Boys Basketball: One to grow on

Alex Michels
All-Missota Conference
(photo by Jim Lindquist)

Coach Shane Wyandt said the 2010-11 edition of Tiger basketball didn't post as many wins (9-18 overall and 3-11 in the Missota Conference) as he would have liked but the season nonetheless provided more than its share of positive moments.
"In my opinion, it was fun season," he said. "This was a very coachable group that worked hard and got along with each other as well.
"The seniors were great kids to work with and I hope our younger guys look up to and learn from them and their positive qualities."
Wyandt and his staff awarded varsity letters to 18 players for their efforts this winter, including seven seniors: Josh Ruthenbeck, Sam Hanson, Elliot Fenske, Sebren Baer, Andy Born, Alex Michels and Zach Wallace..
Underclassmen letterwinners included juniors Alec Hogstad, Austin Bassett, Jake Hanson, Grant Blomster and David Zitzmann; sophomores Darren Beenken, Alex Chadwick and Tom Sell and freshmen Mackinley Bassett, Johnny Dittman and Nick Varner.
Michels, the team's leading scorer with a 14.1 points-per-game average, made the all-Missota Conference team and Baer (8.3 points per game) received all-league honorable mention. Other awards were to be announced at next week's post-season banquet.
Wyandt said he was pleased with his team's success against Section 1AAAA opposition and some early season wins, including a third place finish in the Hastings Holiday Classic, that earned the Tigers a home game in the opening round of the section tournament.
"We knew we were a relatively inexperienced team coming into the season," Wyandt said," and that we would have to win the close games, something we didn't do last season.
"There were a few games where we couldn't convert down the stretch. It's always difficult to lose when you have chances like that."
The Tiger coach added that next season could look a lot like the one just completed as far as varsity experience is concerned.
"We will be very young again," he said, "but we will have some talented kids coming back as well as some younger kids who will get a chance to show what they can do. It will be a team that I hope gets better as the season moves on."
Between now and then, Wyandt said he and his staff are setting the expectations bar at a high level.
"We expect our kids to participate in basketball academy, training camp, summer league and AAU tournaments," he said "We want to outwork the competition."

Boys Tennis: On the rebound

Seth Roberts top)
2010 MVP, All-Missota Conference Honorable Mention
Ben Cline (bottom)
2010 Player of the Year. All-Missota Conference Honorable Mention


After a winless 2010 season, season Tiger boys tennis coach Jack Olwell is looking for a spike in his team's fortunes this spring.
Olwell's hopes seem to be well-justified as he returns his top three singles players as well as three letterwinners with varsity experience in doubles play.
Senior Seth Roberts, last year's Most Valuable Player who also received all-Missota Conference honorable mention, is expected to hold on to his familiar spot at No. 1 singles if he can stay healthy.
"Seth has had a laundry list of injuries and health issues so we are praying that he will be OK," Olwell said.
Juniors Ben Cline, an all-conference honorable mention performer last year, and Blake Olmscheid, the team's 2010 "Player of the Year", are penciled in at the second and third singles slots.
"The fourth singles position looks open," Olwell said. "Right now, Brian Waldbillig looks like the front-runner."
Senior Peter Folz and juniors Tyler Olson and Jeff Zakoskie all bring doubles experience to the table and will likely fill half of the doubles lineup.
Sophomore letterwinner Austin Rau along with newcomers Austin Tremmel, Blake Bostrom, Colton Sanders, John Zakoskie and Trent Kortenbusch could also log varsity court time this spring.
Olwell picked perennial contender Red Wing as the pre-season choice in the Missota Conference with Rochester Mayo the odds-on favorite to grab Section 1AA honors.
Veteran Jon Malin returns as varsity assistant coach this spring as does volunteer coach Joe "Doc" Emond.
The Tigers kick off their spring season, Wednesday, Apr. 6, with a non-conference dual meet at South St. Paul.

Boys Lacrosse: Ready for Year Two

2011 captains:
Blair Berg, Justin Rees, Tyler Tutewohl-Klotz, and Charlie Weierke

From a won-lost perspective last year's first-ever boys lacrosse season was a tough one for coach Paul Sorenson and his team. The Tigers went winless in 13 starts and suffered some major growing pains in the process.
But this spring provides a new staring point and after a week-plus of practice, Sorenson believes things will be different in 2011.
"With no wins from last season, I'm sure we'll be considered a bit of a dark horse," he said. "But we are stronger, faster and mentally tougher than we were a year ago.
"Last year mental mistakes and costly penalties put us in too many down-man situations. If we can eliminate those mistakes and penalties we'll be just fine. I can't wait for the first face-off."
One of the reasons for Sorenson's bright outlook is the return of 15 letterwinners from last year's inaugural team.
Returnees include seniors Quinn Malcolm (midfielder), Tyler Tutewhol-Klotz (defense), Kyle Jensen (long stick midfielder), Blair Berg (defense), Justin Rees (midfielder) and Ian Eich (attacker); juniors Mitch Collier (attacker); Trevor Howard (attacker), Matt Ackerman (midfielder), Charlie Weireke (goalie), Alex Rojesky (midfield) and Marques Woods (attacker); and sophomores Matt Heinzerling-Weise (goalie/midfielder), Jake Bauman (midfielder) and Joey Todd (attacker).
Newcomers expected to compete for varsity playing time this spring include senior Luke Brevik (midfielder); juniors Jake Mendala (attacker) and sophomores Carter Daigle (defense) and Nathan Brunelle (defense).
Howard was the leading point-getter fo the Tigers last spring with 13. Collier finsihed with 11, Malcolm nine, Rees eight and Ackerman seven.
"We have a crop of athletic freshmen who look to compete as well," Sorenson said.
Sorenson said that balance and experience should be two his team's primary strengths.
"A question mark might be on defense," he said. "We'll need to stay healthy there."
The Tiger coach offered he doesn't want to measure success in season two solely on wins and losses.
"It will be a successful season if each individual grows in each of the key areas: stickwork, footwork and mental toughness," he said. "And, of course, we want all of our players to finish strong in the classroom."
Drew Malcolm will serve as Sorenson's varsity assistant with two volunteers, Justin Hauge and Mike Fox, also helping with the coaching duties.
The Tigers open their 2011 season Monday, Apr. 11, with a home contest against Lakeville South.

Girls Track: 14 veterans buoy Tiger hopes

Alyssa Parco
MVP, All-Missota Conference, All-State in 2010

Last spring the Tigers put together a very successful season. They won the Missota Conference indoor meet, placed third at the league outdoor championships and ranked fifth in a quality Section 1AA field.
With 14 letterwinners back from the 2010 squad, coach Tom Hart is looking for more of the same success in 2011.
"We look to be deep on the track and in some of our field events," he said. "We have many new, young athletes who are hungry and challenging for varsity positions. I think we have a shot at finishing near the top of the conference and being in at least the top five in the section again."
The list of returnees includes just three seniors: jumper Jordan Bridges; middle distance runner Nicole Clifton and sprinter/jumper Erin Hickey.
Returning underclassmen letterwinners include juniors Jessica Arey (sprints/jumps), Abby Haugen (jumps/vault), Bailey Opsal (distance) and Alyssa Parco (hurdles/sprints.jumps); sophomores Alexa Frost (mid-distance), Courtney Johnston (sprints); Maria Kiminski (mid-distance/jumps) and Nadia Lorencz (jumps/hurdles/vault), freshmen Maria Pacheco (distance)and Maddie Strid (mid-distance/jumps) and eighth-grader Victoria Jacoby (distance).
Other upperclassmen expected to vie for varsity positions include seniors Mary Cline, Kayla Long and Nadia Perdomo and juniors Elizabeth Jenny, Elizabeth Okikiolu, Leah Rohde, Shelby Schillerstrom and Kayla Watne.
*For a complete listing of underclassmen hopefuls, see bottom of page.
Parco, last season's Most Valuable Player, brings an impressive set of credentials to her junior season, having won all-Missota Conference and All-State honors as a sophomore. Arey, Hickey, Kiminski and Lorencz were also all-Missota performers last spring with Hickey, Kiminski and Lorencz all appearing in the state meet.
If there are question marks concerning the season ahead, they revolve around the field events.
"We are young as far as throwers and pole vaulters go," Hart said, "but we have lots of excitement and competitive drive going in those events."
Hart and Tiger boys head coach Brian Helmstetter will work specifically with sprints, jumps and relay events and rely on a mostly veteran corps of assistants for help in others.
Varsity assistants include Joe McCarthy (mid-distance); Lisa Lippold (distance); Julian Buss (pole vault/sprints); Maggie Endersbe (hurdles/sprints) and Justyn Helgeson (throws).
The Tigers kick off their home season with a co-ed quadrangular on April 12 and close it on May 26 when they for the first time host the Missota Conference Championships.
"We're excited to have the conference meet on our new track," Hart said.

*Sophomores: Melanie Brothers, Megan Butje, Gwendolen Dunst, Cassidy Gerber, Cailie Kittleson, Jessica Lee-Jones, Kelsey Lindell, Kiana Lord, Laura Madtson, Victoria Oettinger, Taylor Schmaltz, Kassy Seegert and Leah Zak.
Freshmen: Sedona Anderson, Kathryn Beckett, Nikki Cayard, Corale Cobb, Elizabeth Cummings, Averi Davis, Tahra Eckert, Kelli Elmer, Izzie Ferm, Alysha Grebner, Shaye Jenrich, Abby Kampa, Kelly Kornmann, Sirena Rodriguez, Hannah Seitzinger and Mikayla Todd.
Eighth-graders: Meghan Graham and Sarah Cummings
Seventh-grader: Marciella Pacheco.

Girls Track: Tigers tune-up at St. Thomas

The Tigers geared up for their 2011 season with a meet at the new indoor facility at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Hill-Murray, Totino Grace, Edina and East Ridge also participated in the five-team get-together.
"We brought most of the younger kids to try and get them some experience and a scrimmage meet before the real thing happens," coach Tom Hart said. "There were some really good efforts and times for this early in the season."
Farmington had particular success in the relay events, scoring a pair of firsts and a runner-up finish.
The 4x800 foursome of Bailey Opsal, Devyn Alberts, Hannah Seitzinger and Abby Kampa crossed the line first as did the 4x400 quartet of Erin Hickey, Meghan Graham, Courtney Johnston and Seitzinger.
The 4x200 relay team of Johnston, Mary Cline, Alysha Grebner and Shaye Jenrich placed second.
Individually, eighth-grader Graham won the 400-meter dash and classmate Tori Jacoby claimed victory in the 3200-meter distance race.
Jordan Bridges also got her senior season off to a good start, clearing 4-10 in the high jump.
Next up for the Tigers is a Saturday (April 9) appareance at an indoor meet hosted by Holy Angels at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.