Albany GBB Section 6AA Champions

SUC CE SSFUL SUCCESSFUL RUN Y E A R S I N T H E M A K I N G

Team-building process began in earnest in ‘21

BY TOM FENTON STAFF WRITER

A group that truly started learning what it means to don the purple, white and black uniforms while representing Al-bany girls basketball four seasons ago is about to

State Tournament, the legacy the Huskies’ senior class has left on the program has been cemented.

Kylan Gerads and Alyssa Sand have soaked in the success since the start of the 2020-21 season that ended with the program’s fourth state championship. Fellow seniors Tatum Findley, Savanna Pelzer, Callie Holthaus and Lauren Nett soon joined in on the fun.

Each have contributed to an eyepopping 108-11 record during that span. Second-seeded Albany takes a 28-1 record into a quarternal clash with

Albany at state, fourth consecutive and fifth in the past six seasons. This is the fifth time head coach Aaron Boyum has taken a team this far, and he said this senior class is a massive reason for the success.

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Albany girls basketball head coach Aaron Boyum (left) shakes senior Tatum Findley’s hand during the medal ceremony following the Section 6AA championship game March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Findley is part of a dynamic senior class that has contributed to a 108-11 record the past four seasons.

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Albany girls basketball players Lauren Nett (from left), Savanna Pelzer, Callie Holthaus, Alyssa Sand, Eva Schwenzfeier, Tatum Findley and Kylan Gerads throw up “W” with their hands after winning the Section 6AA championship March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. The Huskies know a thing or two about wins, having built four consecutive state-qualifying seasons.

Successful run from page 2

“It never gets old,” said Boyum, who has a 261-57 record at Albany. “We have a large senior class that has played a lot of basketball together. Those girls are very honed in and focused.

A top goal of theirs was to be playing basketball this week from Week 1. It’s good to see that goal accomplished and get back to the state tournament to showcase Albany and Central Minnesota basketball at a wider level.”

With that kind of longevity comes continuity, something the Huskies have embraced and used to their advantage.

“When you’ve played together since a young age, you kind of just build that connection where you almost know where your teammates are and could play with your eyes closed,” Pelzer said. “You know where they are at all times.”

Sand has turned that comfort level into a scoring average of 18.3 points per game and a team-best 11.8 rebounds. Gerads, whose brother Tysen led the Albany boys to their first title last year, is not far off, averaging 17.2 points and 9.2 rebounds.

“We’re best friends in basketball, but we’re also best friends off the court,” Gerads said. “It means a lot that we can accomplish the things we can accomplish with each other.”

Albany’s leadership process has been cyclical. This season’s seniors have relished the role of mentoring the younger players, which Boyum said was similar to the 2021 title team that featured three players playing collegiately — Paige Meyer at South Dakota State University, Madi Herkenhoff at St. Cloud State University and Bailey Keske at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

“It takes understanding what it means to be an upperclassman and taking the younger girls under their wing to make sure they feel a part of things,” Boyum said. “(The 2021 team) knew it was important for that group to help build the foundation.”

Understandably, much of the talk surrounding the Class AA tournament is centered on a potential Albany-Providence Academy championship game. It is certainly worthy of that type of hype, as these teams

have met in two of the last three title bouts. The Lions won 74-60 last year, with the Huskies winning 57-43 in 2021.

Boyum did not shy away from admitting the mission is to get to the title game; however, he threw extreme caution to talk of it being a given.

“We have open and honest conversation about ‘Yeah, that’s the goal,’ so we don’t diminish that,” Boyum said. “When you get

deep as any field at state. When you have a Perham team, that I think is really special, that is not one of the top five seeds, it speaks to that. I put Lourdes in that category as well.”

The field could have been even stronger, but Goodhue –which gave everything Albany could handle in the state semifinals last year — dropped to Class A and is the No. 1 seed in that tournament.

Minnehaha Academy was ranked No. 2 in the final state rankings and familiar foe New

“As we’ve gone on this season, the way we do things is taking a game-by-game approach,” Boyum said. “Not only is it about winning the game, but understanding this in an opportunity to grow, step on the court and show some things we’re good at.”

PHOTO BY MIKE KOSIK Albany Huskies girls basketball team members Madi Ramler (front, from left), Alyssa Sand, Kylan Gerads and Callie Holthaus; (back, from left) Tatum Findley, Josie Dingmann and Savanna Pelzer walk off the court after receiving their Section 6AA trophy March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. The Huskies have maintained a successful run of section appearances behind senior leadership and a strong understanding to how to win.

London-Spicer is coached by Mike Dreier, whose 43-year record is an astounding 1,066190. Lourdes also is riddled in history with 17 tournament appearances and eight championships, the latest coming in 2005.

Dribbling

IN A DIFFERENT WAY

Albany girls prepared for hoops season with historic soccer experience

BY EVAN MICHEALSON

history can be as simple as Many members of the Albany girls basketball team were simply looking for a way to get into peak physical shape in advance of the winter hoops season when they found themselves a part of something so much more. The Huskies represented the Albany Area Schools community as core pieces of the inaugural Albany girls varsity soccer

team during fall 2023.

“It was a really great experience for us to try something new,” said Kylan Gerads, a forward in basketball and a midfielder in soccer. “It’s really good for our school to have that. It was something completely different and just a sport to play with my friends and a way to make more memories.”

Soccer began garnering more and more attention within the school community until it was eventually approved before the start of the 2023 season. Much of the first wave of athletes who took that initial steps forward were basketball players looking for a fall sport to play.

A staggering eight members of the Huskies girls basketball varsity squad — Paisley Ellingson, Tatum Findley, Gerads, Callie Holthaus, Claire

Lecy, Savanna Pelzer, Alyssa Sand and Eva Schwenzfeier — represented Albany at the varsity level in soccer, while varsity basketball contributor Cam Bauer and manager Madi Ramler played junior varsity

girls soccer.

“It provided us with a little pre-story of our season,” said Sand, a forward in basketball and a goalkeeper in soccer.

Albany Girls!

PHOTO BY MIKE KOSIK

Albany’s Eva Schwenzfeier (right) chases after the ball in the open field during a girls soccer game against Pelican Aug. 25, 2023 at Albany Area High School in Albany. The game, which ended in a 5-0 Huskies victory, marked Albany’s first as a varsity program.

Soccer page 5

PHOTO BY MIKE KOSIK Albany’s Savanna Pelzer dribbles the ball against Fergus Falls Oct. 3, 2023, at Albany Area High School in Albany. Pelzer and the Huskies girls soccer team made an impressive varsity debut, with many of its members later taking part in a girls basketball section run.

ONE LAST TOGETHER

KYL AN GERADS #33

What motivates you to succeed in the sport of basketball? Just how much I love the sport and how much joy playing the game brings me.

What is your favorite non-game moment of the season? Defeating Claire Lecy in bowling.

When did you fall in love with basketball? fell in love with basketball around kindergarten, because loved watching my brothers play and wanted to get the chance to play like them.

What is the message you have to the Huskies faithful before you embark on your final state tournament trip? Thank you to all of them for the support they have given our team throughout the years. It has been fun playing in front of them, and we don’t take it for granted.

Do you love winning or hate losing more? hate losing more, because every game can be won if you play your hardest and put everything into it. When on the court playing, what gives you the most satisfaction and the most displeasure? The thing that gives me the most satisfaction is out-hustling someone for a loose ball, and the thing that gives me the most displeasure is missing a defensive rebound and giving the other team second chances.

What have you enjoyed about playing basketball with Tatum Findley? The things have enjoyed about playing with Tatum is being able to play with her since fourth grade, watching us become the players we are together and watching her hit some clutch threes in close games that win it for us because she’s clutch.

L AUREN NETT

Parents:

#24 | G

What motivates you to succeed in the sport of basketball? We have all worked so hard together since fourth grade, so seeing what we can accomplish after years of working hard pays off

What is your favorite non-game moment of the season? Listening to music in the locker room before our games.

When did you fall in love with basketball? fell in love with basketball as soon as I started playing in the Albany Saturday morning league in kindergarten. Sports in general is a huge part of my family’s lives. grew up watching my brother play, as well as going to all of the Huskies games, so that quickly grew my love for the game.

What’s the message you have to the Huskies faithful before you embark on your final state tournament trip? Thank you for supporting us along our whole journey. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without everyone.

Do you love winning or hate losing more? hate losing more, because growing up, we have always been a really competitive and successful group, so we hold ourselves to a high standard.

When on the court playing, what gives you the most satisfaction and the most displeasure? Satisfaction: seeing my teammates hit shots, especially when the game is close. Displeasure: getting beat on defense.

What have you enjoyed about playing basketball with Alyssa Sand? Along with Kylan, Alyssa is one of the people I have played with the longest, starting with the Saturday morning league in kindergarten. She is one of the best teammates to have, because she is extremely versatile and athletic in everything that she does. Alyssa definitely uses her length down low, but she has also always had such a nice shot that she has been using to her advantage, especially this year, turning into quite the shooter. Everyone always sees the athletic side of Alyssa, but she is one of the most selfless players I have ever played with. My favorite thing about her is that you can chuck up pretty much any pass to her and she will catch it.

The Albany girls basketball team will be playing in the state tournament for the fourth consecutive year. The state tournament will be the last games for these six seniors. The following is a Q&A about their basketball journey and insights about them as players.

Huskies

1 ALYSSA SAND

#1 | F/C

Parents: Paul and Lisa Sand

What motivates you to succeed in the sport of basketball? A lot of things motivate me to succeed, but the main thing that does is just knowing we have so much talent and so many unique players to where we can go far in playoffs and make a run at state. Us seniors have been playing with each other since sixth grade and our connection is so strong — winning it all would mean a lot to our team and knowing we have the people to do it motivates us to keep going.

13 TATUM FINDLEY #13 | G

Parents: Tom Findley and Angie Janorschke

What motivates you to succeed in the sport of basketball? To me, the best feeling after succeeding is knowing the hard work I put in in the offseason and during the season. My team and I worked incredibly hard to get to where we are today. So, we are motivated to continue to win and make our hard work pay off.

What is your favorite non-game moment of the season? Probably the free time we get at state and spending time with my team.

When did you fall in love with basketball? loved basketball most of my life because my older siblings played. especially started to love it when got to high school and took it more seriously. I have enjoyed it more and more the older get.

What is the message you have to the Huskies faithful before you embark on your final state tournament trip? Thank you for the support and love through our season. It has been a super fun year.

Do you love winning or hate losing more? love winning more, because it shows all our hard work is paying off. Our wins come from team effort and encouragement. It is always fun to win big games and the feeling afterward is the best part. When on the court playing, what gives you the most satisfaction and the most displeasure? I get the most satisfaction when we make a play that includes everyone on

What is your favorite non-game moment of the season? All of the bus rides with my friends and teammates to away games have been really fun. We always have a good time around each other and are always laughing. Our team dinners and getting to play games has also been fun.

When did you fall in love with basketball? I fell in love with basketball in kindergarten, when I played in this Saturday morning league that was mixed with both boys and girls. I learned a lot of things about the sport and seeing how many different ways a player can contribute to the team made me really enjoy playing. I always asked to play and shoot with my parents after played my first game there.

What is the message you have to the Huskies faithful before you embark on your final state tournament trip? Thanks for always cheering us on, packing the gyms, donating for us and just following along on our season. It’s been the best four years, and the support we received has been incredible. It just shows how well our community cares for sports.

Do you love winning or hate losing more? I hate losing more, because my team and are very passionate about basketball and it sucks to see us lose when we work so hard in practice. Someone always has to lose, but it’s never fun when you’re the team that does. When on the court playing, what gives you the most satisfaction and the most displeasure, and why? Having great passes, having a nice transition basket, seeing my teammates clutch up in close games and running a set play that we score on gives me satisfaction, because it’s just the entertaining part about playing basketball. Some things that give me displeasure are when don’t help on defense in time and getting a bad foul call away from the basket, because they can be prevented and are just the unpleasant parts of playing.

What have you enjoyed about playing basketball with Callie Holthaus? I’ve played almost every game with Callie since fourth grade and we have made such a good connection on the court. We know what shots each other likes and where each other are on the court always. Over the years, we have become a tall-and-small duo, and it’s been so fun getting to play with her and watch her game grow so much.

2

SAVANNA PELZER

#2 | PG

Parents: Kurt and Joanne Pelzer

What motivates you to succeed in the sport of basketball? Wanting to make my family proud and to have a fun last ride with my teammates. Us seniors have played together since sixth grade and having that connection that we built with each other is what gives us the confidence we can make a run at state, but also having a talented unique group of girls is what really keeps us going.

What is your favorite non-game moment of the season? The bus rides to away games. We are always laughing, making jokes and having fun the whole way.

When did you fall in love with basketball? fell in love with basketball in fourth grade because it just clicked from the start. liked being a part of a team, and I also watched my older sister playing basketball growing up.

What is the message you have to the Huskies faithful before you embark on your final state tournament trip? I am super grateful for all the support throughout the season and blessed to have such a great community behind this team. My recent injury has been tough, but the fans have supported me through this difficult time.

Do you love winning or hate losing more? I hate losing more, because my teammates and are competitors, and it sucks to lose when we practice so hard to be ready and prepared for the game.

When on the court playing, what gives you the most satisfaction and the most displeasure? Having great passes to my teammates gives me the most satisfaction, because it puts my teammate in a good position to score. Getting a bad foul that didn’t need to happen gives me the most displeasure, because they could be prevented if play smart and with my hands up on defense.

What have you enjoyed about playing basketball with Kylan Gerads? love playing with Kylan because she’s a beast on the court and she’s the best “hype man.” We’ve played together since sixth grade and almost know where we are going to be on the court with our eyes closed at this point. It’s been fun to play with her to watch her game get better and better over the years.

5

Ted and Karla Nett

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE

Coach Aaron Boyum (right) pictured with seniors Kylan Gerads (front, from left), Savanna Pelzer and Callie Holthaus; (back, from left) Alyssa Sand, Tatum Findley and Lauren Nett.

TOGETHERNESS TRIUMPH

Huskies rally behind late-season motto

BY EVAN MICHEALSON STAFF WRITER

Inspiration is something that does not have to be forced for the Albany Huskies.

The back-to-back-to-back-toback winners of Section 6AA and a multi-time state finalist in the last five years know they have what it takes to compete in Class AA. With last year’s loss in the Minnesota State High School League Class AA Girls Basketball State Tournament championship game, motivation to soar even higher is also not lacking.

However, Albany has nevertheless attached itself to a late-season application of team bonding through rallying around a phrase shared with the team by coaches Aaron Boyum, Todd Kuhn and Corey Nellis: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go

together.”

“It makes us want to be one big team that wants to succeed and have the same goals at the end of the season,” said Savanna Pelzer, senior guard. … “Ever since that quote, our team togetherness has been so strong. You can tell there’s been a difference.”

Leads to

Boyum found the quote from a series of Google searches, plastered on a picture showing a group of geese in flight during migration. Immediately, that imagery stood out to the longtime coach, who found several immediate comparisons between migrating birds and a sports team,

in which he presented the motto to the Huskies during practice in the final week of the regular season.

“We talked about how during the migration process, from point A to point B, wherever that group is trying to get to, every goose within that flock has a different role,” Boyum said. “You start out the journey, and depending on different things along the way, the role of the flock changes as it goes on.”

That definitely describes the Huskies, who entered the 2023-24 season with established talents at several positions — roles having already been formed through previous eventful campaigns and state runs. Senior forwards Alyssa Sand and Kylan Gerads were dominant forces of length and athleticism who offered two-way capabilities,

senior guard Tatum Findley was the go-to shot-maker in crunch time, and senior guards Pelzer and Callie Holthaus were the decisive ball-handlers who knew where to go with the ball in a given halfcourt situation. However, as the campaign raged on, Albany’s leading scorers have looked to add an element of playmaking to their skillset, while other important players to the fabric of the team like junior center Natalie Blonigen, junior guard Eva Schwenzfeier and senior guard Lauren Nett have seen opportunities to shine increase.

“Each one of us is playing our hearts out and trying our best for the team,” Gerads said. “It helps that we each have the team in mind.”

Albany has the benefit of a memorable group of seniors that have been playing together since elementary school, but its efforts to unite as a team through hardships has involved everyone on the roster,

Togetherness page 9

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Albany Huskies girls basketball players Kelsey Lobitz (from left), Molly Goebel and Cam Bauer cheer on their teammates during the Section 6AA championship game March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Team support has been at a high point down the stretch for the Huskies, who have rallied behind a motto of “Go together” during the postseason.

PHOTO BY MARK KLAPHAKE

Albany Huskies girls basketball seniors Lauren Nett (left) and Callie Holthaus wear their Albany Huskies girls basketball wristbands during a school day March 12 at Albany Area High School in Albany. Each Huskies player has a wristband that says “Albany Huskies go together,” a product of a late-season motto that has inspired the entire squad.

Togetherness

from page 8

regardless of age level. The most noticeable example of this is through the motto, which was not only introduced verbally to the Huskies, but physically as each member of the team now dons wristbands that say “Albany Huskies go together” everywhere they go.

“Maybe it’s corny, but the bracelet is a material reminder that everybody that’s a part of this thing — however far we’re able to get this week or whatever memories we make, whether you step

on the court for a minute or no minutes at all — you all have the same bracelet and you’re all a part of something bigger than yourself,” Boyum said. Outside of a unified fashion statement, Albany finds ways to get its players working as a team rather than as a group of individuals. Team dinners have been a team-building staple all winter, with players hosting on different occasions. Each of these meals also featured games that paired players randomly together, allowing each girl to get to know some-body they maybe would not have ap-proached otherwise. These ac-

tivities have included beanbags and cookie decorating around Christmastime.

“Everyone is talking and everyone is bonding and you get to know all of your teammates together,” Pelzer said. “It brings us all together and pushes us to succeed together as a team.”

The framing of mindsets from wanting to win for their own sake to winning for each other’s sake has taken some introspective looks

in the mirror. Like geese flying in formation, what is required can often change, and Albany’s girls basketball players have embraced the self-betterment process for the good of their state tournament hopes, watching film and analyzing how isolated incidents or simple mistakes can affect the entire team.

“Our kids do a great job

of, as they’re getting closer to tournament time, understanding their strengths and areas of growth and how that fits within the larger picture,” Boyum said.

So, while their playstyle on the basketball court is one of quickness and burst, the Albany Huskies are not looking to go fast. They’re looking to go far.

“We just have to keep going together and do our best as a team,” Gerads said. “If we can just be a team in whatever we do, we can get far.”

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON

Albany Huskies players Savanna Pelzer (from left), Callie Holthaus and Kylan Gerads celebrate a basket as head coach Aaron Boyum (right) analyzes the court during the Section 6AA championship game March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. For much of the second half, the Huskies’ starters cheered on their teammates from the bench, exemplifying the togetherness that has defined this Albany team.

PHOTO BY EVAN MICHEALSON Albany girls basketball senior Tatum Findley high-fives her teammates as she takes the court before the start of the Section 6AA championship game March 8 at St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud. Findley and the Huskies defeated Holdingford to complete a section run led by a sense of comradery and commitment.

DYNASTY CRE ATING A