Girls Track: 4x400 relay state runner-up

(l to r) Megan Graham, Maria Kiminski, Alicia Hett, Isabelle Ferm

In many ways the 2013 season had been a frustrating one for coach Tom Hart and his Tiger girls' track team.

Intolerable weather conditions. Debilitating injuries to key performers. A fraction of a second or inches from qualifying for the state meet in multiple events.

But there was no sign of frustration on the faces of Hart or the Tiger 4x400 relay team on Saturday after Maria Kiminski, Alicia Hett, Megan Graham and Isabelle Ferm roared to a second place finish at the Class AA State Championships at Hamline University in St. Paul.

The speedy foursome clocked a season best 3:55.73 to finish 1.69 seconds behind champion Minnetonka. The runner-up finish was the best-ever by a Tiger girls' relay team at the state meet.

Kiminski and Hett ran strong opening legs to keep the Tigers in the hunt and then Graham and Ferm put together back-to-back 57 second-plus laps to record all of Farmington's 10 points in the meet.

Ferm's strong closing leg helped take the sting out of her 10th place finish in the 400-meter dash preliminaries the previous day, one spot short of making the finals.

Later on Friday Jennifer Miller stepped in for Ferm in the 4x400 prelims (after Ferm aggravated a nagging hip injury) to allow the Tigers to advance to Saturday's finals.

"Jennifer helped us get here and today we ran an amazing race," Hart said. "I told the girls beforehand that we could run 3:55 if everyone did what they had to do...and that's exactly what they did.

"They put themselves into a position to be state champions. You can't ask for much more than that. I am so proud of all of them"

Tiger Scoreboard: June 8, 2013

Boys Track
State Class AA State Meet at Hamline University
Farmington 9 points (37th place among 63 schools scoring points)
4x800 relay: 5. Jared Holt, Devon Webb, Tyler Lerbakken, Justin Hyytinen, 7:57.89 (school record)
4x200 relay: 7. Mason Auge, Ryan Parco, Tommy Weigel, Tanner Grubb, 1:30.43
4x400 relay: 9. Lerbakken, Hyytinen, Weigel, Grubb, 3:28.58
1600 meter run: 14. Hyytinen, 4:23.58

Girls Track
State Class AA State Meet at Hamline University
Farmington 10 points (28th place among 60 schools scoring points)
4x400 relay: 2. Maria Kiminski, Alicia Hett, Megan Graham, Isabelle Ferm, 3:55.73

State Softball: Orono takes Tigers out of tourney

Senior Ashley Betzold had a hit in both games at state (photo by Jim Lindquist)

The Tigers renewed acquaintances with old Missota Conference rival Orono Thursday afternoon, coming out on the short end of a 2-0 count to the Spartans in the consolation semifinals of the 2013 Class 3A state tournament played at Caswell Park in Mankato.

The loss eliminated Farmington, who fell to Suburban East Conference champion Forest Lake 3-1 earlier in the day, from the state meet. Orono advanced to tomorrow morning's consolation championship game.

The Tigers played well enough to win against the Spartans but couldn't come up with the key hit when they needed it. They made but one error in the field and pitcher Ashley Betzold allowed just six hits.

Becky Smith had a single, double and a solo home run and scored both runs for the Spartans. Orono pitcher Anna Berg recorded a dozen Farmington strikeouts.

The Tigers' biggest threat came in the fourth inning when Molly Berdan singled and Amber Doyle doubled to put runners on second and third base with one out. Toni Hunsinger and Kendall Novak grounded out to end the inning.

Farmington had just two two other base runners in the contest. Doyle walked in the second inning and Betzold singled in the sixth.

Betzold wrapped up her stellar career at Farmington with another solid effort, scattering six hits, striking out three and walking one. The loss also marked the end of the career for Hunsinger, the team's other senior. Both plan to attend St. Mary's University in Winona next fall.

Farmington closed its 2013 season with a shining 20-7 record. The Tigers finished runner-up in the Missota Conference, claimed their second straight Section 1AAA title and advanced to the state tournament for the third time in school history.

Senior Toni Hunsinger played on 2 Tiger state tournament teams (photo by Jim Lindquist)

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State Softball: Tigers fall 3-1 in opener

Jordyn Keprios 2-2 in state tournament opener (photo by Jim Lindquist)

Forest Lake scored two runs in the second inning and added another in the fourth on the way to a 3-1 win over the Tigers this morning (Thursday) in the opening round of the 2013 Class AAA state tournament at Caswell Park in Mankato.

The Farmington run came in the top of the sixth when Ashley Betzold doubled off the center field fence, Amber Doyle walked, Toni Hunsinger singled and pinch-runner Savannah Greaves scored on a wild pitch.

The Rangers scored their runs in the second on two singles, a sacrifice and a fielder's choice. The third came in the fourth on a solo home run by Taylor Shortly who drove in all three Forest Lake runs.

Farmington got the tying runs on base in the top of the seventh when Jordyn Keprios singled and Emily Berdan walked before two strikeouts ended the game.

Keprios was a perfect 2-2 at the plate to pace the six-hit Tiger offense. Betzold, Doyle, Hunsinger and Molly Berdan had the other Farmington hits.

Betzold pitched well in defeat, scattering eight hits while striking out three and walking one.

The loss dropped the Tigers into the consolation bracket where they will square off against old Tri-Metro Conference rival Orono at noon today. The Spartans dropped a 2-1 decision to Elk River in their opening round game.

Farmington   0000010  1-6-1
Forest Lake   020100x  3-8-1

Golf season hits the clubhouse

Erik Holmstrom

The Tigers boys' and girls' golf seasons came to an end Monday in the final round of the Section 1AA Championships played at Bellwood Oaks Golf Course and Cannon Valley Golf Club respectively.

The boys finished seventh in the final team standings at Bellwood while Brianna Swenson competed in the girls' individual tourney in Cannon Falls. The Tiger girls did not qualify for the final round of section team play.

Lakeville North claimed the boys team championship with a two-round team total of 613, thirteen shots better than runner-up Rochester Century. Winona took third with 629, followed by Owatonna 636, Albert Lea 657, Red Wing 663, Farmington 687 and Rochester Mayo 696.

Erik Holmstrom led the way for the Tigers with 80, followed by Garrett Heidelberger 85, Darby Grengs 86, Grant Hauswirth 88, Jake Jensen 88 and Nate Anderson 94.

"It was some much needed experience that our team earned," Tiger coach Jon Holmes said of his team's second round effort.  "We also got to send off a few of our seniors with one more shot at the tourney...We didn’t light it up by any means, but we gained some experience that will pay dividends next year."

Brianna Swenson

At Cannon Falls Swenson matched her first round score of 107 to finish at 214 in 43rd place among 49 competitors. The section finals appearance was the second in a row for the Tiger junior.