Girls Swimming: Tigers second in section; qualify for state in five events

Kaitlyn O'Reilly (below)
State qualifier in 4 events
Elizabeth Wolfe (right)
Section 1AA breaststroke champion

The weather outside was frightful but the results inside delightful for the Tiger girls at the Section 1AA swimming and diving finals held Saturday, November 13, at the Rochester Recreation Center.
As a team, Farmington finished runner-up in the seven-team meet, trailing only champion Rochester John Marshall. The Rockets out-pointed the Tigers 458-338 to take home the championship hardware. Rochester Century took third with 310.5, followed by Faribault 272, Winona/Winona Cotter 271.5, Owatonna 221 and Rochester Mayo 164.
The second place finish matched the highest ever by a Tiger team in the section meet. The 2006 team also came in second.
"We are very excited about our runner-up finish," coach Jen Marshall said. "After Thursday's prelims, we were in fourth place, but we came back for some outstanding performances in the finals to move up."
Individually, the news was even better. The Tigers qualified for this week's state meet in five of the 12 events, claiming three gold medals and meeting the state standard time in a pair of relays.
Kaitlyn O'Reilly had a huge day for Farmington, winning the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke and and swimming a leg on both state qualifying relay teams (200 medley and 200 freestyle relay). Only one other Farmington swimmer has ever won two individual events at the section meet, Lindsey Ternes in 2005.
Elizabeth Wolfe scored the other Farmington first, winning the 100 breaststroke. Wolfe also joined with O'Reilly. Caitlin Kracke and Kirsten Kracke in qualifying for state in the 200 medley relay.
The 200 freestyle relay foursome of O'Reilly, the Kracke sisters and Ellie Sundet also is headed for the state championships at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center.
If the second place team finish and five state qualifiers weren't enough to savor, the Tigers also shattered seven school records in the two-day meet: Caitlin Kracke in the 50 and 100 freestyle; O'Reilly in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke; Wolfe in the breaststroke and both the 200 freestyle and 200 medley relays.
Next up is the state meet and Marshall is confident her swimmers will perform well on the big stage.
"The girls are very focused on their swims right now," she said. "We've got good experience going in and our goal is to get to the finals in all five events.
"Kaitlyn (O'Reilly) and Elizabeth (Wolfe) are shooting for all-state honors and we have never had an all-state relay team (top eight) so that is another goal."
Other top Farmington finishes:
200 freestyle: 7. Sarah O'Reilly
50 freestyle. 4. C. Kracke
One-meter diving: 8. Kendall Novak
100 freestyle: C. Kracke
500 freestyke: 4. Sara KIntner; 5. Sarah O'Reilly
100 backstroke: 5. K. Kracke
100 breaststroke: 8. Abby Haugen

Alumni Tracker: Harstad all-UMAC in soccer

Rachel Harstad

Former Tiger Rachel Harstad, a senior defender for the University of Minnesota-Morris women's soccer team was recently named to the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) all-league team. Harstad led a Cougar defense that allowed less than a goal per game and was one of just four seniors to make the all-UMAC squad....2009 Tiger graduate Kristina Waltz played in nine games and started one for the Minnesota State, Mankato women's soccer team this fall...
2008 FHS grad Abby Kenealy scored 12 points, pulled down five rebounds and blocked four shots for Southwest Minnesota State in its season-opening loss to the University of Minnesota last week at Williams Arena...Another former Tiger basketball player, 2007 FHS female Athlete of the Year Alisha Todd, won't be able to start her senior season at the University of Wisconsin-Stout until after the holidays after suffering a pre-season injury.
Former Tiger Jimmy Deegan, a tight end for once-beaten William Penn University (Iowa) caught a 20-yard touchdown pass in its 58-10 win over Waldorf College last weekend...2009 FHS male Athlete of the Year Derek Waldbillig gained 20 yards on four carries and scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 10-yard run in the Royals 52-0 rout of Hamline...Tyler Barnes of the FHS class of 2010 is a freshman tight end for Valley City College (North Dakota) this fall.
Former Tiger goaltender Erin McNamara (2007) came up with 63 saves in her first two starts for St. Olaf College this season...Another 2007 Tiger grad, Kelli Johnson, had an assist for the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in last week's 4-3 win over St. Mary's.
2010 Tiger grad Kyle Winkelman is a freshman guard on the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire men's basketball team...David Steege of the FHS Class of 2009 is a sophomore post player for Jamestown College (North Dakota).
Eric Wicktor, a 1988 Farmignton grad, is the boys basketball coach at Pine City, Minnesota...Tiger alum Pat Carey, girls basketball coach Jason Berg and former athletic director Byron Olson were on the officiating crew that worked the Section 1AAAA championship football game between Northfield and Faribault last week.

Girls Hockey: Tigers look for Missota repeat and more

Hannah Alexander

Krystal Baumann

Despite a roster with just one senior the Tigers returned to the top of the Missota Conference standings last winter and finished the season with an impressive 18-8-1 record. This year they are looking to hold on to their conference crown as well as win a section title and return to the state tournament.
"We are really positive when we look at the upcoming season," coach Jon Holmes said. "Not only have we been working on team concepts and skills the past few years, but these girls have now grown into young adults capable of performing at a level never before possible."
A glance at the roster shows the reasons for Holmes optimism. The Tigers return 14 letterwinners from last year's title team. The only missing link is captain and all-conference defender Angie Schull. Her presence will be missed but several hungry returnees appear ready to step in and pick up the slack.
This year's roster still contains just three seniors, but that trio of captains Krystal Baumann, Hannah Alexander and Emily Severson will play a big role in Farmington's fortunes in 2010-11.
Last winter the all-Missota Conference duo of Baumann and Alexander combined for 61 goals and 51 assists in 27 games. Both rank among the top 10 Tiger point scorers of all time. Severson came on strong last year and should also provide scoring punch.
"I cannot say enough about our captains," Holmes said. "They are big contributors to our success and just all-around great people. Whatever success we have will be a direct result of their ability to lead both on and off the ice."
Five other young but experienced forwards should also keep the opposition busy: sophomores Haleigh Zwart, Grace Gavin and Sydney Schoenecker and freshmen Haley Doll and Shaye Jenrich.
On the blue line, six letterwinners with varsity playing experience should go a long way toward filling Schull's skates: juniors Betsy Anderson, Molly Friedlud and Katie Burgess; sophomore Rachel Peroutky and freshmen Bria Donnelly and Rachel Welzin.
The goaltending position is in good hands with the return of junior all-Missota performer Jessica Erchul who posted a 1.90 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage last year. Ashley Corocran and Kayla Bohanon will vie for the back-up goalkeeping posiiton.
A pair of eighth-grade forwards, Chloe Batta and Emily Johnson, have looked good in the early going and freshmen Maddie Strid, Breanna Raske and Megan Stivers could also make a run at varsity ice time. Brooke Raske and Lexi Smrekar are expected to battle for playing time on the blue line.
Holmes expects his team's experience and ability to work together will overcome what will arguably be the toughest schedule in the school's history. In addition to the ever-improving competition in the Missota, the Tigers will face off against such perennial state powers as Eden Paririe, Breck, Blake, Wayzata, Lakeville North, Lakeville South and Hastings.
"We feel we have the ability to compete with these teams," Holmes said. "Hopefully this will better prepare us for post-season play."
Farmington should be the favorite to repeat in the Missota but according to Holmes, the race for Section 1 honors will be a five-team battle.
"With a lot of hard work and a little luck, we should be right there," he said.
A veteran coaching staff returns to help the Tigers, including assistants Shawn Anderson, Jason Kohlbeck, Dan Pickens and Al Jenrich.
Farmington opens the 2010-11 season Tuesday night, November 16, against Breck in Golden Valley.

Habeck second team all-Metro

Katie Habeck
All-Metro Second Team

Tiger senior Katie Habeck earned a spot on the Minneapolis StarTribune's all-Metro volleyball second team announced Tuesday, November 9.
The versatile Habeck, a four-year regular for coach Mike Woody's team, had an outstanding senior season, finishing with team-highs in kills (404), digs(349) and service aces (28). She also ranked second in blocks (52) and serve receptions (434).
"Katie along with Kirstee Rotty and Danielle Dombeck have been players that I have been able to build a team around," coach Mike Woody said. "She has carried herself with dignity and poise through the high of a section championship and the low of a 2-5 conference record her senior season.
"This year she played every position except setter and libero. Her ability to transition from a middle hitter to our number one outside hitter, passer and defender was seamless. Leading the team in both kills and digs says a lot about what she does on the floor."
Though her high school career has ended, volleyball is very much in Habeck's future. She has committed to play next year for Concordia University-St.Paul, the top-ranked NCAA Division II team in the nation.

Fenske 40th at state cross country

Tiger senior Elliot Fenske ran the challenging, 5000-meter, state meet course five seconds faster than he did as a junior but finished 12 places lower at the 2010 Class AA Championships held, Saturday, November 6, at St. Olaf College in Northfield.
Fenske clocked 16:31.5 in his final high school race and finished 40th in a field of 154 runners. Last fall he placed 28th at state with a finishing time of 16:36.
"I know Elliot was hoping for the top 25 which would have meant 'all-state'," coach Keith Revels said. "The leaders went out fast and didn't let up. Elliot gained places over the final mile but not as many as he would have liked. He posted a solid time and didn't leave anything on the table.
"Elliot has been a pleasure to coach the last four years. Being all-Missota twice and running in two state meets is quite a career. It sounds like he has an interest in continuing to compete and he most certainly has the ability to do so."
Wayzata won the Class AA team competition with a meet-low total of 61 points. Moorhead and Rosemount finished second and third. Section 1AA qualifiers Owatonna and Lakeville North placed eighth and 10th respectively.