Alumni Tracker: Ex-Tigers still on course

Sammy Schmitz

2009 FHS alum Sammy Schmitz who played in the Class AA State Championships as a prep continues to be one of the best amateur golfers in Minnesota. Last week the former Tiger advanced to the semifinals of the MGA Mid Players Match Play Tournament held at Island View Golf Club in Waconia...Two other players with Farmington connections also made the elite 32-player field, Tiger boys' golf coach Jon Holmes and Kane Bauer, grandson of former Farmington Bakery owner Tuffy Westenberg.

Greg Werner, another former Tiger state tournament golfer, wrapped up his stellar collegiate career at Minnesota State, Mankato with a 31st place finish in the 107-player NCAA Division II Central Regional Tournament played last month in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Greg Werner

2005 Tiger grad Ben Kampf. who later ran track and cross country for the University of Minnesota returned home to win his second straight Dew Run title, touring the flat and fast four-mile course in 20:19, more than a minute faster than the second place finisher...Kampf isn't his family's only member busy running this summer. His wife Heather Kampf,  ex-Rosemount and U of M runner, placed sixth in the 800-meter run at the US Track and Field Championships held this past weekend in Des Moines, Iowa.

Current and other former Tiger athletes were among top finishers in the 2013 Dew Run. Justin Hyytinen finished third overall in the four-mile event, four places in front of assistant coach Adam Lippold, a former Doane College (Nebraska) runner. 2013 Tiger grad Adam Wallenta ranked 12th in the 353-runner field. Other top 50 finishers included 2012 alum Bailey Opsal now running cross country at St. Scholastica College (37th); Tiger junior Maricia Pacheco (39th); Tiger boys' standout Tyler Lerbakken (45th) and sophomore-to-be Sean Dougherty (46th).

Lerbakken and Pacheco took sixth and 17th place respectively in the one-mile race. 2005 FHS male co-Athlete of the Year Scott Holmes won his age group and placed 35th while 2009 female Athlete of the Year Kirstee Rotty was an age group winner with a 48th place overall finish.

162 golfers played in the Second Annual Louie Schmitz Foundation fundraiser held last Friday at Southern Hills. The foursome of Steve Sabetti, Paul Rutt, Scott Finn and Shane Clausen claimed top scoring honors with a 16-under par round. Two of Schmitz's daughters and former Tiger athletes, Shelly Schmitz and Jody Schmitz Slette teamed up with Judy Jungwirth and Helen Nikiel to win the womens' division. Proceeds from the event go toward college scholarships and donations to local athletic associations to help needy youth pay participation fees. 2013 Tiger graduates Kevin Olund and Haleigh Zwart were awarded scholarships at the tournament.

1977 Tiger alum Doug Dingman's Prior Lake High School target shooters had another good showing at the Minnesota Clay Target League state championships held in Alexandria a couple of weeks ago. The Lakers finished fourth in the varsity division and runner-up in the junior varsity competition. Dave Warweg, another 1977 FHS grad, is one of Dingman's assistant coaches.

Former Tiger and state champion discus thrower Logan Hussung, a redshirt sophomore at the University of Minnesota, placed ninth in the shot put at the 2013 Big Ten Outdoor Championships held at Ohio State University last month...2012 Tiger graduate Blake Olmscheid had a productive freshman tennis season for St. May's University (Winona) this spring, finishing 6-4 in singles play and 6-2 in doubles competition for the Cardinals.