Final Buzzer

00 • DECEMBER 2012 •

• ShehastheNack• InsidePacktheStands• TheJug:Alwaysabattle

Twiceasdangerous

Inthisissue

Fall/Winter, 2012

• Fallmoments• Areaplayersreachmilestones• BlueEarthArea’sperfectseason

Alsoinside$2.95Fall/Winter, 2012

DeterminationfuelsMankatoWestsenior

wintersportspagesNEW.indd 1 12/14/2012 10:50:21 AM


FeatureMankato West senior “has the right character” to succeed.

MomentsA look back at the highlights from the fall sports season.

MilestonesSeveral athletes hit season and career marks.


Twiceasdangerous

Inthisissue

Fall/Winter, 2012





• DECEMBER 2012 • 3

PhenomsMankato West junior Danielle Nack is leaving her mark on swimming records around the region and state.

25

22

TeamsBlue Earth Area wasn’t interested in rebuilding in 2012.

14FeatureMankato West senior “has the right character” to succeed.

MomentsA look back at the highlights from the fall sports season.

5

MilestonesSeveral athletes hit season and career marks.

11

On the Cover: Mankato West soccer and football standout Bill Lietch.


Twiceasdangerous

Inthisissue

Fall/Winter, 2012




Photo by Pat Christman

4 | From the Sports Desk

24 | Pack the Stand

Through the eyes of the sports department.

19 | A cold windy Jug nightEast-West rivarly always draws a crowd.

Annual fundraiser promotes soccer, unity.



Sports DeskFrom theFrom the

It seems like yesterday that local high-school athletic teams were gathering for the first

practice in mid-August, eager to improve skills, have successful seasons and win championships in football, volleyball, soccer, tennis, cross country and swimming. As the season moved along, there were several special moments and great achievements, both from individuals and teams in south-central Minnesota.

The “Final Buzzer” tries to capture and document some of the milestones and memories from local athletes, who have worked countless hours before and during the season. Through photos, prose and design, this is what The Free Press sports staff and photographers saw as they covered the region.

Mankato West’s Bill Leitch has established records for kicking in the highly successful Mankato West football team, while at the same time, juggling practice and game schedules and academics. He’s also become the leading scorer in the history of the Scarlets’ boys soccer program.

Mankato West’s Danielle Nack is not only the top swimmer in this area, but she’s established herself at the state and national levels, winning two individual championships and a relay title at

the state meet. She broke a state record in the 100-yard butterfly that also stands as the fastest time nationally for her age group, and she set another record for Class A swimmers in the 50-yard freetyle.

And she has another year of high-school swimming remaining.

Blue Earth Area’s football team won a state championship, sailing through an undefeated season that ended at Prep Bowl with a 30-7 victory over Rochester Lourdes. While winning a championship is never easy, the Bucs won all 13 games by 9 or more points, combining a no-nonsense offense with a tough, aggressive defense.

Other local teams made it state tournaments and didn’t have as much success, but making it that far still takes a special effort by athletes, coaches and support staff.

To get to 1,000 yards rushing, a football player must average around 100 yards a game. A 2,000-yard passer needs to double that. For 1,000 career kills, a player needs to put together two or three outstanding seasons.

We’d like to hear from the fans as to where this publication should go in the future. We plan to put out a magazine three times each year, following the fall, winter and spring sports seasons.

We hope you enjoy these highlights, but the pleasure has been ours. We have attended many events, and area coaches have passed along information on the milestones and accolades achieved by their teams.

Without the athletes from south-central Minnesota, these pages would be blank and our evenings would be less entertaining. Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To offer comments on this publication, please email to [email protected].

DECEMBER 2012 .Volume 1, Issue 1

Publisher

Editor

Writers

Photographers

Pager designer

Advertising Manager

Advertising sales

Advertising assistant

Advertising designers

Circulation Director

James P. Santori

Joe Spear

Jim RuedaShane FrederickChad Courrier

John CrossPat Christman

Doug Monson

David Habrat

Karla Marshall

Barb Wass

Christina SankeySue Hammar

Denise Zernechel

Final Buzzer is published three times a year, after each season of high

school sports. The Free Press Media, 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN.,

56001, owns rights to all material. Reuse by permission only.

To subscribe, call 1-800-657-4662 or 507-625-4451. $8.85 for 3 issues.

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the state meet. She broke a state record in the 100-yard butterfly that also stands as the fastest time nationally for her age group, and she set another record for Class A swimmers in the 50-yard freetyle.

And she has another year of high-school swimming remaining.

Blue Earth Area’s football team won a state championship, sailing through an undefeated season that ended at Prep Bowl with a 30-7 victory over Rochester Lourdes. While winning a championship is never easy, the Bucs won all 13 games by 9 or more points, combining a no-nonsense offense with a tough, aggressive defense.

Other local teams made it state tournaments and didn’t have as much success, but making it that far still takes a special effort by athletes, coaches and support staff.

To get to 1,000 yards rushing, a football player must average around 100 yards a game. A 2,000-yard passer needs to double that. For 1,000 career kills, a player needs to put together two or three outstanding seasons.

We’d like to hear from the fans as to where this publication should go in the future. We plan to put out a magazine three times each year, following the fall, winter and spring sports seasons.

We hope you enjoy these highlights, but the pleasure has been ours. We have attended many events, and area coaches have passed along information on the milestones and accolades achieved by their teams.

Without the athletes from south-central Minnesota, these pages would be blank and our evenings would be less entertaining. Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To offer comments on this publication, please email to [email protected].


Aug. 13High-school teams begin

practicing for fall seasons in football, volleyball, girls swimming, girls tennis, boys and girls cross country. Mankato East has new coaches in football, volleyball, girls tennis and girls cross country, while Mankato Loyola, which switched to the Valley Conference, has new coaches in boys and girls soccer.Aug. 22

Mankato East/Loyola’s Katie Karkoska and the doubles teams of Kjersten Lemke and Paige Lingbeck and Justine Pasker and Katelyn Scharmer each win championships at the East/Loyola girls tennis tournament.Aug. 25

Aunikah Bastian scored four goals as Mankato Loyola/Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial/St. Clair defeated Hutchinson 4-0 in a girls soccer match at the Crusaders Tournament.Aug. 30

Mankato West opens the football season with a 35-0 victory over New Prague at Todnem Field.

Each season, teams gather for first practices, get acquainted with new coaches and teammates and gear for another year. Along the way, milestones happen. Here is a look back at a collection of those moments.

Moments

They’re offThey’re off

Waseca’s Shane Streich finished third at the Class A boys cross country meet on Nov. 3 at Northfield. Streich finished the 5,000-meter race in 1:52.9. Waseca also finished third in the team competition. Pat Christman

Aug. 31Tri-City United gets a touchdown

and PAT kick late in the game to defeat Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 21-20. It’s the first football game for the school that was formed by the merger of Montgomery-Lonsdale and Le Center.

The St. Peter football team broke a 12-year winless streak against Le Sueur-Henderson by winning the season-opener 34-7 at Le Sueur.Sept. 4

Mankato East and Mankato West battle to a 0-0 tie in a boys soccer match at St. Thomas.Sept. 6

Waseca’s Shane Streich was the individual winner at the 28-team Gerry Smith Invitational boys cross country meet at Montgomery. Streich covered the 5,000 meters in 16:09 to win by more than 20 seconds.




Moments

Waseca’s Shane Streich finished third at the Class A boys cross country meet on Nov. 3 at Northfield. Streich finished the 5,000-meter race in 1:52.9. Waseca also finished third in the team competition. Pat Christman

Aug. 31Tri-City United gets a touchdown

and PAT kick late in the game to defeat Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 21-20. It’s the first football game for the school that was formed by the merger of Montgomery-Lonsdale and Le Center.

The St. Peter football team broke a 12-year winless streak against Le Sueur-Henderson by winning the season-opener 34-7 at Le Sueur.Sept. 4

Mankato East and Mankato West battle to a 0-0 tie in a boys soccer match at St. Thomas.Sept. 6

Waseca’s Shane Streich was the individual winner at the 28-team Gerry Smith Invitational boys cross country meet at Montgomery. Streich covered the 5,000 meters in 16:09 to win by more than 20 seconds.

Mankato West’s Bill Leitch has three goals and two assists as Mankato West defeats New Prague 8-0 in a nonconference boys soccer match at Dakota Meadows.Sept. 7

Quarterback Derek Frentz rushed for 111 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 169 yards and two touchdowns in Mankato West’s 57-23 victory over Austin.

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton’s Sawyer Gahler accounted for six touchdowns in a 46-34 victory over Randolph. Gahler passed for three touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns and returned a kickoff 95 yards for another score.Sept. 8

Mankato West wins three matches to claim the championship of the Waseca Invitational girls tennis meet. Lauren Makela and Maddy Valentine each won three singles matches in the tournament.

Marta Anderson scores three goals in Mankato East’s 7-1 victory over Waseca in girls soccer.Sept. 10

Bill Leitch has three goals and an assist as Mankato West blanks Worthington 8-0 in a nonconference boys soccer match at Dakota Meadows.Sept. 13

T.J. Schiltz of New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva was the medalist at the Maple River Invitational boys cross country meet. Schiltz finished in 16:42, and United South Central won the boys title.Sept. 14

Kyle Ziebarth of Cleveland scores five touchdowns in a 38-26 victory over Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton. Ziebarth rushed for four touchdowns and also scored on a kick return.

Mankato East’s Allison Taylor (12) had a season-high 22 kills in a match against Albert Lea on Sept. 20.

Pat Christman



Madelia’s Adam Cooling passes for 372 yards and five touchdowns in a win over Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Martin Luther/Truman.Sept. 15

Mankato West won its own girls tennis tournament, led by first-place finishers Miranda Wynkoop and Justine Scheller (No. 1 doubles), Meaghan Haley and Melissa Lager (No. 3 doubles) and Julia Snelson (No. 3 singles). Mankato East/Loyola’s Justine Pasker and Katelyn Scharmer won the No. 2 doubles championship.Sept. 17

Mankato West’s Trace Johnson was the individual winner at the Fairmont Invitational boys cross country meet. Johnson’s time was 17:17.Sept. 18

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland won the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Invitational girls cross country meet, led by the second-place finish of Kyla Haas. Tierney Winter of Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton was the girls winner in 15:50. Loyola/Cleveland also won the boys race, with Cade Ekstrom of Madelia-Truman taking first in 15:52.

United South Central defeats River Valley 5-2 to win the Gopher Valley Conference girls tennis championship.Sept. 22

Shane Streich of Waseca was the medalist at the 21-team Apple Valley Invitational boys cross

country meet. He finished in 16:04.Sept. 25

Waseca wraps up its sixth South Central Conference girls tennis championship in nine years.Sept. 28

Mankato West’s 24-game home winning streak ends in a 35-28 loss to Rochester John Marshall at the annual homecoming football game.

The Madelia football team amasses 626 yards of offense, 348 rushing, in a 66-8 victory over Alden-Conger.Sept. 29

Casye Rezmerski of St. Peter wins four events to help her team with the team title at the St. Peter Invitational. Rezmerski won the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle and swam a leg of the first-place 200-yard medley relay and 200-yard freestyle relay.

Waseca wins five of seven brackets to take first place at the

South Central Conference girls tennis meet.Oct. 1

Mankato West announces it must forfeit the first four games of the football season for using an ineligible player.Oct. 4

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland’s Kyla Haas was the individual winner at the Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Invitational girls cross country meet.Oct. 5

Brady Ayers breaks the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown record for career touchdowns in a 39-14 victory over Medford. Ayers rushes for 215 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 42 scores in his career.Oct. 8

Haley Jaeger scored four goals as St. Peter defeats Faribault 6-1 in the opening game of the Section 2A

Senior Alicia Knoll and her Waseca teammates played their way to a third-place finish in the Class A state girls tennis tournament in Minneapolis in October.

Pat Christman

girls soccer tournament.Oct. 9

St. James defeats Luverne 7-0 to win the Section 3A girls tennis championship and earn a berth into the Class A tournament for the eighth straight year.

Mankato West senior Bill Leitch breaks the school record for career points in a 5-0 victory over New Prague in the opening round of the Section 2A tournament. Leitch had a goal, which gives him 61 career points, breaking the record set by Tommy Saffert in 2005.Oct. 10

Mankato West quarterback Ryan Schlichte ties a school record with five touchdown passes in a 58-8 victory over Rochester Century. He also has a rushing touchdown to give him six for the game, all in the first half.Oct. 12

Madelia quarterback Adam Cooling accounted for seven touchdowns in a 52-8 victory over Fulda. Cooling passes for three touchdowns and runs for four.

St. Clair’s Michael Nett rushed for 159 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-0 victory over Mankato Loyola.Oct. 15

St. Peter’s Calleigh Carlson and United South Central’s Claire Christian earn berths in the Class A girls state tournament in singles, as did the Waseca doubles team of Abbe Hoehn and Alicia Knoll.Oct. 16

Mankato East defeated Mankato West in a shootout

John Cross



South Central Conference girls tennis meet.Oct. 1

Mankato West announces it must forfeit the first four games of the football season for using an ineligible player.Oct. 4

Mankato Loyola/Cleveland’s Kyla Haas was the individual winner at the Sleepy Eye St. Mary’s Invitational girls cross country meet.Oct. 5

Brady Ayers breaks the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown record for career touchdowns in a 39-14 victory over Medford. Ayers rushes for 215 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 42 scores in his career.Oct. 8

Haley Jaeger scored four goals as St. Peter defeats Faribault 6-1 in the opening game of the Section 2A

Senior Alicia Knoll and her Waseca teammates played their way to a third-place finish in the Class A state girls tennis tournament in Minneapolis in October.

girls soccer tournament.Oct. 9

St. James defeats Luverne 7-0 to win the Section 3A girls tennis championship and earn a berth into the Class A tournament for the eighth straight year.

Mankato West senior Bill Leitch breaks the school record for career points in a 5-0 victory over New Prague in the opening round of the Section 2A tournament. Leitch had a goal, which gives him 61 career points, breaking the record set by Tommy Saffert in 2005.Oct. 10

Mankato West quarterback Ryan Schlichte ties a school record with five touchdown passes in a 58-8 victory over Rochester Century. He also has a rushing touchdown to give him six for the game, all in the first half.Oct. 12

Madelia quarterback Adam Cooling accounted for seven touchdowns in a 52-8 victory over Fulda. Cooling passes for three touchdowns and runs for four.

St. Clair’s Michael Nett rushed for 159 yards and five touchdowns in a 62-0 victory over Mankato Loyola.Oct. 15

St. Peter’s Calleigh Carlson and United South Central’s Claire Christian earn berths in the Class A girls state tournament in singles, as did the Waseca doubles team of Abbe Hoehn and Alicia Knoll.Oct. 16

Mankato East defeated Mankato West in a shootout

The Mankato East band at the Jug

game Oct. 17 at Blakeslee

Stadium.

in the semifinals of the Section 2A boys soccer tournament at Dakota Meadows.

St. James advanced five players to the Class A girls tennis tournament. Arin Eckstrom and the doubles teams of Meghan Lahti and Michaela Nelson, and Michaela Nordby and Acacia Foss represented the Saints.

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown’s Shayna Kinniry broke the school’s single-season record with her 255th kill.Oct. 17

Mankato West defeated Mankato East 44-0 in the 40th annual Jug football game at Blakeslee Stadium.Oct. 18

St. Peter’s Emily Lind scores in the second half to lead St. Peter past Mankato West 2-1 to win the Section 2A girls soccer tournament at Dakota Meadows field.

Mankato West received the No. 2 seed for the Section 2AAAAA football playoffs. The seeding process was controversial because West had to forfeit four victories, leaving the seedings up to a vote by the section coaches.Oct. 19

Ahmed Sugulle scored a second-half goal as Mankato East wins Section 2A boys soccer tournament.Oct. 23

Dalton Elliott of Nicollet set school records with 471 yards passing and eight touchdowns in a playoff victory against Alden-Conger.Oct. 25

Waseca and Martin County West finished 1-2 the Section 2A girls cross country championship. Martin County West won the boys title with Waseca as runner-up. Emily Mator of United South Central was the girls winner, and Shane Streich of Waseca won the boys race.Oct. 26

Rochester Lourdes scored three goals in the second half and defeated Mankato East 4-0 in the quarterfinals of the Class A boys soccer tournament at Roseville.

Blue Earth Area fans - Maroon Platoon - turned

out in big numbers to watch their

football team win a state championship. Bucs defeated Rochester Lourdes 30-7.

Pat Christman

John Cross



Top-seeded Benilde-St. Margaret’s scored with five minutes remaining in overtime to defeat St. Peter 2-1 in the quarterfinals of the Class A girls soccer tournament.

St. James senior Aryn Eckstrom won the consolation singles title of the Class A girls tennis tournament.Nov. 1

Jessica Thelemann of Le Sueur-Henderson established a school record for kills with 23 during a Section 2AA volleyball match.Nov. 2

Mankato West defeats Chanhassen 28-21 in overtime to win the Section 2AAAAA football championship to earn a berth in the state tournament.

Blue Earth Area (Class AAA), Sibley East (AA) and St. Clair (A) earn trips to the football state tournament by winning section championships. Blue Earth Area defeats Tri-City United 35-0, Sibley East defeats Waterville-Elysian-Morristown 21-15, and St. Clair defeats Adrian 15-12.Nov. 3

Belle Plaine defeats Le Sueur-Henderson in five sets to win the Section 2AA volleyball championship and earn a berth in the state tournament for the first time in seven years.

Shane Streich places third and helps Waseca to a third-place finish at the Class A boys cross country meet at Northfield. United South Central’s Emily Mantro places fourth in the Class A girls meet.Nov. 9

Mankato West falls 28-0 to Owatonna in the quarterfinals of the Class AAAAA football tournament at Lakeville. Sibley East loses 27-6 to Caledonia in Class AA, and St. Clair loses 38-20 to Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City in Class A.Nov. 10

Belle Plaine loses to Sauk Centre in five sets in the third-place game of the Class AA volleyball tournament at Xcel Energy Center.

Blue Earth Area defeats St. Croix Lutheran 21-12 in the quarterfinals of the Class AAA football playoffs and advances to the semifinals at the Metrodome.Nov. 13

Mankato West linebacker Isaac

Weber is named the Big Nine Conference’s defensive player of the year. Teammates Alex Knutson, Will Claussen, Ryan Schlichte, Trenton Marks, Tyler Jakes and Bill Leitch are all named to the all-conference team, as is Mankato East’s Cody Lorentz.Nov. 14

Mankato East’s Savannah Quandt signs a letter of intent to join the Minnesota State women’s hockey program. Mankato West softball players Jessica Goerger (St. Cloud State) and Nissy Elkins (Northern State) also signed letters of intent, and Mankato East girls basketball player Minnie Frederick signs with Division I Detroit Mercy.Nov. 17

Blue Earth Area downs Perham 31-21 to advance to Prep Bowl XXXI at the Metrodome.

Mankato West junior Danielle Nack breaks the state record in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing

in 52.41 seconds to win that event at the state meet. She also set a Class A record of 22.82 to win the 50-yard freestyle. West totaled four state championships as Chantal Nack won the 200-yard freetyle and Danielle Nack, Chantal Nack, Nicole Lohman and Madison Bacon won the 400-yard freestyle relay, placing fourth as a team, the best finish in school history.Nov. 20

Krista Hassing of Blue Earth Area and Haley Fogarty of Belle Plaine sign letters of intent to continue volleyball careers at Minnesota State.Nov. 24

Blue Earth Area defeats Rochester Lourdes 30-7 to win the Class AAA championship at Prep Bowl XXXI. It’s the first football state championship in school history.

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200-yard rushing gamesBrad Claycomb, NRHEG, 271 yards vs. St. Charles, Oct. 5Kysten Zierke, Blue Earth Area, 265 yards vs. St. Peter, Oct. 5Dalton Elliott, Nicollet, 260 yards vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Oct. 5Adam Cooling, Madelia, 239 yards vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Oct. 23Kyle Ziebarth, Cleveland, 237 yards vs. Fulda, Aug. 30Brady Ayers, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 217 yards vs. Medford, Oct. 27Brady Ayers, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 215 yards vs. Medford, Oct. 5Aaron Trio, Maple River, 207 yards vs. Medford, Sept. 21Erik Danielson, Sibley East, 206 yards vs. Belle Plaine, Sept. 21Peter Wagner, LSH, 200 yards vs. Central of Norwood Young America, Sept. 7.Brandon Martin, Fairmont, 200 yards vs. New Ulm, Oct. 17

300-yard passing gamesDalton Elliott, Nicollet, 471 yards vs. Alden-Conger, Oct. 23Josh Plonsky, Cleveland, 384 yards vs. Mountain Lake Area, Oct. 27Adam Cooling, Madelia, 372 yards vs. Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, Sept. 14Kolten Barker, LCWM, 346 yards vs. Maple River, Sept. 7Ryan Schlichte, Mankato West, 345 yards vs. Rochester JM, Sept. 28Kolten Barker, LCWM, 318 yards vs. Murray County Central, Oct. 23Sawyer Gahler, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 309 yards vs. Madelia, Oct. 23Ryan Schlichte, Mankato West, 307 yards vs. Rochester Century, Oct. 12Adam Cooling, Madelia, 306 yards vs. Fulda, Oct. 12

Milestones



in 52.41 seconds to win that event at the state meet. She also set a Class A record of 22.82 to win the 50-yard freestyle. West totaled four state championships as Chantal Nack won the 200-yard freetyle and Danielle Nack, Chantal Nack, Nicole Lohman and Madison Bacon won the 400-yard freestyle relay, placing fourth as a team, the best finish in school history.Nov. 20

Krista Hassing of Blue Earth Area and Haley Fogarty of Belle Plaine sign letters of intent to continue volleyball careers at Minnesota State.Nov. 24

Blue Earth Area defeats Rochester Lourdes 30-7 to win the Class AAA championship at Prep Bowl XXXI. It’s the first football state championship in school history.

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200-yard rushing gamesBrad Claycomb, NRHEG, 271 yards vs. St. Charles, Oct. 5Kysten Zierke, Blue Earth Area, 265 yards vs. St. Peter, Oct. 5Dalton Elliott, Nicollet, 260 yards vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Oct. 5Adam Cooling, Madelia, 239 yards vs. Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, Oct. 23Kyle Ziebarth, Cleveland, 237 yards vs. Fulda, Aug. 30Brady Ayers, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 217 yards vs. Medford, Oct. 27Brady Ayers, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 215 yards vs. Medford, Oct. 5Aaron Trio, Maple River, 207 yards vs. Medford, Sept. 21Erik Danielson, Sibley East, 206 yards vs. Belle Plaine, Sept. 21Peter Wagner, LSH, 200 yards vs. Central of Norwood Young America, Sept. 7.Brandon Martin, Fairmont, 200 yards vs. New Ulm, Oct. 17

300-yard passing gamesDalton Elliott, Nicollet, 471 yards vs. Alden-Conger, Oct. 23Josh Plonsky, Cleveland, 384 yards vs. Mountain Lake Area, Oct. 27Adam Cooling, Madelia, 372 yards vs. Granada-Huntley-East Chain/Truman, Sept. 14Kolten Barker, LCWM, 346 yards vs. Maple River, Sept. 7Ryan Schlichte, Mankato West, 345 yards vs. Rochester JM, Sept. 28Kolten Barker, LCWM, 318 yards vs. Murray County Central, Oct. 23Sawyer Gahler, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton, 309 yards vs. Madelia, Oct. 23Ryan Schlichte, Mankato West, 307 yards vs. Rochester Century, Oct. 12Adam Cooling, Madelia, 306 yards vs. Fulda, Oct. 12

15 or more tacklesIsaac Weber, Mankato West, 20 tackles vs. Faribault, Sept. 21Andrew Sweere, Mankato Loyola, 20 tackles vs. Springfield, Oct. 23Ben Kittler, New Ulm Cathedral, 19 tackles vs. Wabasso, Sept. 28Jake Denn, Madelia, 17 tackles vs. GHEC/Truman, Sept. 14Tyler Jakes, Mankato West, 16 tackles vs. Faribault, Sept. 21Alex Knutson, Mankato West, 16 tackles vs. Rochester John Marshall, Sept. 28Xavier Dahlgren, Mankato West, 15 tackles vs. Faribault, Sept. 21Ryan Hoehn, St. Peter, 15 tackles vs. New UlmBrandon Beranek, New Ulm Cathedral, 15 tackles vs. BLHS, Sept. 7Jeff Osborne, New Ulm Cathedral, 15 tackles vs. Springfield, Aug. 31

1,000-yard passing seasonRyan Schlichte, Mankato West, 2,278Dalton Elliott, Nicollet, 2,704Adam Cooling, Madelia, 2,160 yardsJosh Plonsky, Cleveland, 1,961 yardsKolten Barker, Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial, 1,623 yardsKysten Zierke, Blue Earth Area, 1,083

1,000-yard rushing seasonAdam Schnobrich, New Ulm Cathedral, 1,414 yardsBrady Ayers, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 1,313 yardsErik Danielson, Sibley East, 1,273 yardsAdam Cooling, Madelia, 1,215 yardsKyle Ziebarth, Cleveland, 1,161 yardsKysten Zierke, Blue Earth Area, 1,035

MilestonesMankato West junior Molly Lohman (right) had four matches with 20 or more kills this season. She also made a verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota on a volleyball scholarship after next season.

Pat Christman



1,000 career assistsLindsey Pleiseis of Le Sueur-Henderson, Aug. 30Sami Sorenson of Lake Crystal Welcome Memorial, Sept. 21

1,000 career killsHaley Fogarty of Belle Plaine, Sept. 28Tailor Raymond of St. Peter, Oct. 2Jessica Thelemann of Le Sueur-Henderson, Oct. 30

1,000 career digsHaley Fogarty of Belle Plaine, Sept. 28Haley Reed of Madelia, Sept. 27Kayla McCabe of Medlia, Oct. 9

20 or more kills in a matchCarlie Wagner, NRHEG, 34 kills vs. Maple River, Sept. 11Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 31 kills vs. Mayer Lutheran, Sept. 20

Pat Christman

Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 31 kills vs. Belle Plaine, Oct. 4Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 28 kills vs. Fairmont, Sept. 20Taylor Holicky, Cleveland, 28 kills vs. Mankato Loyola, Oct. 2Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 26 kills vs. Waseca, Sept. 27 Gabby Thomas, Le Sueur-Henderson, 25 kills vs. Jordan, Sept. 13Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 25 kills vs. Blue Earth Area, Oct. 30Taylor Holicky, Cleveland, 24 kills vs. Maple River, Sept. 11Haley Fogarty, Belle Plaine, 24 kills vs. Mound Westonka, Nov. 1Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 24 kills vs. Belle Plaine, Nov. 3

Mankato West’s Maddy Burandt (19) set a single-season program record with 19 goals this season, and her career points total of 63 also set a new Scarlets’ record.

New record!

Pat Christman

Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 23 kills vs. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Nov. 1 Allison Taylor, Mankato East, 22 kills vs. Albert Lea, Sept. 20Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 22 kills vs. Blue Earth Area, Sept. 11Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 22 kills vs. Hutchinson, Sept. 25Krista Hassing, Blue Earth Area, 22 kills vs. St. James, Sept. 27Sarah Burk, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, 22 kills vs. GFW, Oct. 4Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 22 kills vs. Faribault, Oct. 16 Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 21 kills vs. Owatonna, Sept. 11



Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 31 kills vs. Belle Plaine, Oct. 4Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 28 kills vs. Fairmont, Sept. 20Taylor Holicky, Cleveland, 28 kills vs. Mankato Loyola, Oct. 2Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 26 kills vs. Waseca, Sept. 27 Gabby Thomas, Le Sueur-Henderson, 25 kills vs. Jordan, Sept. 13Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 25 kills vs. Blue Earth Area, Oct. 30Taylor Holicky, Cleveland, 24 kills vs. Maple River, Sept. 11Haley Fogarty, Belle Plaine, 24 kills vs. Mound Westonka, Nov. 1Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 24 kills vs. Belle Plaine, Nov. 3

Mankato West linebacker Tyler Jakes (56) brings down New Prague quarterback Kyle Stepka during a semifinal game of the Section 2AAAAA playoffs at Todnem Field.

Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 23 kills vs. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, Nov. 1 Allison Taylor, Mankato East, 22 kills vs. Albert Lea, Sept. 20Tailor Raymond, St. Peter, 22 kills vs. Blue Earth Area, Sept. 11Jessica Thelemann, Le Sueur-Henderson, 22 kills vs. Hutchinson, Sept. 25Krista Hassing, Blue Earth Area, 22 kills vs. St. James, Sept. 27Sarah Burk, Minnesota Valley Lutheran, 22 kills vs. GFW, Oct. 4Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 22 kills vs. Faribault, Oct. 16 Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 21 kills vs. Owatonna, Sept. 11

Krista Hassing, Blue Earth Area, 21 kills vs. Waseca, Sept. 20Shayna Kinniry, Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, 21 kills vs. Medford, Sept. 20Kailey Kendall, WEM, 20 kills vs. Blooming Prairie, Sept. 18Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 20 kills vs. Albert Lea, Sept. 17Molly Lohman, Mankato West, 20 kills vs. Mankato East, Oct. 9Amber Brokl, Tri-City United, 20 kills vs. WEM, Oct. 30



Phenoms

Leitch, who had never played tackle football in his life, decided in the summer of 2011 that he wanted to kick for the Scarlets football team.

“I actually approached coach (Mark) Esch and asked if I could try out in the summer,” Leitch said. “No one besides me went for it, and so he just handed me the job. It really worked out.”

Tryout or not, Leitch didn’t take anything for granted. He was serious about doing it the right way. It’s how he approaches everything he does.

Today, Leitch is ranked seventh in West’s senior class with a 4.02 grade point average. He’s a National Merit Scholar semifinalist and he has dreams of studying economics at Stanford University or maybe one of those Ivy League schools out east. He plays clarinet in the high school band and orchestra.

Bill Leitch didn’t really have time for this, did he? Not if he wanted to do it right, anyway. Here was a kid, about to start

his junior year at Mankato West High School, whose days were full, even though it was still summertime. He played tennis in the mornings and then coached the sport for the Y after that. He had soccer practices and games in the evenings. In between, there weren’t many open hours left in his days. A little time to eat, a little time to rest. A little time to work on those Ivy League college applications. A little time to kick some field goals.

West senior takes love for kicking to a new levelBy Shane Frederick

Photos by Pat Christman

The right attitude



The right attitude



On the soccer field, Leitch is also exceptional. In his fourth and final varsity season for the Scarlets, he became the school’s all-time leader in goals and points (goals and assists combined).

“If Bill says it’s going to be done, it’s going to be done,” West soccer coach Leonard Woelfel said. “He takes the time. He digs in and gets down and makes it happen. That says a lot about his character.”

So when Leitch decided he was going to kick for the football team, whose season coincides with the soccer season, he wasn’t going to go halfway — in either sport.

Every day in the summer of 2011 and again in 2012, he’d take an hour or so out of his busy day to work on his new hobby. He’d go to West’s practice field with six or seven footballs and a small stand that holds up the ball.

No friends. No headphones. No distractions.

“I’d be out here basically every single day just working at it, and kind of refining myself,” he said. “The first few I just went out there and did it and didn’t really care what I was doing as long as it was going through the uprights. Eventually as it became more and more clear to me that this is something I was actually going to do and realizing that, ‘My God, I’m actually going to be playing football in a month or two.’”

“Then I really began seriously going through myself and just thinking about how I would do things. And after each kick, I’d stop and think about what happened and why it happened. ... It took a long time to get where I wanted to be.”

With the Scarlets’ high-powered offense, Leitch didn’t have too many pressure-packed kicks. This

fall, however, he needed to make an extra point to force overtime in the section championship game against Chanhassen. West went on to win the game in extra time and returned to the state tournament.

The most nerve-wracking moment for Leitch probably came during his very first football game. The soccer team had a game that day, too, and as soon as that ended, he raced from Dakota Meadows Middle School in North Mankato to West High School and changed into his football uniform.

“Ran out 5 seconds before the national anthem,” he said. “That was crazy.”

Leitch had to miss one football game so he could play soccer (“I think we went for 2 every time,” he said), and he missed one soccer game because he got injured on a kickoff.

“I was playing safety on kickoffs,

and in one of the games I got blocked with a helmet right into the leg,” Leitch said. “I was actually out for a soccer game. The soccer coach said, ‘If you want to play football, run off the field.’

“After that happened, during soccer season, I’d run off the field. We never gave up a touchdown, so that was all right.”

As his junior season went on, Leitch rolled like the entire Scarlets team, which advanced all the way to the state championship game. He kicked 66 extra points — third in Minnesota high school history — on 69 attempts. He also made 3 of 4 field goals with a long of 38 yards. This past season, he was 42 of 48 on PATs and 5 of 7 on field goals with a long of 32. He said his warm-up long was 55 yards, but he never got to test that distance in a game. Both years, he was named second-team All-State by the Associated Press.

Not bad for a soccer standout.Leitch admits that the fact he was able to do both

sports so successfully is unusual. This year, he was an honorable mention selection for the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaching Association’s Class A All-State team.

I was actually out for a soccer game. The soccer coach said, ‘If you want to play football, run off the field.

“



fall, however, he needed to make an extra point to force overtime in the section championship game against Chanhassen. West went on to win the game in extra time and returned to the state tournament.

The most nerve-wracking moment for Leitch probably came during his very first football game. The soccer team had a game that day, too, and as soon as that ended, he raced from Dakota Meadows Middle School in North Mankato to West High School and changed into his football uniform.

“Ran out 5 seconds before the national anthem,” he said. “That was crazy.”

Leitch had to miss one football game so he could play soccer (“I think we went for 2 every time,” he said), and he missed one soccer game because he got injured on a kickoff.

“I was playing safety on kickoffs,

and in one of the games I got blocked with a helmet right into the leg,” Leitch said. “I was actually out for a soccer game. The soccer coach said, ‘If you want to play football, run off the field.’

“After that happened, during soccer season, I’d run off the field. We never gave up a touchdown, so that was all right.”

As his junior season went on, Leitch rolled like the entire Scarlets team, which advanced all the way to the state championship game. He kicked 66 extra points — third in Minnesota high school history — on 69 attempts. He also made 3 of 4 field goals with a long of 38 yards. This past season, he was 42 of 48 on PATs and 5 of 7 on field goals with a long of 32. He said his warm-up long was 55 yards, but he never got to test that distance in a game. Both years, he was named second-team All-State by the Associated Press.

Not bad for a soccer standout.Leitch admits that the fact he was able to do both

sports so successfully is unusual. This year, he was an honorable mention selection for the Minnesota State High School Soccer Coaching Association’s Class A All-State team.

“Last year I made it to state in two sports in one season. This year, we made it again in football and came just short in soccer,” he said. “The success we’ve had with both teams has been incredible, really. But last year making it in twice in one season was pretty special. ... We have some incredible athletes here at West. Like Philip (Nelson) last year and (Danielle) Nack. Incredible athletes. Yeah, doing something like that in one season is something that’s never been done, I don’t think.”

Nelson is now the starting quarterback for the University of Minnesota football team, and Nack, a junior at West, is a state-champion swimmer who competed in the Olympic Trials last summer.

While Leitch’s athletic career won’t last beyond

I was actually out for a soccer game. The soccer coach said, ‘If you want to play football, run off the field.

“

”



high school like Nelson’s has and Nack’s likely will, he’s not done yet. There’s still tennis in the spring, and Leitch plays No. 1 singles for the Scarlets.

“Winter’s my time to relax and focus on school.”

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The East-West game: An annual rite of passage continues



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JugForthe

The East-West game: An annual rite of passage continues

By Chad Courrier



It seemed as though the cool, windy weather might keep fans away from Blakeslee Stadium as Mankato West and Mankato East

faced off in the 40th annual Jug Game on Oct. 17.

But as the opening kickoff drew near, about 3,500 fans took their seats on opposite sides of the stadium, with East kids dressed in black and the West students wearing white.

West had won the previous six Jug games, pulling within 22-17 in the series, and the prediction was for another Scarlets’ victory.

In a change of philosophy, West, known for its prolific passing attack, featured a dominant rushing attack, grinding out 159 yards rushing in the first half to lead 27-0.

West added two touchdowns and a field goal to finish with a 44-0 victory, totaling 214 yards on 33 rushing attempts, and passing only 16 times.

It was one of the most lopsided games in Jug history and the seventh straight victory in the series for the Scarlets.

Top right: Mankato West running back Trenton Marks (4) led a successful ground attack against Mankato East, rushing for 95 yards and helping the Scarlets accumulate 214 yards on the ground.

At right: A cold, windy night didn’t seem to affect the enthusiastic crowd much as about 3,500 fans turned out at Blakeslee Stadium for the annual contest.

Previous page: Mankato West defensive back Will Claussen knocks the ball away from Mankato East receiver Walabu Bati during the 40th annual Jug Game at Blakeslee Stadium.


Mankato West seniors Conor Wanderscheid (50) and Tyler Jakes (56) race to claim the Jug before other players and students swarm after defeating Mankato East in the Jug Game at Blakeslee Stadium.




Mankato West seniors Conor Wanderscheid (50) and Tyler Jakes (56) race to claim the Jug before other players and students swarm after defeating Mankato East in the Jug Game at Blakeslee Stadium.



Pat Christman



At Hutchinson, 200-yard freestyle in 1:53.55 and 100-yard butterfly in 55:33.

Coming off a summer trip to the U.S. Olympic Trials, it should be no surprise that Mankato West junior Danielle Nack had a good swimming season. She dominated the local pools and set several records. She was at her best in the state meet, breaking the state record in the 100-yard butterfly at 52.41 seconds and the Class A record in the 50-yard freestyle at 22.82 seconds. Nack also combined with her younger sister Chantal, a state winner in the 200-yard freestyle, Nicole Lohman and Madison Bacon to win medals and break records in the 200-yard and 400-yard freestyle relays.

Below are Nack’s meet and pool records. And to think, she has another season of high-school swimming remaining.

By Chad Courrier



Back in 2007, the Mankato high school boys and girls soccer programs decided to initiate a promotion called Pack the Stands to showcase

their sport and raise some money. Six years later, it’s safe to say the annual event can be

labeled a success.“The main goal was bring awareness to the sport,”

said Mankato West athletic director Ken Essay. “We wanted to get people together to watch our soccer programs and to raise some money, and I’d say we’ve succeeded.”

Pack the Stands has evolved into an alternating home game every season that features Mankato East playing West in boys and girls soccer. Local merchants and business provide prizes that are given away in raffles or as door prizes during the games.

“It’s really grown since it started six years ago,” Mankato East soccer booster Carolyn Clause said.

Normally rivals, Mankato East, West turn rivalry into annual fundraiser to promote soccer, raise money for programs

“When it began there was just one varsity boys game and one varsity girls game. This year there were seven games — two on varsity, two on JV and three C-squad games. It’s become a great day for soccer.”

Clause has served on the joint Pack the Stands committee that features parents or boosters from both schools the last two years. That committee, in effect, organizes the event. Any proceeds that are garnered through ticket sales or merchant donations is split evenly between the East and West soccer programs.

“I don’t have the exact number but I think we raised about $1,300 for each school this year,” Clause said. “But our primary goal is to showcase the sport of soccer. It’s been growing and growing in the Mankato area, and I’d like to think we’ve helped that growth a little bit.”

Clause said a by-product of the promotion is that the boosters from both schools have learned to cooperate with each other and fostered a feeling of unity. It’s not as much East vs. West as it is about promoting soccer overall.

The 2012 event was held Sept. 22 on a chilly, windy day at Dakota Meadows Field in North Mankato but still drew from 1,200 to 1,500 people.

“To me that’s an incredible success,” Essay said. “I know people had a lot of fun and we’re hoping it continues to grow.”

By Jim Rueda

West’s Aisha Abdo keeps the ball away from East’s Emily Stengel.

Mankato East’s Nick Olson comes up with a big save.

Photos by John Cross

Teams

The rebuilding year that many fans expected from the Blue Earth Area football team never materialized as the Bucs rolled to an undefeated season to win the Class AAA state championship at the Metrodome.

The title game at Mall of America Field pitted second-ranked Blue Earth Area against top-ranked Rochester Lourdes. The Bucs started slow but used a strong second quarter to cruise to a 30-7 triumph.

Rochester Lourdes went into the game possessing one of the best option running games in the state but the Bucs defense held Lourdes to minus-27 rushing yards in the second half.

Junior linebacker Gus Phillips blocked two kicks and made five tackles for loss, including three sacks. David Franta wasn’t bad either, rushing for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Kickin’ good time


“When it began there was just one varsity boys game and one varsity girls game. This year there were seven games — two on varsity, two on JV and three C-squad games. It’s become a great day for soccer.”

Clause has served on the joint Pack the Stands committee that features parents or boosters from both schools the last two years. That committee, in effect, organizes the event. Any proceeds that are garnered through ticket sales or merchant donations is split evenly between the East and West soccer programs.

“I don’t have the exact number but I think we raised about $1,300 for each school this year,” Clause said. “But our primary goal is to showcase the sport of soccer. It’s been growing and growing in the Mankato area, and I’d like to think we’ve helped that growth a little bit.”

Clause said a by-product of the promotion is that the boosters from both schools have learned to cooperate with each other and fostered a feeling of unity. It’s not as much East vs. West as it is about promoting soccer overall.

The 2012 event was held Sept. 22 on a chilly, windy day at Dakota Meadows Field in North Mankato but still drew from 1,200 to 1,500 people.

“To me that’s an incredible success,” Essay said. “I know people had a lot of fun and we’re hoping it continues to grow.”


Teams

Blue Earth Area

The rebuilding year that many fans expected from the Blue Earth Area football team never materialized as the Bucs rolled to an undefeated season to win the Class AAA state championship at the Metrodome.

The title game at Mall of America Field pitted second-ranked Blue Earth Area against top-ranked Rochester Lourdes. The Bucs started slow but used a strong second quarter to cruise to a 30-7 triumph.

Rochester Lourdes went into the game possessing one of the best option running games in the state but the Bucs defense held Lourdes to minus-27 rushing yards in the second half.

Junior linebacker Gus Phillips blocked two kicks and made five tackles for loss, including three sacks. David Franta wasn’t bad either, rushing for 144 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Blue Earth Area players (from left to right) Kysten Zierke, Carter Hanson, Micah Twedt and Chris Ramos celebrate after winning the Class AAA football championship at the Metrodome.

The Bucs’ David Franta sweeps around left end during the Class AAA title game against Rochester Lourdes at Mall of America Field.




DECEMBER 2012 25•

Mankato West

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The Mankato West football team made its fifth consecutive trip to the state playoffs this season, looking for the fourth championship in program history, though it was certainly an interesting path.

The Scarlets won their first four games but had to forfeit those victories because of using an ineligible player. The roster was soon restored, and West won the last two games of the regular season with a record of 2-6.

The Scarlets earned the No. 2 seed in the Section 2AAAAA playoffs and defeated New Prague 21-10 and Chanhassen 28-21 in overtime to secure another state tournament berth.

However, The Scarlets ran into a strong Owatonna team in the quarterfinals and lost 28-0.

For Mankato West sophomore Connor Watts, you catch some passes and some get away. He caught more than most, finishing with 32 receptions for 685 yards and seven touchdowns. In a victory over Chanhassen in the section championship game, Watts set a program record with 13 catches.


Mankato East

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Mankato East boys soccer team, the Cougars caught fire late in the season and rolled to the Section 2A championship.

In the quarterfinals of the Class A state meet, East fell 4-0 to eventual champion Rochester Lourdes.

Freshman Ben Schwartz led the Cougars with nine goals and six assists heading into the state competition. Sophomore Nick Olson won the starting goalkeeper job at the start of the year and steadily improved as the season progressed.

Olson had two big penalty-kick saves in the section finals to help lift the Cougars into the state meet. The Cougars finished the year with a 10-9-2 record.

Mankato East senior Albert Podshivaylov (11) battles for the ball during the Class A state quarterfinal game against Rochester Lourdes.





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For Mankato West sophomore Connor Watts, you catch some passes and some get away. He caught more than most, finishing with 32 receptions for 685 yards and seven touchdowns. In a victory over Chanhassen in the section championship game, Watts set a program record with 13 catches.


Mankato East

In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Mankato East boys soccer team, the Cougars caught fire late in the season and rolled to the Section 2A championship.

In the quarterfinals of the Class A state meet, East fell 4-0 to eventual champion Rochester Lourdes.

Freshman Ben Schwartz led the Cougars with nine goals and six assists heading into the state competition. Sophomore Nick Olson won the starting goalkeeper job at the start of the year and steadily improved as the season progressed.

Olson had two big penalty-kick saves in the section finals to help lift the Cougars into the state meet. The Cougars finished the year with a 10-9-2 record.

Mankato East senior Albert Podshivaylov (11) battles for the ball during the Class A state quarterfinal game against Rochester Lourdes.

Sophomore Nick Olson makes a save during a state tournament game.



Mankato West

Belle Plaine

The Mankato West girls 400-yard freestyle relay team of Danielle Nack, Nicole Lohman, Chantal Nack and Madison Bacon turned in a Class A state championship time of 3:32.63 at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. The Scarlets finished fourth place in the team competition, the best finish in school history.

The Belle Plaine volleyball team finished fourth in the Class AA tournament. The Tigers won seven of their final nine matches and finished with a 25-7 record.

swimmers


Benilde-St. Margaret’s player Kelly Pannek and St. Peter’s Marta Springer clash during their quarterfinal match Oct. 26.

St. Peter’s Emily Lind is congratulated by Haley Jaeger after scoring the game winning goal against Mankato West in the Section 2A championship game Oct. 18.





Teams

Mankato Westswimmers

St. Peter

Benilde-St. Margaret’s player Kelly Pannek and St. Peter’s Marta Springer clash during their quarterfinal match Oct. 26.

St. Peter’s Emily Lind is congratulated by Haley Jaeger after scoring the game winning goal against Mankato West in the Section 2A championship game Oct. 18.

The St. Peter girls soccer team pushed eventual champion Benilde-St. Margaret’s to the limit in the Class A state quarterfinals in October, dropping a 2-1 decision in overtime.

The Saints, making a the third consecutive state tournament appearance, took a 14-6 record into the competition. Sophomores Marta Springer and Emily Lind were the team’s top scorers with 15 and 13 points, respectively.

Senior Tori Wilking scored the lone goal for St. Peter in the state tournament, connecting on a free kick at the 57-minute mark that sent the game to overtime.

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• DECEMBER 2012 • 00Pat Christman

When you need the best in sports equipment,

come to Scheels.We don't just sell sports...we live them every day.

River Hills Mall • Mankato, MN • 507.386.7767

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Documents

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fall sports season

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featuremankato west

state record

milestonesseveral athletes

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