Blackjacks bank on new coach, sophomore class

Dawson-Boyd forward Laney Bartunek handles the ball during a Camden Conference game against MACCRAY on Feb. 4, 2021 from MACCRAY High School. Patrick Bemadeau / West Central Tribune

With three starters back, Dawson-Boyd aims for improvement

BY TOM ELLIOTT | West Central Tribune

DAWSON — The Dawson-Boyd girls basketball team has a new coach, Rachel Hakanson. She takes over for Justin Wager. Hakanson inherits a team that went 1-18 last season, but shows promise.

There are three returning starters: Laney Bartunek, Kate Dahl and Chelsie Husby. Bartunek is a 5-foot9 forward and the lone senior on the squad. Dahl is a 5-9 junior center and Husby is a 5-7 junior guard. The other junior on the roster is 5-5 forward Sara Larson.

The key loss for Hakanson and assistant coach Jenna Williamson is Rachael Lund, who was an All-Camden Conference honorable-mention last season before graduating. “Our returning starters are players to watch, given their experience and hard work ethic,” Hakanson said.

“We have a bigger sophomore class coming up that have shown great potential and given more experience, along with strengthening their skill set, will be fun to watch as well.”

There are seven sophomores on the roster. They include forwards Rachel Jorgens, Carmen Willsey and Ayiana Hastad, centers Hayley Anderson and Ella Wolner and guard Allison Estling. Anderson and Wolner are 5-11.

The Blackjack are off to an 0-2 start, having lost to Benson 55-28 and Montevideo 67-20. Their season-opener is Dec. 7 against Renville County West. Their last win was Jan. 25, 2021 against Ortonville, 35-29. Since then, they’ve lost 17 straight. Dawson-Boyd aims for its first winning seasons since 2014-15.

“The girls are eager to learn and have positive attitudes, which is encouraging for a new coach,” Hakanson said.

Hakanson is a physical therapist for Johnson Memorial Health Services in Dawson. She’s originally from Dawson and played basketball at St. Catherine University in St. Paul.