SoMINN SPRING SPORTS 2024

Le Sueur-Henderson softball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Eric Lewis, 25 years

Assistant coach: Anne Lewis, 12th year

Assistant coach: Emily Wentzlaff, 17th year

Assistant Coach: Lauren Gregersen 2nd year

Assistant Coach: Sara Milam 3rd year

KEY PLAYERS

Returning Varsity players that have started for the Giants include:

Brianna Jones

Morgan Gregersen Kelsey Wetzel

Bailey Lehman

D’Lisa Gonzalez

Teagan Graham

Abby Lewis

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have a young group of kids, with only three seniors and one junior.

D’Lisa Flroes has been in the defensive lineup during each of the past two seasons and she’s just a sophomore. Teagan Graham is a two year starter and only a freshman, and Abby Lewis started last year as a 7th grader. But we have some super athletic kids with Kenna

Lexi Factor. (file photo)

Andresen, Anyssa Christ, and Tori Hutton who will all have the opportunity to find a role.

2023 RECAP

MRC Conference Champs

Section 2AA Champs-We had a really strong section last year. In which we were seeded fourth. We really felt fortunate to come out of it, as there were so many good teams; New Ulm, Belle Plaine, Fairmont and LCWM. We thought all of them would’ve represented the Section well in the state tournament. That was as good as we’ve seen the Section top to bottom.

3rd place finish in Class AA State tournament. The state tournament is always tough. So many teams, so many good competitors. We were proud of our finish and how we grew throughout the course of the year.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goal every year is to be better on the last day we play then we were at the beginning. That is our sole focus.

COMPETITION

Our conference and section

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Justin Lerfald, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Lexi Franek, 4th year

Assistant coach: Jaime Harmon, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Richelle Brokl, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Nikaija Young, 1st year

ROSTER

Emme Beer, 9 - 1B/OF

Nicole Cooper, 9 - 2nd/Utility

Elaine Fink, 9 - C

Kira Lind, 9- SS/P

Jocelyn Westlie, 9 - SS/P

Laynee Blaschko, 10SS/2B/OF

Cristina Cruz, 10 - C/1B/3B

Malena Espinoza, 10 - C/OF

Lucy Fleek, 10 - OF

Taylor Haecherl, 10 - 3B/OF

Claire Hoefs, 10 - P/SS/2B

Caleigh Hoefs, 10 - P/Utility

Isabella Jones, 10 - P/SS/2B

Emily Kuckinka, 10 - 2B/OF

Ella Schmiesing, 10 - 1B/3B

Lily Traxler, 10 - C/3B

Elle Zvanovec, 10 - 3B

Valeria Ledesma, 10 - OF

Anne Cooper, 11 - 3B/OF

Tayla Kline, 11 - OF

Avery Lerfald, 11 - 1B/OF

Emma Skluzacek, 11SS/2B/OF

Audrey Vosejpka, 11 - OF

Sophie Whipps, 11 - OF/2B

Lexi Factor, 12 - SS/OF

have been really good these past 10 years or so. I would expect in the conference Belle Plaine, and TCU both to be really good.

In our Section there are a number of teams that have an opportunity to represent 2AA in the state tournament.

I’d think Belle Plaine, LCWM are both in the front of that pack.

BY THE NUMBERS

7- returning starters

10 - returning letter winners 3 - seniors

Morgan Fredrickson, 123B/DP

Molly Michaels, 12 - P/2B

Mallorie Plut, 12 - 2B/OF

Adison Schroer, 12 - P/OF

Alison Weydert, 12 - OF

KEY PLAYERS

We have a great group of players that are working hard for a common goal. Seniors Adison Schroer, Lexi Factor, Mallorie Plut, Alison Weydert, and Morgan Fredrickson along with Juniors Avery Lerfald, Audrey Vosejpka, and Anne Cooper have all had tremendous growth

TRI-CITY SOFTBALL

CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Morgan Gregersen. (file photo)

Teagan Graham. (file photo)

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Co-Head coaches: Josten Coleman, five years (three in Northfield); Jason Mosley, one year as co-head coach and two as assistant coach.

Assistant coaches: Tim Hoernke, first year in Northfield (JV); Mary Franz, three years (9th/C-Squad); Bubba Sullivan, first year (9th/C-Squad)

KEY PLAYERS

These are our returning varsity players: Olivia Hohrman, Leah Enedy, Rita Langford and Samantha Mosley.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Kristen Hafemeyer, Emma Peroutka, Grace Mostad, Lindsey Erickson, Tatum Sawyer and Ellie Capatina.

2023 RECAP

In the Big 9 Conference last season, we finished with a record of 6-5, securing fifth place. Our performances were marked by intense competitiveness, with several games being decided in the final inning, although often with outcomes not in our favor against teams finishing higher. This year, we’re determined to improve our ability to close out tight contests and aim for better results.

ROSTER

8th #2 Kristen Hafemeyer P/ IF; 9th #26 Emma Peroutka IF/OF; 10th #4 Grace Mostad P/IF/OF; 10th #3 Tatum

Sawyer IF/OF; 10th #1 Lindsey Erickson C/IF; 11th #6 Ellie Capatina C/IF; 11th #14 Makena Malecha OF; 11th #19

Lauren Hafemeyer OF; 11th #20 Kennedy Larsen P/1B; 11th #27 Olivia Hohrman C/IF; 12th #0 Leah Enedy IF/C/OF; 12th #5 Paige Christenson IF; 12th #8 Samantha Mosley OF; 12th #21 Rita Langford OF.

TRI-CITY SOFTBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

this offseason. Sophomores Christina Cruz and Caleigh Hoefs will look to grow from last year’s experience.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have not decided on rosters yet. I hope that all of the players can provide an impact, but some players that could potentially provide a spark are Juniors Emma Skluzacek and Sophie Whipps along with Sophomores Laynee Blaschko, Claire Hoefs, Taylor Haecherl, and Isabella Jones.

In Section 1AAA, our journey last season saw us go 2-2 at the tournament. Unfortunately, our campaign ended with a tough 2-4 loss to the eventual Section Champions, Farmington.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our softball team has undergone significant changes since the 2023 season, with the graduation of many key players from the varsity team. However, we’re excited to announce a dynamic roster for the upcoming season, comprising a balanced mix of upperclassmen and promising underclassmen. Anticipating

2023 RECAP

6-6, 4th Place in Minnesota River

1-2, Section 2AA finished 8th We really improved as the season progressed. One of the goals of the season was to make it to Caswell Park and we did that.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

1-0, each week our biggest opponent will be ourselves. If we control the little things before they become big, we will be competitive in every game and have a solid season. We had a bunch of first time varsity players last season and they gained so much

a competitive year ahead, our team prides itself on athleticism and a relentless approach both in attack and defense.

COMPETITION

Anticipation is high for another fiercely competitive season in the Big 9 Conference, with perennial powerhouses like Mankato East, Mankato West, Winona, Owatonna, and Northfield vying for top honors. Rochester Mayo and Century are also expected to present formidable challenges. Reigning State Champions, Mankato East, set the bar high as the team to beat, adding an extra layer of intensity to the competition.

Transitioning from Section 1AAAA to Section 1AAA this season marks a new chapter for our team, both coaching staff and players alike. We recognize Winona, Byron, and Kasson-Mantorville as formidable opponents in this section. Our focus is on continual improvement, using each game as an opportunity to enhance team cohesion and performance. With goals set high, we aim to contend for the section championship this season.

BY THE NUMBERS

44 - Girls in the program

5 - 7th Graders

9 - 8th Graders

11 - 9th Graders

10 - 10th Graders

5 - 11th Graders

4 - 12th Graders

7 - Returning Letter Winners

2 - Returning Starters

experience. This team can go as far as they are willing to work for and believe they can.

Note: TCU softball will play its home games this season at Lonsdale’s Jaycee Park.

COMPETITION

There are some traditionally strong programs in our section. I’m not focused on other teams. That will all sort itself out. We are focused on being the best we are capable of each day and we want to be there in the end.

BY THE NUMBERS

30 - total players

15 - letter winners

Northfield High School team captains, from left to right, are Leah Enedy, Samantha Mosley, Rita Langford and Paige Christensen. (Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

Northfield catcher Olivia Hohrman awaits a pitch. (Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

Cleveland softball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING Head Coach. Mike Barten 3rd year

JV/Assistant Coach: Sandi Hollerich 10th Year

JV/Assistant Coach: Rich Kern 3rd Year ROSTER

8th Grade Cecilia Gair RF/3rd/1st

9th Grade Kaitlyn Flowers P/SS/3rd

Anna Lamont LF/C/1st

Taylor McCabe SS/2nd/OF

Keira Schipper C/3rd/1st Taylor Wolf 1st/RF/LF

**Delaney Thompson P/SS/OF

Delaney is out for the season due to a knee injury

in basketball that required surgery in Feb.

We are looking forward to having her back next season. This season she is helping our pitchers, tracking pitches during games, and helping where she can.

11th Grade Jocelyn Bartell CF/LF/RF

Ava Hahn LF/CF 2nd Lacey McCabe SS/LF/CF

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They will all be key parts to our infield when we are on defense, and will be a really big part of our offensive lineup.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Our freshmen group are really talented, and will be expected to contribute right away.

Kaitlyn Flowers joined us for sections last year as a 8th grader and had a couple of key hits, and made some nice plays on the infield & outfield.

With Delaney Thompson out for the season, Kaitlyn will be asked to help with the pitching. She did a great job for us last week in a scrimmage, so I know she is ready for the challenge. Another freshmen, Keira Schipper will take over the majority of of the innings at catcher, and we look for her to be a leader on the defensive side of the ball. Both will be towards the top of the lineup hitting.

2023 RECAP

12th Grade Cassie Connor 3rd/1st/RF

Greta Hahn 2nd/CF/SS

Laci Hollerich 1st/3rd/SS

Lilly Lamont P/2nd/3rd

KEY PLAYERS

Our four seniors will be looked at to lead on and off the field. They all had really good junior seasons, so I look for them to continue to build off that.

We were 13-10. Finished second in the Valley Conference with a 5-1 record, and finished 4th in the section, going 3-2 in section playoff games. We were able to play after Memorial day, which not a lot of teams are able to do.

We lost 6 seniors from last years team who all started for us. We are looking at a number of kids to fill those starting spots.

(seniors were: Sophie Shouler, Harley Connor, Hailey

Plonsky, Emma Sweere, Kaylee Karels, Lexi Waldron)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

This season we again are looking for a top two finish in our conference. LCWM is the team to beat, and I believe are a strong contender to reach state in the always tough section 2AA. I would like for us to continue to move up in our section (2A.) We are again looking to host (be the higher seed) the 1st two playoff games, then move to Caswell Park in North Mankato and be playing again after Memorial Day. The usual suspects will be the favorites in the section (NUC, SESM, Springfield, along with new section team USC) Our roster numbers are a little lower than last year, but we have a great amount of talent in the kids that are out, so I look forward to us competing each game we play.

We have 10 returning letter winners.

Seniors-Cassie Connor, Greta Hahn, Laci Hollerich, Lilly Lamont

Juniors Jocelyn Bartell, Ava Hahn & Lacey McCabe

Freshmen Kaitlyn Flowers, Keira Schipper, Delaney Thompson

Laci Hollerich was 1st team all conference. Cassie Connor was honorable mention last season. Keira Schipper was on the all section team

Greta Hahn (Photo courtesy of Cleveland Public Schools/Richard Rohlfing)

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown softball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Eric Lewis, 25 years

Assistant coach: Anne Lewis, 12th year

Assistant coach: Emily Wentzlaff, 17th year

Assistant Coach: Lauren Gregersen 2nd year

Assistant Coach: Sara Milam 3rd year

KEY PLAYERS

Returning Varsity players that have started for the Giants include:

Brianna Jones Morgan Gregersen

Kelsey Wetzel Bailey Lehman

D’Lisa Gonzalez

Teagan Graham

Abby Lewis

Faribault softball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Shane Gunderson, second year

Assistant coaches: Ned Louis, second year; Ellie Knutson, first year

ROSTER

Jamie Adamek 11; Grace Brazil 11; Mara Cook 11;

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have a young group of kids, with only three seniors and one junior.

D’Lisa Flroes has been in the defensive lineup during each of the past two seasons and she’s just a sophomore. Teagan Graham is a two year starter and only a freshman, and Abby Lewis started last year as a 7th grader. But we have some super athletic kids with Kenna Andresen, Anyssa Christ, and Tori Hutton who will all have the opportunity to find a role.

2023 RECAP

MRC Conference Champs

Section 2AA Champs-We had a really strong section last year. In which we were seeded fourth. We really felt fortunate to come out of it, as there were so many good teams; New Ulm, Belle Plaine, Fairmont and LCWM. We thought all of them would’ve represented the Section well in the state tournament. That was as good as we’ve seen the Section top to bottom.

3rd place finish in Class AA State tournament. The state tournament is always tough. So many teams, so many good competitors. We were proud of our finish and how we grew throughout the course of the year.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goal every year is to be better on the last day we play then we were at the beginning. That is our sole focus.

COMPETITION

Our conference and section have been really good these past 10 years or so. I would expect in the conference Belle Plaine, and TCU both to be really good.

In our Section there are a number of teams that have an opportunity to represent 2AA in the state tournament.

I’d think Belle Plaine, LCWM are both in the front of that pack.

BY THE NUMBERS

7- returning starters 10 - returning letter winners 3 - seniors

Amanda Cullen 10; Reagan Drengenberg 12; Emma Minick 12; Brooke Racine 12; Rylee Sietsema 12; Olivia Smith 12; Amira Williams 9.

KEY PLAYERS

We have eight returning from last year’s team. We expect to compete in a majority of games this year. Rylee Sietsema will do the majority of the pitching for us. Amira Williams will

back her up on the mound and play a lot of 1B for us. Jamie Adamek will play a lot of shortstop for us, Emma Minick will play third and Brooke Racine will play some second along with Amanda Cullen. Amanda will also play some outfield and do some catching. Reagan Drengenberg will be our centerfielder and will help give our infielders an occasional break. Olivia Smith will do the majority of catching

and will also help spell infielders and outfield. We are expecting a lot from everyone who played last year.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Grace Brazil will fill out our lineup this year. She had a very successful JV season last year, and we are hoping that success carries over to varsity this year.

2023 RECAP

8-11 OVERALL, 3-8 IN CONFERENCE, 0-2 IN THE SECTION.

COMPETITION

The Big 9 is one of the toughest in the state. Last year, our conference had two teams in the state tournament and Mankato East won the state championship. They didn’t lose many players so they will be the team to beat.

BY THE NUMBERS

10 - Total players

8 - Letter winners

5 - Seniors

Alayna Atherton. (file photo)

Rylee Sietsema throws a pitch against Winona. (Chris Reineke/southernminn.com)

Faribault sophomore Brooke Racine (2) swings at a pitch. (File photo/southernminn.com)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Scott Trump, third year

Assistant coaches: Shelby Glenzinski, second year; Jason Tobin, third year

ROSTER

We are still finalizing our varsity roster for the 2024 season. Below are the returning players from the varsity roster a year ago and seniors.

Anna Tobin 11th, IF; Evie Donahue 11th, OF; Sarah Tobin 9th, P/OF/1B; Anna Cohen 11th, IF; Morgan Wilson 11th, P/OF; Liv Glumack 11th, IF; Jocelyn Simones 11th, C/OF; Caitlin Bothun 10th, IF; Brylie Becker 10th, OF; Maressa Hanson 12th, OF.

KEY PLAYERS

Morgan Wilson, Anna Tobin, Caitlin Bothun and Anna Cohen are returning from our starting lineup a year ago. We expect them each to excel on the field and step into leadership roles.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Brylie Becker. Liv Glumack and Jocelyn Simones.

2023 RECAP

10-1 conference record, only loss was to Randolph; second-place finish in Gopher Conference; 1A Sub-Section champs; 1A Section champs. First team in BA’s school history to advance to the state tournament.

We will look to build on past success. We return our star pitcher in Morgan Wilson, who has already earned the following honors: All-State Honorable Mention, twice named a 1A All-Section Player and twice named to the Gopher All-Conference Team. Also returning is Anna Tobin at third base, who has also been named twice as a 1A All-Section Player, a Gopher All-Conference team member, and once named Gopher Conference Honorable Mention. Anna Cohen will also return at second base, where she was named a 1A All-Section player. We will be looking to fill positions left open from graduated players

KEY PLAYERS

and injuries. This season will bring some great growth and maturity as we improve with every game.

COMPETITION

3 - Seniors Bethlehem

Senior pitcher Josie Flom will be back on the mound with teammates Ivette Mendoza and Vanessa miller, as well as Kenzie Moore.

We will need girls to step up and fill positions lost from a year ago. We have the ability to play with the conferences’ best teams. Hayfield and Randolph will be back with minimal turnover from a year ago.

BY THE NUMBERS

9 - Letter winners return 4 - Seniors lost to graduation (Kate Trump SS, Reagan Kangas C, Josie Rose 1B, and Lindsay Hanson CF)

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Our freshmen, Eva, Chloe, and Anna are working hard to find their groove at the next level, as well as Amber, Addy and Bria, who have been practicing with intensity.

2023 RECAP

We ended our season with a 9-11 record and received sixth place in the conference.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The Knights are looking to redecorate the field with new players, as we graduated five seniors last season. We plan to be aggressive in the field and keep strong with our at-bats.

COMPETITION

The Knights will have a strong season and look forward to competing and having fun.

BY THE NUMBERS

10 - Total players

4 - Letter winners

Vanessa

Pitcher Morgan Wilson releases the ball on one of her pitches during Bethlehem Academy’s 10-0 win over Kenyon-Wanamingo in 2023. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Kenyon-Wanamingo head coach Carrie Anderson and players celebrate a home run in the 2023 section playoffs. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Bethlehem Academy’s Anna Tobin swings at a pitch. (file photo/southernminn.com)

Josie Flom is a key player for the Knights in 2024. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

Owatonna softball

COACHES

Head coach: Jeremy Moran, 6th year

Varsity Assistant coaches: Rachel Malo, 6th year; Kevin Raney, 6th year

JV Coaches: Abby Olson (head) 6th year; Michaela Kruger (Assistant) 3rd year

9A Coach: Jaylen Heller (head) 2nd year

C-squad Coaches: Chelsie Hanson-Stratton (head) 6th year; Kirstin Manning (assistant) 1st year

ROSTER

ELIZABETH RADEL, 12, IF BROOKLYN NELSON, 11,

IF / OF

JENNALYN MALONEY FISHER, 12, OF DANIKA RINGHOFER, 12, OF PRESLEE HODGMAN, 11, OF TAYA SELBRADE, 12, C / IF KENNEDY HODGMAN, 12, P / IF SAMANTHA BOGEN, 12, IF AVERIE ROUSH, 11, OF / IF KENDRA BOGEN, 10, IF / OF KATRINA ETHEN, 11, IF LILLY TRAGER, 11, IF / P ZOIE ROUSH, 12, IF / C MEHSA KRAUSE, 12, OF / P KEELIANA DORAN, 11, IF

KEY PLAYERS

Kennedy Hodgman – returning #1 pitcher from last year and

will lead us again in the circle

Zoie Roush – OPP All-Area Player of the Year last year Izzy Radel – leadoff hitter and outstanding defensively at 2B Sami Bogen – clutch hitter and one of our top returning offensive players

Kendra Bogen – all-around talented player, looking to step into SS role this year

Mehsa Krause – will bring power to our lineup again after leading team in HR’s last season with 5

Averie Roush – will put pressure on defenses once again after leading the team in stolen bases last season

Blooming Prairie softball

COACHES

Head coach: Cam Rutledge, 3rd year

Assistant coach: John Bruns

ROSTER Shawntee Snyder, Senior, Inf

Rachel Winzenburg, Senior, Inf

Lily Schammel, Senior, Inf

Macy Lembke, Senior, Inf/P

Layla Lembke, Senior, C

2023 RECAP

Overall Record: 15-7

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Taya Selbrade – not new to varsity as she was our DP last year, but will be taking over the primary catching position and will look to impact this team even more this season with her defensive presence and her leadership.

Lilly Trager – was injured last year. Expected to make an impact in the pitching circle and with her bat

Keeli Doran – new to OHS this school year. Versatile defender and can impact games with her offensive talents.

8-3 in in the Big 9 – finished 4th in conference standings (behind Mankato East, Winona and Mankato West)

3rd in the section (behind Farmington and Lakeville North)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The conference and the section will be extremely competitive again this season, but we expect to be in the mix for both. With the talent and experience we have returning this season we expect to be in contention for the conference and section titles.

COMPETITION

Conference: Mankato East is coming off of a class AAA state championship and is probably the favorite for the conference title this year. West, Winona, Century, Northfield, Century and Mayo will also contend for the top conference spots.

Section: Farmington is the defending section champs and returns most of their team. Lakeville South, Lakeville North, Century and newcomer New Prague (moved up from 3A) will also be contenders for the section championship.

BY THE NUMBERS

15 - total players

9 - letter winners

8 - seniors

Anna Haberman, Senior, OF Hailey Schumacher, Senior, Inf

Shanna Halverson, Senior, OF Jossie Munoz, Senior, OF Catelyn Bartlett, Junior, Inf

Brianna Deplitch, Junior, OF Abby Jordison, Junior, Inf

Ella Smith, Junior, OF Mia Johnson, Junior, P Madelyn Harvey, Sophomore, OF

KEY PLAYERS

Macy Lembke, Shawntee Snyder, and Rachel Winzenburg are all returning all-conference players from

last years team. Layla Lembke and Lily Schammel are both in their 3rd year as starters.

2023 RECAP

Overall record: 13-10

Conference Record: 7-4

Sub-section third place

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Pitching and consistent defense will be the key to our success this season. We should be a solid offensive team, but will need to throw strikes and make plays in the field. We return 7 starters from last years team, so that experience should help us throughout the year.

COMPETITION

We should compete at the top of the conference this season and we hope to have a shot to win the section by the end of the season. There are many good teams in the conference this season with Randolph likely being at the top. In the section, Southland, BA, and Hayfield are expected to be at the top.

BY THE NUMBERS

15 - Total Players

7 - Returning Starters 9 - Seniors

Senior third baseman Zoie Roush. (file photo)

Senior infielder Shawntee Snyder. (file photo)

Senior pitcher Kennedy Hodgman. (file photo)

Senior pitcher/infielder Macy Lembke. (file photo)

Medford softball

COACHES

ROSTER

Abby Bauer, Infield, 9

Jules Brady, Utility, 9

Faith Hager, Infield, 9

Lexi Laue, Utility, 9

Peyton O’Neill, Manager, 9

Jada Braund, Outfield, 9

Autumn Witter, Manager, 9

Lillian Zamora, Utility, 9

Olivia Boie, Infield, 10

Lillian Kath, C / Utility, 10

Jade Laue, C / Infield, 10

Aleah Vogt, Outfield, 10

Hailey Chambers, Infield, 11

Savannah Erler, Utility, 11

Kenadie Rodriguez, Infield / Utility, 11

Ava Clark Infield / P, 12

Lauren Stinocher, Infield, 12

Tessa Underdahl, Infield, 12

Mackenzie Velishek, P / Infield, 12

KEY PLAYERS

Aleah Vogt(1st yr Captain) will bring experience to the outfield with Hailey Chambers, Mackenzie Velishek (3rd year as Captain), Jade Laue, Ava Clark (1st yr Captain) and Tessa Underdahl leading the infield.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Ava Clark will be a top

contributor to the team. Tessa Underdahl and Kenadie Rodriguz had last year off and will also be key contributors to the overall dynamic of the team. All three returning with their experience and leadership. Underclassman that weren’t a part of the Varsity team last year will also be key contributors as they fill holes vacated by the 2023 graduates.

2023 RECAP

Tied for 9th place in Gopher Conference for 2023 with a 4-7 record. Went 1-2 in sections beating NHREG, losing to Fairmont and then was ousted by St James.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Goals for this season are to improve on last year’s successes and address the slots vacated by 2023 graduates. Of course, if you ask the captains there is always the goal of getting to state. But this year is focused on growth and improvement and most importantly having fun as a team.

COMPETITION

We have some holes to fill in the lineup and on defense, but I think with the experience we have we can be very competitive in the conference. Our section is usually pretty stacked, so our work is definitely cut out for us there. If we peak towards the end of the season we could pull some surprises. Overall favorite for the conference would be Randolph, Section would be Le Sueur-Henderson.

BY THE NUMBERS

17 - total players

6 - Freshmen

4 - Sophomores

3 - Juniors

4 - Seniors

7 - letter winners

Senior pitcher Mackenzie Velishek. (file photo)

Head coach: Jon Velishek, 1st year.

Assistant coach: Addison Murry, 1st year

Assistant/JH coach: Byron “Buzz” Brady, 1st year

Sophomore outfielder Aleah Vogt. (file photo)

NRHEG softball

ROSTER

Payton Bunn, 12, Outfield

Faith Nielsen, 12, Pitcher/ infield

Preslie Nielsen, 12, Infield

Erin Peterson, 12, Utility

Tayler Schmidt, 12, Infield

Isabel Stadheim, 12 Outfield

Aryana Howe, 11, Utility

Aspyn Stenzel, 11, Infield

Kyera Eustice, 10, Outfield

Adalyn Stadheim, 10, Catching/Infield

Chloe Stork, 10, Utility

Tatum Thibodeau, 10, Utility

Sam Possin,10, Utility

Waseca softball

Claire Robran, 10, Outfield

Olivia Berg, 9, Infield

Izley Borner, 9, Infield

Faith Phillips, 9, Infield

Key Players

Faith Nielsen

Preslie Nielsen

Izzy Stadheim

Addy Stadheim

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Olvia Berg

Erin Peterson

Sanborg - Junior - CF, 3B; Ellie Hoehn - Junior - SS, OF; Lauren Grant - SophomoreC, OF, 2B; Madison Roessler - Sophomore - SS, C; Chloe Roemhildt - Sophomore - SS, 3B, OF; Ellery WaldronSophomore - P, 1B; Brooke Bartelt - Sophomore - 1B, 2B, OF; Hannah TeagueSophomore - 2B, 1B, OF

KEY PLAYERS

McKyla Hasselquist is a Senior returning pitcher for us, and also return seniors Ali Mumme and Cameron Stagman who I expect to be leaders on the team. Returning our firstbasemen, Junior Siri Kuhns, and Sophomore Lauren Grant at Catcher.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Lily Owens - Junior - OF, 3B

Kenzie Sanborg - Junior - CF

Ellie Hoehn - Junior - SS, OF Lauren Grant - SophomoreC, OF Madison Roessler - Sophomore - SS, C

Ellery Waldron - Sophomore - P, 1B

Chloe Roemhildt - Sophomore - SS, 3B, OF Brooke Bartelt - Sophomore1B, 2B, OF Hannah Teague - Sophomore1B, 2B, OF

2023 RECAP

Overall record: 9-8 (Lost in the opening round of playoffs to Medford 4-5)

Conference Record- 6-6 (5th in the Conference)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We hope to keep improving and getting better throughout the entire season and be playing our best softball around playoff time. Our team strengths include being hard workers with a great team chemistry, great attitudes, and our speed. One thing we need to work on is getting experience and growing confidence levels for players who are stepping into starting varsity spots.

COMPETITION

Conference favorites-Randolph and Fairbolt BA were both state tournament teams in Class A. Last year they were solid in conference play.

Section Favorites-New Ulm, Belle Plaine, and Le Sueur- Henderson was a state tournament team a year ago.

BY THE NUMBERS

Seniors - 6 Juniors - 2

Sophomores - 6 Freshman - 3 Total - 17

2023 RECAP

Last year’s overall record: 7-11 Last year’s Conference Record: 2-8

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We are a young team this year as we graduated 5 Seniors last year. We are re-building this year and look forward to our underclassmen gaining experience and building the culture of our program. Expecting many Juniors and Sophomores to step into key roles on the team this year.

COMPETITION

Predicting New Ulm & St Peter to be conference favorites, and Belle Plaine & LeSueur Henderson to be section favorites.

BY THE NUMBERS

3 - seniors

4 - juniors

6 - sophomores

4 - returning letter winners from last year

Senior pitcher Faith Nielsen. (file photo)

Senior pitcher McKyla Hasselquist. (file photo)

COACHES Head coach: Kayley Camerer, 1st year Assistant coach: Nate Jensen, 18th Season in the Softball Program Assistant Coach: Cloie Arndt, 3 years

COACHES Varsity Head coach: Amanda Sommers, 1st Year

Assistant Varsity coach: Abbe Hoehn, 1st Year JV coach: Molly Schmidt, 3rd Year

Cameron Stagman - Senior - 3B, C; McKyla Hasselquist

Sophomore catcher Addy Stadheim. (file photo)

St. Peter softball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Heidi Niemeyer, 24th year at SPHS, 11th as Head Coach

Dani Roehrkasse – 8th year at SPHS Assistant

Mackenzie Brey - 1st year coaching JV

Tanner Nadeau - 2nd year coaching - 1st year C squad

ROSTER

Cali Cross 12 IF, Kali Erickson

12 P 2B, Maddie Kamm 12 IF, Riley Rubischko 12 OF, Isabel Putz 12 OF, Nora Whipps 11 C, Auden Anderson 10 P, Hailey Telshaw 11 OF, Allie Dent C

RETURNING PLAYERS

Kali Erickson, 12, P and Infielder. Kali has been pitching for the Saints for three years. She is a solid pitcher with great accuracy and an amazing second pitch that sends batters back to the dugout.

Isabel Putz, 12 OF. Belle was

our leading hitter last season. She is unstoppable at the plate and a force in the outfield. She was recovering from an injury last season, so it will be great to have her at 100% this season.

Cali Cross, 12 Infielder. Cali is going to be our leader in the infield. She has super range and quick feet. She is speedy on the bases and a scrappy hitter.

Riley Rubischko, 12 OF. Riley was a solid reliable outfielder last season and will be again this season. She is also consistent at the plate.

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Nicci Malecha, 1st season

Junior Brielle Dessner is back after

Auden Anderson, 10 P. Auden pitched for us last season as a 9th grader and she handled the pressure well. She is a strong hitter and when she’s not pitching she will play first base.

Maddie Kamm, 12 IF. Maddie is athletic and is a speedy base runner who will score if she gets on base. She is an infielder who doesn’t let much by her.

Nora Whipps, 11 Utility. Nora is a great utility player who can step into any position and make a difference. She knows the game well and is a smart player.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Hailey Telshaw, Allie Dent, Devyn Welp, Addy Jaeger, Tatum Kennedy, Tiara Torres, Piper Winters are some of our upcoming players.

2023 RECAP

10-13 overall 4-7 in the Conference

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have been working hard

in the pre-season. We have lofty goals this season and want to get stronger and more competitive in our conference and section this season. We have a few holes in our line up that we are still trying to fill and we are hopeful that the younger players who will step into those roles will help us be successful.

BY THE NUMBERS

9th-12th graders: 29 Letter Winners: 10 Seniors: 5

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton softball

honors, as is senior Alexis Dahlberg, who was honorable mention.

Junior Eliah Oliver was third team all-conference two seasons ago.

2023 RECAP

2023 conference record: 2-9

JWP made big strides in 2023, jumping from 1-14 overall and 1-10 in the Gopher for 12th place in 2022 to 7-10 overall and 2-9 for 11th place last year.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The Bulldogs were one-anddone in the Class 1A, Section 1 playoffs. They remain in the same class but move to Section 2 for the 2024 and 2025 cycle.

Section 2A includes Cleveland High School, Glenville-

Emmons/Alden-Conger, Heron Lake-Okabena / Fulda Coyotes, Madelia High School, Martin County West High School, Martin Luther/ Granada-Huntley-East Chain/ Truman, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, Mt. Lake AreaComfrey, New Ulm Cathedral High School, Nicollet High

School, RRC/WWG, Sleepy Eye High School, Sleepy Eye Saint Mary’s High School, Springfield High School, United South Central High School and Mankato Christian Academy.

Kali Erickson. (file photo)

Brielle Dessner. (file photo)

Riley Rubischko. (file photo)

Alexis Dahlberg. (file photo)

baseball

St. Peter baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head Coach: Kurt Moelter, 23rd year

Assistant coach: Justin Helget, 8th year

ROSTER

Isaac Alger (12) OF Max Brown (12) IF/P/C

Braxon Dale (12) OF/IF

Kaeden Guida (12) P/IF/OF

Triston Krakow (12) OF/P

Gael Leon (12) OF

Nakiye Mercado (12) OF Sam Moelter (12) C/P/IF

Tate Olson (12) P/IF

Matthew Otterness (12) IF Drew Simonette (12) IF

Jacob Stone (12) IF/C

Max Homquist (11) OF Grant Janni (11) IF

Cleb Krueger (11) IF/P

Gavin Marquardt (11) IF/OF

Colton Willaert (11) IF

Karsyn Williams (11) P/OF

Levi Wachal (10) P/IF

KEY PLAYERS

Kaeden Guida, Sam Moelter,

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Nakiye Mercado, Braxon Dale, Isaac Alger, Levi Wachal

2023 RECAP

Overall Record: 13-9

Big South Record: 6-4

Section: 1-2 (Beat West in the 1st round, Lost to New Prague and Albert Lea)

Le

Sueur-Henderson baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Zac Weber 1st year

Assistant coach: Lon Berberich 20+ years

Assistant coach: Joe Kane 1st Year

Assistant coach: Luke Dose 1st Year

ROSTER

Sam Gupton, 12th, Pitcher/IF

Logan Feeney, 12th, Pitcher/ OF Ethan Hathaway, 12th, OF Braylon Hoffman, 12th, IF

Talen Schwandt, 12th, OF Gavin Schwarz, 12th, IF

Last year we did a great job of turning the corner. We had a nice Senior group that mixed well with our Juniors. We finally won a playoff game at the AAA level and were very competitive in all of our games.

Not only did New Prague win our section, they were also the AAA State Champs.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goals are very simple. We expect to get better each day, practice or games. We plan on playing games into June and to be competitive in our section. We hope to be the team that nobody wants to play by the end of May. As long as we show up ready to learn and get better each day, we will be that team.

Overall, we have high expectations. We have a group of Seniors that expect to win and do well throughout the season and into the playoffs. It’s one thing to expect good things, it’s another thing to create habits to have those good things happen. These kids have that attitude, mindset and mentality that will help us be successful as a team. Success isn’t defined by wins/ losses. We know that and are very excited to get the season started!

COMPETITION

We should be very competitive in the conference. Marshall is always tough along with Fairmont. Fairmont will be the team to beat. But, we feel we have the talent and depth

to play with anyone in our conference.

In the section, it will be East and West as the teams to beat. Both have D1 pitchers. I feel that West is a little stronger with a little more depth pitching. We were able to beat both East and West last year. Hopefully that shows that we can play/beat them and we all know that anything can happen in baseball.

BY THE NUMBERS

12: Number of seniors we have. Along with that many of them bring back a lot of Varsity experience.

Ethan Hathaway. (file photo)

Peyton Tellijohn, 10th, Pitcher/IF

KEY PLAYERS

Connor Schultz, 12th Pitcher/ IF

Brogan McKillen, 12th, Catcher

Ian Nelson, 12th, OF Brody Berndt, 11th, Pitcher/IF

Logan Fahey, 11th, Pitcher/ IF/OF

Carter Wilke, 11th, Pitcher/ IF/OF

Calyb

Luna, 11th, Pitcher/IF

John Karels, 11th, IF

Joe Lewis, 10th, Catcher

Senior Sam Gupton, led the team in innings pitched last season as well as batting average.

Senior Logan Feeney, strong leader on and off the field, sneaky lefty on the mound.

Senior Ethan Hathaway, Solid outfielder and strong bat in the lineup.

Junior Brody Berndt, Second in batting average last season and solid on the mound.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Sophomore, Peyton Tellijohn had a few innings last year, but has put in a lot of work in the offseason and we are looking forward to his bat in the lineup and solid defense

Junior, Logan Fahey was fun to watch on the JV last season and has the opportunity to get some innings on the mound as well as has a solid swing.

Sophomore Joe Lewis was also solid on the JV last season and has the opportunity to excel at the Varsity level.

2023 RECAP

Conference Record: 5-7

Section 2AA: (9-7 section record) 2nd Place in the section

Our overall record last season was 12-12, we started playing ball at the right time and got hot in the section tournament, but fell short to Belle Plaine in the section finals.

Kaeden Guida. (file photo)

Sam Gupton. (file photo)

Tate Olson, Drew Simonette, Max Brown

Sam Moelter. (file photo)

Max

Tri-City United baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Bruce Davis, 38 years

LE SUEUR-HENDERSON BASEBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Assistant coach: Phil Tisdal, 2 years; Varsity Asst

Assistant coach: Greg Westerman, 1 year; Varsity Asst

This is my first year as the varsity coach for the Giants. Together we want to establish a solid foundation for the upcoming years. Our plan is to focus on improving our skills, staying disciplined on and off the field, and maintaining a positive mindset throughout the season. A key strength

Matt Miller, 19 Years; JV Coach

Mark Gregor, 15 years: C-Team Coach

of ours is our teamwork and camaraderie. This group has been playing together for several years now, and their understanding of each other’s playing styles and strengths will have a positive impact on our success.

ROSTER

Dylan Westerman, 12 - Catcher

Reggie Vosejpka, 12 - 1st Base

Noah Rynda, 12 - 3B, Pitcher

Kellen O’Keefe, 12 - Outfield, Pitcher

Mason Novotny, 12 - Outfield, Pitcher

Max Krautkremer, 12Outfield, Pitcher

Mason Dietz, 12 - Catcher

Damian Torres, 11 - Infield

Gavin Sherman, 11 - Outfield

Ethan Schroeder, 11 - Outfield

Blake Herrman, 11 - Outfield

Dylan Fink, 11 - Catcher

Preston Ernste, 11 - Infield

Cameron Dobmeier ,11Infield, Pitcher

Hayden Braith, 11 - Outfield

Levi Blaschko, 11 - 1st Base

Isaak Worm, 10 - Catcher

Hunter Moravec, 10 - Infield, Pitcher

Colton Lind, 10 - Outfield

Nathan Blaschko, 10 - Infield

Parker O’Malley, 9 - Infield

Kellen Jirik, 9 - Outfield

KEY PLAYERS

Max Krautkremer Pitcher/ Outfield All Conference player last season.

Dylan Westerman Catcher Honorable Mention All Conference last year.

Parker O’Malley infield Started on the varsity last season.

COMPETITION

This is my first season as the head coach so I am not too familiar with the conference or section. Norwood and Belle Plaine have been at the top of the conference as of late, but I do not see why we can’t put

Reggie Vosejpka 1B Returning starter

Kellen O’Keefe Utility Can play numerous positions

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Mason Novotny Can play

outfield and Pitch

Noah Rynda Can play 3B and Pitch

Mason DIeta senior player

Kellen Jirik Outfield Pitcher

Nate Blaschko Utility & Pitcher

2023 RECAP

The Titans had a good regular season last spring and earned the No. 3 seed in the Section 2AA Tournament.

After winning the first two games of the section the team lost to Belle Plaine and Waseca to end the season.

2023 record was 13-9

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The Titans lost five starters to graduation and will have some young kids taking their positions.

The good thing is we have two

ourselves in that category this season. Section I am unsure.

BY THE NUMBERS

10 - Returning players with varsity experience

9 - seniors

All Conference players back and a few other who saw major action in 2023.

The Titans will get better each and every week and be playing their best baseball when the Section Playoffs begin.

COMPETITION

Norwood and Belle Plaine look to be the teams to beat in the MRC.

Belle Plaine will also be the favorite in the section. The 2024 Titans hope to be a factor in both races.

BY THE NUMBERS

7-Seniors

9-Jouniors

4-Sophomores

12-Freshmen

May 3 Home game vs. WEM will be the Reunion of the 1999 State Championship team of Montgomery-Lonsdale Redbirds.

Krautkremer. (file photo)

Faribault baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Charlie Lechtenberg, 10th year

Assistant coaches: Joe Grote, eighth year; Tyler Francis, third year

JV coach: Jauhem Byrd, first year

Ninth grade coach: Kyle Murphy, eighth Year

ROSTER

Dillon, P/utility

Michael Crone, infielder/ P, Senior; Ben Stoessel, C/utility/P senior; Andrew Caron, C/ OF, Senior; Oliver Schoop, IF/OF, Senior; Dalton Kruger, P/ OF Senior; Owen Hanson 1st/DH Senior; Erick Sanchez IF, Senior; Carter Ennis P/IF, Senior; Jerrell Skelton P/ OF, Senior; Morris Chang, IF, Senior; Ben Cunniff, P/C/OF Junior; Grant

KEY PLAYERS

Hudson Dillon can play anywhere on the field and will be one of our top pitchers this year. He will also play shortstop and centerfield for us.

Michael Crone was our top hitter last year and great

infielder. He led the team in average hits and rbis. We are looking for a big year from Michael.

Ben Cunniff was our best pitcher last year as a sophomore. He’s also our starting catcher.

Ben Stoessel has been a varsity player since his sophomore year. He will be used all over the field at catcher/ pitcher and infield.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Harley Llamas is new to the team this year. He will be pitcher and infielder.

Northfield baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Josh Spitzack, second year

Assistant coaches: Chris Graupmann, Brent Rauk, Robert Garcia and Nic Zabel

ROSTER

Aaron Reisetter, 12, C/IF; Kyan Rauk, 12, 1B; Gabe Heinritz, 12, 2B/P; Jake Geiger, 12, SS; Luke Guggisberg, 12, 3B; Austin Koep, 12, OF/P; Kamden Kaiser, 12, OF/P; Grant Hutton, 12, P; Tegan Mellgren, 12, OF/P; Daniel

Worden, 12, OF; Ryan Cahoon, 11, C/1B; Niko Vandewalker, 11, 1B; Aidan Molesky, 11, 2B/P; Caleb Grawe, 11, IF/P; Eli Mikkelson,11, P/3B; Seth Thompson, 11, IF/P; Vladimir Simon Martinez, 11, P/IF; Jack Pribyl, 11, OF; Logan Prescott, 11, OF; Aki Gupta, 11, OF; Justus Naumann, 11, OF; JT Graupmann, 10, P/IF.

KEY PLAYERS

Austin Koep, Jake Geiger, Kam Kaiser, Aaron Reisetter, Tegan Mellgren, Grant Hutton, Seth Thompson and Gabe Heinritz.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Eli Mikkelson, Ryan Cahoon, Caleb Grawe, Niko Vandewalker and JT Graupmann.

2023 RECAP

19-7 overall, 13-3 conference (second in conference). We made it to the section championship game and lost in extra innings to Byron.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a strong group of seniors coming back that were big contributors during our successful season last year. We also have some newcomers that have put in a ton of time and are ready to step into roles this year. If we can come together and continue to play for each other we should have a chance to have a good year. We feel we should have a talented lineup where anyone can step up, 1-9, and we will continue to stress strong defense which should help our pitching staff.

Grant Koch will pitch a lot for us this year and be playing a lot of infield.

2023 RECAP

Last year was a down year. We were 3-18.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a great senior group this year and some talented juniors. We are hoping to bounce back this year and looking to be a tough team in the section and conference. We have some good senior leaders and a very athletic group we are excited about.

COMPETITION

We are going to be a very competitive team this year and hope to be one of the better teams in the section. Northfield will be very tough this year in the conference and the section. Both Mankatos are very tough conference opponents. The Big 9 is a tough conference with a lot of good teams.

BY THE NUMBERS

40 - Total players in grades 9-12 10- Seniors

We have some very good ninth- and 10th-grade groups coming up with some very good athletes.

We lost a few key pitchers from last year, but we have a group ready to step up into bigger roles this season.

COMPETITION

We hope to be in contention for both the conference and the section this year, but we have strong competition in both. In the conference both Mankato West and East will be tough and Rochester Mayo will likely be one of the top teams

again this year. We are hoping to have another chance at a section title after last year’s second-place finish, but we know it will be challenging. Byron is probably the team to beat after last season, but Red Wing, Winona, and K-M are also going to be tough.

10 - Returning letter winners

10 - Seniors

Ben Stoessel congratulates Michael Crone after scoring during a 2023 game. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

2024 Northfield baseball team captains, from left to right, are Austin Koep, Grant Hutton, Jake Geiger and Kam Kaiser. (Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

Hudson

Senior;

Koch P/ Infield, Junior; Harley Llamas, P/ infield, Junior; Chase Kazenbach OF, Junior.

Hudson Dillon take a swing during the 2023 season. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Northfield’s Aaron Reisetter connects on a throw from third base. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Kenyon-Wanamingo baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Kirby VanDeWalker, seventh Year

Assistant coaches: Scott Van Epps, third Year; Dylan Craig, seventh year

ROSTER

Will Van Epps, SR, P/INF/ OF; Colton Steberg, SR, P/ SS/2B; Mason Torgeson, SR, P/LF; Butch Lindell, SR, P/1B; Gunner Kennedy, JR, P/C/3B; Noah Wallaker, JR, C; Reed Sommer, JR, P/ CF; Isaac Hedeen, JR, P/RF; Owen Craig, JR, P/SS/2B; Jack Vierling, JR, 2B/LF; Owen Edwards, JR, P/3B; Tanner Hedeen, JR, P/OF; Kyle Vukelich, JR, P/INF; Vin Martinez, JR, 2B; Charles Koncur, JR, 1B; Ross Aldorfer, JR, P/SS/2B.

Owatonna baseball

COACHES

Head Coach: Tate Cummins, 18th year

Assistant Coach: James Dahlgren, Travis Hilstad and Chad Wiesner

ROSTER

Nathan Theis, UT, 12; Noah Truelson, 2B & 1B, 12; Mitch Seykora, 3B & P, 12; Carson Krenke, OF, 12; Owen Smith, OF, 12; Ethan Vortherms, OF & P, 12; Michael Reinardy, 2B & P, 12; Carson Olson, P, 12; Kevin Helget, OF, 12; Ethan Armstrong, C, 12; Caleb Dibble, OF, 12; Owen Beyer, CF, 12; Tayte Berg, OF, 11; Kameron Smith, P, 11; Andrew Mitchell, OF, 11; Blake Davison, OF, 11; Gavin Saxton, 2B, 11; Tyler Sheehan, OF, 11; Tanner Smith, IF & P, 11; Hunter Theis, C, 11; Jack Meneguzzo, 1B, 11; Connor Wiese, IF & P, 11; Zachary Haarstad, 1B, 11

KEY PLAYERS

Will Van Epps, Colton Steberg, Butch Lindell, Mason Torgeson, Gunner Kennedy, Reed Sommer, Noah Wallaker and Owen Craig.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Jack Vierling, Isaac Hedeen and Owen Edwards.

2023 RECAP

We finished the season with a 10-10 record last year. We played a difficult schedule and ended up earning the fifth seed in Section 1A (out of 14). We hosted a first-round playoff game vs. 12 seed Mabel-Canton and unfortunately ended up

losing 6-1 to end our season. We finished 7-3 in the Gopher Conference for a third-place conference finish.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goal is to compete for a conference championship this year. We believe we have the pieces in place to make a run at the title. Our section goal is to earn a top four seed entering the playoffs.

COMPETITION

The Gopher Conference has always produced excellent teams. We expect JWP to make a jump this year, Randolph and Hayfield are always difficult

opponents, USC graduated some great players but they are always a scrappy team, Maple River with their excellent numbers are solid. We look to compete with the best of the conference this year.

BY THE NUMBERS

We have excellent numbers in our program. We have 28 seventh- and eighth-grade players and 36 high school players. We will have a seventh-grade team, an eighthgrade team, a c-squad team, and junior varsity team and a varsity team this year. We have four seniors.

KEY PLAYERS

Mitch Seykora, Senior Tayte Berg, Junior Owen Beyer, Senior Tanner Smith, Junior Connor Wiese, Junior Nathan Theis, Senior Noah Truelson, Senior Carson Olson, Senior KEEP YOUR EYE ON Tanner Smith and Connor

Wiese are coming off a strong VFW Season where they led the team in innings pitched and led on the offensive side as well.

2023 RECAP

8 - 8 in the Big 9 Conference. 10 - 12 overall.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goal as a team is to compete for a Big 9 Championship. The conference looks to be strong this year with Northfield, Rochester Mayo, and Mankato East leading the way. There’s definitely more pitching within

the conference this year and it will be difficult competition throughout the conference schedule. We are also playing a great non conference schedule this year with Bloomington Jefferson, Marshall, New Prague, and Cottage Grove traveling to Dartts Park. The ultimate goal is to make it back to the state tournament.

COMPETITION

We feel we have the experience, leadership and talent to be a contender this year. It’s going to take hard work, dedication, and perseverance. The goal is to play our best at the end of the year. We have more competition within our team than we have had in most years. This should bring the best from our players this season.

BY THE NUMBERS

We will have a large number of players this year. We are currently at 23 players that want to be a part of the varsity program, which is a great problem to deal with currently. It’s a great combination of multi-sport athletes that seem to be very dedicated in making this year a success.

Kenyon-Wanamingo first baseman Will Van Epps tosses the ball back to the pitcher. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Senior third baseman Mitch Seykora. (file photo)

Kenyon-Wanamingo second baseman Colton Steberg fires to first base during a 2023 game. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Junior infielder/pitcher Tanner Smith. (file photo)

Medford baseball

COACHES

Head coach: Joe Melles, 5th year

Assistant coach: Chris Haakonson, 9th year

Assistant coach: Derek Sorenson, 6th year

ROSTER

Dwight Ewing, 8th, 1B; Elliot Hoffman, 8th, 1B; Jared Sheeler, 8th, 2B/P; Mason Krenz, 8th, C,P,SS; August Zacharias, 8th, CF/P; Regan Poe, 8th, C; Tyler Underdahl, 8th, P/3B; Justin Limon, 9th, OF/P; Aiden Hunt, 9th, 3B; Wyatt Federly, 9th, 1B; James Wegner, 9th, OF/P; Preston Gerber, 9th, OF; Landon Seiler, 9th, SS/P; Kyle Vatsaas, 9th, C/P; Will Van Ryn, 9th, OF; Isaac Gillen, 9th, 2B/P; Kevyn Burr, 10th, OF; Obed Ramirez, 10th, 2B; Bennett Stinocher, 10th, 2B; John Gonzalez, 10th, OF; Justin Braulik, 10th, OF; Reid Wildgrube, 10th, OF; Logan Maas, 11th, OF/P; Charlie Wendt, 12th, 3B/P

KEY PLAYERS

Our pitching staff will be led by two upperclassmen, Logan Maas and Charlie Wendt. They return the bulk of our innings from last year. Also, we are excited to have Landon Seiler back to be our leader at shortstop and hitting near the top of our order. These three are all very athletic and will be huge contributors for us this year.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have two new outfielders this year that are freshmen

named James Wegner and Justin Limon, they are very athletic, and dynamic at the plate and they will be on the bases a lot as hitters. We will also have a new catcher Kyle Vatsaas who will be new to the lineup but we expect great things for him behind the plate as a leader.

2023 RECAP

We finished with 2 wins in conference and finished near the bottom of the gopher conferences. We had a great performance until the very end in the first round of sections

against Le Sueur-Henderson and ultimately lost.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have an extremely young team, the youngest I’ve ever had and our goal is to continue to develop. We have a lot of talented players, but not a lot of varsity experience and we want to keep them as the building blocks for a very successful team in the near future.

COMPETITION

We will be the youngest team in the conference, so it is hard to compare us to the other teams. I expect the favorites to be Hayfield, Randolph, Kenyon, Maple River, USC and I also believe JWP will be strong as well.

BY THE NUMBERS

10 - total players

5 - letter winners

3 - seniors

We have 4 letter winners coming back, only 1 senior and 1 junior with a huge group of talented underclassmen. We lost a couple of great players from last year including Tate Hermes, Josh Bluhm and Casey Chambers. We are very excited about the growth and development of our young program and we are striving to be competitive and getting better with every game.

Waterville-ElysianMorristown baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Josh Smith 10 years coaching, (4th as head coach)

Assistant coach: Mac Lemke, 3nd year

ROSTER

Jacob Androli, 10, Patrick Bauer, 10, Ethan Cage, 11, Caleb Caron, 12, Jackson Dahl,10, Owen Frodl, 11, Riley Haag, 10, Brody Holicky, 11, Andrew Krenik, 10, Noah Lanham, 10, Gavin Marinenko, 11, Luke Michael, 12, Brady Murphy, 10, Isaac Murphy, 12, Ivan Pratt, 11, Brendan Snesrud, 10, Cade Srp, 10, Talen Taylor, 10, Benjamin Wendel, 10, Avery Wetzel, 10.

2023 RECAP

2023 conference record: 2-8

WEM lost to graduation its only player to earn allconference recognition, honorable mention selection pitcher/infielder Tytan Larson. He was one of seven seniors on the 2023 roster, which also included two juniors, three sophomores and three freshmen.

COMPETITION

WEM was last in the conference allowing 11.3 runs per game, but that figure is

slightly skewed from its nonconference schedule filled with Class 2A squads. There were times when the Bucs were hard

to hit, as evidenced by a 3-0 win at Triton and 7-3 win at Medford.

Senior third baseman Charlie Wendt. (file photo)

Junior outfielder Logan Maas. (file photo)

Jacob Androli (file photo/southernminn.com)

Blooming Prairie baseball

COACHES

Head coach: Matt Kittelson, 9th year

Assistant Coach: Chad Gimbel, 1st year

ROSTER

Dylan Anderson 12, OF; Zack Hein, 12, P, 1B; Cale Braaten, 12, IF, OF; Alex Lea, 11, IF, P; Bo Zwiener, 11, IF, OF, C, P;

Carter Bishop, 11, OF; Brady Kittelson, 11, OF, P; Bradley Boyd, 10, IF, P; Carsten Ingvalson, 10, C, IF, P; Lance Lembke, 10, IF, P; Gabe Staloch, 9, IF, P

KEY PLAYERS

Carsten Ingvalson was an All-Conference selection and led the team in most offensive categories as a freshman.

NRHEG baseball

COACHES

ROSTER

Juniors: Alden Dobberstein (P/SS/2B), Aaden Hanna (P/

OF), Jace Ihrke (P/C), Carter Martens (P/3B), Mayson Patten (3B), Aidan Schlaak (P/ Infield), Seth Staloch (SS/2B), Brock Ziemke (1B)

Sophomores: Isaac Bauleke (OF), Jordan Brouwers (OF/3B), Wyatt Larson (P/C/3B), Jared Lee (P/ 1B/

Alex Lea was one of our top producers offensively and had considerable amount of innings on the hill as a sophomore.

Brady Kittelson hit around .300 in his first season playing baseball since 6th grade.

Zack Hein led pitchers in almost every category.

Gabe Staloch started at shortstop the last 1/3 of the season as an 8th grader. Lance Lembke gained lots of experiences on the hill and at the plate as a freshmen.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Cale Braaten is returning after missing his whole junior season with a knee injury. Bo Zwiener saw time as a sophomore and can play basically anywhere on the field.

OF), Deven Parpart (P/IF/OF), Owen Wayne (P/2B/ SS)

We lost in the second and third games of the section tournament last season.

KEY PLAYERS

Alden Dobberstein, Carter Martens, Jace Ihrke, and Jared Lee are all varsity returning players who we expect to stand out on our team this season.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

I look forward to the contributions from everyone. We have a cast of players that are capable of good things. Look for players like Aidan Schlaak, Wyatt Larson, Owen Wayne, Jordan Brouwers, and Deven Parpart to have good seasons and really help out the Panthers in their 2024 season.

2023 RECAP

Overall Record Last Season: 11-5

2023 RECAP

4-13 (4-8 in Gopher Conference, 8th place). We were the #10 seed in Section 2AA and lost in the first round to #7 seed Lake-CrystalWelcome-Memorial in the first round.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

With brining back the majority of our lineup from last season, I expect us to take another step forward. Our goals are always to be a better team than we were the day before so that we are playing our best baseball at the end of the season.

COMPETITION

It is hard to say where we fit in compared to other teams. I’m more concerned with being a better team each day than we were before. I can guarantee we lost less from last year than almost everyone in our conference. Randolph, K-W, Hayfield, Maple River, USC should be top teams in the conference. Lyle-Pacelli will be the top team in section 1A.

BY THE NUMBERS

11 - total players

10 - letter winners

3 - seniors

4 - juniors

3

1 - freshman

COMPETITION

We have potential to be competing for both the section and conference title. Our section has several teams that will be contenders for the title. If I had to pick a favorite, I would have to pick Belle Plaine to be the top contender for the section.

Our conference is extremely talented this season. United South Central, Maple River, Hayfield, Randolph, and Kenyon Wanamingo are all teams that can win. Based of of last season, I would say that USC is probably the pre-season favorite.

Conference Record Last Season: 10-2 (2nd Place)

Senior pitcher Zack Hein. (file photo)

Sophomore catcher Carsten Ingvalson. (file photo)

Junior infielder Alden Dobberstein. (file photo)

Head coach: Shawn Larson, 1st year

Assistant coach: Marcus Fischer, 1st year

Sophomore infielder Jared Lee. (file photo)

Waseca baseball

COACHES

Head coach: Taylor Phelps, 4th year

Assistant coach: Boe Lueken, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Austin Nagel, 1st year ROSTER

Balderas, Armando 12; Ellis, Carter 12; Engel-Mueller, Shane 12; Engel-Mueller, Nate 12; Heyer, Logan 12; Mokoff, Titus 12; Roeker, Keaton 12; Teachout, Joshua 12; Teague, Sabastian 12; Thomson, Jacob 12; Hodgkins, David 11; Ruedy, Colten 11; Shoemaker, Aiden 11; Wirtz, Maxwell 11

KEY PLAYERS

Balderas, Armando 12

Engel-Mueller, Shane 12

Engel-Mueller, Nate 12

Roeker, Keaton 12

Teague, Sabastian 12

Cleveland baseball

COACHES, YEARS

COACHING

Head Coach: Charlie Haugen - 1st year as head coach, 3rd

Year with team

Assistant Coach: Dalton Thelen - 1st year

Assistant Coach: Danny McCabe - 1st year

Senior pitcher Sebastian Teague. (file photo)

Ruedy, Colten 11

Wirtz, Maxwell 11

These 7 individuals had significant moments of play last year and I expect leadership and success from these 7 in particular.

ROSTER:

Gabe Sullivan, 12 - P, C

Brady Bostic, 12 - P, OF

Kyle Connor, 11 - P, C, OF, SS

Blake Lyons, 11 - P, INF

These seniors have either put in the time through the program or are athletes from winter and fall sports who are eager to have fun and see success this spring.

2023 RECAP

12-11 Overall

3/10 in the Big South Conference (Pool A)

Lost in the Section Semi-Finals

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The team is looking to continue the recent success we have seen and continue to improve as a program as a whole.

COMPETITION

With only 2 starters returning we will have to prove ourselves, every game is an opportunity and every game matters!

BY THE NUMBERS

14 - total players

6 - letter winners

10 - seniors

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Ellis, Carter 12

Thomson, Jacob 12

Mokoff, Titus 12

Teachout, Joshua 12

Blake Lyons. (file photo)

Kale Kelley, 11 - 2B, SS, OF Blake Gibbs, 11 - P, 1B, OF Alex Johnson, 11 - P, C, 3B, 1B

Brennan Kortuem, 11

Nathan Seeman, 10 - P, C, INF, OF Carson Lyons. 9

Caleb Connor, 9

2023 RECAP:

The Clippers posted a record of 1-13 last season, Falling to Springfield in the Section 2A playoffs.

2024:

Under first year head

coach Charlie Haugen, the Clippers aim to consistently improve and maintain a level of competitive focus and discipline regardless of the ups and downs of a season.

Senior second baseman Keaton Roeker (9). (file photo)

Kyle Connor. (file photo)

Janesville-WaldorfPemberton baseball

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Cory Jewison, 4th year

Assistant coach: Tyler Fellows, 3rd year

ROSTER

Gavin Krause, Sr.; Nolan Morsching, Sr.; Ty Melchior, Sr.; Josh Bengtson, Sr.; Cole Blomstrom, Sr.; Cole Gartner, Sr.; Austin Carda, Sr.; Austin Quast. Sr; Ethan Born, Jr.; Lucas Morsching, Jr.; Chase Gerdts, So.

KEY PLAYERS

Key returners from last season’s relatively young squad

include senior third-team infielder/pitcher Ty Melchior and sophomore honorable mention outfielder/pitcher Chase Gerdts.

2023 RECAP

2023 conference record: 4-5

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton showed improvement in 2023.

The Bulldogs climbed from 5-13 overall and 2-8 in the Gopher for 10th place in 2022 to 10-8 overall and 4-5 in conference for seventh place in 2023.

The Bulldogs graduated three players from last season’s squad, including second team all-conference performer Kelton Erler.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Based on last season’s roster, head coach Cory Jewison expects to have a senior laden team with nine projected for 2024.

The Bulldogs had one of the top offenses in the conference plating 7.6 runs per game, though they allowed nearly 6. JWP was competitive with the top half of the conference. It rolled Maple River by nine, was within one at conference champ United South Central, lost by two at Randolph and lost by three vs. New RichlandHartland-Ellendale-Geneva.

Ty Melchior. (file photo)

JWP outfielders Chase Gerdts (left), Nolan Morsching (center) and Austin Carda (right). (file photo)

DarianHunt

RandyHunt

Boys tennis

St. Peter boys tennis

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Aaron Rothenberger 18th season (12th as head coach)

Bob Messerli 8th season as assistant coach

Will Miller assistant coach 1st season

Magnus Soderlund assistant coach 1st season

ROSTER

Gavin Madden 12th grade, Luke Gilbertson (Captain) 12th grade, Anthony Coe 12th grade, Haydin Stensrud 12th grade, Quinn Dixon (Captain) 11th grade, Evan Buffington 11th grade, Roy Hendrickson 11th grade, Eli Stoll 11th grade, Callum Harmes 11th grade, Ezekiel Ribar (Captain) 11th

grade, Jerry Soderlund 11th grade, Braedon Dornfeld 11th grade, Kaiser Hagen 11th grade, Noah kracht 11th grade, Cole Engelhardt 11th grade, Cam Nelsen 11th Grade, David Wasielewski 11th grade, Levi gilbertson 10th grade, Jaxson Schaefer 10th grade, Ashton Baker 10th grade, Alexander Dlouhy 10th grade, Malcolm

Owatonna boys tennis

COACHES

Head coach: Curt Matejcek, 27th year

Assistant coach: Zach Waletich, 5th year

Assistant coach: Chris Herzog, 8th year

KEY PLAYERS

*Thomas Herzog - 12th - 2nd sgls, 4th year letter winner, 14-8, 3rd pl Big 9, AC

Thomas Oien - 11th - 3rd sgls, 2nd year letter winner, 14-7, 3rd pl big 9

*Finn Loveless - 11th - 2nd dbls, 2nd year letter winner, 15-6, 3rd pl Big 9

*Joe Zeman - 11th - 4th sgls, 1st year letter winner, 14-7, 3rd pl Big 9

Leyton William - 12th - 2nd dbls, 1st year letter winner, 156, 3rd pl Big 9

Asher Penn - 9th - 1st year

letter winner, 2-0

Stephon Sennott - 10th - 1st year letter winner, 1-0

*= Captains

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have a number of players that will be vying for playing time as well.

Canaan Zinter - 9th Landon Rahn - 9th

McHugh 10th grade, Elijah Cherland-Narum 10th Grade, Samuel Szybnski 10th Grade, Cole Buffington 9th grade, Everett Pettis 9th Grade, Brayden Rothenberger 7th grade.

KEY PLAYERS

Quinn Dixon, Luke Gilbertson, and Ezekiel Ribar are the only returning starters from 2023 team.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Ashton Baker, Alex Dlouhy, Jaxson Schaefer, Callum Harmes, Kaiser Hagen, Levi Gilbertson, Eli Stoll, Jerry Soderlund, Gavin Madden, Anthony Coe, and Brayden Rothenberger

2023 RECAP

BSC East Division Champs

BSC Conference Champs

Section 2A Champs and State

Owen Kaytor - 9th August Penn - 7th

Kjel Borkenhagen - 9th Tristan Gibart - 8th Carter Ulland - 12th Graeme Spinks - 10th

2023 RECAP

Last years team finished with a 15-3 overall record and 9-2 Conf (3rd Place Big9) and qualified for the Section Final 4 for the 5th year in a row.

Although the team returns many letterwinners the team did graduate 8 key seasoned and talented Varsity players that were instrumental to the success of last year’s team and had a combined 87-22 record.

Players who Graduated-Mac Pilcher - #1 sgls - 5th year letter winner; 2nd pl Big 9, 3rd pl Section ind. 17-6, AC

Nils Gantert - #1 dbls - 3rd year letter winner, 2nd pl Big 9, 18-5, AC

Charlie Tucker - #1 - dbls- 5th year letter winner, 2nd pl Big 9, 18-5, AC

Aiden Engel - #3 dbls - 4th year letter winner, 2nd pl Big 9, 14-4

Emmett Krueger - 3rd dbls1st year letter winner, 2nd pl Big 9, 13-2

Anthony Weide - 4th sgls - 2nd year letter winner, 4-1

Gavin Caron - 3rd dbls - 3rd year letter winner, 5-1 Garrett Buryska

Qualifier as a team

6th place at Team State Tournament

Section 2A Singles ChampionMarty Anderson

Section 2A Doubles Runner up and State Qualifier - Will Elias and Anders Dixon

Overall Team Record 21-5 (School record for most team wins in a season)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We will be rebuilding this season and our goal is to give our players as much playing experience this season in order to be more competitive next season.

COMPETITION

BSC East Division favoriteWaseca

BSC Conference Champ favorite - Waseca

Section 2A favorite - Mound Westonka

BY THE NUMBERS

27- total players

6 - returning letter winners

3 - captains

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

The lineup will look different this season with new faces playing in both the singles and doubles lineup. It will be a season of growth and it will take some time to figure out the singles and new doubles combinations. The team always has the goals of finishing in the top 3rd of the Big 9 and playing in the Section Final 4.

COMPETITION

The Big 9 will be led by Rochester Mayo and Rochester Century. In Section play along with the Rochester schools both Lakeville North and South will be expected to fight for a spot in the Section Final 4 along with Owatonna. We will play both North and South this season along with Rochester Lourdes (Class A perineal State qualifier/ contender)

Ezekiel Ribar. (file photo)

Junior singles player Thomas Oien. (Stephen McDaniel/southernminn.com)

Luke Gilbertson (file photo)

Junior captain Joe Zeman. (file photo)

Waseca boys tennis

COACHES

Head coach: Kyle Collins, 22nd year as HC

Assistant coach: Trish Mercier, 5th year

ROSTER

Ahmed Farooq, 12; Oliver Rohwer, 12; Dominic Grunzke, 12; Eddy Gallegos, 12; Tyler Jellum, 11; Aiden Groskreutz, 11; Liam Hagre, 11; Lucas McQuery, 11; Brayden Hoof, 11; Tanner Hanson, 11; Allan Kopetzki, 10; Bryghton Rugger, 10; Henry Huttemie, 9; Dawson Goodlander, 9; Otto Schoenrock, 9; Nolan McQuery, 9; Armaan Bhatti, 8; Kyler Carlson, 8; Joe Calhoun, 8; Keenan Collins, 7; Carson True, 7; Nicholas Nelson, 7; Oliver Rugroden, 7

KEY PLAYERS

Captains are: Tyler Jellum, Oliver Rohwer and Dominic Grunzke

Jr. Tyler Jellum (1st singles) 3-13 record

Fr. Henry Huttemier (2nd & 3rd singles) 9-8 record

Fr. Otto Schoenrock (4th singles) 9-7 record

Sr. Oliver Rohwer (1st doubles) 8-8 record

Sr. Dominic Grunzke (singles/ doubles) 4-12 record 8th Armaan Bhatti (3rd doubles) 7-8 record

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Jr. Tanner Hanson, Soph Allen Kopetzki, and 7th grader Keenan Collins should battle for a spot in the varsity line-up.

2023 RECAP

Bluejays finished 7-8 overall last season, 1-2 in BSC-East. Did not play Fairmont, due to the weather. Section 1A we lost to Lake City 5-2 in the first round of the playoffs.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We will have a good nucleus of returning players (7 letterwinners) coming back, which should give us some good depth. We will need to firm up our singles line-up, and fill in at a few positions in doubles.

Graduation hit us hard in doubles (Jacari Jellum, JD Delgado and Corbin Conners), plus Jan Schoen (2nd doubles) returned to Germany.

COMPETITION

I hope we can compete for a Division title (BSC-East) with

St.Peter, Blue Earth, Fairmont, and New Ulm.

Lourdes and Cotter will be the favorites in Section 1A.

Junior captain Tyler Jellum. (file photo)

Senior captain Dominic Grunzke. (file photo)

Faribault boys tennis

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jeff Anderson, 11th year

Assistant coach: Robb Morris, third year

ROSTER

KEY PLAYERS

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

time in at least 13 years our team advanced to the second round of team sections)

Diego Herrera – 12; Johannes Dull – 11; Carsen Kramer –11; James Olson – 11; Adam Diaz-Coons – 10; Ben DiazCoons – 10; Colin Haefs – 10; Nelson Landrau Ortiz – 10; Miles Leopold – 10; Houstyn Mari-Ayala – 10; Brandon Petricka – 10; Liam Redman – 10; Andy Tino-Quila – 10; Landon Shepherd – 9; Marco Molina Rodriguez – 9; Mitch Gibbs – 9.

spots; nice to have a true No. 1 in Brandon that can compete in our conference and allows our team not to have to play up. We have a lot of 10th-grade players that played a lot over the summer and pre-season while the weather was nice. I expect these players will help elevate our team to be even more competitive that we were last season.

Due to our smaller numbers last season, a lot of our team had opportunity to play varsity and help out. As previously mentioned, I expect these players to elevate our competitiveness this season.

2023 RECAP

Conference Record 2023 – 2-8 (did not play Mankato West due to weather) – defeated Albert Lea and Winona.

Overall record 2023 – 4-12.

Conference Rank – ninth place – first time in over 10 years that we placed in the upper half of the bottom 6 school in the Big 9.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

As always, do our best and have fun.

COMPETITION

I expect Brandon and Carsen to return to our singles 1 and 2

Northfield boys tennis

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Erik Swenson, second year

Assistant coaches: Beth LaCanne, 23rd year; Jake Odell, eighth year

ROSTER

Varsity starters in singles: 1st - Blake Simon (12); 2nd - Jackson Hessian (12); 3rd

- Theo Menk (10); 4th - Eli Bengtson (8)

Varsity starters in doubles: 1st - Joe Grant (12) and Carter Borovsky (9); 2nd - Reuben Menk (12) and Parker Sneary (12); 3rd - Dyson McBroom (9) and Kyle Bulfer (10)

Alternates and Exhibition (extra varsity) matches: Gabriel Fisher Navarro (12); Felix Hanifl (12); Errol Lenzen (12); Owen Vander Martin (12)

KEY PLAYERS

The nice thing about this year is we didn’t lose anyone last year who graduated, so it’s basically the same team that we had last year. Returning varsity seniors that I’m excited to see play are Blake Simon at No. 1 singles; Carter Borovsky and Joe Grant at No. 1 doubles; and Reuben Menk and Parker Sneary at No. 2 doubles. These guys will help us play our best season yet in a while.

Defeated Austin in the first round of team sections (first

In conference I am looking for the team to be competitive against Albert Lea, Winona,

Austin, Northfield, and Red Wing, plus against Stewartville, Waseca, Lake City, and Farmington for non-conference opponents. Mayo remains a favorite in conference with Century, Mankato West, and Owatonna able to challenge Mayo a bit.

BY THE NUMBERS

16 - Total players (at practice start)

8 – Returning letter winners

1 – Senior 3 – Juniors

9 – Sophomores

3 - Freshmen

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

One of our up and comers that I’m really looking forward to is Eli Bengtson at No. 4 singles, joining us from eighth grade in the middle school. I’ve heard a lot of good things about Eli, and I’m looking forward to seeing him play on the team not only this year, but the following four years, watching him get even better in his high school years. I may also rotate him around to some No. 3 doubles matches, too, depending on what his strengths are and what he feels comfortable playing.

2023 RECAP

Finished three wins and seven losses in the conference, five wins and nine losses overall, eighth place out of 12 teams. According to one of my seniors who played last year, Northfield participated in the section tournament and lost to Rochester Century in the second round.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Goals for the season are to finish in the top third of our conference, and finish strong in the conference and state tournaments in May.

COMPETITION

Our team didn’t lose any players from last year, so I think that gives us an edge this year as everyone is returning from last year with one year’s more experience under their belt. Compared with other higher ranked teams who lost several seniors, I think our chances are better this year compared to last year. This will be our year to shine and stand out. Senior favorites are Blake Simon, Reuben Menk and Joe Grant, and Parker Sneary and Eli Bengtson.

BY THE NUMBERS

26 - Total players

10 - Letter winners

8 - Seniors

Faribault’s second singles player Carsen Kramer prepares to crack a forehand. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

Northfield’s Blake Simon concentrates on a return at first singles during the 2023 season. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Faribault’s first singles player Brandon Petricka prepares to slice a backhand during a 2023 practice. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Northfield’s Parker Sneary connects on a volley at the net. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Track & Field

St. Peter boys track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Keith Hanson 26 years head coach

Assistant coach: Marc Bachman, 11th year

Assistant coach: Bill Braunger, 2nd year with Saints

ROSTER

Cole Filand 12, Corbin Herron 12, Cole Junso 12, Isia MoralesBocanegra 12, Roblae Abdi 11,

Luke Banks 11, Wyatt Davis 11, Derek Guth 11, Mohamed Jimale 11, Madison Sanford 11, Kadar SayidNour 11, Dayne Tollefson 11, Omari Ahmed 10, Ramiro Alcantara Alvarez 10, Logan Bock 10, Alexander Bur 10, Kemper Ely 10, Cyrus Fremo 10, Carson Gunderson 10, Brock Guth 10, Riley Kamm 10, Brock Knife 10, Parker Maloney 10, Payton Raether 10, Haydin Schneider 10, John Schueler 10, Deontre Torres 10, Aiden Viola 10, Gavin

Wachtel 10, Jemari Zuniga 10, Jake Banks 9, Ian Bultman 9, Zebulon Davis 9, Joe Dorow 9, Isaih Hesse 9, Robert Hughes 9, Kasey Johnson 9, Elijah Mercado 9, Jaego Smuder 9, Blake Swanson 9, Jack Thompson 9, Laird Bly 8, Karac Forbord 8, Enzo Gazzola 8, Henry Nienow 8.

KEY PLAYERS

Corbin Herron - Returning State Runner-up 110 Hurdles,

School record holder, ran on placing 4x200 relay, qualified in the 300 IM Hurdles also

Luke Banks - Returning State Runner-up Discus, school record holder

Derek Guth - Member of the State placing 4 x 200 relay

Isai Morales - Alternate on above relay

Cole Junso - throws

Alex Bur - Distance

Roblea Abdi - Distance

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Elijah Mercado - Sprints, relays

Kemper Ely - Sprints, relays

Riley Kamm - Middle Distance

Ramiro Alvarez - MIddle Distance, relays

2023 RECAP

Big South- Big School - 5th place

Section 2 AA - 6th State AA meet - 10th place

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a lot of good leaders coming back, and we have some good numbers so hopefully our depth can carry us in some of the bigger meets. Our conference meet is very tough, with Returning State Team Champ, Waseca there,

and the always successful teams from Fairmont and Marshall.

Same for the Section meet, the Mankato schools both have great programs year in and year out so placing in the top half of the Section would be great.

Then for the end, if we can put a few more competitors in the State meet we can finish in the Top 10 again.

BY THE NUMBERS

30 - 9th and 10th graders out for track and field 10th place last year at State meet

4 - Seniors providing leadership for our team

St. Peter girls track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jeff Portugue, 34th year

Assistant coach: George Schoenborn, 26th year

Assistant coach: Bill Stuewe, 30th year ROSTER

Laura Klatt 12, Rachel Salfer 12, Mackenzie Steinborn 12, Gretta Baker 11, Addison Landsom 11, Trista Landsom 11, Samantha Madden 11, Aisha Burale 10, Katherine Callahan 10, Lillian Chambers 10, June Elias 10, Keira Friedrich 10, Robin Hibscher 10, Cecily

Jacobs 10, Adeline Letts 10, Canden Madden 10, Annika Magelee 10, Ceejae Marroquin 10, Rowyn Myhra 10, Madison Petersen 10, Olivia Phenthongsavath 10, Nevaeh

ST. PETER GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Corbin Herron. (file photo)

Greta Baker hands the baton to seventh-grader Adeline Letts (file photo)

Luke Banks. (file photo)

Le Sueur-Henderson track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Tami Burns, 2nd year (1st year as head coach, 2023 assistant coach, previously coached at GAC for 3 years from 2010-2013)

Assistant coach: Alex Jagler, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Hannah Geyen, 2nd year

ROSTER

Ellen Renstrom 8, Nora Doerr 9, Tyler Bushway 9, Andrew Lansing 9, Mason Franta 10, Ashley Grapentine 10, Lauren Horning 10, Norah Renstrom 10, Sophia Sampson 10, Lauren Stueber 10, Daisy Tietz 10, Kendra Westphal

10, Luca Greenig 10, Kaiden Reinhardt 10, Owen Greisen 10, Lily Flores 11, Wyatt Genelin 11, Connor Hank 11, Liam West 11, Hunter Libra 11, Aiden Libra 11, Joe Hutton 11, Kaden Graff 11, Riley Sater 11, Jayden Kotasek 11, Aiden Pope 12, Kaylee Berger 12, Paytyn Busse 12, Brynn Biedscheid 12, Brandy Wolf 12, Rita Flores 12, April LaBarr 12, Bobby Ferrel 12, David King 12, Anderson Reinhardt 12, Koreyann Straub 12.

KEY PLAYERS

Riley Sater

Liam West

Wyatt Genelin

Sophia Sampson

Ellen Renstrom

Norah Renstrom

David King

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Joe Hutton

Norah Doerr

Kendra Westphal

2023 RECAP

Conference: held at Belle Plaine with ideal outdoor conditions for running and throwing events. Our athletes delivered outstanding performances, exhibiting their skill and commitment.

Riley Sater – 1st in Pole Vault – 10’

Ellen Renstrom – 5th in 400m dash – 1:06

Norah Renstrom – 5th in 1600m – 5:36

- 2nd in 3200m – 12:39

Sophia Sampson – 6th in long jump – 15’

4x100m relay (Kaylee Berger, Ellea Nesbit, Riley Sater, Sophia Sampson) – 5th –55.20

4x200m relay (Ellen Renstrom, Riley Sater, Lauren Horning, Charity Koller) – 6th 2:06

ST. PETER GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

Rezmerski 10, Rahaf Salim 10, Kyla Yost 10, Macey Portner 10, Melina Chadwick 9, Ella Dirks 9, Courtney Domras 9, Nichole Garcia 9, Isla Gassman 9, Vivian Hendrickson 9, Audrey Menning 9, Liliana Prunty 9, Noelle Simonette 9, Kiercelyn Smith 9, Annika Stone 9, Kady Thoms 9, Lydia Fell 8, Grace Penner 8, Lucia Penner 8, Jaylin Yost 8, Avyn Myhra 8.

KEY PLAYERS

I think our strength will be our distance and middle distance. We should also have some depth in the hurdles and jumps. We are going to need somebody to step it up in the throws. It may take a few weeks but I know we have some great athletes and one will step in and fill the void in that area.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have a few new kids but I really can not say if they are

Sections: held at Mankato West amid sweltering heat and high humidity, undoubtedly posing a challenge to performance. Nevertheless, our resilient athletes persevered, giving their utmost effort in each event despite the adverse conditions.

Liam West – 3rd in 100m dash – 11.50

Wyatt Genelin- 6th in 110m Hurdles- 16.20

Riley Sater- 3rd in Pole Vault10-02.00

Norah Renstrom – 6th in 3200m – 13:32

State: held at St. MichaelAlbertville with unseasonably warm weather provided an optimal setting for competition.

Riley Sater- 11th in Pole Vault-10-0

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our team’s objectives for this season encompass fostering personal growth by achieving individual bests while cultivating a supportive environment. We aim to empower each member to perform at their peak potential, all while ensuring an enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

COMPETITION

Liam West – 3rd in 100m dash – 11.86

- 6th in 400m dash – 55.06

- 6th in long jump – 18-2

Wyatt Genelin – 2nd in 110m hurdles - 17.35

- 4th in 300m hurdles - 46.71

4x100m relay (Liam West, Bobby Ferrell, Kaden Graff, Justin Terwedo)– 6th 47.84

David King – Discus – 108-11

Bobby Ferrell – 7th High Jump – 5-4

going to make an impact. I would keep an eye on our High Jumpers and distance runners. We should have some solid relays too. We have got a lot of depth on the track which should make our relays quite strong. I think as far as field events the Pole vault looks to have lots of depth as well as the high jump.

2023 RECAP

Big South 4th place

Section 10th place

I consider section 2AA one of the best in the state for class AA.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Well I hope we can be healthy and our best come championship time. Many of the girls are coming off great fall and winter seasons and know what it takes to be champions. I hope some of that carries over to our track and field season. I hope we can have a good showing in the conference and section meets.

Our conference and section present imposing competition, yet I am confident that our team will perform to our utmost capability. On our team, we are privileged to have athletes overflowing with untapped potential and exceptional talent.

BY THE NUMBERS

36 - total track and field varsity athletes

17 - letter winners

11 - seniors

COMPETITION

I hope we can get in the mix for the conference title but Fairmont and Marshal always also seem to be in the top half every year. Marshal coming off a very successful cross country season tells me they will be very solid in the distance races and longer relays. Those are some of our better events too so it might come down to who has a better day. It is going to come down to field events and sprints I think.

BY THE NUMBERS

44 - total players

21 - letter winners

3 - seniors

4- schools records broken in first indoor meet

Keira Friedrich (left) and Sophia Homrighausen (right). (file photo)

Riley Sater. (file photo)

Wyatt Genelin. (file photo)

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland track & field

COACHES, YEARS

COACHING

Head coach: Casey Olson, 1st year

Assistant coaches: Landon Javens, Bree Meyer, Bernard Jandera, Hunter Westman, Eaden Javens

ROSTER

Andrew Bales - 6, Oliver Beahrs - 6, Ethan Beenken - 6, Francis Bierer - 6, Blake Campbell - 6, Brielle Cooney6, Spencer Elliott - 6, William Hagen - 6, Eden Koester - 6, Elijah Lurken - 6, Cameron Barker - 7, Kailey Campbell - 7, Izzy Endres - 7, Kenna Forster - 7, Bennett Foster - 7, Micah Lindberg - 7, Gisele

McCabe - 7, Lexi Mock - 7, Harry Panagiotakis - 7, Julia Campeau - 8, Hannah

Coudron - 8, Theo Day - 8, Carson Fahrforth - 8, AJ

Huiras - 8, Anthony Mai - 8, Lily Mock - 8, Lily Phillips8, Ryliegh Prange - 8, Tate

Rachow - 8, Lea Taylor - 8, Gavin Waagner - 8, Christian Barker - 9, Aaron Garberg9, Jack Green - 9, Marshall

Jordan - 9, Ty Romnes - 9, Mitchell Buboltz - 10, Sawyer

Ettesvold - 10, Natalie Jandera - 10, Soren Kelly - 10, Molly Koester - 10, Andrew Tieva10, Teya Waagner - 10, Gabby Bemmels - 11, Eli Blace - 11, Maddie Cooney - 11, Hayden

Ettesvold - 11, Casey Fogal - 11, Preston Grams - 11, Maddie

Huiras - 11, Chase Kijenski - 11,

Jacob Miller - 11, Taiton Moore - 11, Sam Vetter - 11, Danny

Wood - 11, Kyle Zimmerman11, Andrew Giebel - 6, Steven

Giebel - 6, Jaelyn Greenwald - 6, Brennon Holicky - 6, Logan Steinborn - 6, Emma

Kortuem - 7, Luke Kortuem7, Charlotte Meyer - 7, Reece

Nelson - 7, Graham Reinhardt - 7, Jax Leagjeld - 8, Samantha

Baker - 10, Elijah Mons10, Ava Hahn - 11, Mylie

Krenik - 11, Savannah Meyer - 11, Thayne Remiger - 11, TJ

Waldron - 11, Nathan Strobel - 12, Kristen Biebighauser - 9, Morgan Dimmel - 9, Mariah

Ivory - 9, Brianna Michels - 11, Rhea Tiegs - 7, Kylie Kolars - 12.

Savannah Meyer. (file photo)

True Team -- Boys were 11th with 524.5 points; Girls were 12th with 442.5 points

KEY PLAYERS

Girls: Kylie Kolars, Maddie Huiras, Savannah Meyer, Gabby Bemmels

Boys: Nathan Strobel, Soren Kelly, Sam Vetter, Thayne Remiger, Casey Fogal

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Girls: Charlotte Meyer, Ava Hahn, Izzy Endres, Brianna Michels

Boys: Mitchell Buboltz, Ty Romnes, Christian Barker

2023 RECAP

Conference -- Girls were 4th with 56 points; Boys were 5th with 51 points

Sub-Sections -- 19 Athletes/ Relays qualified for Sections Sections -- 7 top-5 finishes State -- 2 qualifiers (Savannah Meyer -- 800 -- 12th -- 2:26.73; Simon Morgan -- 110 hurdles -- 8th -- 15.29)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

I’m very excited for this season. I think we will be competitive in the conference and our goal will be to get multiple individuals and relays to the State Meet.

COMPETITION

We will be competitive within the conference. We have a large team with a good balance of numbers across different grades, so we are set up well for success now and in the future. We should be competing for top 2 in the conference and top 8-10 in the section on both sides. Jackson County Central and JWP will be tough within the section and LCWM-N will be very good competition in the conference.

BY THE NUMBERS

73 - total athletes (6-12) 21 - juniors/seniors combined

Nathan Strobel takes the baton handoff. (file photo

Tri-City United boys track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Craig Nordling, 8th year as Head Coach, 12th year coaching track at TCU

Assistant coaches:

James Timmerman - throws coach 5th year

Andrew Ruiz - - distance coach 3rd year

Adam Smith - Pole Vault coach 1st year

Catie Ellingsworth - JH Coach 1st year

Tanner Hadler- JH Coach 1st year

Thomas Franek - Pole Vault coach 3rd year

ROSTER

Connor Flintrop 12, Ivan Garcia Ramos 12, Parker Hanson 12, Lucas Holicky 12, Bounmy Lanoi 12, Caleb Robrahn 12, Goi Ruei 12, Connor Skluzacek 12, Luke Skluzacek 12, Eli Viskocil 12,

Rafael Balcazar 11, Ronnie Robinson 11, Tyrese Sheffel 11, Abram Chimal 10, Grant Fitterer 10, Brandon Grunow 10, Triston Olson 10, Peter Robrahn 10, Zachary Zehnder 10, Jesus Castro 9, Christopher Estrada 9, Corday Freeman 9, Sergio Marcos-Nox 9, Soren Mcnamara 9, Colin Mechtel 9, Alejandro Mejia 9, Nicolas Mejia 9, Alexander Mendez 9, Chase Miller 9, Gavin Phelps 9, Keith Sexton 9, Brayden Siebsen 9, Jude Soto 9, Brayden VonBank 9, Ethan Woldsnes 9, Gerardo Arana Rodriguez 8, Eric Borchardt 8, Carson Flicek 8, Lincoln Hudyma 8.

KEY PLAYERS TOP RUNNERS

Connor Flintrop Sr 200/400

Parker Hanson Sr Sprints

Lucas Holicky Sr 110H Sprints

Connor Skluzacek Sr Hurdles

Goi Ruei Sr Mid-Distance

Eli Viskocil Sr Mid-Distance

Rafael Balcazar Jr 200/400

Abram Chimal So 100/200

Grant Fitterer So Distance

TOP FIELD ATHLETES

Connor Flintrop Sr HJ

Parker Hanson Sr LJ / TJ

Lucas Holicky Sr LJ / TJ/HJ

Luke Skluzacek Sr Throws

Eli Viskocil Sr PV

Rafael Balcazar Jr HJ

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Colin Mechtel 9th Distance/PV

Gavin Phelps 9th Mid-Distance

Soren McNamara 9th 200/400

Eric Borchardt 8th Mid-Distance / HJ

2023 RECAP

The 2023 season had many exciting performances. Section 1AA in Track provided great opportunities for our track team. Dante Juberian finished the year running at state in both the 800m and the

1600m. At the state meet he broke the 800m school record and finished 4th. Juberian graduated last year.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Many individuals on the team will contribute heavily in both Field events and Running events. With the loss of seniors who contributed across events there are holes that we will need to fill. However, we return a solid group of seniors and their experience will be one of our strengths. This year’s Senior Class has many athletes that have been strong contributors for several years.. Many top-five performances were posted last year. Those athletes returning look to put their names in the TCU Record books. Goi Ruei will be considered one of the favorites to come out of Section 1AA in the 800, Connor Flintrop

will compete for a top slot in the 400m, as well as Rafael Balcazar.

COMMENTS FROM THE COACH: As with other sports our numbers are a rollercoaster. An unusually large group of 9th graders has helped our numbers and we are hopefully starting to build a larger JH program to feed our team in the future. We have new members of the team who have not been in a varsity track meet. We have a strong core returning and have many athletes with the potential to score points at both our Conference and Section meets. Once we are able to actually get outside, it will be fun to watch how the team progresses throughout the spring. There are many spots that opened up this year due to graduation. Our goal is to improve on our conference and section performances from

Nielsen, 2nd Year, Carrie Richards, Allan Baker, Mike Richards.

ROSTER:

Cody Akemann, 11, Ahmad Alladin, 12, Aiden Anderson, 9, Cole Bartz, 8, Nathaniel Boese, 11, Jasper Christensen, 9, Cody Culhane, 12, Mason Denis, 9, Dylan Edelman, 8, Ethan Einertson, 9, Myles Geyer, 11, Preston Grams, 11, Grady

Grohman, 10, Dylan Holicky, 12, Wyatt Janda-Jones, 9, Wyatt Jans, 9, Stevie Johnston, 11, Timothy Kellstadt, 9, Evan Lange-Wenker, 12, Avery Martinez, 8, Jasper Morris, 12, Tatum Richards, 11, Trey Richards, 9, Mason Ricther, 11, Caine Roder, 9, Benjamin Root, 9, Reed Sammon, 9, Griffin Storey, 9, Tarek

Tolzman, 10, Hunter Tonn, 8, Adrian Un, 11, Cash Wenker, 9, Aric Williams, 12, Jaiden

last year. This year will mark the end of the Minnesota River Conference and next year we will be competing in the Big South.

GOALS: We are always looking to improve. Individual athletes will be working hard to improve their “Personal Records” and push to score points at the conference meet. There are many individuals and relays that were getting close to the school records last year as underclassmen. It is quite possible to see some of the TCU School Records fall this Spring.

STRENGTHS: We are returning many athletes with experience. Experienced members of the team allows coaches to move past basic instruction to details with form and technique. Our upperclassmen will also be great mentors to the younger runners. Distance runners are returning after posting a strong Cross Country season. Depth and experience will provide a boost to our relay teams as well.

COMPETITION

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK: All teams in the conference have strengths in various events. We hope it to have balance throughout the events which will hopefully enable us to push for a top conference finish. Sibley East and Belle Plaine will again be favorites, but look for TCU to be competitive in this final year of the Minnesota River Conference.

SECTION OUTLOOK: Last year was a very successful debut for us in 1AA. TCU will be able to compete in preliminary races at the section meet and it will now be a twoday Section Meet. We have many athletes with the ability to make it to the final races. Class 2A - Section 1 Meet will be held at Lakeville South HS. I look for our seniors to have a successful Section meet, and hopefully a trip to the State Meet

Williams, 11, Logan Williams, 10, Jaelyn Wilmes, 10, John Woratschka, 9

KEY PLAYERS:

Jasper Morris - 800 m, 1600 m

Wyatt Jans, 1600 m

Evan Lange-Wenker - 400m

Dylan Holicky - 400m

Ethan Einertson - 400m

2023 RECAP:

Jasper Morris - Sections in 800m and 4x800m relay

Ethan Einertson - Sections in 400m and 4x400m relay

Dylan Holicky - 400m, 4x400m relay and 4x800m relay

Wyatt Jans - Sections in 1600m

Evan Lange-Wenker - 4x400m relay

Aric Williams - 4x400m relay

COMPETITION:

We should be a bit more competitive than last year meet to meet, but not expecting to win conference/subsection/etc.

Grant Fitterer. (File photo)

Luke Holicky. (File photo)

Evan Lange-Wenker. (file photo)

Head coach: Matthew Thomforde, 1styear

Assistant coaches: Matthew Van Houdt, 3rd Year, Harold

Wyatt Jans. (file photo/southernminn.com)

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Brian Fogal, 16th year

Assistant coaches: Craig Nordling, 11th year, Andrew Ruiz 3rd year, Jim Timmerman 6th year.

Junior High coaches: Katie Ellingsworth 1st year, Tanner Hadler 1st year

ROSTER

Nevaeh Barrera 12, Carolina Figueroa 12, Sophia Smith 12, Khloe Flicek 11, Kaylee Harkins 11, Sadie Lanoi 11, Alexis Marcussen 11, Megan Marek 11, Yasmin Ruiz-Ruiz 11, Kristen Siebsen 11, Miriam Domingo-Lopez 11, Kaylee Gogerty 10, Guadalupe Lopez 10, Morgan Meier 10, Lillian Rondorf 10, Emily Schley 10, Aubrie Barnett 9, Addyson

Caponi 9, Hannah Caron 9, Kaitlin Hartwig 9, Kinsley

Mach 9, Allison Rynda 9, Louise Stock 9, Raena Weiss 9, Feather Bauer 8, Baylee

Caponi 8, Allison Castro 8, Lila Duffy 8, Taylor Engel 8, Shardaisha Faulkner 8, Natalie Gonzalez 8, Carly Hartwig 8, Suwani Hidalgo 8, Jillian Houn 8, Avah Mladek 8, Liliana Munguia 8, Brooklyn Rutt 8, Abigail Schmitz 8, Vanessa

Shimota 8, Keiara Stocker 8, Kelcie Weydert 8, Madelyn Cook 7, Arlet De La Rosa 7, Stella Gregor 7, Adeline Grimm 7, Kaylee Havel 7, Sloane Kelly 7, Mara Livingston 7, Madison Miller 7, Johanna Oberg 7, Kaylee Rezac 7, Laney Rice 7, Elizabeth Robrahn 7, Nyadak Ruei 7, Aurora Teal 7, Paetyn Wallace 7.

KEY PLAYERS

The following girls scored a lot of points for us last year. I hope to see the same this year.

Sprints: Allison Rynda, Kaitlyn Hartwig, Carly Hartwig, Guadalupe Lopez

Distance: Yasmin Ruiz, and Kaylee Gogerty

Field Events: Khloe Flicek, Alexis Marcussen, Sophia

Smith, Kaylee Harkins

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have a lot of new 7th and 8th graders this year. It is unclear who will be able to step up and make an impact. 8th Grader Taylor Engel was our No. 2 cross country runner this past year and is out for track for the first time.

2023 RECAP

Last year our team was very young. It took awhile to get used to competing in varsity events. By the end of the season we had a very strong team. We had a individual in nearly every finals at the section meet.

Section Meet Finalists

100 Allison Rynda 5th

100 HH Khloe Flicek 9th

200 Kaitlyn Hartwig 5th

400 Carly Hartwig 1st

400 Guadalupe Lopez 6th

800 Yasmin Ruiz 6th

1600 Yasmin Ruiz 3rd

Long Jump Khloe Flicek 9th

Triple Jump Khloe Flicek 8th

Carly Hartwig was the State Champion in the 400 meters.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We should have a very solid team this year. All four of our relay teams return and should do well. Our strength this year will be in the running events. If our field events can improve we should have a very good season.

COMPETITION

The girls team should be very competitive. Belle Plaine, TCU, and Sibley East should all have a chance at winning the conference.

BY THE NUMBERS

56 - total athletes

15- returning letter winners

3 - seniors

4 - Graduates last year.

110 Athletes Boys and Girls combined. Biggest group we have had in school history

Carly Hartwig. (file photo)

Allison Rynda (File photo)

CharlieDunnick

AlexAudette-Hoberg

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown girls track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Michael Richards 11th year with WEM

Assistant coaches: Carrie Richards 8th year, Harold Neilsen 2nd year, Allan Baker, Matthew VanHoudt, Matthew Thomforde

KEY PLAYERS:

Ashlyn Pelant, 11th grade Shot Put and Discus

Tatum Richards, 11th grade Pole Vault and High Jump

McKenna Schuster, 11th grade Sprinter

Addison Condon, 10th grade Long jump and Sprinter

Kyeria Morris, 9th grade Middistance

2023 RECAP:

Ashlyn Pelant - Finished 12th in MSHSL State Championships Shot put and 2nd in section

Addison Condon - finished 6th in the section 100m sprint, 5th in 4x100 relay

McKenna Schuster - 5th in 4x100 relay

Ella Duenes - 5th in 4x100 relay

Tatum Richards - Finished 10th in the section in pole vault

Addison Condon - Finished 9th in the section in triple jump

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK:

ROSTER:

Autumn Johnson, Garbriella Spitzack , Grace Norton, Hailey Heinz, Halle Anderson,

Northfield boys track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coaches: Tyler Balow, seventh year; Kyle Korynta, first year

ROSTER

Seniors: William Argabright sprints/hurdles; Yadel Barrientos sprints; Jordan Chea Brinkley sprints; Griffith Dahle mid-distance; Carter Dumonceaux throws; Bernat Espina Alonso distance; Kamarion Gant sprints; Axel Gonzalez Reyes sprints; Hunter Hebeisen sprints; Jaden Hietala mid-distance; Cody Kaslow throws; Jens Kasten sprints; Isaac Kram sprints; Joseph Liebl throws; Simon Lippert sprints; Evan

Loe distance; Nolan Mena Rodriguez distance; John Newberg throws; Gavin Novotny sprints; Malcolm Poole sprints; Carter Steenblock distance; Samuel Swedin sprints.

Juniors: Stephen Feig sprints; Max Frank throws; Eli Hinz throws; Nicholas Johnson sprints/throws; Seth Knutson sprints; Conner Kobes distance; Braylon Larish sprints; Jacob Meeker sprints/throws; Logan Miller throws; Soren Murphy Pearson distance; Emmett Norrie sprints; Sonny O’Donnell sprints; Axel Randall middistance; Vu Truong sprints; Louden Weis sprints; Trenton Zavarelli throws.

Sophomores: Jason Aldorfer distance; Fletcher Aylin

distance; William Baragary distance; Seth Buckmeier sprints; Kennan Fields sprints; Benjamin Flory mid-distance; Samuel Froehle sprints; Henry Keane sprints/ hurdles; Thor Kline sprints; Nicholas Livingston sprints; Austin Mathre sprints; Talan Meredith sprints; Landon Mills sprints; Kian Morsching throws; Kayden Oakland sprints/hurdles.

Freshmen: Asher Engle sprints; Grayson Gray throws; Benjamin Heinritz middistance; Silas Leer distance; Elijah Palmer sprints; Jack Peterson sprints/hurdles; Romeo Rocha sprints; Oliver Waterland sprints; Mccoy Weitz sprints; David Orozco throws; Erik Radtke sprints; Isaac Schleif distance; Caden

Madison Zimbrich, Shelby Briggs, Stephanie Morris, Miley Anderson: 8th, Kyeria Morris: 9th, Liberty Morris: 9th, Addison Condon: 10th, Abigail Crosby: 11th, Alenka Jans: 10th, Jaelyn Wilmes: 10th, Loryn Caldwell: 11th,

Madeline Heuss: 11th, Ashlyn Pelant: 11th, Tatum Richards: 11th, Mckenna Schuster: 11th, Macy Anderson: 12th, Ella Duenes: 12th

We are looking to stay in the top half of the conference and send a good amount of individuals to the section meet this year.

Theo Ennis, Connor Kobes, and Jaden Hietala. MurphyPearson and Schleif also have a chance to make their mark in the Big 9 in the 1600m and 3200m races this year.

Senior throwers John Newberg and Carter Dumonceaux are ready to step into more consistent varsity roles this year and should lead the team in the shot put and discus.

Ben Flory and Sam Swedin will focus on the 400m this season. The pair will also return to a 4x400 relay squad that hopes to be more competitive in 2024.

Gavin Novatany joins the team after an unfortunate injury will keep off of the baseball diamond this spring. He will look to utilize his speed as a sprinter and long jumper.

Skluzacek sprints/hurdles; Aydin Story distance; Weston Sweeney distance; Aidan Wallig sprints.

Junior high: Gregg Moore sprints; Liam Oakland distance; Jayden Parence sprints; Zachary Perkins sprints; Jonathan Wierson sprints; Theodore Ennis distance.

KEY ATHLETES

The Raiders have a number of returning athletes who will be looking to leave their mark on the Big 9 Conference this season. 2023 All-State and All-Conference high jumper Kamarion Gant is the team’s top returning high jumper and triple jumper and should also contribute in the team’s sprint relays.

Simon Lippert was Northfield’s most improved athlete a year ago and competed at the state track meet in the 4x100m

relay. He is the team’s top returning sprinter in the 100m and 200m and may look to expand his range up to the 400m this season.

Stephen Feig had a breakout season as a sophomore last spring. He is the Raiders top returning pole vaulter and earned All-Conference honors at the Big 9 Conference Meet last season. Feig will likely play an important role in the sprint relays this season as well.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Northfield will be looking to a talented group of runners to step up in the distance events. Several members of the cross country team that competed in the AA State Meet this past fall will figure prominently in their lineups including; Evan Loe, Soren Murphy-Pearson, Isaac Schleif, Carter Steenblock, Fletcher Aylin, Jason Aldorfer,

2023 RECAP

The 2023 campaign was a strong one for the Raiders. The team finished in 6th place in the highly competitive Big 9 Conference and 1AAA True Team Section Meets. Northfield also sent one relay (4x100m) and three individuals to the AAA State Meet. At the State Meet, Kamarion Gant and Brayden Brakke earned All-State honros in the high jump and 100m respectively. Toby Grawe finished 12th in the discus and the 4x100 relay of Jackson Jerdee, Simon Lippert, Kamarion Gant, and Brayden Brakke finished 14th.

Three new school records were set along the way in the 100m

Ashlyn Pelant. (file photo)

Northfield High School boys track and field team captains for 2024 include, from left to right, John Newberg, Jaden Hietala and Evan Loe. Not pictured is Kamarion Gant. (Tom Nelson/ southernminn.com)

Addison Condon. (file photo)

Northfield junior Kamarion Gant clears the bar on a high jump attempt during the 2023 Class AAA Track and Field State Championships at St. Michael-Albertville High School. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Northfield girls track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Janet Smith, third year as head girls coach, plus sixth year with the boys and girls track distance program

Assistant coaches: Sean Allen - girls sprints and hurdles; Pat Riley - distance; Tim Larsen - throws; Tyler Balow - horizontal jumps; Karl Viesselman - pole vault; Tom Dickerson - high jump

ROSTER

Rose Acheson 10; Evelyn Amundson 11; Ruby Anderson 10; Jade Arroyo Dorantes 10; Izabella Ausmus 10; Emily Beaham 11; Mae Berglund 9; Isabella Bisel 10; Abigail Borgerding 11; Danika Bulfer 8; Elizabeth Campbell 10; Megan Carlson 10; Bella Christopherson 9; Gwendolyn Clouse 9; Addison Doeden 11; Elizabeth Driscoll 8; Raeanna Dulac 8; Maggie Dumonceaux 10; Addison Enfield 11; Sarah Englert 9; Isabel Fleming

NORTHFIELD BOYS

TRACK & FIELD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

(Brayden Brakke), 4x800 relay (Nathan Amundson, Isaac Schlief, Brecken Riley, Sam Folland), and the 4x100 relay (Jackson Jerdee, Simon Lippert, Kamarion Gant, Brayden Brakke).

Many athletes who will contribute to the team’s success in 2024 had strong seasons as JV athletes. The Raiders JV squad finished in 6th at the Big 9 JV Conference Meet. Scorers for the Raiders at this meet were: the 4x800 relay (Fletcher Aylin, Evan Loe, Jason Aldorfer, Carter Steenblock), Carter Steenblock in the 1600m, Fletcher Aylin in the 1600m, Jacob Meeker in the 400m, and Evan Loe in the pole vault. The Raiders were led by a strong senior class of

12; Charlotte Flory 12; Claire Forbord 9; Anna Forbord 11; Alaina French 11; Norah Gottfried 9; Ani Gottfried 11; Lucille Graham 11; Whitney Gray 12; Eleanor Groll 9; Josie Hauck 12; Lydia Hershberger 10; Hollis Holden 9; Ella Holleran 10; Katherine Hubers 11; Lorena Ibanez Arroyo 12; Inga Johnson 12; Allison Karl 9; Nora Klaers 12; Erica Klein 12; Nora Kortuem 11; Taylor Krohn 10; Ruth Lippert 10; Sydney Livingston 9; Tegan Madow 10; Amber Mahal 10; Edythe Malecha 9; Addison Moyer 9; Lily Nagy 11; Erika Nesseth 12; Eleanor Olson 9; Eleanor Otting 9; Ella Pagel 11; Abigail Pape 9; Hannah Pape 11; Avery Parish 8; Hailey Parish 12; Elsa Peterson 9; Makayah Petricka 8; Judith Prensa Aupetit 11; Peyton Quaas 9; Madelyn Raabolle 9; Annabelle Rezac (Manager) 12; Ella Rinaldi 11; Maggie Roffers 10; Avery Sammon 9; Maraiden Scheurer 10; Mila Schweisthal 10; Lily Smock 9; Katerina Stoufis 9; Samantha Thomas 12; Lilyan Valek 10; Naomi Valentyn 11; Sophia Vantries 12; Wilmarie Vos 9.

KEY ATHLETES

High Jump - Amber Mahal - 1st place 5’2” - qualified for state; 1600M - Addison Enfield – 3rd place (5:21.92); Pole Vault - Erika Nesseth 3rd place (9’9”) and Ani Gottfried 9th place 9’; Shot Put – Alaina French 4th place (36’7.5”) and Inga Johnson 5th place (35’8.75”); 3200M – Peyton Quaas 5th place (12:06.56); 800M – Josie Hauck 7th place (2:26.56); Triple Jump – Hailey Parish 8th place 33’9.25”.

We have every single one of these podium finishers returning to our team this season. With our move to 1AA this season we are looking to send even more girls to state from this talented squad. Emily Beaham, a junior captain, will also be a top point scorer for us in the hurdle events this season. Our sprinters are

top sprinters returning are a young group, but have a lot of potential to surprise the competition this year Sydney Livingston (9th grade), Ruthie Lippert (10th grade), Tegan Madow (10th grade), and Elsa Peterson (9th grade). Also bringing leadership and speed to the sprinters group is senior captain Isabel Fleming. Back in action in the pole vault this season will be another senior captain Whitney Gray who sprinted for us last year after an elbow injury.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Makayah Petricka is an 8th grader who has been a Varsity runner on the girls cross country team the past two falls. She will bring her distance speed to the track this season and also try her hand at pole vault. Kate Hubers who is a junior soccer player will be a great addition to the sprinting crew. Her strongest event will most likely be the 100 meter and will be a key contributor to our sprint relays. Judith Prensa Aupetit is a foreign exchange student from Germany who happens to have a strong background in track and field. In her club at home she is a well rounded athlete who competes in the heptathlon. She will bring strength to the hurdles, field events, and even all the way up to the 800 for the Raiders this season.

2023 RECAP

JV Big 9 - fifth out of nine of the Big 9 teams at the conference end of season meet; Varsity Big 9 - ninth out of 12; Section 1AAA - seventh out of eight.

Last year, we had a lot of girls just out of scoring places and are looking to move up this year in the conference standings. Other teams graduated many talented seniors and our young squad will be coming with more experience. Since we are moving to Section 1AA, we should finish in the top half of our new section and be much

more competitive against athletes and teams more similar to our school size.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

I would love to see our team place higher in both the conference and section this year. We should have multiple athletes qualify for the state meet as well, last year we only had Amber Mahal qualify in the high jump. Let’s just say, I would love to bring a bus to the state meet this year.

Overall, with a team of 77 athletes, not everyone will make the podium at conference and sections, so it is always my goal for the girls to have fun. We want to learn new skills, meet new people and get faster and stronger through the process. I would love to see our athletes have season and lifetime bests in May and the coaches are looking forward to working with everyone this Spring to help all the girls reach their personal goals.

COMPETITION

The top four teams in the conference last year will be the same teams to beat: Mankato East, Rochester Century, Rochester Mayo, and Winona. They will have graduated some great competitors, but all still be strong again this year. In section 1AA Winona won, followed by Faribault, then Byron. I would love to be able to crack into the top three teams in the sections and compete with these great programs.

BY THE NUMBERS

77 - Girls

2 - Managers

12 - Seniors

18 - Juniors

18 - Sophomores

24 - Freshman

5 - Eighth graders

27 - Returning letter winners

1 - Returning All-Conference winner

2

- Returning Honorable Mention All-Conference winners

25 athletes, four of whom continued their track and field careers at the collegiate level. These include Nathan Amundson (University of Minnesota- Duluth), Brecken Riley (St. Boneventure University), Jackson Jerdee (Gustavus Adulphus College), and Brayden Brakke (University of MinnesotaDuluth).

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Although the Raiders are looking to reload after losing a bevy of talent to graduation, the 2024 track and field squad will have strong leadership from captains Evan Loe, Jaden Hietala, Kamarion Gant, and John Newberg.

While individuals like Kamarion Gant, Simon Lippert, Stephen Feig, and Soren-Murphy Pearson have their sights set on trying to

finish at the top of Section 1AA, many spots on the squad’s lineup are up for grabs this season and will likely be filled by newcomers and underclassman.

COMPETITION

Finishing in the top half of the Big 9 Conference again this season would be a success for this young squad. Once again, it looks like Northfield will be chasing Big 9 powers Rochester Mayo and Owatonna, who have combined to win the last four conference titles.

The Raiders will be competing in Section 1AA for the first time this spring after moving down from Section 1AAA. This new class placement will provide the Raiders with lower automatic state qualifying standards than in years past but the competition they face in early June will still be top notch. Faribault and

Northfield’s Amber Mahal attempts to clear the bar on one of her high jump attempts during the 2023 Class AAA Track and Field State Championships. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Northfield’s Addison Enfield in the 4x800 relay during a 2023 meet. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Stewartville look like the teams to beat this year as they both return a large number of 2023 state qualifiers.

Seniors

Kenyon-Wanamingo track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jeff Wibben, 32nd year

Assistant coaches: Rachel Cline, 16th year; Tracy Erlandson, 14th year

ROSTER

Hayley Lentsch, 12, 100, 200, 400, long jump; Logan Carroll, 12, 300H, 200, high

jump, 4x100; Grant Reed, 12, 100,200 shot disc; Max Loos, 12, 100.200 shot, disc; Ben Short, 12, Shot, disc, relays; Jay Smith, 12, Shot, disc, 100; Carmen Nerison, 11, 300H, triple jump; Aurora Wiskow, 11, 100, 200, high jump; Kyle Brogger, 11, 100, 200; Thomas Paulson, 11, Shot, disc; Masyn Hanson, 11, 300H, long jump; Asher Moore, 11, 100, 200, 300H, relays, long jump; Elsie Braaten, 10, 200, 400; Holly

Carlstrom, 10, 400, 4x400, high jump; Adalee Geisinger, 10, Shot, disc; Audrey Haugen, 10, 800, high jump; Oliver Breyer, 10, Shot, disc; Owen Caron, 10, 100, 200; Andre Cortez, 10, 100, 300H, triple jump; Myles Thompson, 10, 200, Triple jump, long jump, high jump; Alyssa Garrett, 9, Shot, disc; Lila Huschle, 9, 200, 400; Seth Aldorfer, 9, 100H, 200H, long jump, triple jump; Jaxson Hedeen, 9, Shot,

Owatonna boys track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Kevin Stelter, 25th year as Head Coach, 33 year of Coaching in Owatonna

Assistant Coaches: Luke Holt, Jerry Eggermont, Doug Maine, Joey Gleason, Ken Ringhofer

ROSTER

Seniors: ORAN DOWLING, JACOB GINSKEY, GARRETT

KARSTEN, NOLAN KUBAT, KEANAN LARSON, GRANT LOWER, PAYTON MAHLUM, DONTE MILLER, JACK NELSON, JOSEPH PIRKL, TORRIN SMITH, GAGE STOEN

Juniors: CONNOR BORWEGE,

SPENCER COPELAND, ZACHARY DAHNERT, CHARLES DULAS, BLAKE FITCHER, NOLAN GINSKEY, MICHAEL HALVERSON, SETH JOHNSON, REED KATH, LOGAN LANGEBERG, JAMIE LISOWSKI, JAMES MARKOWITZ, TERELL MILLER, LUCAS SMITH, JACK SORENSON, DARIAN STRANSKY, TUCKER VIETHS, LUCAS WEBBER, COLIN ZIMMERMAN

Sophomores: ELIJAH BLACK, VICENTE CHAVEZ, AYOUB FARAH, CARTER FLATLAND, MAX FLEMKE, JACKSON GLEASON, ALEC GOWLLAND, WILLIAM

discus; Colten Lohman, 9, 100, 200, 4x100; Trey Watkins, 9, 100, 200.

KEY PLAYERS

Hayley Lentsch, Logan Carroll and Masyn Hanson.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Grant Reed, Max Loos, Audrey Haugen, Thomas Paulson, Kyle Brogger and Owen Caron.

2023 RECAP

Hayley Lentsch set New Girls 400m record 58.1 seconds.

Hayley Lentsch Section Champ 400m, 4th in the 100, 5th in the 200 at Sections. Hayley Letsch placed 1st Long Jump at Sections and 4th at the State Meet.

Mari O’Connor 10th in the 1600m at Sections.

Vanessa Schmidt 5th in Long Jump at Sections, State Meet entrant for Long jump. Vanessa Schmidt 5th in Triple Jump at Sections.

Girls 4x1 relay Gopher Conference Champs Tessa Erlandson, Avy Ageten, Kaelynn Ryan and Vanessa Schnidt The relay team placed 6th at Sections.

Girls 4x800 relay Gopher Conference Champs Kaelynn Ryan, Grace Nystuen, Lily Peterson and Mari O’Connor, The relay team placed 5th at Sections.

Gage Thompson 7th in 110 High Hurdles at Section.

Logan Carroll 6th in the 300 hurdles at Section.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a larger boys’ squad than last year and expect them to do real well in our conference.

The girls took quite a dip in varsity numbers so we will bring up some younger kids to help fill out the team and it will be a growing season for the girl’s team. We do have veterans on both squads that we will lean on to help the new and younger athletes reach their potential.

We always strive as boys and girls to finish in the top half of the teams in all the meets we are entered in. I see that

happening again this year with the athletes we have on our squads.

Another goal is for each athlete to set multiple personal records over the course of the season and in the process hopefully set or meet a school record in the events they are running.

BY THE NUMBERS

26 - Varsity athletes; 24Junior High athletes

5 - Senior boys; 1 - Senior girl

4 - Junior boys; 2 - Junior girls

4 - Sophomore boys; 4Sophomore girls

4 - Freshmen boys; 2Sophomore girls

15 - Returning letter winners

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have 55 Freshmen and Sophomores, we will work hard to find a place for them to be successful and contribute to the success of our team as well.

2023 RECAP

Section True Team Champions, 8th place State True Team Big 9 Champions

MSHSL Section 1AAA Champions

At State we had:

HALVERSON, ISAIAH HERNANDEZ, LOGAN JENSEN, KADEN KELLER, MASON KLECKER, SILAS KLUG, AIDAN KREUTTER, TYSON KREUTTER, DALTON LEVY, DAWSON LEVY, RYAN MCINTOSH, JOSHUA OLSEN, GABRIEL PIEPHO, TEGAN QUAM, PHOENIX STORM, FINNEGAN VIETHS, GAVIN WORRELL, ADDISON YOUNG

Freshmen: LANDON AMUNDSON, BRYAN CANALES, LUCAS CANDULLO, SAMUEL DULAS, RYDER ERDMAN, MICAH GENTZ, JACK HAWKINS, XZABIAN

HERNANDEZ, BRADYN JAMAICA, NOLAN JOHNSON, ASHER LEON, MASON MYROM, ALEXANDER NEITZEL, JOHNATHAN NIESSEN, DEVIN NOVAK, LOWELL SCHULTZ, GRAYSON SLOTSVE, LEE SMITH, KAIDEN STRUSS, DEIKEN TORABPOUR, LANE WEBBER

KEY PLAYERS

Seniors:

Oran Dowling, Pole Vault Jacob Ginskey, Distance ran on our State 8th place 4x800 relay team, will also Triple Jump

Garrett Karsten: injured most of last year, but should be our fastest kid.

Keanan Larson: Sprinter, ran on our State 3rd place 4x200

relay

Grant Lower: thrower, should be good

Torrin Smith, thrower, lots of experience, should be a good one!

Juniors:

Spencer Copeland, pole vault, looking very good

Zachary Dahnert, thrower, should be one of our top 3 throwers

Blake Fitcher, thrower, should be in the mix

Nolan Ginskey, sprinter, ran on our State 3rd place 4x200 last spring, also jumps

Seth Johnson, hurdler, sprinter, ran at State last year, should have a great season

Jamie Lisowski, sprinter, look for him to fill in for last years

Seniors who graduated

Jack Sorenson, distance, ran on our State 8th place 4x800 relay, should have a great year

Lucas Webber, sprinter, ran on our State 3rd place 4x200 relay

Justin Gleason finish 3rd in Long jump, Trevor Schirmer finished 4th in Disc

4x800 Relay of Jacob Ginskey, Trevor Hiatt, David Smith, and Jack Sorenson finished 8th 4x200 Relay Justin Gleason, Nolan Ginskey, Luke Webber, and Keanan Larson finished 3rd

Seth Johnson finished 12th in 110 High Hurdles

Justin Gleason also participated in Triple Jump (10th) and 200 (12th place)

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Should be in the hunt again for Section True Team and Big 9 Champs! We will have to have some of our younger athletes “Step Up: and fill in for Graduating Seniors from last year’s team , but I feel we have the ability to do just that!

Hayley Lentsch was Kenyon-Wanamingo/Goodhue track and field’s top point earner among boys or girls in 2023.

Senior sprinter Keanan Larson. (file photo)

Logan Carroll was Kenyon-Wanamingo boys track and field’s top points earner in 2023. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Senior pole vaulter Oran Dowling. (file photo)

Owatonna girls track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Debby Gleason, 3nd year

Assistant coach: Joey Gleason

Assistant coach: Ryan Guenther

Assistant Distance Coach: Tashenna Cooke

Assistant Throwing Coach: Amy Lageson

Assistant Hurdle Coach: Doug Maine

Assistant Pole Vault Coach: Ken Ringhofer

Assistant Throwing Coach: Mark Kubat

ROSTER

8th Grade: LEAH LECKNER, CLARA MEIER, CLARA SENNOTT

Freshmen: AMRAN ALI, AVA BREKKE, AVA COX, ADDISON GERDES, AUDEN JENSEN, JULIA

KESS, TEGAN KRUSCHKE, GABRIELLA NAVARRO,

HARMONY PIEPHO, SOPHIA

QUALLEY, ELLA SEYKORA, KELSEY SKALA, AMELIE TOLLE, AVA WILKER, PARKER ACKERMAN, AVERY

EICHTEN, MACKENZIE

CATES, KATE COWELL, REAGAN DEWITZ, AALIYAH EDWARDS, LILLIAN GOLUBA, LAUREN KOLLAR, PATTY PROCOPIO, JOHANNA SPIELMAN, AZUL VAZQUEZ, SYDNEY

WILLAERT, AUDREY

DOWLING, GRACE MITCHELL, BROOKLYN CHRISTIANSON, GRACE HALVERSON, ALEXANDRA

HERGET, KILEE HOVEY, PAISLEY JACOBSON, AMARI

KNICKREHM, OLIVIA

KUBICEK, GENESIS SILVA, KILEY WALDHAUSER, ISABELLA HORN

Sophomores: TEAGAN

BURTON, NATALIE CHRISTOFFERSON, SOPHIA COOK, JESSICA

FISHER, LUCY JACOBS, JAZELLE JUAREZ, ELLIE MEINERS, KENDRA

MELBY, ALEXIS NORBECK, LAUREN PACKARD, BRELYN SCHULTZ, CHLOE MYER, DYLANN NORRID, AMELIA BALDWIN, ALIYANNA DELAROSA, NAOMIE DELAROSA, ADDI LANGLOIS, GRACE LU, KENDRA MILLER, AMIYAH REA, ANNA HILGENDORF, ASHA ABDI, MANIIRA

ADEN, NICOLE AGUIRRESAENZ, MYA BAUER, ERIKA CANTU, JAMIE FIEDLER, AVA HINCHLEY, KYLEAH MILLER, AMAL MOHAMED, CASEY SALINAS, LAUREN THURNAU, DAKHAILA WILLIAMS

Juniors: EMILY CLARK, CASSANDRA KARSTEN, ALEXIS KLECKER, SERENE LU, ELLA MOLLENHAUER, ISABELLA SCHULTZ, AFTON TORABPOUR, ADDY AHRENS, GAIA D’ANGELO, CARLEY DEWITZ, CLAIRE DIXON, JULIA GLEASON, JOZIE JOHNSON, MADDY MEIER,

MARYN POOL, HALLE THEIS, BRIDGIT VOLSEN, KELLI WAYPA, JAIDEN WILLIAMS, MAYA BADGER, KENNEDY SCHAMMEL, GIANA BUTTERA, AMANDA CLUBB, SOFIA ESCOBEDO, SYDNEY FOSNESS, JOANNA HAGGERTY, KALLIE INGVALDSON, JENNIFER JONES, LANAYA JONES, MAKENZIE OLTMANS, JAZMYN PURRIERHUDRLIK, KATHERINE TRENDA

Seniors: CARSYN BRADY, ANNA COX, SAMANTHA HARTMAN, ANAH PACKARD, JOSLYNE CAUDILLO, EMMA JOHNSON, LAKEN MEIER, RAEGHEN MURRY, COOPER ACKMAN, NYALUAL CHAN, AMELIA COOK, EMMA GREEN, ARIAH MOWERS

KEY PLAYERS

Carsyn Brady is one of our captains and state participant last year in the 800m. She finished 7th place in the 800 at State. She will be competing for NDSU next year.

Carsyn and Naomi Delarosa were Hamline Elite participants last year in the mixed 4x400

The OHS Girls Cross Country team qualified for state last Fall and majority of those runners will be helping our distance crew score points on the track this Spring.

Laken Meier is our sprint captain and will be a strong contributor in our relays and in long jump. She will be competing for Colorado Christian University next

Spring. She earned All Conference last year in her 4x400 relay.

Jozie Johnson broke the school record last season in the triple jump and was a State Meet participant as well.

Halle Theis was our “Rookie of the Year” last year and is returning this year and will be a strong contributor to our teams success this season in the sprints and jumps.

Nyalual Chan is our throwing captain and finished 7th place at Sections last season. Her leadership is helping to lead a group of almost 37 throwers this season.

Coach Joey Gleason was the Section 1AAA Assistant Coach of the Year last year and returning to help coach our sprinters and jumpers.

2023 RECAP

All Conference: Carsyn Brady, Kiara Gentz, Laken Meier, Kennedy Schammel

All Conference Honor

Mention: Anna Cox, Clara Meier

Returning State Track Participants: Carsyn Brady (800m) and Jozie Johnson (Triple Jump).

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We are really looking to have an outstanding season. We have really developed good depth and balance in all our events which will help our overall team results this season. I anticipate qualifying for the MN State Track meet in multiple events this Spring and anticipate some new school records along the way.

BY THE NUMBERS

120 - athletes

13 - Sr 33 - Jr

33 - Sophomores

38 - freshman

3 - eighth graders (qualified for the State Cross Country meet in the Fall)

Medford track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Kevin Werk, 21st year (23nd year coaching)

Assistant coaches: Jerome Johannes, Dave Bon, Cris Jirele, Megan Mettler

ROSTER

Boys: Evan Noble, 12; Hunter Perdue, 12; Jesse Ortiz, 12; Riley Babcock, 12; Cain Johannes, 11; Aavyn Hummel-Langerfeld, 10; Alex Thurnau, 10; Conor Wilson, 10; John Hora, 10; Orion Heintz, 10; Blake Cammock, 9; Chase Balzer, 9; Drake Stursa, 9; Johnny Cole, 9; Tanner Milewski, 9; Will Grayson, 9; Henry Miller, 8; Jackson Melchert, 8; John Dodds, 8; Madden Kellen, 8; Mason Kolling, 8; Jacob Hora, 7; Joseph Hora, 7; Luther Johannes, 7; Sam Bauer, 7

Girls: Addison O’Connor, 12; Annette Kniefel, 12; Isabel Miller, 12; Jackie Cole, 12; Lily George, 12; Peyton Snow, 12; Clara Thurnau, 11; Hailey Hemann, 11; Jillian Kellen, 11; Lydia Heiderscheidt, 11; Ashlin

Havumaki, 10; Ava Huizel, 10; Libby Sutherland, 10; Madalyn

Huizel, 10; Olivia Ward, 10; Amelia Fitzgerald, 9; Avery Arndt, 9; Madison Murphy, 9; Megan Tegmeier, 9; Aubrie

Havumaki, 8; Aurora Heintz, 8; Claire Nagel, 8; Cortney Borwege, 8; Emersyn Johnson, 8; Maria Jones, 8; Taylor Havelka, 8; Brynn Havumaki, 7; Claire Gibbons, 7; Gabriella Salazar-Sharp, 7; Grace McAdams, 7; Julia Anhorn, 7; Julietta Belch, 7; Katherine Capello, 7; Marni Wencl, 7

KEY PLAYERS

Boys: Jesse Ortiz – State qualifier in

the 200 (10th place)

Hunter Purdue – shot and discus

Riley Babcock – mid distance

Girls:

Jackie Cole – State qualifier in the long jump (5th place) & 200 (5th place), 2023 Gopher Conference

Female Track Athlete of the Year

Isabel Miller – section qualifier in the discus

Lydia Heiderscheidt – pole vault

Amelia Fitzgerald – section qualifier in the discus

Avery Arndt – section qualifier in the 3200

Senior runner Carsyn Brady. (file photo)

Senior sprinter Jesse Ortiz. (file photo)

Senior triple jumper Jozie Johnson. (file photo)

Janesville-WaldorfPemberton track & field

James, Ryan Kronbach, Dylan Mcwaters, Preston Johnson, Syler Kelley, Karson Mittelstaedt, Teagan Mulder, Jacob Passow, Christian Reyes, Leighlan Harris, Jacoby Harris.

KEY PLAYERS

Ryan Kronbach (State participant- High Jump, All Conference-Triple Jump)

Lilly Strauss (State Participant- Long Jump, 4x1, 4x2, 4x4, All Conference4x2 )

Katelyn Olson (State Participant- 4x1, 4x2, 4x4, All Conference-4x2 )

Nevaeh Weimert (State Participant- 4x1, 4x2, 4x4, All Conference-4x2, )

Isaiah Berndt (All Conference Honorable Mention-)

Alex James (All Conference Honorable Mention-)

Alexander Kleve (All Conference Honorable Mention-)

Ava Krause (All Conference4x800)

Kwynn Krause (All Conference-4x800)

Faith Olson (All Conference4x800)

Lauren White (All Conference-4x800)

MaKenzie Westphal (All Conference-3200)

Ava Appel (All Conference Honorable Mention

Presley James (All Conference Honorable Mention

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Boys: Michael Vanravenhorst, Zach Groll, Jack Cahill, Nick Johnson

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Samuel Schruin, 2nd season

Assistant coaches: John Kaplan, Liz Gerry Kvebak, Scott Thompson, Andrea Kronbach, Emily Olson

Volunteers: Tim Johnson, Mike Cahill, Katie Cahill, Kenzie Miller

Managers: Ella Stenger, Ashlynn Wendt, Ali Olson

RETURNING ROSTER

Girls: MaKenzie Westphal, Kwynn Krause, Katelyn Olson, Nevaeh Weimert, Ariana Aguilar, Ava Appel, Brielle Bure, Onikia Herme, Madline Hoehn, Madyn Holland, Presley James, Lilly Strauss, Claire Walz, Paige Walz, Aubrey Weedman, Caitlin Kleve, Lauren White.

Boys: Tyson Johnson, Gavin Weedman, Chuck Adams, Daulton Bauer, Noah BrockOxner, Isaiah Berndt, Luke Cahill, Eric Daschner, Isaac Gahlon, Derek Gustafson, Alexander Kleve, Shane Witts, Kaden Baker, Alex

James, Memphis James, Ryan Kronbach, Dylan McWaters, Isaiah Berndt, Luke Cahill, Eric Daschner, Isaac Gahlon, Derek Gustafson, Alexander Kleve, Daulton Bauer, Tyson Johnson, Gavin Weedman

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Develop Champions, Graduate Leaders

A strength is our culture, as cliche as it may sound, it’s more like a family where everyone feels welcome and is pushed to become their

best self. Another strength would be strong leadership from our upper class, they do a great job of teaching and mentoring our younger athletes and make the program very inclusive. Everyone is very driven and has a strong work ethic, willing to be coached and bring a positive attitude every day. I would say a team strength would be the coaching staff as well, we have a very knowledgeable group of individuals who are committed to the social, emotional, and physical growth of the athletes.

Girls: Ashlin Keyes (State Participant- 4x4, high jump, all conference honorable mention), Raquel Fischer (State Participant- 4x1, 4x2, All conference 4x2), Faith Olson( All Conference-4x800, Conference Sportsmanship Award), Madison Kunst

2023 RECAP

Academic All Conference: Kaden Baker, Memphis

James, Isaiah Berndt, Luke Cahill, Eric Daschner, Alexander Kleve, Daulton Bauer, Gavin Weedman?, Lucas Bjortomt, Caitlin Kleve, Lauren White, Brielle Bure, Madyn Holland, Presley James, Lilly Strauss, Claire Walz, Paige Walz, Aubrey Weedman, Kwynn Krause, Katelynn Olson, Nevaeh Weimert, Anne Adams, Kayleigh Donner, Ava Krause, MaKenzie Westphal

Letter Award Winners Girls: Caitlin Kleve, Lauren White, Ava Appel, Brielle Bure, Onikia Herme, Madeline Hoehn, Presley James, Lilly Strauss, Claire Walz, Paige Walz, Aubrey Weedman, Kwynn Krause, Katelyn Olson, Nevaeh Weimert, Sarah Bulman, Kayleigh Donner, Ava Krause, MaKenzie Westphal

Letter Award Winners

Boys: Kaden Baker, Alex

Senior jumper/sprinter Jackie Cole. (file photo)

MEDFORD TRACK & FIELD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Boys:

Cain Johannes – thrower

Alex Thurnau – distance

Girls:

Annette Kniefel – sprinter

Peyton Snow – sprinter

2023 RECAP

Boys – 4th place in the conference & 3rd place at subsections

Girls – 4th place in the conference & 3rd place at subsections

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Boys – Our varsity numbers are a little lower than normal. We will have a hard time filling a complete line-up. The good thing with track is it isn’t all about the team. It is an individual sport as well. I am excited to see how our individuals do this year.

Girls – Our girl’s teams will be more complete than our boys. I am hoping to compete for one of the top spots in the conference.

BY THE NUMBERS

Boys: 25 – total

5 – returning letter winners

4 – Seniors

Girls:

34 – total

8 – returning letter winners

6 - Seniors

Lilly Strauss. (file photos)

Ryan Kronbach. (file photo)

Blooming Prairie track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Alli Schmidt, 5th year

Assistant coach: Darcy Kubat, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Xavier Rennie, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Isaac Ille, 1st year

Volunteer Coach: Steven Salinas, 2nd Year

Volunteer Coach: Danny Milligan, 1st Year

ROSTER

Boys: Kaiden Chicos, 12; Breckin Cochlin, 12; Ty Forystek, 12; Gabe Hein, 12; Derek Kubicek, 12; Ben Riley, 12; Mason Simon, 12; Justin Stork, 12; Kolby Vigeland, 12; Vincent Hernandez, 11; Owen Krueger, 11; Gage Mullenbach, 11; Will Sunde, 11; Cole Wangen, 11; Tyler Anderson, 10; Noah Graves, 10; Christian Quail, 10; Cannon Wacek, 10; Eli Anderson, 9; David Clennon, 9; Cooper Foster,

9; Kingston Lee, 9; Rhett Mueller, 9; Evan Westphal, 9; Riley Marzolf, 9; Isaac Fort, 8; Braxton Lee, 8; Justin Olsen, 7; Andrew Schwarz, 7; Joey Schwarz, 7; Levi Skillestad, 7

Girls: Annaka Forsberg, 12; Elizabeth Miner, 12; Molly Robins, 12; Sophie Thomas, 12; Isabel Dickel, 11; Kailyn Bissen, 10; Lainey Schultz, 10; Chloe Weber, 10; Jaspher Doocy, 9; Sophia Esplan, 9; Daisy Heimer, 9; Gloria Hernandez, 9; Madysan Slowinkski, 9; Evie Emanuel, 8; Kylynn Johnson,

8; Haley McIntosh, 8; Lanie Osmon, 8; Bella Romeo, 8; Haley Schlicter, 8; Cassidy Jones, 7; Eva Magnuson, 7; Amelia Pauly, 7

KEY PLAYERS

Annaka is a senior, and 2 time state champion in the high jump and placed 6th in triple jump last year. She signed her letter of intent to compete at Coastal Carolina next season. Gabe Hein only joined track last year, but has already started the year by breaking our school high jump record with a jump of 6’2. We’re excited to see what else he can achieve this year. Kolby Vigeland is another returning senior who just jumped his personal best pole vault height from last year at our first, indoor meet.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Bella Romeo is an 8th grader who joined our varsity girls at the end of last year. Our girls numbers are a little lower than our boys team, and we will be looking for her to fill some spots on our varsity roster. We have some additions, younger and older, who haven’t had an opportunity to compete yet. We’re excited to see what they can do!

2023 RECAP

Annaka Forsberg – Conference champion, 1st place at Sections in high jump and triple jump, and two time state champion in the high jump, 6th place at state in the triple jump

Our boys 4x8 and 4x1 teams were all-conference champions.

At Sections, our boys 4x1 and 4x2 team both placed 6th. We sent 19 athletes to Sections for 15 events, and only graduated 5 of those 19.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We graduated some key athletes on our relays so we are looking for those who are going to be able to fill those rolls. We have 13 dedicated and hardworking seniors who are great role models for the younger athletes. Our goal is to have keep bettering ourselves and have those returners continue onto Sections, and placing even higher. We would love for Annaka to return to state for her 4th year, and to bring some teammates along to compete there as well.

COMPETITION

We have a good number of athletes out for the size of Blooming Prairie, and will remain competitive. This year, we have a larger number who are new to the sport and it will take time to find which events work best for everyone. We have some standout events that we hope to keep earning points in to raise our team score.

BY THE NUMBERS

54 - total athletes

27 - letter winners

13 - seniors

Senior high jumper and two-time state champion Annaka Forsberg. (Stephen McDaniel/ southernminn.com)

Senior pole vaulter Kolby Vigeland. (Stephen McDaniel/southernminn.com

NRHEG boys track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Duey Ferber, 35th year

Assistant coaches: Larry Nydegger, Bailie Thom, Kim Johnson, Brian Belcourt

ROSTER

Seniors: Parker Bunn, Levin Kitzer, William Tuttle

Juniors: Owen Bartlett, Harbor Cromwell, Cole Hutchens, Logan Scheil, Gavin Sletten

Sophomores: Justin Beauvais, Charlie Fuller, Jacob Karl, Gavin Lewison, Devon Nelton, Trevor Selover, Wyatt Tuttle

Freshmen: Jack Bartlett, Colton Conroy, Lavon Jewison, Brendan Schmidt

8th Grade: David Deen, Nathan Hager, Kailin Hudson, Korbin Johnson, Jackson McGannon, Rowan Sletten, Kenny Spies, Rylin Thompson

7th Grade: Devlin McWilliams

KEY PLAYERS

Will Tuttle 7th State 110HH

12th State 300IH MV Track and Field 2024 Captain

Levin Kitzer MV Track Events 2024 Captain

Jacob Karl

Parker Bunn 2024 Captain Harbor Cromwell

Charlie Fuller

Devon Nelton

Conner Nelson

Wyatt Tuttle

Brendan Schmidt

2023 RECAP

Finished 3rd in Gopher Conference

All-Conference: Jacob Karl (3200m), Will Tuttle (110HH, 300HH), Lucas Hanna (discus)

State Qualifiers: Will Tuttle and Lucas Hanna

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have some good athletes in most areas. We should be strong in our hurdle events and sprint relays. Our Long distance has some good younger athletes as well as some upper classmen.. Our Jumps have some new athletes to hopefully score some points. We have most of our bases covered.

Team Weakness: Depth. We need more events where we can score multiple people.

Key to success for your team: Keep everyone healthy and able to compete in all the meets. We need to work hard and get some of our new members some experience in their events.

COMPETITION

Conference favorites: Maple River returns a lot of very good athletes to their team.

Section or district favorites: Belle Plaine /Jordan has a ton of athletes that are very talented.

Waseca boys track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Dave Abel (sprints, jumps), 19th year (total at Waseca as head coach, 8yrs assistant prior to head coaching)

Assistant coaches: Brad Wendland (throws),18th year; Grant Popp (distance), 6th year; Saiveon Williamson (sprints), 1st year; Robb Winterfeld (hurdles), 3rd year

ROSTER

Gaige Johnson 12; Kaeden Johnson 12; Andrew Robran 12; Javonn Rodney 12; Colten Schroeder 12; Ethan Stenzel 12; Micah Allen-Haas 11; Pablo Alvarez-Reyes 11; Nathaniel

Andrs 11; Andy Balderas 11; Isaac Feldkamp 11; Tristan Godwin 11; Michaiah Grannis 11; Brandyn Jascha 11; Bennett Ludwig 11; Joe Mixteco 11; Carson Ohnstad 11; Koltyn Quillen 11; Miguel Rocha 11; Damarius Russell 11; Cody Weber 11; Wyatt Hager 10; Liam Biddle 10; Nathan Kaiser 10; William Mansfield 10; Jett Rohl

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have good numbers in our sophomores and freshmen and some “new to track” athletes that we will need to step up and fill some roles for us.

2023 RECAP

Conference Finish 2nd last year, 4th place at Section meet, Class AA Boys State champions

NRHEG girls track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Duey Ferber, 35th year

Assistant coaches: Larry Nydegger, Bailie Thom, Kim Johnson, Brian Belcourt

ROSTER

Seniors: Keira Lenort, Makenzie Mueller, Evelyn Nydegger, Annabelle Petsinger, Malonna Wilson

Juniors: Elise Aronson, Sierra Misgen, Sophomores: Holly Bartness, Madison Corkill, Jannelle Garrido, Molly Johnson, Alaina Modder, Winter Pederson, Chloe Riewer, Gabby Schlaak, Camryn

VanMaldeghem, Quinn

VanMaldeghem, Zoe Wilson, Freshmen: Ariel Anholt, Alexandria Barnes, Clara Buendorf, Amelia Duryee, Sierra Fish, Paige Johnson, Anika Ladlie, Kylie Olson, Mady Schlaak, 8th Grade: Scarlett Chance

7th Grade: Ellie Clark, Jacquelyn Duryee, Ella Jeno, Alexia Schmit, Julieann Wobbrock

KEY PLAYERS

Evelyn Nydegger 13th in state in both 100HH and 300LH MV Track and Field 2024

Captain Quinn VanMaldeghem 15th State in 800m MV Track Events

Gabby Schlaak 2023 Most Improved

Anika Ladlie MV Field Events

HJ

Chloe Riewer

Malonna Wilson

Paige Johnson

Keira Lenort

Sierra Misgen

Clara Buendorf

Holly Bartness

Kylie Olson

2023 RECAP

Finished 2nd in Gopher Conference

All-Conference: Quinn

VanMaldeghem (800m, 1600m), Evelyn Nydegger (100HH, 300HH), Lauren Cowell (discus); 4x400Keira Lenort, Sierra Misgen, Chloe Riewer, Quinn VanMaldeghem

State Qualifiers: Evelyn Nydegger and Quinn VanMaldeghem

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Team strengths: Hurdles, Jumps, mid distance.

Team Weakness: Depth. We need to have more than one person score in each event.

Key to success for your team: Hard work and grit.

COMPETITION

I think the Gopher Conference is wide open this year. We came up just short last year, but finished runner up by 2pts.

Conference favorites: JWP, Maple River

Senior hurdler Will Tuttle. (file photo)

Class AA Boys Track and Field state champions Waseca. (file photo)

Senior hurdler Evelyn Nydegger. (file photo)

Waseca girls track & field

COACHES

Head coach: Dave Abel (sprints, jumps), 19th year (total at Waseca as head coach, 8yrs assistant prior to head coaching)

Assistant coaches: Brad Wendland (throws),18th year; Grant Popp (distance), 6th year; Saiveon Williamson (sprints), 1st year; Robb Winterfeld (hurdles), 3rd year

ROSTER

Sarah Haley 12; Evelyn O’Brien 12; Jade Dauchel 11; Callie Dufault 11; Brooklyn Flatau 11; Sierra Krause 11; Gaby Lopez 11; Camila Marquez 11;

KEY PLAYERS

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

2023 RECAP

Conference Finish last year2nd, 4th place Section meet

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our season goals are pretty consistent year in and year out. We expect to compete for the conference championship, qualify for True Team state and move as many athletes on to state as we can.

Team Strengths: 11 returning letterwinners should anchor this group. We have 24 girls out for track, which is a low number for us. It will be tough but we hope

to be able to find some gems in the group to fill the needed areas on the team.

Areas we will need to improve: We need to find some depth in the mid-distance areas, improve in the triple jump and high jump, find some sprint depth, and find some vaulters. We will need some girls to step and create the depth we will need to really score well as a team.

Keys to success: We are balanced. If we can find

some girls to fill some holes we will be able to compete.

Competition

Conference: the usual suspects - Fairmont, Marshall. We have added Belle Plaine to the conference and they are always good.

Section 1AA: Winona, Red Wing, Kasson, Byron, Faribault will be good. Northfield has been added to the section and they will be very good

Junior

WASECA BOYS TRACK & FIELD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our season goals are pretty consistent year in and year out. We expect to compete for the conference championship, qualify for True Team state and move as many athletes on to state as we can.

Team Strengths:

15 returning letterwinners, strong group of sprinters, and discus guys. We have 38 guys

out for track, which is a great number. We should be able to find some gems in the group to fill the needed areas on the team.

Areas we will need to improve:

We need to find some depth in the mid-distance areas, improve in the triple jump, shot put and high jump.

Keys to success: We are going to be able to compete well in the sprints, and have good top of the line guys in the pole vault, 1600,3200, long jump, and discus. We will need to find

some guys to fill the other spots to really score well as a team.

COMPETITION

Conference: the usual suspects - Fairmont, Marshall. St. Peter will be decent as well.

Section 1AA: PEM, Faribault will be the good teams. Others that will be decent include Winona, Austin, Red Wing, Stewartville, Kasson

Junior sprinter, hurdler and jumper Brooklyn Flatau (left). (file photo)

Junior sprinter/hurdler Cami Marquez. (file photo)

sprinter Damarius Russell. (file photo)

Faribault boys track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Dave Wieber, 34th year

Assistant coaches: Charlie Fuller, 29th year; John Harris, second year; Meghan Knutson, third year; Abby Stroup, first year; Christian Harmeyer, second year

ROSTER

Khalid Abdi 9; Omar Abdi 10; Dahir Ali 11; Diego Almaguer 12; Charles Amoako 12; Barak Barner 11; Preston Berger 12; Dustin Boyd 11; Carter Brown 9; Carson Casteel 11;

Tyler Clark 10; Cullen Cox 10; D’Shaun Davis 12; Caden Dokkestul 9; Owen Dotterwich 9; Alex Dudley 9; Escobar Escobar Pearson 12; Andrew Flicek 12; Chase Flicek 11; Erick Flores 9; Kelvin Fu 11; Bitan Gatwech 8; Aden Hanson 12; James Hoisington 12; Omar Jimenez 9; Carter Johnson 12; Drake Kirkpatrick 11; Sam Koivisto 12; Darby LaCanne 11; Finn Larson 11; Cooper Leichtnam 12; Connor Lockerby 8; Nathan Lockerby 10; Tegan Miller 9; Liam O’Connor 9; Thomas Obbink 9; Madden Paul 11; Aaron Plunkett 11; Edvin Portuguez Ruiz 9; Riley Quinnell 12; Joey Ruisi 12; Justin Schrot 11;

Joseph Steinberg 12; Nolan Vogelsberg 11; Owen Voit 11; Dominic Vold 12; Sam Weinberger 11.

KEY ATHLETES

Justin Schrot broke the school record in the 400m dash last year as a sophomore, and we are expecting some great performances by him this year.

Cristian Escobar Pearson broke the school record in the 300m hurdles last year as a Junior. He is still rehabbing a knee injury from last fall but is making great progress.

Carter Johnson, Finn Larson, and Aaron Plunkett dominated

Faribault girls track & field

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Mark Bongers, 15th season

Assistant coaches: Meghan Knutson, Taylor Day, Christian Harmeyer, John Harris, Charlie Fuller

ROSTER

Shae Battle (10), Macy Bauer

(8), Nadia Baum (11), Brynn Beardsley (10), Brooklyn Becker (11), Alexys Berger (10), Kaylie Bertram (10), Laura Bignardi (12), Kate Bittenbender (11), Lauren Bittenbender (9), Gabbie Boevers (12), Teddy Bowler (10), Stella Carlin (10), Nora Cordova (8), Anna DeMars (11), Aubrey Filan (A12), Jacee Frank (12), Nell Gibbs (11), Cecelia Hoisington (10), Sigrid

the hurdle races last year as well.

Derrick Sando, Barak Barner, Preston Berger, Charles Amoako, D’Shaun Davis, were big contributors to our success in the sprints last year.

Cooper Leichtnam, Nolan Volgelsberg, Madden Paul, dominated the pole vault last year and are looking to clear some amazing heights this year.

James Hoisington is our most experienced distance runner and he is leading the way for the younger distance crew.

Joey Ruisi had a fantastic season last year in the throws and is leading the way among our young throws group.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Cullen Cox showed tremendous growth last year as a freshman sprinter and

jumper, I think he is going to be a big part of our success his sophomore year.

Erik Flores ran distance with us last year as an 8th grader and he looks to be ready to be one of our best distance runners as a freshman this year.

Nate Lockerby will be one to watch in the throws this season, he has been working hard on technique and looks to be one of our leaders.

2023 RECAP

Placed sixth at Big 9 meet; placed third at Section 1AA True Team meet; placed fourth at Class AA State True Team; Section 1AA champs; 18 state entrants; seven state place winners.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a solid core of

returning athletes and there are several young athletes joining that have the talent to put us in the mix for the postseason.

COMPETITION

The Big 9 Conference is always one of the toughest track and field conferences in the state. I think we will be competitive and look to finish in the top five.

We have been section champs two years in a row and are hungry to three-peat. Our guys are pumped about making another run to the Class AA True Team State meet and place even higher than fifth and fourth the previous two years.

BY THE NUMBERS

52 - Total athletes

13 - Letter winners

15 - Seniors

(10), Jazmin Ramirez (11), Claire Ray (11), Sivana Schwartz (10), Ellen Smith (10), Emma Snesrud (12), Hallie Taghon (11), Annika Voit (9), Fiona Voit (8), Lorelei Weston (11), Claire Wisdo (9).

high jump; Alexys Berger and Fiona Voit in the shot and disc.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Holmgren (9), Jillian Huberty (11), Emma Jouard (12), Ella Krahmer (10), Bethard Lake (10), Claire Linnemann (10), Bailey Madow (A10), Erin McDowell (9), Samiya Mohamed (9), Taylor Moon (11), Miller Munoz (12), Kyra Nelson (11), Aubrie Newport (10), Ava Nordaune Young (12), Kiera O’Connor (8), Aubrey Paul (9), Hannah Petersen (10), Grace Porter

KEY ATHLETES

Sivana Schwartz in long jump; Miller Munoz in 100m and 300m hurdles; Nell Gibbs in triple jump and 300m hurdles; Anna DeMars in 100m and 200m; Brooklyn Becker in the 800m; Hannah Petersen in the 400m; Brynn Beardsley in the 1600m and 3200m; Stella Carlin and Kyra Nelson in the

Grace Porter in the 100m and 200m; Kate Bittenbender for the 800m and 1600m; Annika Voit in the 800m; Claire Linneman in the 3200m.

2023 RECAP

Second in the section.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Hoping for top two but really

the goal is first in the section. You can see that we have some seniors, but the varsity points leaders are mostly in the 11thand 10th-grade years. The next few years are going to be great for Faribault track and field.

COMPETITION

Have Northfield in the section now, which makes it much harder. Northfield, Byron, Winona and Faribault are the top four in the section.

BY THE NUMBERS

47 - Total athletes (10 more than last year)

Carter Johnson, a Faribault boys track and field long jumper, leaps into the sand. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

Faribault’s Sivana Schwartz stands on the girls long jump podium after securing a state qualifying bid with her second-place finish at the 2023 Section 1AA meet. (Photo courtesy of Laura Mae’s Photography)

Nell Gibbs (left) and Miller Munoz (right) hurdle for the Falcons. (File photo/southernminn. com)

Faribault’s Cooper Leichtnam clears the bar on a pole vault attempt at the 2023 Class AA Track and Field State Championships. (File photo/southernminn.com)

St. Peter boys golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Neil Doose 15th year

Assistant coach: Steve Walker 1st year in St. Peter, 10 years in St. James

KEY PLAYERS

Kaiden Brovold (12th) Kaiden had a solid 2023 year for the Saints dropping his average to 37.7 per 9-holes. Kaiden made his 3rd straight State AA tournament, finishing 14th in 2021, 6th in 2022, and 29th in 2023. He will be looking for a 4th straight this spring and looking for a top 10 finish. Kaiden finished as medalist in the Big South Conference Tournament, and 5th place at the very tough Section 2AA tournament in New Prague. We will need Kaiden to continue to improve and help his teammates improve in order for the Saints to be more successful this spring.

Blake Magelee (12th). Blake dropped his scoring average last spring from 42 in 2022 to 40 in 2023. Blake made his 1st State AA Tournament last year and finished in 55th place out

of 88. That experience should make him hungrier this spring and motivate him to get there again and improve on his place. Blake waas 5th overall in the Big South Conference. Blake’s mental game is improving and that is the reason he made it to state last year. This year he will need to improve his shot making and decision making to improve on last year’s performance. We will need Blake to work with our younger golfers to help them improve and to help our program.

Anthony Nicolai (12th) dropped his average from 40 to 39 per 9 in 2023. Anthony placed 3rd overall in the Big South Conference and just missed the state tournament for the 2nd year in a row. I know he would like to end his high school career with a trip to state, and he will have to work on his body language and mental mindset while on the course. His work ethic has carried him to becoming one of our team leaders and we will need him to lead by example once again and help his teammates get better and improve.

Korey Lager (12th)

scoring

average dropped to 41 in his junior year. Korey was all conference as well finishing in 16th place in the Big South Conference. His season low score was 77 and we will need more of that from him in order to reach our team goals. Korey always has a great attitude and really helps his teammates relax and stay focused.

vEthan Moreau (9th) was also all-conference finishing in 13th place out of 81 total golfers. Ethan’s scoring average dropped to 42 last spring and we will need him to drop that even lower this spring. Ethan has played a lot of golf in the offseason and that should help a lot. Ethan will have to improve his mental toughness and mindset on the course in order to reach his goals.

Owen Matejcek (10th) finished 39th in the Big South Conference and he dropped his scoring average from 45 to 42 last spring. If he can drop another 2-3 strokes this year, good things can happen for him and the Saints boys team. Owen also has played a lot of golf and has taken some swing training lessons and I am looking forward to seeing how much he has improved. Staying

calm and composed on the course will help Owen take big strides this year.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

We have 29 boys signed up this spring and I look forward to all of them improving and maybe pushing the other players for some playing time on either the varsity or JV teams.

12th grader Riley Lager (46) has some varsity experience and we are hoping he will compete for some varsity time as well.

11th graders Charlie Born (58), Evan Walter (56), Nolan Honza (62), Aiden Wohlers (60) and newcomer Johnny Kennedy are juniors we are looking for improvement and helping our JV teams compete.

9th graders Kalvin Barfknecht (50) and newcomers Benton Darge and Henry Peters should help our JV with Kalvin pushing for some varsity time. 8th graders Brek Wachal (49). We are looking for a big step forward from Brek as he played a lot of summer golf and will hopefully help our JV this year. Brady Dunker (55), Brady Dunker (55), Bryce Pettit (58) Andrew Hoag (58) and newcomers Cole Haggenmiller, Rexton Gratton, and Brady Bartelt.

7th graders Isaiah Homrighausen, Abram Madson, Kade Mata, Gus Hulsebus, Cameron Kienlen, Kadan Lehman, Jackson Schoenborn. A few of these 7th graders have played a lot of golf already and we are looking for them to improve daily and for some of them to push for some JV playing time.

2023 RECAP

As a team we tied for 1st place in the always tough Big South Conference with Luverne but lost the tiebreaker which came down to the 6th golfer on the team. At the 2AA section tournament, which is one of the toughest AA sections in the state, we finished 3rd behind Holy Family and Southwest Christian.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

I am very excited for the 2024 golf season to get underway. I am hoping for some of our newcomers and younger players to improve greatly this year and help with the depth of our team. We do have a great core of returning golfers with a ton of varsity experience, but talent only takes you so far in the game of golf. We will need to really improve our decisionmaking, course management, our shot selection, and our

mental mindsets while on the course. Improving our short games will also be a difference maker as we strive for our team goals. Our key focus for this team is to develop a much better mindset and the ability to move on from a bad shot or a bad hole much quicker. Having a positive demeanor and showing good body language is a trait that all great golfers are able to do and we need to improve on that and our seniors need to set the example for our younger players. We will need to control what we can control and not focus or worry on the things we cannot control. Our goals as a team have not changed for several years. Our goals are to outwork and improve more than the other teams in our conference and section. If we can do that, we have the talent to win the Big South Conference and Section 2AA. If we can improve in these ways, our 2024 could be a great one for the Saints.

COMPETITION

The favorites in the Big South Conference include Marshall, Luverne, and Fairmont with lots of other teams much improved as well and we also hope to compete for the championship.

As far as Section 2AA, the heavy favorite once again is Holy Family, followed by Southwest Christian, GlencoeSilver Lake, and Jordan. Once again, we hope to compete with all of these very good teams.

BY THE NUMBERS

29 total golfers in our program

10 returning letterwinners

10 golfers returning with some varsity experience

9 returning golfers averaging under 50 per 9 holes

13 new golfers this year

5 seniors

3 golfers committed to college golf teams

2 returning state qualifying golfers

0 holes in 1 last year

Kaiden Brovold. file photo)

Blake Magele. (file photo)

St. Peter girls golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Kris Voeltz, 1st year

Assistant coach: Nancy Hanson, 6th year

ROSTER

Kailyn Embacher, 12, Rhyan Holmgren, 12, Baylee Nygard, 12, Gabi Dunker, 11, Iris Elias, 11, Karlie Miller, 11, Emmy Remmert, 11, Sophia Ruffing, 11, Paige Winkelman, 11, Cecily Winterfeldt, 11, Julie Weber, 10, Audrey Born, 9, Charlotte Hagen, 9, Lyric Ruble, 9, Maddie Ruffing, 9, Natalie Salfer, 9, Layla Osborne, 9, Anabelle Alexandri, 7, Norah Born, 7, Kaelyn Loula, 7.

LeSueur-Henderson/ Cleveland/Sibley East golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Rod Reinhardt 5th year

Assistant coach: Kris Wilke 2nd year

Assistant coach: Josh Prahl 1st year

ROSTER

Girls: Emma Kortuem, Jessilynn Milnes, Olivia Miller, Sophie Tews, Ellie Conrad, Thea Braun, Muriel Hilgers, Kali Kahle, Khloe Kahle , Lana Steinke , Reganne Hartmann, Kendra Biedsceid, Addison Fahey, Anna Kawatski-Klein,

Kamryn Lindsay, Maya Lassiter, Allison Cink (Capt.), Morgan Hagenmiller, Natalie Haemig (Capt.), Ashley Miller .

Boys: Luke Kortuem, Jacob Juarez, Luke Heldberg, Hunter Vinkemeier, Ryker Rehm, Nathan Tews, Gavin Jones, Lucas Kahlow, Gavin Karels, David Draheim, Nolan Weber, Owen Lawrence, JD Reinhardt (Capt.), Casey Fahey, Josiah Juarez, Jack Feterl, Mason Bussler, Spencer Tuchtenhagen, Ayden Christ (Capt.)

KEY PLAYERS

Girls - Allison Cink, Natalie

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Returning varsity athletes: Karlie Miller, Julie Weber, Sophia Ruffing, Kaelyn Embacher, Baylee Nygard, Cecily Winterfeldt, Iris Elias New players: Rhyan Holmgren, Emmy Remmert, Paige Winkelman, Gabi Dunker

2023 RECAP

SPHS finished 4th in the conference meet (behind Redwood Valley, Blue Earth Area and Fairmont)

SPHS finished 4th in the section 2AA meet (behind Jordan, Southwest Christian and Blue Earth Area

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Our goal is to have fun, lower our scores and finish in the top 3 of the section. Because we have a lot of juniors and seniors on our team, we will have a competitive group trying to earn a varsity spot. This will be a great year for the SPHS Girls’ Golf team!

BY THE NUMBERS

20 - total players

5 - letter winners

3 - seniors

The boys took 7th at sections last year. The girls took 8th at sections.

Haemig, Morgan Hagenmiller and Anna Kawatski Klein

Boys - Ayden Christ, JD Reinhardt, Nathan Tews, Ryker Rehm and Jack Feterl

KEEP YOUR EYE

On Girls -Ashley Miller, Addison Fahey and Sophie Tews

Boys - Spencer Tuchtenhagen, Mason Bussler, Casey Fahey, Owen Lawrence and Hunter Vinkemeier

2023 RECAP

The boys and girls are returning MRC conf champs.

Conference individual boysAyden Christ 2nd overall, JD 3rd, Nathan Tews 6th

Individual girls- Allison Cink 2nd overall

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Both the girls and boys look at repeating as conference champs.

The boys have five returning varsity players. Ayden Christ and JD Reinhardt are the captains this year and both are looking to make a run at state this season both playing very well. Jack Feterl had a

basketball injury this winter and will limit his playing, but I am hopeful that he will still get some playing time later this year. Nathan Tews and Ryker Rehm will make big impacts on varsity this season. We have 19 boys total on the team including junior high. We have lots of good talent on the team that will help us be more successful in matches. The boys should improve their placing at sections this year. The girls team has four returning varsity players. Allison Cink is looking to make a run at state this season. She has proven to be one of the top players in the conference and the section. We lost four talented seniors last year but we are adding some new girls

that will try and take their place this season. 20 Girls are on the team this year including junior high and all show promise at being varsity players. The girls will be one of the top teams at sections this year.

BY THE NUMBERS

39 - total players 20 boys and 19 girls letter winners 7 -boys and 5 girls seniors - no girl seniors and 3 boy seniors

Kailyn Embacher. (file photo)

Allison Cink (file photo)

Karli Miller. (file photo)

Ayden Christ (file photo)

Tri-City United golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Kyle Krueger, 2nd Year

Head coach: John Karl, 3rd year

Assistant coach: Shaun Timmerman, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Ryan Miller, 1st year

ROSTER

Boys:

Dylan Heilman - 7, Jakov Vosejpka - 7, Treker Wolff - 7, Thomas Barnett - 8, Tyson

Grant - 8, Brady Hunt - 8, Maxwell Segna - 8, Brayden Sherman - 8, Cooper Sloboden - 8, Jameson Zehnder - 8,

Gabe Bednar - 9, Matthew Farr - 9, Gage Factor - 9, Tucker Skluzacek - 9, Cale Benson10, Carter Beulke - 10, Mitchell Holicky - 10, Karson Malecha - 10, Jacob Neubauer - 10, Eian O’Keefe - 10, Branko Schoenbauer - 10, Bradley Tupy - 10, Cole Goecke - 11, Tyler Gogerty - 11, Trenton Pelowski - 11, Caleb Schultze - 11, Gavin Blaschko - 12, Alex Block - 12, Noah Holicky - 12, Travis Kotek - 12, Austin Lorinser - 12, Kaden Malecha12, Sam Smith - 12.

Girls:

Elise Fashant - 8, Ella Goettl - 8, Cailyn Christensen - 9, Cora Crow - 9, Natalie Ernste - 9, Kirra Flicek - 9, Payton Huffman - 9, Samantha

Johnson - 9, Avery Kes - 9, Varon Klokonos - 9, Emma Mason - 9, Teagan Valek9, Lily Kaplan - 10, Neysa Anderson - 11, Addison Houn11, Morgan Gjerstad - 12.

KEY PLAYERS

We have a few key players who are looking to make an impact this season including Eian O’Keefe, Branko Schoenbauer, Morgan Gjerstad, Neysa Anderson, and Addison Houn.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

There are a couple of new players to keep your eye on for the season. We have a few new players who are

Faribault girls golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Scott Morrissey, fifth year coaching at Faribault

Assistant coach: Anna Blessing, third year coaching at Faribault

KEY PLAYERS

Captains: Sara Dobson (12)Low Score 101 (2 year letter winner); Kaitlyn Worke (12)Low Score 97 (2 year letter winner); Mariana Hager (11)Low Score 95 (2 year letter winner); Addison Thibodeau (11)- Low Score 102 (2 year letter winner)

new this season and have previous golfing experience and routinely put the work in at the course. We also have a couple of seniors with some great power and we are looking forward to the impact they have on our team this year. We had 6 senior girls that graduated from our team last season. We are looking to see if a couple of the 9th-grade girls make that jump. Most of them are new to the game but are all open to learning more and pushing themselves.

2023 RECAP

The boys placed 5th and the girls placed 2nd in the MRC conference championship last year. When it came to

2023 RECAP

We had no seniors last year.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

397 Big 9 score; 426 section score

Our team has shown wonderful growth since last spring. Our expectations are to finish in the top half of the Big 9 conference and should be the most improved team in the conference. We are hoping to have a team score consistently

our section tournament, our best showing was by one of our senior boys who missed making it to the second day of sections by only a couple strokes.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We are hoping for this season that as a team we are taking that next step and becoming more consistent and improving within our conference. We have a wide variety of players this year with some players that have never touched a club and we have players that have been golfing their whole childhood.

COMPETITION

For both boys and girls, we are going to take it meet by meet. With boys, we are hoping to improve in our standings from the previous season. Girls golf is in a different situation with having a good group of seniors who graduated last year. We are hoping that a few of our Freshman-Seniors can step up and show growth.

BY THE NUMBERS

50 - total players

4 - letter winners

8 - seniors

around 350 or lower. Individually about 6-7 players should break 100 consistently with 2-3 hoping to break into the 80’s this season

We have a great group of young golfers that are hungry to improve every day and compete at the highest level that they can. When you have great student athletes that are willing to put in the work, great results will follow.

COMPETITION

Northfield was the 2023 conference champions and should have another strong team this season.

BY THE NUMBERS

15 - Players on JV and varsity roster

9 - Returning letter winners

3 - Seniors

KEEP YOUR EYE ON Meredith Umbreit (12); Jersey Hausen (11); Olivia Streefland (9); Claire Anderson (9); Maddie Kramer (9); Malia LaCanne (9).

507-934-4922

Alex Block. (file photo)

Sara Dobson follows through on a shot from the fairway. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Anna Barnett. (file photo)

Northfield boys golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Adam Danielson, 13th year

Assistant coach: Ryan Pietsch, first year

ROSTER

Eighth grade: Theo Rustad, Darren Steward

Ninth grade: Elijah Clay, Soren Clay, Ben Geiger, Max Munoz, Sullivan Kane, Jake Larsen, Preston Rataj, Miles Poole, Jacob Peters, Walker Sorem

10th grade: Oliver Benjamin, Max Boardman, Elias Ekern, Kyle Hausen

11th grade: William Cashin, Griffin Kennelly, Isaiah Mahal, Garrett Muench, Nick Eschen

12th grade: Sam Boardman, Hank Detlie

KEY PLAYERS

Hank Detlie, Eli Ekern, Will Cashin, Griffin Kennelly are all returning from last year’s section roster. Eli Ekern was All-Conference last year as a ninth grader, and now as a sophomore has potential to be one of the top golfers, not only in the conference but in the section and state.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Sam Boardman, Oliver Benjamin and Miles Poole.

Northfield girls golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Mel Miller, fifth year

Assistant coaches: Danielle Crase, 13th year; Sarah Wolter, second year

ROSTER

2023 RECAP

Finished fourth in conference, fifth at sections (nine shots out of first), 22-11 conference record, nobody qualified for state for the first time since 2016.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Compete for conference and section championship. We have a number of kids that believe they should be able to compete to qualify for the state tournament.

We are an extremely hard working team that has a lot of depth. We have a number of kids that could qualify for a varsity spot. Our JV team will be very strong with a lot of young kids that have a very bright future. There is a lot of competition, and it will be interesting once we get outside to qualify for spots.

COMPETITION

Rochester Mayo qualified for state and finished second in the conference last year and return everyone as the heavy favorite. Rochester Century is loaded with talent. Albert Lea and Rochester John Marshall are very strong teams. In the section, Lakeville North, Lakeville South, and Farmington always reload with talent.

BY THE NUMBERS

23 - Total players

9 - Returning letter

Section 1AAA, and at the state tournament in Coon Rapids, she finished in seventh place, earning a spot on the podium.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

This year, our sights are set on winning the conference title again and also we want to win the team title at Section 1AAA and make it to state. We return the most letter winners of any team in the section, but now we just need to go and prove it on the golf course. The girls are ready to do just that.

COMPETITION

In conference play, it will again be Albert Lea and Owatonna who will provide our toughest competition. I also see a young and improving Austin team being ready to push us this year.

Emerson Garlie - Senior; Alivia Kortuem - Senior; Rori Dougherty - Senior; Danica Sorem - Junior; Anna Jordan - Junior; Audrey Hinman - Junior; Annika JohnsonSophomore; Karina Johnson - Sophomore; Audrey Larish - Sophomore; Anna Larson - Sophomore; Elle Sommers - Freshman; Kennedy Bauernfeind - Freshman; Lola Bauman - Eighth Grader; Annika Briske - Seventh Grader.

KEY PLAYERS

We return six letter winners from last year. Senior Captain Emerson Garlie led the conference last year with a scoring average of 79.7. She also won the Section 1AAA title and finished seventh at the state tournament. She will again lead our team and is a

three time letter winner, three time all conference and three time team MVP. Sophomores Karina and Annika Johnson are three-time letter winners and two time all conference performers. Junior Captain Danica Sorem, Junior Anna Jordan and Senior Alivia Korteum. All three lettered last year and were vital in winning the Big 9 Conference for the third year in a row.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Sophomores Audrey Larish, Anna Larson and Junior Audrey Hinman have all improved over the last year and may be called upon to step in if one of our varsity players need to miss a meet. Newcomers Lola Bauman, Elle Sommers, Kennery Bauernfeind and Annika Briske will contribute to our JV team this year. And Senior Dougherty has been with the program for four years and enjoys her role on the team.

2023 RECAP

We had a very successful 2023 season. We won the Big 9 conference title for the

3rd year in a row. We lost to Albert Lea in the April full Conference meet and to Owatonna in the May Conference Meet. But we beat Albert Lea in our dual meet by two shots and defeated Owatonna in our triangular to claim the title. We had three girls on the All-Conference team: Emerson Garlie, Annika Johnson and Karina Johnson. We came in second at the Section 1AAA meet, finishing behind Lakeville South. Emerson Garlie was able to win the individual title in

In Section 1AAA, Albert Lea, Owatonna, Austin and Lakeville South will again provide the toughest competition in our quest to make it to the state tournament.

BY THE NUMBERS

14 - Players

6 - Letter winners

3 - Seniors

3 - Juniors

4 - Sophomores

2 - Freshmen

1 - Eighth grader

1 - Seventh grader

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jake Wieme

KEY PLAYERS

Ayden Horsman –Honorable Mention AllConference last season

Lydia Flotterud –All-Conference last season. Finished top 10 (individual) in the section last season

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Soren Kyllo missed last season and is back out this year. Padraig Vazina saw some varsity last year and should be able to see more this year.

Hadley Wieme, Emma

2023 RECAP

Last season, we did not have enough varsity players for a team score (both boys and girls) we are a pretty young team with lots of new players to golf.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We are hoping to have enough players to put up a team score for both boys and girls. Still a young team, but I feel last year was a good year for our young players to gain experience and hoping they are reading for varsity

Northfield High School golfer Hank Detlie lines up for a drive at Northfield Country Club during a 2022 meet. (Photo courtesy of Adam Danielson)

Northfield’s Emerson Garlie won medalist honors at the 2023 MSHSL Section 1AAA tournament. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Kenyon-Wanamingo/Goodhue’s Ayden Horsman puts during a 2023 meet.

Annika Johnson hopes to be a major contributor for Northfield girls golf in 2024. (Tom Nelson/southernminn. com)

Koncur, Avery Tipton, Kyla Nardinger are others to watch.

Owatonna boys golf

COACHES

Head coach: Mark Langlois, 13th year (7 head coach, 6 assistant)

JV coach: Fred Almer, 7th year

Assistant coach: Mark Rodde, 9th year

Assistant coach: Tim O’Connor, 3rd year

ROSTER

*Matthew Larson - 12; *Quinn Thompson - 12; Jackson Baldwin - 12; Alex Ballstadt12; Ben Buytaert - 12; Brody Goodnature - 12; Justin Gronli - 12; Owen Moore - 12; Jack Mullenbach - 12; Brandon Schulz - 12; Brennan Sletten - 12; Joe Webster - 12; Cole Kruschke - 11; Jack Langlois - 11; Max Goettl - 10; Vincent Justice - 10; Isaac Mobley - 10; Mason Pelinka - 10; Mason Buhrow - 9; Will Granquist - 9; Owen Kubicek - 9; Luke Mohs - 9; Grady Roush - 9; Jacob Wilson - 9; Jace Lane - 7; Weston Grimmius - 7

*Captains

KEY PLAYERS

Matthew Larson - captain, number 2 golfer throughout last year, solid ball striker, grinder, 4 year letter winner

Quinn Thompson - captain, number 1 golfer throughout last year, consistent player who can fire low scores, qualified for Day 2 of Sections 1AAA, 3 year letter winner

Jack Langlois - has qualified the last two years for Day 2 of Sections 1AAA, great wedge and short game, 3 year letter winner

Mason Pelinka - solid varsity contributor the last two years, made great strides last year, 2 year letter winner

Ben Buytaert - first year last year, good ball striker who broke 80 last year, worked hard in the off season to be

Owatonna girls golf

COACHES

Head coach: Jason Kaytor, 2nd year (19th overall)

Assistant coach: Patrick Grubish, 1st year

ROSTER

Danika Kaytor 12; Anna Mollenhauer 11; Carmen Jirele 10; Paige Thompson 10; Lexi Olson 10; Brynn Andrix 10; Grace Thiele 10; Ella Schuster 9; Anna Hagenson 8

KEY PLAYERS

Carmen Jirele

Paige Thompson

Dankia Kaytor

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Brynn Andrix

Anna Mollenhauer 2023 Recap

3rd place Conference

Carmen Jirele All Conference

Carmen Jirele State Participant

ready for this year, 1 year letter winner

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Grady Roush - great rounds as a JV player last year and had a few varsity starts

Will Granquist - solid JV player and made great improvements over the summer

Jace Lane - new to our program, has a lot of potential Weston Grimmius - has worked his way up the junior program, great golf IQ and work ethic

These along with some other golfers from last year and new golfers to the program will add some competitiveness to our varsity line up. I can see players moving in and out our line up this year.

2023 RECAP

Best Score: 318 - Big 9 Mid Season Tournament at Faribault GC

Team Scoring Average: 327

Finished 9th in the Big 9 Conference (10-20)

Finished 10th after Day 1 of Sections 1AAA

Did not make the top 6 for Day 2 of Sections 1AAA 3 individuals qualified for Day 2 of Sections 1AAA

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Finish Top 3 in Big 9

Qualify for Day 2 of Sections 1AAA

Academic All-State Team

Live up to our Core Values on and off the course Competition

I feel with our varsity returners and new additions to our team we can get in the top 3 of the Big 9 Conference. We have a lot of experience, amazing leadership, and the competition for spots will make us better.

Some of the others teams to watch in the Big 9 are Albert Lea, Mayo, Century, and Northfield.

Some of the others teams to watch in Section 1AAA are Farmington, Lakeville North, Mayo, Century, and Northfield.

BY THE NUMBERS

26 - total players

5 - letter winners

12 - seniors

2 - juniors

4 - sophomores

6 - freshmen

1 - 8th

1 - 7th

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We are looking to finish high in the conference and contend in the section tournament.

COMPETITION

Northfield returns most of last year’s conference championship team but we hope to push the Raiders. The Rochester schools will be very competitive as well 112SouthMainStreet|LeSueur

Sophomore Mason Pelinka. (file photo)

Sophomore and returning state qualifier Carmen Jirele. (file photo)

Senior Matthew Larson. (file photo)

Senior Danika Kaytor. (file photo)

Waseca golf

COACHES

Head coach: Ted Hammond (12th year)

Girls Coach: Maren Peterson (2nd year)

ROSTER

Boys: Cody Vagt, 12; Charlie Cariveau 12; Preston Miller, 12; Izacc Kehlerand, 11; Owen Wilder, 11; Gavin Anderson, 9; Alex Breck, 9; Lucas Danner, 9; Brody Dufault, 9; Gavin Hinton, 9; Braiden Nelson, 9; Isaac Pfeifer, 9; Karter Selvik, 9; Owen Wiesele, 9

Girls: Emma Keith, 12; Lexi Kanewischer, 11; Mia

Faribault boys golf

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Tim McNelis, first year

Assistant coach: Mike Dietsch, third year

ROSTER

VARSITY: Amundson, Ethan 12; Anderson, Leighton 10; Lenway, Micah 11; Linnemann, Oliver 12; Morrow, Parker 12; Peroutka, Logan 12; Terhaar, Logan 12.

JV: Silver, James; Richter, Langston; Amundson, Aiden; Bothun, Aaron; Linnemann, Seth; Romo, Pablo; Lueken, Eli; Paukert, Jonah; Ritcher, Leighton; Wagner, Logan; Bunch, Leonardo.

KEY PLAYERS

We have six returning letter

winners. One of our many seniors on the team, Logan Peroutka, had the lowest round the second day of sectionals, shooting a one under 70.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Last year, a freshman played well enough to make the team; his experience from last year may bring a big impact. After missing last year, one senior has been working on his game and is expecting to contribute a lot. After finishing fourth in the conference last year, a returning senior has recovered from injury and will lead the team as captain.

2023 RECAP

Finished seventh in the conference and ninth in sections.

Kanewischer, 11; Madison Rasche, 10; Alli Hoban, 9; Abigail Lapides, 9; McKenna Mortensen, 9; Josie Ross 9; Amilya Lynch, 9

KEY PLAYERS

Boys returning letter winners include Hunter Anderson, Reed Anderson and Cody Vagt. The 2024 captains will be Cody Vagt, Charlie Cariveau and Preston Miller. The girls team will be lead by senior captain Emma Keith, who missed qualifying for the 2nd day of sections by one stroke. Her goal is to make it to State this year.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Boys: Juniors vying for the varsity include Izacc Kehlerand and Owen Wilder Girls: There are only 9 girls out this year and we will be quite young

2023 RECAP

Boys: Last year finished 8th in Conference at Dakota Ridges. Also finished 8th in the Section meet at New Prague. Cody Vagt named All Conference and made it to 2nd day of Section play.

Girls: Last year finished 10th in the Conference meet and 10th at the Section meet.

Graduating from last years team was low scorer Megan Kanewischer who made it to the 2nd day of Sections.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Boys: Keys to success will be “pack scoring” which means have to score as a team in

the high 40s to low 50s. If we can do this our conference finish will improve. Our goal is to finish in the top half of the conference and to finish undefeated in our home meets Also, we would like to have 2 golfers qualify for the state meet.

Girls: The team scoring will improve as the young golfers gain experience. Attainable goals will be to finish in the top half of the Conference and Section and to send one girl to the State Meet.

Blooming Prairie golf

COACHES

Head coach: Andrew Hardecopf, 2nd year (7th total with the program)

Assistant coach: Sara Reinke, 3rd year

ROSTER

Boys Team

Braden Farr 11th; Elijah Skillestad 11th; Jack Bruns 11th; Brady Johnson 10th;Colby Johnson 10th; Drew Reinke 10th; Aden Doocy 10th; Beckett Lea 8th; Coen Abel 7th

Girls Team

Caitlyn Stangl 11th; Ella Farr 10th; Aubry Alwes 10th; Ambriella Miller 10th

KEY PLAYERS

Boys

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

With many returning letter winners and stacked with seniors, the team expects to contend in the conference.

COMPETITION

Rochester Mayo has many returning players and won the section; Rochester Century and Northfield have a deep team with a lot of returning players from last year.

BY THE NUMBERS

16 - Total varsity and JV players

6 - Letter winners 5 - Seniors

Colby Johnson and Brady Johnson have both been playing Varsity almost full time since 7th grade and have put a ton of time in the off season, Braden Farr is another multi year varsity player who should be much improved this year.

Drew Reinke is also returning after having helped the varsity team in the majority of the matches last season.

Girls

All of the girls listed on the

roster are returning and Caitlyn Ella and Aubry are starting for the 4th straight year on the Varsity. Ambriella will be starting her 3rd year of Varsity golf.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Both Beckett Lea 8th and Coen Abel 7th are some of our younger golfers who look to make the team and contribute as the season goes on.

2023 RECAP

Boys

Conference we spend a lot of the season last year as a top 4 team in the conference however we struggled to get consistent scoring in the 18 hole conference matches.

Section 2AA is a very difficult golf section where we didn’t have any golfers move on to day two.

Girls

Conference we were in the top 3 for most of the year in the conference golf matches and ended the year in 3rd place, each of our golfers struggled for about 9 holes during the 2 18 hole matches which hurt our positioning in the conference.

Section 2AA The female golfers in class AA are extremely good

and scoring a day two tee time is very competitive, we were not able to have any girls move to day 2.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Boys our conference will have some very good golfers returning from last year and we should be able to complete even with our team being without many upperclassman we still have a lot of experience and are hoping to compete for the conference title. Another goal for the year is to be a top 2-3 team in the section as we move back into section 1A.

Girls Conference is a lot the same as the boys side, we should be able to use our experience and returning golfers to compete with the top teams in the conference and the section especially with the move to section 1A.

COMPETITION

Conference Favorites boys would be JWP, USC and BP Conference Favorites Girls would be Hayfield BP and USC Section Favorites would be Fillmore Central on the boys and girls side with a lot of the teams intact from last years section wins.

Senior Cody Vagts. (file photo)

Logan Peroutka led the way for the Falcons in 2023. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Junior Mia Kanewischer. (file photo)

NRHEG golf

COACHES

Head coach: Brad Root, 14th year (at NRHEG for 35 years)

Assistant coaches: Kara Wilkenson, Kim Olson and Jordan Kindred

ROSTER

Boys: Daxter Lee, Jackson Chrz, Jaylin Raab, Carter Schlaak, Hudson Chrz, Shan Hanson and Tyler Kress

Girls: Meela Budach

KEY PLAYERS

Boys returning letter winners: Carter Schlaak, Shan Hansen and Tyler Kress

2023 RECAP

Boys Overall Record: 8-14

Boys 2023 Record: Regular meets 5-13, 6th in Conference: 12th in Sub-Section

Girls Overall Record: 20-2.

Girls Conference Record: 2nd in the conference

Girls Playoffs: 5th in the Sub Section.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

Boys: Course management is a huge part of the game as well as becoming strong mentally. We need to move from being practice players to tournament players. Making sure they are prepared for whatever weather conditions exist, as well as

dealing with situations on the course will be a priority. We would like to advance our team to section and get an All Conference selection or two this year. We have small numbers of golfers, all will play varsity. We want them to learn the game so they can enjoy it throughout their life. As always we want our student athletes to enjoy the sport and have fun while at the same time representing our school well. In order to best enjoy the game, a good grasp of the rules of golf is necessary. We will be working on the rules and golf

etiquette so our golfers will be knowledgeable and welcome wherever we travel to play.

Girls: A good showing at the conference tournament and sub section. We hope we have some all conference honors as well as advancement to the section tournament.. The girls need to be mentally tough and focused this year. We are counting on continued improvement in all our girls. Making sure they are prepared for whatever weather conditions exist, as well as dealing with situations on the course will be a priority As

always we want our student athletes to enjoy the sport and have fun while at the same time representing our school well. In order to best enjoy the game, a good grasp of the rules of golf is necessary. We will be working on the rules and golf etiquette so our golfers will be knowledgeable and welcome wherever we travel to play.

COMPETITION

Favorites: Hayfield Conference, and Waseca Sub-Section.

ADAPTED BoWLING LACROSSE

St. Peter/Le Sueur-Henderson adapted bowling Owatonna

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coaches: Kris Voeltz, Keith Bense, 5th year

ROSTER

St. Peter students:

Kallie Brovold, 9

Chesney Freeman, 11

Ashlee Miller, 12

Connor Mugaas, 10

Abby Schily, 10

Abby Voeltz, 10

Judd Wartman, 9

Paul Warzecha, 12

Caleb Westphal, 11

Caden Pugh, 8

Peyton Attenberger, 8

LSH students: Cooper Johnston, 11

Ryleigh Sullivan, 9

Jayda Marroquin, 9

Lucas Henze, 12

Hanie Sirovy, 9

Angela Molina, 10

KEEP

YOUR EYE

ON 1st year bowlers:

Connor Mugaas

Caden Pugh

Ryleigh Sullivan

Jayda Marroquin

Hanie Sirovy

2023 RECAP

State qualifiers in 2023:

Cooper Johnston - 3rd place, PI Boys Singles

Kallie Brovold - 5th place, PI Girls Singles

Ashlee Miller - 5th place, ASD Girls Singles

Angela Molina

Abby Voeltz

Judd Wartman

Lucas Henze

Paul Warzecha

Chesney Freeman

Caleb Westphal

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have a solid team again this year. We hope to have more state entrants this season. Our goal is to support each other and have fun!

COMPETITION

While there is no conference, the State Qualifiers will be held May 3 at the Mankato WOW! Zone which has continued to be incredibly accommodating to the Adapted Bowling League.

BY THE NUMBERS

17- total players

12- letter winners

2 - seniors

COACHES

Head coach: Scott Seykora, 21st year

Assistant coach: Dustin Thorsen, 16th year

Assistant coach: CW Wolfe, 14th year

Assistant coach: Andrew Hopkins, 9th Year

Assistant coach: Corey Samora, 15th year

Assistant coach: Trent Gahm, 2nd year

Assistant coach: Noah Brandt, 1st year

ROSTER

Lewis, Ryan, 8, Attack, 13; Beckel, Easton, 9, Attack, 54; Hullopeter, Kade, 9, Midfield, 40; Kath, Brennan, 9, Midfield, 9; Laiho, Jared, 9, Attack, 18; Marten, Will, 9, Defense, 33; Schlie, Brennan, 9, Defense, 12; Aul, Cooper, 10, Attack, 37; Borchert, Ethan, 10, Midfield, 1; Durand, Calden, 10, Defense, 45; Farris, Blake, 10, Goalie, 30; Glynn, Blaine, 10, Defense, 48; Hiatt, Trey, 10, Midfield, 5; Jirele, Jayden, 10, Midfield, 32; Kreitinger, Isaac 10 Midfield 28; Macy, Wyatt 10 Attack 25; Risser, Logan 10 Defense 39; Clark, Mitchell 11 Defense 31; Frandsen, Ryan 11 Midfield 10; Gillespie, Noah 11 Attack 15; Heitkamp, Michael 11 Midfield 23; Karsten, Lane 11 Defense 7; Olinger, Reid 11 Midfield 14; Peters, Johnny 11 Defense 4; Soller, Nolan, 11, Defense, 24; Beman, Justin, 12, Defense, 51; DeAlba, Austin, 12,

Midfield, 35; Fitch, Ethan, 12, Defense, 26; Glynn, Kayden,

2023 St. Peter/Le Sueur-Henderson Adapted bowling team.

Front row: left to right: Cooper Johnston, Sabrina Kopischke, Lucas Henze, Judd Wartman, 2 girls behind wheelchairs: Angela Molina, Abby Voeltz

Back row: Evan Borgmeier, Mitchel Joosten, Ashlee Miller, Hunter Jones, Xavier Hartman, Logan Gessner, Abby Schily, Peyton Attenberger, Paul Warzecha, Kallie Brovold, Caleb Westphal (File photo)

Senior defenseman Mark Spurgeon. (file photo)

Senior attacker Jack Strom (20). (file photo)

Owatonna girls lacrosse

COACHES

Head coach: Dani Licht, 5th year

Assistant coach: Cheryl Richardson, 1st year

Assistant coach: Damon Summer, 5th year

Assistant coach: Nate Gendron, 6th year

ROSTER

Linden Aarsvold, 7; Kenzie Akers, 7; Ellery Blacker, 11; Avery Born, 7; Sawyer Born, 9; Lauren Busho, 11; Charlotte Cook, 7; Kylee Eaton, 11; Aliah Fischer, 8; Lilliana FisherHackensmith, 8; Capriza Forti, 9; Reese Glynn, 12; Brooklyn Gonzalez, 7; Chloe Heim,

8; Mya Heitkamp, 8; Britta Henderson, 12; Ella Henriksen, 10; Jada Johannsen, 11; Marley Kenow, 9; Nora Marshall, 10; Ella Marshall, 10; Grace Mazariego, 9; Madison McGinn, 12; Amelia Moran, 7; Becca Nielsen, 12; Alexis Noble, 8; Halle Oldefendt, 12; Gabriella Padgett, 8; Karys Richardson, 11; Jocelyn Rick,

Northfield girls lacrosse

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Lexi Halvorson, second year head coach, 10 years coaching

Assistant coaches: Rachel Morrison (varsity), first year; Mileana Borowski, first year; Savannah Newberg, first year; Emma Waldemar, first year

ROSTER

Returning: G/A Senior Captain Naty Trevino Avila; Mid Jr Captain All Conference

Honorable Mention Kellie

O’Meara; G Jr Wendy Bravo; D Sr Larisa Dominguez; D/M Sr

Jaiden Schiller; D/M Sr Tianna Foster; A/M Sr Linda Perez; M Senior Xochitl Valdez; A Jr Claire Homan; D/M Jr Olivia Voigt; D/M Jr Abby Kasal; M Jr Jadyn Dunlap; M Jr Meryl Harmelink; M Rihanna Gonzalez; A Jr Lola McCarty; D Sophmore Zaniea Brown; A Frosh All Conference

Gwen Tapper; G Frosh Lydia Severson; D/M Kaia Eggum; M Frosh Navea Pennock; M Frosh Sophia Bengen; A Frosh Maya Sjorgen; D/M 8th Grader Lucy Gorden Mercer.

New: Jr Kaylin Ims; Jr Devin Morrell; Soph Tara Alaniz; Soph Luzanne Syezcyla; Soph Michelle Rodriguez; Soph

8; Brynn Routh, 10; Megan Rysavy, 12; Adeline Schroht, 10; Georgia Schrom, 10; Kadence Schumacher, 11; Scarlet Schwartz, 10; Anna Simmons, 10; Kaia Simmons, 7; Isla Torabpour, 7; Savannah Wencl, 12

KEY PLAYERS

Madison McGinn, Adeline Schroht, Ellery Blacker, Halle Oldefendt, Britta Henderson, Nora Marshall and Becca Nielsen

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Jada Johannsen, Kylee Eaton, Karys Richardson, Georgia Schrom, Brynn Routh

2023 RECAP

11-4 overall, 10-0 in Big 9 2023 Big 9 Champions

Beat New Prague 13-7 in Section 1A quarterfinals, lost to Lakeville South in semifinals

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

This season we expect to be a contender for big 9 conference champion. This season we will be working through a lot of growth on the defensive side of the field as we graduated all starting defenders but one. This creates

a lot of opportunity for some of the younger players to get time early in the season and progress very fast in their defensive skill set. Our overall goal for the season is to continue to be a strong team in the Big 9 and always be competitive when playing the metro teams.

COMPETITION

Owatonna has always been very competitive in the Big 9

having won 5 of the 7 Big 9 titles since there became a Big 9 for Lacrosse. The teams we will see also competing for that Big 9 conference championship this season are Mayo, Century and Mankato who have always been strong teams to compete against.

BY THE NUMBERS

41 - total players

13 - letter winners

7 - seniors

goalie core as needed.

Freshman All-Conference

Osiris Perez; Soph Stephanie Hernandez; Frosh Rylie Schock; Frosh Annie Demas; Frosh Avery Modory; 8th Grader Ryelynn Dietz; 8th Grader Milla Hope.

Managers: Samantha Celis and Dominic Corona.

KEY PLAYERS

Junior Captain Kellie O’Meara: All-Conference Honorable Mention, second year Captain, did a lot of work on her defensive game this offseason.

Senior Captain Naty Trevino Avila: Meeting the needs of the team, looking to play out on the field as well as lead the

Gwen Tapper: Won AllConference as a first year player, played multiple sports as well as off season lacrosse to fine tune her game, getting stronger, going to be a long term force

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Senior defender Larisa

Dominguez: Only a second year player, but a workhorse who finished last season leading our injury prone squad to a heavy, fast defense.

Junior G Wendy Bravo: A long term program-commit, aggressive defender, strong and vocal.

2023 RECAP

The season of rebuild and learning. We went 2-11 but were able to up our level of play, receiving compliments from All-State level teams for our clean play and growing lacrosse iQs. We graduated five seniors, two of whom are coming back to help coach this season (Emma Waldemar and Savannah Newberg).

Looking forward to building and returning a full squad with a bunch of new players.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

This year, we are the team to watch. With growing lacrosse iQs, a very committed group of athletes, new coaches and a good outlook on what’s to come regarding our competition, we are looking to

finish higher in the conference, learn a little more and build the foundation for Northfield girls lacrosse. We graduated five and returned the rest of the team and brought on a handful of new players. Overall, we had a lovely offseason, grew a lot and look forward to the season.

COMPETITION

We have a historically tough conference and one of the most decorated sections in the state. Luckily, we see our two section leaders in the Lakevilles to open and close our season. We are better equipped to handle the pressures that each team in the conference will bring, expecting a tough matchup again with conference leader Owatonna, but of course they remain one of our most favorable competitors.

Senior attacker Maddy McGinn. (file photo)

Kellie O’Meara will be a leader on the Northfield girls lacrosse team in 2024. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

Senior defender Britta Henderson. (file photo)

Northfield goaltender Naty Trevino Avila looks to clear the zone against Rochester Mayo during a 2023 game. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Treyton Shimota makes a save in close during a

Northfield boys lacrosse

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jeff Wright, 20th season (six at Northfield, seven at Lakeville North, seven at Eagan)

OWATONNA BOYS

LACROSSE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 43

12, Defense, 21; Hilgendorf, Henry, 12, Midfield, 8; Hullopeter, Caleb, 12, Midfield, 50; Kelvie, Jack, 12, Defense, 55; Mazariego, Lucas, 12, Attack, 38; Padgett, Evan, 12, Midfield, 47; Petersen, Dane, 12, Attack, 19; Powell, Monie, 12, Defense, 16; See, Blake, 12, Defense, 52; Sprurgeon, Mark, 12, Defense, 11; Strom, Jack, 12, Attack, 20; Tichy, Keagen, 12, Midfield, 58; Wottreng, William, 12, Midfield, 3

KEY PLAYERS

Jack Strom, Ethan Fitch, Caleb

Assistant coaches: Chaz Irrthum, seventh season (five at Northfield and two at Burnsville); Spencer Klotz, second season

Hullopeter, Henry Hilgendorf, Keagen Tichy, Michael Heitkamp, Nolan Soller, Lane Karsten, William Wottreng, Noah Gillespie

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Trey Hiatt, Jayden Jirele, Blake Farris, Justin Beman

2023 RECAP

1-7 in the conference last year 9th seed in the section

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We return a strong core of players that have a lot of varsity experience. We

ROSTER

Varsity: Andrew Balvin, Barrett Bradley, Ben Bradley, Brady Nuebel, Braxton Wood, Bridger Riley, Cam Mellgren, Cam Waters, Cooper Rand, Garrett Hoernke,

always expect that we can compete with any team in the conference.

COMPETITION

Not sure yet since the season hasn’t started. We hope to be in the top half of the conference. Farmington, Lakeville North look to probably be the top two teams in the section.

BY THE NUMBERS

41 - total players 20 - letter winners 16- seniors

Ackerman, Oliver Peterson, Oliver Waters, Ryder Wendeling, Sebastian Jenkinson, Treyton Shimota, Tristan Westergren, Ty Frank, Vinh Ngo, Will Downs, Zach Hosterman.

JV: Brady Budin; Brayden Crowell, Carter Smiens, Colin Staab, EJ Staats, Elias Ladd, Ethan Moore, Gus Wendeling, Isaac Trautwein, Jacob Fox, Joe Ivers, Matthew Haefner, Nick Sheglowski, Oliver Otting, Philip Benjamin, Ryan Kuyper,

Timmy Voight, Trenton Herbig, Tyler Buck, Victor Hernandez, Jayden Seifert.

Note: This listing was created before final teams were determined and is subject to change.

KEY PLAYERS

Cooper Rand - Sr - Defense; Ty Frank - Sr - Defense; Treyton Shimota - Sr - Goalie; Cameron Mellgren - Sr - Midfield; Camden Waters - Sr - Midfield; George Peterson - So. - Attack;

COMPETITION

We have a very competitive schedule this season and one that I am excited about. It’s too early to say how we will fare this season, but I like our chances. We will compete and I believe we will surprise some teams.

BY THE NUMBERS

45 - Total players

11 - Seniors

2023 Northfield lacross game. (File photo/ southernminn.com)

Northfield’s Tristan Westergren battles against Rochester Century during the 2023 lacrosse season. (File photo/southernminn.com)

Grant Selchow, George Peterson, Landon Raleigh, Noah

Grant Selchow - So - Midfield.

CLAY TARGET

Owatonna clay target

COACHES

Head coach: Mike Kingland, 8th year

Assistant coaches: Barry Borwege, Scott Breamer, Ezra Buck, Brian Busho, Rian Copeland, Michael Earl, Amanda Flohrs, Joey Flohrs, Julia Giefer, Tim Henriksen, Bradley Highfield, Mike Jacobson, Doug Kiefer, Kory Klecker, Rick Kozelka, Anthony Koziolek, Ethan Koziolek, James Krenke, Kevin Krumholz, Kollin Martin, Todd Mogen, Bradley Schiltz, Greg Schroeder, Monte Shives, Sierra Spindler, Robert Theobald, Becky Wolfe

ROSTER

Seniors: ANDREN AASETH, AVEN AASETH, BAILEY DAVIS, KAYDEN GLYNN, ALEXANDER GORDEN, JUSTIN GRONLI, OTTO KUHN, GRADY LINDER, CHRISTIAN MARSHALL, MCLAIN MOGEN, ARIELLE THURBER, WILLIAM WOTTRENG

Ihrke to step up and compete for our Top 10 team average. Freshman Jackson Davis was a member of our 2023 State Tournament Squad as an 8th grader, and he finished last season as one our strongest athletes at the line.

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

11th Grade- Connor Borwege, Spencer Copeland, Kaden Homuth, Darren Leckner (2021 State Tournament Squad), Nolan Schamp

10th Grade- Wyatt Macy. Logan Risser, Ella Henriksen, Harper Shives, Aiden Thurber, Isaac Kreitinger, Gavin Holmen

9th Grade- Ben Jessop, Luke Mohs, Lill Prestegard

2023 MN All State Team: Taylor Busho

Conference Top 25 Male: Dawson Risser, Teagun Ahrens, McLain Mogen, Chris Homuth

Conference Top 25 Female: Taylor Busho, Alyssa Kiefer, Sierra Spindler, Victoria Koziolek, Anna Fox, Chloe Gfrerer, Elizabeth Roesner, Morgan Hansen & Anna Youngquist

Individual State Results: Taylor shot a 97/100 to tie for 4th Place. The tie breaker rules moved her to 6th Place in the Girls Division. Taylor is the first OCTT athlete to medal at the state tournament & make the Fleet Farm Top Gun All Tournament Team.

Top 40 at the Minnesota Trap Shooting Championships to qualify for the MSHSL Clay Target State Tournament and to hopefully have multiple athletes make the All-State Team.

COMPETITION

Juniors: WILLIAM WOTTRENG, SPENCER COPELAND, CLAIRE DIXON, ZACHARY HAARSTAD, MORGAN HANSEN, KADEN HOMUTH, LANE KARSTEN, REED KATH, WYATT KEILMAN, CURTIS KNUTSON, JACK LANGLOIS, DARREN LECKNER, LILLIAN MARTIN, MATTHEW MCSHANE, HENRY MEILLIER, CASPER PIETIKAINEN, NOLAN SCHAMP, ETHAN SCHUBERT, BLAKE SEYKORA, CHARLIE SEYKORA, CODY SHAW, JUAQUIN YCIANO

Sophomores: AMELIA BALDWIN, LIVIA BLAHOSKY, WYATT BONILLA, HUNTER BORCHERT, KAYLEE BUTLER, KARSEN FINHOLDT, CHLOE GFRERER, NATHAN GRONLI, ELLA HENRIKSEN, GAVIN HOLMEN, CARSON HOLTHUS, MASON IHRKE, CARMEN JIRELE, PARKER KLECKER, VICTORIA KOZIOLEK, ISAAC KREITINGER, ISABEL KREITINGER, WYATT MACY, CONNOR MCBROOM, KAYDEN MELBY, HUNTER MORIARITY, COLTON OTTO, LOGAN RISSER, HARPER SHIVES, ADDILYN STOWE, HUNTER THEOBALD, AIDEN THURBER, ISAAC TOLZMAN

Freshmen: ETHAN BELL, JACKSON DAVIS, HAYDEN GASSETT, WILLIAM GRANQUIST, TRENTON HANSON, BENJAMIN JESSOP, RAELYNN MARIK, FISHER MERXBAUER, LUKE MOHS, GAVIN OLDEFENDT, LILY PRESTEGARD

8th Grade: ISAAC ALLEN, LILLIAN BLAHA, FINN

BUCKLEY, KEVIN CHELMO, LEO DERANEK, ANNA HAGENSON, CARTER HEIM, BENJAMIN HIGHFIELD, LIAM HORTON, COOPER INGVALDSON, TYLER OLSON, OLIVER PETERS, ZACHARY ROESNER, BENJAMIN SHEEHAN,

COACHES

JOSEPH SIMON, BRAYDEN SPINDLER, LANCE WAGNER, COLTON WEAVER, OLIVER WOTTRENG

7th Grade: PORTER BONILLA, JACKSON BOYUM, DEVON HOREJSI, ADRIANA HOTTMAN, QUINN MOHS, BO MORIARITY, GRAYSON SCHILLER

KEY PLAYERS

We expect to be led by our Senior Captains- Bailey Davis, Kayden Glynn, Mack Mogen & Will Wottreng. Mack is our top returning athlete with a 23.2 out of 25 average. He was on our 2023 State Tournament squad. Kayden is also one of the top returning averages & was also on our state tournament squad. I am expecting the rest of our Seniors- Andren Aaseth, Aven Aaseth, Alex Gorden, Justin Gronli, Otto Kuhn, Grady Linder, Christian Marshall & Arielle Thurber to make significant contributions and help carry the team this season. Top Juniors Matthew Mcshane, Ethan Schubert & Morgan Hansen return this season. Matthew & Ethan were both in our Top 10 Averages last season, while Morgan is one of our 3 Girls All Conference returners. Sophomores Victoria Koziolek & Chloe Gfrefer are the other 2 Girls All Conference Returners. I am also looking for 10th Graders Hunter Theobald, Parker Klecker (2023 State Tournament Squad) & Mason

Medford clay target

Head coach: Tim Larson, 12 years (Medford started a team, Spring of 2013)

Assistant coaches: Mark Kappes, Grant Wildgrube, Manda Mueller

ROSTER

Senior: Dakoda DuChene Sophomores: Aiden Anderson,

Reid Wildgrube, Jose Flores, Wyatt Moorman

Freshman: Tanner Milewski, Blake Cammock, Kyan Baynes

8th graders: Dwight Ewing III, Eli Federly, Colin Kellis, Brenden Mueller, Mason Witter

7th graders: Elliot Jones, Trevor Vatsaas, Andrew Bartosch

6th graders: Henry Hager and Kyle Witter

KEY PLAYERS

Team Captains: Dakoda DuChene and Reid Wildgrube

Besides above captainsreturning letter winners: Brenden Mueller, Aiden Anderson, Andrew Bartosch, Kyan Baynes, Elliot Jones, Mason Witter

8th Grade- Liilian Blaha, Kevin Chelmo, Anna Hagenson, Ben Highfield, Joe Simon, Brayden Spindler

7th Grade- Could be any of them

2023 RECAP

OCTT competed in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League’s Class 9A Conference 2, which is made up of the 7 largest teams in MN. Our athletes had a tremendous season finishing in 2nd Place behind a very good team from Prior Lake. For 2023, the team was led by Taylor Busho with a 23.9 avg and Dawson Risser with a 23.6 avg.

Team Results: The state squad ended up in 35th Place with a 456/500. Their scores were as follows - Teagun Ahrens 94, Alyssa Kiefer 94, Jackson Davis 93, McLain Mogen 89 and Sierra Spindler 86

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We normally see quite a bit of individual growth as the season progresses. Of course. With 99 athletes on the team, including 20 that are brand new, there is a lot of unknown/ untapped potential just waiting to rise to the top! The more an athlete improves, the stronger our team becomes. Our goals competitively for this season are to compete for our first conference title, place in the

The MN State High School Clay Target League assigns Class/ Conferences each year based on team size. We typically have one of the largest rosters in the state. (We were the largest team in the state in 2023.) With 99 on the roster for 2024, I expect us to be assigned to Class 9A Conference 2 with the other largest teams again. We should be able to compete for the conference title, but our conference is generally packed with very wellestablished programs like Prior Lake, Hastings, Northfield & Bemidji. They will be tough to beat, but I believe in our athletes. It should be a fun season.

BY

99

79

12

Reid Wildgrube - made the ”Elite 100” top 100 shooters in the whole state regardless of conference, made the MSHSL Individual tournament held in Prior Lake

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

Dakoda DuChene, Brenden Mueller and Reid Wildgrube all made All-Conference honors last spring and fall and I look for them to improve and move up the ranks.

2023 RECAP

Spring 2023 Conference

6 Champion Fall 2023 Conference 2 Champion

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

We have half of our team new this spring, a lot of potential, but also a lot of learning.

#1 Safety

#2 Have Fun

Should be an interesting Spring

COMPETITION

Looking forward to getting out and doing some shooting this spring. Conferences have not been set yet. Based on the number of registered shooters for the school.

BY THE NUMBERS

1 - Senior

13 - returning letter winners

8 - returning All-Conference winners

Owatonna Clay Target team. (Photo courtesy of OCTT)

Owatonna Clay Target team at 2023 state. (Photo courtesy of OCTT)

St. Peter trap shooting

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Jesse Lager 10 yrs

Assistant coaches Nate Nimps 3 yrs, Jake Powers 10 yrs, Chad DeBlieck 10 yrs, Steve Alger 6 yrs, Chad Salzwedel 10 yrs, Steve Schultz 1 yr, Jaxson Witty 2 yrs, Brandon Stoffregen 3 yrs, Justin Block 3 yrs, Pete Otterness 5 yrs, Matt Ulman 3 yrs, Scott Jaeger 3 yrs, Matt Beckel 3 yrs, Joe Loula 3 yrs, Jeremy Walter 3 yrs, Jason Wendroth 10 yrs, Tracy Krakow 2 yrs, Tyler Blaschko 3 yrs.

ROSTER

ISAAC ALGER 12, RYKER ANTON 7, ELANA BECKEL 10, CARTER BLASCHKO 10, LOGAN BOCK 10, CHARLES BORN 11, JOSHUA CHAMBERS 8, COOPER DEBLIECK 12, QUINN DEBLIECK 10, ALEX DOMRAS 12, BRADY DUNKER 8, GABRIELLA DUNKER 11, ALLAN EBERHART 12, RILEY FISCHER 6, ELLIE GRAHAM 9, MEGAN GRAHAM 10, CHARLOTTE HAGEN 9, KAISER HAGEN 11, REIGN HARMON 10, JACKSON HATLEVIG 10, AUBREY

Hatlevig and AJ Hill.

Top Girls from last season: Ashlyn Loula, Kaelyn Loula, Addy Jaeger, Elana Beckel, Halle Maczkowicz, Kaylee Vogt, Charlotte Hagen. These girls will have some competition with the rest of the girls, as the season goes on the girls really pick up their game.

2023 RECAP

Last year’s top shooters were, Boys- Korey Lager & Girls –Ashlyn Loula

This year is our 10th year in having a team. Trap has really grown year after year throughout the country. We are a club sport in St. Peter so kids can participate in other sports at the same time.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

HAYNES 10, HAYDIN HEILMAN 12, ANDREW HILL 8, DAWSON HOLTZ

8, WYATT HOLTZ 11, ADDY JAEGER 9, ELLA JAEGER 7, DYLAN JENTZ 11, KENDRA JOHNSON 9, RILEY KAMM 10, ETHAN KENDALL

8, GAVIN KENDALL 11, JOHNNY KENNEDY 11, TATUM KENNEDY 9, RILEY KISOR 11, JUDE KOLTER 9, TYLER KRAKOW 10, KOREY LAGER 12, RILEY LAGER 12, ASHLYN LOULA 10, KAELYN LOULA 7, ANDREW LYLE

8, HALLE MACZKOWICZ

9, OWEN MATEJCEK 10, MACKENZIE MOLINE 12, ALEX MUELLER 9, HUNTER MUTZKE 7, GAVIN NIEMEYER 10, TUCKER NIMPS 11, MATTHEW OTTERNESS 12, ELIJAH PETERS 9, BRYCE PETTIT 9, GAVIN POWERS 12, JOHN POWERS 10, RILEY PUGH 10, ZACH SALZWEDEL 12, WILLIAM SCHULTZ 8, CARSON SHEELY 7, ANA STOFFREGEN 11, JARRET THOMS 7, KAMERON ULMAN 10, KAYLEE VOGT 9, DALTON VOSS 7, FRANKLIN WACKLAROWICZ 11, EVAN WALTER 11, NATHAN WALTER 8, JOSEPH (JOEY) WELP 7, KYLEE WENDROTH 10, RAYMOND WENTWORTH

Northfield trap shooting

COACHES, YEARS COACHING

Head coach: Pete Mergens, fifth season

Assistant coaches: Brent Feldhake, Eric Haines, Steve Mathre, Tom Benson, Kristin Haines, Chad Beckius, Liz Beckius, John Boland, Nathan Budin, Doug Dingman, Thad Monroe, Trevor Pumper, Michael Sevcik, Scott Sevcik, Tom Tanghe, John Barr, Molly Lloyd, Tyson Lloyd,

Deb Mergens, Jessica Miller, Shannon Morsching, Kelly Schulz.

ROSTER

Ben Albers, Rylan Archambault, Chase Beckius, Ruby Beckius, Calvin Benson, Gavin Bird, Emit Boettcher, Colin Brown, Tyler Buck, Liam Budd Olson, Danika Bulfer, Kyle Bulfer, Axel Byler, Max Byler, Elijah Cashin, James Connelly, Elia Craig, Tanner

Craig, Korbin Cupp, Brayden Dupay, Lindsey Erickson, Caden Ertz, Nolan Feldhake, Alexander Flom, Jacob Gergen, Luke Guggisberg, Keith Harner, Sam Harner, Charlie Johnson, Gunnar Johnson, Liam Kline, Parker Kline, Brayden Kobes, Henrick Kortuem, Katherine Lacanne, Benjamin Lapanta, Jacob Larsen, Elizabeth Larson, Hunter Larson, Ava Lillibridge, Ava Little, Kailee Little, Adeline Lloyd, William

Lloyd, Archer Malecha, Parker Malecha, Allison Mathews, Samuel Mathews, Mason Mechura, Stephanie Mergens, Sebastian Meyer, Ava Miller, Riley Moon, Ethan Moore, Matthew Morris, Kian Morsching, Niah Morsching, Braden Moses, Macy Mueller, Nick Nelson, Trevor Nelson, Myles Olson, Garrett Ostermann, Ivy Ostermann, Charles Pautz, Corbin Perez, Colton Prechel, Maximus Pumper, Madelyn Raabolle, Nilsson Raabolle, Owen Reece, Aaron Reisetter, Cale Reuvers, Jadyn Schulz, Ian Sevcik, Madeline Sevcik, Madyson Sevcik, Mason Sevcik, Autumn Sexton, Owen Sexton, Austin Smith, Carter Sommer, Tadd Stanton, Miles Steffl, Jacie Stopski, Mitchell Stopski, Cohen Streitz, Jacob Tanghe, Katelyn Truman, Corbin Underdahl, Leo Watts, Jonathan Wierson.

SKEET TEAM

Skeet team has a cap of 10 athletes, They must average a varsity score for trap, compete in a fall league the prior year and demonstrate a dedication and desire to practice. We don’t hold tryouts as the average scores are just a small portion of the criteria. We had 14 students apply to be on the coveted team this season, and we are only able to roster 10. With only two seniors graduating this last season and

6, VAUGHN WERNSING 11, COLTON WILLAERT 11, ELIJAH YOST 8, TY ZITZOW 10.

KEY PLAYERS

Top Boys from last season: Korey Lager, Riley Lager, Gavin Powers, Ty Zitzow, Isaac Alger, Alex Domras, Wyatt Holtz, Zach Salzwedel and Cooper DeBlieck. I think the following athletes will be in with the top shooters from last year. Haydin Heilman, Matt Otterness, Kameron Ulman, William Schultz, Evan Walter, Quinn DeBlieck, Jackson

one student moving on to other activities, we only added three spots. Practice and range time prohibits us from a larger team but the possibility exists for a larger team in the future. This season we will be graduating six seniors from our skeet team, so we need the students wanting to be on the team to remain dedicated until their opportunity arises.

2024 team: Tadd Stanton, Mason Sevcik, Ava Miller, Jadyn Schulz, Maddy Sevcik, Carter Sommer, Chase Beckius, Cohen Streitz, Ian Sevcik, Brayden Dupay.

2023 RECAP

Last season, we missed the state tournament by two targets for Trap shooting. We were however; able to go on to compete in the National Trap Shooting Championship in Mason Michigan, where the Raiders finished 24th place out of the top 240 teams from around the country. The Raider Skeet team also took the Minnesota State Class 1A Championship and will be defending that this season.

2024 SEASON OUTLOOK

While we are very much a team sport, we are looking for strong individual efforts from some of our 15 graduating seniors, most of whom have

This year looks to be the year that we will have some really good shooters, as they all want a chance to head back to Nationals in Mason Michigan. Keep an eye on these shooters as they were our top shooters last season.

BY THE NUMBERS

This Season we have 74 athlete’s, 17 female and 57 males. We gained 16 new athletes this year which is also the largest we have ever had. This year we have the following per grade.

11 - Seniors

14 - Juniors

19 - Sophomores

11 - Freshmen

9 - 8th Graders

8 - 7th Graders

2 - 6th Graders

been on the team since 6th or 7th grade. The most exciting part of our sport is that anyone can put in the work and rise to the top very quickly and contribute to the team score within a few seasons. We choose as a team to let everyone have an opportunity versus other schools only allow a small number of students by way of tryouts. Our team philosophy has proven to be successful with over 40% of our athletes finishing the year with varsity averages, which is truly amazing as most of those students are underclassmen.

COACH COMMENTS

With the Northfield Raider Clay Target Team being one of the largest in the state, we are stretched thin for practice time at our home club of the Morristown Gun Club. There are three other schools that compete at the same club. A problem most schools deal with due to the amazing growth of the league. The USA Clay Target league now consists of 50,000 students in 38 states. Here in Minnesota there are 358 schools and over 10,000 students competing. The league was started here in Minnesota in 2007 and in 2012 the USA Clay Target League was formed. It is considered the fastest growing sport in the nation now with millions of rounds, countless competitions and no injuries to date.

First day of practice (photo courtesy of St. Peter trap team Facebook/www.facebook.com/ SaintPeterTrapTeam/)

The 2024 Northfield High School trap team captains are, from left to right, Maddy Sevcik, Jadyn Schulz, Tadd Stanton and Chase Beckius. (Tom Nelson/southernminn.com)

First day of practice (photo courtesy of St. Peter trap team Facebook/www.facebook.com/SaintPeterTrapTeam/)