2023 Albany Girls Basketball

A L B A N Y F O R T I F I E S behind leaps of growth

LEgacy

Huskies have won Granite Ridge Conference four years in a row

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

ALBANY – Much like a familiar, ancient civilization, Albany’s girls basketball program was not built in a day.

Through its recent string of captivating campaigns in winning the Granite Ridge Conference four years in a row and Section 6AA three years in a row, the Huskies have astounded, thrilled and amazed, and the recent version of the squad is no different. Through the establishment of a player-developing machine in its youth

program, Albany has sprouted capable players ready to perform at the varsity level as early as ninth grade.

“Any time you have girls coming in with dynamic skillsets and can do a lot of things fundamentally and athletically, it allows you to do different things as a basketball team at the high school level,” said Aaron Boyum, head coach.

For example, current All-State forwards Alyssa Sand and Kylan Gerads both came off the bench in the team’s 2021 championship run at the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball State

Tournament, immediately providing key minutes as freshman. This season, much of the team’s stability comes from having sophomores who can plug into the lineup for various situations. Sixfoot center Natalie Blonigen offers size against bigger lineups and Eva Schwenzfeier brings a shooting element when the team seeks spacing.

“We learn together about the roles and the things they do well and how those things are going to get put in place for both the team and individuals to have success,” Boyum said.

With this gradual step-by-step process in the Albany basketball chain, many of the Huskies gained more and more familiarity playing with each other. Play designs and technical matchups certainly play a role, but strong cohesion is

an intangible advantage the Huskies have.

“We have learned to play well together as five because we are all friends on and off the court, no matter the grade level,” said Savanna Pelzer, junior guard. “Four out of the five starters – Alyssa Sand, Kylan Gerads, Tatum Findley and myself

Legacy page 3

Albany Huskies girls basketball players Tatum Findley (from left), Alyssa Sand and Kylan Gerads share a positive moment as they celebrate a hard-fought Section 6AA Girls Basketball Tournament championship March 10 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Findley, Sand and Gerads have been playing together since sixth grade, leading to important cohesion and improbable consistency.

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Legacy from page 2

– and Callie Holthaus off the bench have been playing together since the sixth grade.”

Even with a strong understanding of each other as players, Coach Boyum has noted that this year’s team has needed to, and successfully made, improvements to get to state. Senior Samantha VanHeel took on a significantly-larger role on the court as a lengthy forward and has found her niche, while Holthaus’ carved-out role as the sixth woman and second point guard for the Huskies also emerged over time.

“It’s required a lot of growth,” Boyum said. “That’s really the key word. That’s what makes this group unique. They’ve had a tremendous amount of success, but we’re rela-

tively young and have a lot of potential to continue to grow.”

Winning any conference four seasons in a row requires a certain consistency and dominance rarely seen around the state of Minnesota. To constantly stave off the likes of Foley, Milaca, Zimmerman, Little Falls, Cathedral, Mora and Pierz, it is all about finding different ways of winning through examining potential weaknesses rather than formulaic approaches.

“We all just have that drive to continue to get better and learn,”

Findley said. “Working hard in practice, watching film and learning from each other are big factors that have led us to success. Playing each team twice allows us to look back at what we did well the first time and what we can grow on.”

Winning, by all means, also creates a target on your back and increases the pressure and expectations across competitions. However, Albany’s program does its best to avoid concerning itself with aspects outside of its control.

“To stay grounded and not let external factors play a role on how we play, (we) just play our game and keep growing,” Pelzer said. “Keep learning from one game to the next and practice with a purpose while still having fun.”

And true to this established philosophy, it is hard for the Huskies to dwell on additional baggage that comes with being a top-ofthe-line program. After all, setting goals and reaching goals, especially for athletes as driven as the ones at Albany

Area High School, is fun. With Perham as its next step, Albany feels it has the laid the foundation to be ready for these types of games.

“I watched my sister and the I watched my sister and the team win state two years ago, and last year, we lost in the semifinals,” Findley said. “Seeing the excitement in ent the team when h they won the state championship pushes us even more. We want to experience that same I feeling, and I are know we are ated motivated enough.”

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Cameron Bauer beams in the midst of a mid-court celebration after the Section 6AA Girls Basketball Tournament championship game March 10 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Albany’s girls basketball program has secured a legacy of success with consistent growth across its roster.

PHOTO BY MIKE KOSIK

Savanna Pelzer leaps into the air during a layup attempt against Granite Ridge Conference rival Cathedral Feb. 17 at Albany Area High School in Albany. Pelzer and the Huskies locked up their fourth consecutive conference crown this season with a perfect 14-0 record.

Kuhn,

Nellis

bring experience to coaching staff

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

ALBANY – While achieving three consecutive Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball State Tournament appearances requires everything as far as effort from the players on the court, it also takes strongwilled minds on the bench to complete the equation.

Albany girls basketball head coach Aaron Boyum’s storied success since taking over the program in 2013 has been nothing short of spectacular, he is not alone in helping the Huskies along from a player development and coaching standpoint.

The 2022-23 Albany coaching staff is also comprised of assistants Todd Kuhn and Corey Nellis.

“Having grown up here in this community, I know of the history of this program,” Kuhn said. “Having a small hand in what happens is special.” Kuhn and Nellis come from distinct backgrounds but share a desire in mentoring student-athletes. Kuhn is in his third season as a coach for the Huskies while Nellis is in the midst of a wild, long-awaited introductory high school girls basketball coaching campaign. For Nellis, this exact opportunity was something he held as a strong desire ever since coaching his two daughters through the Albany Youth Basketball Association and serving as a member of the Minnesota Comets Basketball board.

“I never really played the game as a kid growing up,” Nellis said. “I got involved in it because of my daughters, and I’ve just really grown to enjoy the game.” Nellis’ coaching situation also stands in rare territory; along with being a member of a state-bound coaching staff, he is also the Avon Police Chief. While his position naturally occupies a great deal of importance and priority in his life, Nellis himself wanted a way to remove the weight of his work every once in a while.

“To be honest, that’s a big part of the struggle in our profession is getting away from it and doing something you enjoy,” Nellis said. “I see it as a huge asset in my personal life, turning the professional hat off on a daily basis and going in the gym and doing something I enjoy.”

An affection for hoops is something Kuhn can relate to. He played basketball, along with football and baseball, as a multi-sport athlete in Albany, and he understands the value of reliable coaching

figures in a young player’s life.

“I was lucky to have Mr. (Jim) Mader as my head football coach,” Kuhn said. “The devotion, the effort of the coaches was something that was imprinted in my brain.”

Kuhn, Class AA’s Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021 and a sixth-grade teacher at Albany Area Schools, has applied his expertise to Albany’s girls basketball team in a variety of ways. When Coach Boyum is engrossed with the overall outlook of the team, Kuhn takes things off his plate, focusing on less discernible competition details and assisting the fellow teacher with preparing practices during the school day.

“In game, it might be paying attention to substitution patterns or the classic things as making sure Aaron knows how many timeouts he has, where the ball is being inbounded, focusing on the smaller things so he can focus on the big picture,” Kuhn said.

Nellis has quickly acclimated to cooperating with Kuhn on keeping the ship running smoothly, and both have been effective in building healthy, team-driven relationships with the Huskies players, working with them on the things they need to improve on in a productive manner. It is often hard to receive constructive criticism and discuss glaring areas of focus when you have only lost one game, but Albany girls hoops and its dedicated coaching staff continue to find a way.

“They always want more,” Kuhn said. “They’re looking for the next facet of their game, the next thing they can do better as a team. We do a lot of film study; with technology, that’s something that’s much easier to do. It’s harder to take an objective look at yourself, but those are great opportunities for growth and the girls have done a good job of embracing that.”

Through this extensive process, the Huskie coaches have also grown, having established an excellent back-and-forth and soaking in information. Kuhn and Nellis have progressed forward through many valuable conversations and learned more about each other as assistant coaches as well.

“I’ve just been trying to tag along with Aaron and Todd and learn as much as I can from them,” Nellis said.

In the end, while the main goal for the entire Huskies roster is winning a state championship, both of Albany’s assistant coaches understand playing the sport of basketball with your friends is the most important part.

“It might not be state they remember,” Kuhn said. “It might be hanging out at the hotel doing something funny and laughing. It’s being in the moment, being present with your teammates and classmates and building those memories together.”

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PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON Albany girls basketball assistant coaches Corey Nellis (from left) and Todd Kuhn listen to a fervent timeout speech from head coach Aaron Boyum during the Section 6AA Girls Basketball Tournament championship March 10 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. While Boyum is directing the show, Nellis and Kuhn have also been essential in Albany’s return to the state tournament.

When did you first begin playing basketball, and why? I started playing basketball in fourth grade. I joined it because I had the love for the sport at a young age.

What is your favorite non-state basketball memory? Bus rides.

Who is your favorite basketball player, and why? Always Maya Moore, even though she is retired, because of how determined she is.

What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Albany girls basketball program? The family feel of our team.

Who has been essential for you in reaching this point in your basketball career, and why? My parents, because they always taught me not to give up and keep working hard.

When did you first begin playing basketball, and why? I began playing basketball in the fourth grade. I started playing because I thought it would be fun to try and my friends were doing it as well.

What is your favorite non-state basketball memory? Popping kids wine in the locker room showers. Who is your favorite basketball player, and why? Steph Curry. He has been my favorite player since sixth grade because of the way he plays and how humble he is.

What have you enjoyed most about being a part of the Albany girls basketball program? Being a part of a second family.

Who has been essential for you in reaching this point in your basketball career, and why? My parents have been a huge support to me in my basketball career, but also, my old trainer, Mark Anfinson. He has helped me develop into the player I am today.

ALBANY HUSKIES

Huskies

Court COmponent s Court COmponents

lyssa

SAND

Alyssa is long and versatile. She is a difficult matchup for our opponents and able to get deflections and steals while also clearing the glass.

allie Callie #5

Callie is a steady presence backing up the point guard spot. She is always under control and yet incredibly quick laterally maintaining her defensive stance.

amanth Samantha

VANHEEL

FINDLEY

le

xis Alexis #4

SCHWENZFEIER

Eva is strong. She boxes out well, is dangerous from the perimeter and able to handle contact attacking the rim.

llery Ellery

va Eva 22 #22 EHRESMANN

35 #35

Ellery is quick and very capable of knocking down shots from the perimeter.

11 #11 GILL

Samantha is strong and has a great ability to attack the ball to rebound on both ends of the floor.

13 #13

arissa Larissa

20 #20 FUNK

ophia

Tatum is aggressive attacking the rim and is also able to knock down perimeter shots when teams give her space anticipating dribble drive.

BAUER

23 #23 ELLINGSON

Larissa plays the point guard spot with great quickness.

Cameron works hard on the floor. She

aisley Paisley

41 #41

Paisley is steady. She knows the game of basketball well and plays with a great level of control.

Paige is a great athlete. She is longer than people think and very effective shooting from outside.

Kylan 33

ZIERDEN

Samantha is strong and can match up with many players’ size inside.

F | 6’3” | JUNIOR F 6’3” JUNIOR G | 5’8” | JUNIOR G 5’8” JUNIOR F | 5’10” | SOPH. F 5’10” SOPH. F | 5’9” | SOPH. F 5’9” SOPH. G | 5’4” | JUNIOR G 5’4” JUNIOR G | 5’6” | SOPH. G 5’6” SOPH. G | 5’6” | SOPH. G 5’6” SOPH. G | 5’4” | JUNIOR G 5’4” JUNIOR G | 5’5” | SOPH. G 5’5” SOPH. G | 5’7” | SOPH. G 5’7” SOPH. F | 5’10” | SOPH. F 5’10” SOPH. F | 5’10” | SENIOR F 5’10” SENIOR G | 5’6” | SOPH. G 5’6” SOPH. G | 5’7” | SOPH. G 5’7” SOPH. G | 5’6” | JUNIOR G 5’6” JUNIOR G | 5’6” | SENIOR G 5’6” SENIOR F | 5’11” | JUNIOR F 5’11” JUNIOR C | 6’1” | SOPH. C 6’1” SOPH.

#33 BLONIGEN

Kylan plays the game with exceptional energy. She anticipates well on defense, runs the floor, attacks the basket and is strong around the rim.

Natalie 55 #55

1. Alyssa Sand, 56.6%

2. Kylan Gerads, 43.4%

3. Tatum Findley, 40.6%

1. Alyssa Sand, 273

2. Kylan Gerads, 257

3. Samantha VanHeel, 126

4. Savanna Pelzer & Tatum Findley, 58

5. Callie Holthaus, 56

1. Alyssa Sand, 96

2. Kylan Gerads, 83

3. Tatum Findley, 52

4. Savanna Pelzer , 49

5. Samantha VanHeel, 32

1. Tatum Findley, 34

2. Savanna Pelzer, 25

3. Kylan Gerads, 21

4. Eva Schwenzfeier, 15

5. Alyssa Sand & Callie Holthaus, 32

Minimum of 10 shots

4. Natalie Blonigen, 40%

5. Savanna Pelzer, 38.2%

1/27 Pierz 59-25 | W

1/31 Eden Valley-Watkins 58-34 | W

2/2 Foley 52-38 | W

2/4 Litchfield 57-26 | W

2/7 Mora 73-24 | W

2/10 Milaca 66-53 | W

2/13 Pierz 60-36 | W

2/14 Zimmerman 72-59 | W

2/17 Cathedral 71-35 | W

2/21 Upsala 62-29 | W 2/24 Little Falls 68-33 | W

ALBANY GIRLS

A K E H I S T O R Y

Huskies take down big-school powers to win Class AA championship

BY TOM FENTON STAFF WRITER

Two weeks before the 1983 girls basketball season, the Albany Huskies did not have a head coach. The team also learned they would be moving from Class A to AA, meaning the largest schools in Minnesota would be waiting if the Huskies were to win a state championship in what was then a two-class tournament.

None of that mattered to a tight-knit group of small-town girls determined to show the metro powers the importance of playing with grit and as a cohesive unit.

The 2023 Minnesota State High School

League Girls Basketball State Tournament marks the 40-year anniversary of when Albany sent shockwaves through the state basketball scene, defeating mighty Edina 4139 in overtime to win the big school championship at Met Center in Bloomington.

“We may not have known who was going to coach us or what class we were in, but we had proven record of success together,” said Carol Thelen, a senior standout on that team whose sister, Peg, was on the school’s 1980 Class A title team. “Those of us on that team, we weren’t surprised at all. We expected it, but it was definitely lifechanging for all of us.”

The 1983 team will be watching with interest as their successors – four decades later – compete in the program’s 16th state tournament. The Huskies will be vying for their fifth school title and first since 2021. They begin their quest at 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, taking on Perham at the University of Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis. Albany (28-1) is seeded third behind defending champion Providence Academy and Goodhue.

“Could it possibly be 40 years? Wow,” said Carol (Oehrlein) Potter, a senior on the team. “I remember it was an amazing group of young women. We had all the things you

like to see in a team. We had leadership skills on and off the court, and, to this day, these women are doing great things. It was an incredible experience. I still get goosebumps talking about it. It’s one of the best memories of my life.”

The story of the 1983 season reads like a fairy tale. Dick Cady had never coached high school basketball, but when previous coach Nancy Way’s teaching position was eliminated, a team that won a Class A title in dominating fashion three years earlier needed a leader.

Cady, who had softball coaching experience,

The 1983 Albany High School girls basketball team consisted of assistant coach Ralph Talbot (front row, from left), Ann Wellenstein, Lori Pearson, Julie Buddy, Terri Kuhn and manager Barb Baggenstoss; (back row, from left) head coach Dick Cady, Carol Thelen, Carol Oehrlein, Peg Linz, Kim Tamm, Lori Racemacher, Cindy Mackendanz, Sandy Thelen and assistant coach Pat Schleper. The Huskies, moved to Class AA before the start of the season, took down Edina 41-39 to win the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball State Tournament.

filled the role.

“Coach Cady told us nobody would really expect us to do anything, and his coaching was great,” said Kim (Tamm) Kluempke, a junior center on the team who lives in St. Cloud. “He taught us to be a scrappy team and play hard, especially on defense.”

The Huskies rolled through the regular season, losing only two games. The region playoffs brought a bit of uncertainty in that they would be playing mostly unfamiliar teams with the jump to Class AA.

The Albany High School gymnasium was packed for the

region final against Bemidji. Tamm recalls folding chairs being set up on any open space on the floor to help accommodate the overflowing crowd that watched the Huskies advance to state with a one-point win, setting up what many outsiders thought would be an improbable run to the title.

“I remember just making it to state was shocking, and to go win it was incredible,” Kluempke said. “It’s one of the most surreal feelings I’ve had. With a team that had as much heart as we had,

40 Years page 11

40 Years from page 10

we knew anything was possible.”

In the state quarterfinals, Albany faced Derham Hall – an allgirl school that would soon merge with allboy school Cretin. Things did not look promising as the Huskies headed to the consolation round, trailing by 21 points in the third quarter.

Derham Hall lost their point guard and Albany pounced, capping a furious rally with a 60-56 victory.

The Huskies won a back-and-forth 45-36 semifinal over Rochester John Marshall, setting up a championship game between the smallest and largest AA schools.

“It was pretty incredible to come back from that big of a deficit that late in the game against Derham Hall,” said Potter, who is executive director of student services and special education at St. Cloud School District 742. “Against Edina, we knew we had our

work cut out for us, but we were fired up to play hard. We went in with the attitude of we are not afraid and we were going to show our best selves, and that’s what we did.”

The tightly-contested defensive battle against the Hornets came down to the seconds. Edina led 3938, but Thelen gave her team a chance by knocking the ball out of a Hornets player’s hand. The officials ruled it last touched an Edina player, giving the Huskies possession.

During the ensuing timeout,

Cady called for Thelen to take the final shot.

The Huskies could not get her the ball, leaving Potter with the ball on the baseline. She drove to the basket, made the shot and was fouled. Her free throw completed the three-point play (there was no 3-point shot in that era) and set off a wild celebration.

The team has reunited at the 20- and 30-year anniversaries to share stories and memories that remain vivid while talking about the pride they have in a program that continues to enjoy massive success. Thelen, who went on to be a head coach at the Unisin-River Falls

and DeLaSalle High School while serving as an assistant at St. Cloud State University, marvels at the program and how it was conducted in the early days of girls sports.

“When you play for Albany, and this year’s team obviously knows this, the expectations are high,” Thelen said. “We felt had a

legacy to carry on from the 1980 team, and we earned it. We put in a ton of time together in the off-season because we felt that pressure and obligation to perform. Back then, it wasn’t always popular to be a female athlete. That wasn’t the case in Albany. We did things the right way.”

The trophy of the 1983 State Champion team rests in the trophy case at Albany Area High School.

Aaron Boyum (left) gives Tatum Findley her first-place medal following the Section 6AA Girls Basketball Tournament championship March 10 at St Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Boyum’s Husk ies sit at 28-1 overall entering the 2023 Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball State Tournament

nna

ne a lan a mpionship

d.

BACK BACK BACK TO TO

PHOTO

forward

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PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

The Albany Huskies girls basketball team heads toward their fan section with the Section

Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Pelzer’s grit was huge in the Huskies’ third consecutive section title.

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON Albany girls basketball head coach

Sava

cham c

Cloud C onsectio s

basketball head coach

PHOTOS BY EVAN MICHEALSON

The 2022-23 Albany Huskies are all smiles after locking up their third-straight Section 6AA championship March 10 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud.

Coached by Aaron Boyum, the Huskies head to the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball Tournament in Minneapolis