For the second straight season the Tigers put together a winning record, finishing 9-8-1 overall and 4-2-1 in Missota Conference play. Their league record and third place finish stand as school records.
Rob Carpentier has been head coach for the last two years and although he is pleased that his teams own the only winning seasons in school history, he said he could only speculate how much better things could have been had the injury bug not struck his team with a vengeance.
"We lost 71 player games this season," he said. "In my 17 years of coaching I have never had so many kids out with such crazy injuries. I would love to have seen what this team could have done if it had been healthy."
All in all, Carpentier and his staff awarded 25 varsity letters this season. Of that number, eight were seniors: Devyn Alberts, Laine Trowbridge, Shelby Calhoun, Elena Koch, Liz Gallus, Bree Brower, Amber Johnson and Janine Miller.
Junior monogram winners included Ashley Kimmel, Kelli Harstad, Sammie Johnoff, Natalee Chromy, Tia Jacoby, Taylor Meyer, Alyssa Parco, Gabby White and Rachel Beck.
Sophomores Leah Zak, Nadia Lorencz, Grace Gavin, Alex Frost and Kelsy Humpfer and freshmen Kayla Kucala, Kelly Kormann and Hannah Miller also picked up letters.
Captain Alberts who finished with team-highs in goals (10) and assists (10) received unprecedented post-season recognition. The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay recruit made the all-state and all-metro teams; won the Missota Conference Player of the Year award for the second straight season and earned team Most Outstanding Player honors.
Two other senior captains, Trowbridge (5 goals) and Calhoun (3 goals) made the elite all-Missota Conference team as did goalie Meyer whose 91 percent save percentage garnered her the league's Keeper of the Year award.
Other post-season awards went to Koch and Harstad (all-Missota honorable mention); Lorencz (Most Improved Player); Beck (Rookie of the Year); White (Coach's Award) and Gallus (team captain).
Carpentier said the 2010 campaign was filled with highlights, including a 1-0 win over Park; a 3-2 comeback victory over Sibley on a last-second goal and tying conference champion Shakopee.
"We played the toughest schedule in program history and still tied for most wins in a season with nine," he said.
The spate of injuries led the Tiger coach to sum up the season in two words "unrealized potential."
"We never got blown out against some very good competition," he said. "We lost Hannah Miller in our first scrimmage and then Ashley Kimmel was out for both Northfield and Shakopee, the two teams in front of us in the conference.
"Then Shelby Calhoun and Taylor Myer both missed our playoff game with Rosemount. With those two on the field we would have had a real good shot at a win."
Carpentier called Alberts a "one of a kind" player but added that replacing Calhoun and Trowbridge might present as difficult a challenge next fall.
"They were our engine room and shield for our defense," he said. "If we can adequately replace them, we will be very, very tough next year.
"With the B-squad and junior varsity players moving up we will have one of the fastest teams in the state and that should lead to a great deal of success....barring injuries, of course."
The second year Tiger coach said he couldn't tie a ribbon on the 2010 season until after a final salute to his four senior captains.
"The community should know that I have never been around four people who gave their all for the team and led both in word and action like they did," he said. "For me, it was like having four assistant coaches on the field. Next year's captains have some big shoes to fill."
