump and sprint relays. Other returning letter winners are junior sprinters and relay runners Gretchen Ramaker, Maddie Wagner and Marnie Wagner. The Wagner sisters also participate in the high jump. Sophomore letter winners are Katie Crabtree, a middle-distance runner; Kelly Harden, a middle-distance runner and hurdler; and Erin Van Wilgen, a sprinter and relay runner. Freshmen are Hailey Westrum and Maddie Bartlett, both of whom are distance and relay runners. Eighth-graders are Grace Kofstad, a sprinter and relay runner; and Annie Prigge, Micaela Vaale and Mia Williams, who are all distance and relay runners. The team lost distance runner Sandra Quezada to graduation.
team lost seniors Kevin Kalis, Keith Maxon and Todd Erickson to graduation. He said the team will be strongest in the throwing events and middle distances, and noted that the upperclassmen will be great examples for the younger team members to follow. Returning letter winners are senior middle-distance and relay runners John Cole, Nathan Krause and Tyler Schlaak; sprinters Zach Mely and Aaron Seath; and thrower Zeke Erickson. Cole is also a distance runner, and Mely is a relay runner. Junior returning letter winners are middle-distance and relay runner Josh Flemming and sprinter and relay runner Noah Sletten. Brenden McMann, a sophomore, will participate in distance running and the pole vault. Also participating will be freshman Brady Agrimson and eighth-grader Agro Gushwa. Ferber will be assisted on both teams by Chuck Crabtree, Jay Crabtree and Corrine Schuller. Volunteer Raece Johnson will assist the boys’ team.
NRHEG
boys teach by example
On the boys’ side, Ferber said the
28 | spring SPORTS YEARBOOK • Wednesday, April 13, 2016
NRHEG GOLF / PAGE 26
Panthers
look to continue success
The NRHEG girls’ golf team is looking to have a solid showing at the Gopher Conference tournament and at subsection after a strong season last year. The Panthers were 9-2 last year, finished second in the conference and sixth at the 2AA South subsection tournament. The Panthers return seven starters from last year’s team. Returning starters are seniors Jessica Nafe, Bayli Possin and Grace Logan; juniors Jill Jongbloedt; and sophomores Lauren Herrmann, Tali Wayne and Kyra Possin. Senior Grace Logan will also golf. Root said the girls will have to show the right intangibles to be successful. “The girls need to be mentally tough and focused this year,” Root said. “We are counting on continued improvement in all our girls.” He said he wants to make sure they are prepared for whatever weather conditions exist, and he will work on golf rules and etiquette so golfers will be knowledgeable and welcome wherever the team travels to play. “As always, we want our student athletes to enjoy the sport and have fun, while at the same time representing our school well,” Root said. Pat Churchill and Al Schultz are the assistant coaches for the boys’ and girls’ teams.
LAKE MILLS TRACK / PAGE 18 have the numbers most of the competing schools have. The Bulldogs return 10 letter winners, including junior Lexi Groe. Groe, who made it to state last year in the 400 hurdles, has made it to state in three events in the last two years. As a freshman she was a state qualifier in the 4x400 and 400 hurdles. Groe will compete in the 200-800 meter races, hurdles and high jump this season. Senior Brianna Holstad will run sprints and hurdles. The junior class will be led by sprinters Mallory Baumann, Rylee Bowman and Rachel Holst. Baumann also competes in the hurdles.
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