Spring Sports Preview

Thursday, April 14, 2011 s e c e o n d s e c T i o n Vol. 108 no. 48 - $1.00

Spring Sports PreviewE

yE

s o

n t

hE

pr

izE

Mik

ki

Mod

jesk

i, Ta

ylor

B

urm

eist

er

and

Kai

ley

Han

son

lead

th

e ch

arg

e fo

r a

pro

ud

pro

gra

m.

Ran

gers

seek

4th

stra

ight

stat

e trip

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

10By The Numbers

Wins by Evan Johnson in 14 appearances last spring

“We have history proving we win. When we have talent, we’ll win, and the athletes on the team certainly see the talent. ”– head coach Brian raaBe

RangeR BaseBall• 2010 record: 17-11, fourth at state (SEC: 10-8, T-fourth)• Head coach: Brian Raabe, 11th year• Assistant coaches: Tal Gravelle-varsity, Gary Storm-JV, Kale Henry-sophomores, Kyle Johnson-sophomores, Valdie Magstadt-sophomores • Captains: seniors Evan Johnson and Matt Schmidt• All-Conference returnees: Johnson and junior CJ Franklin. Honorable mention: Schmidt, sophomore Beau Fandel and sophomore Trent Rabel

BASEBALL4/11 at c-d hall 4-24/13 at roseville 4:154/15 at stillwater 4:154/16 vs duluth denfeld 54/18 at woodBury 4:154/20 vs w.B. lake 4:154/21 vs hastings 74/25 at Park 4:154/27 at east ridge 4:154/29 at Mounds view 4:155/2 vs c-d hall 75/4 vs roseville 75/6 vs stillwater 75/9 vs woodBury 75/11 at w.B. lake 4:155/13 at hastings 75/16 vs Park 75/20 vs Mounds view 75/26 vs chisago lakes 76/1 section Play-in

6/3 section Quarterfinals

6/7-9 section final four

6/16-17 state tournaMent

Around the SeCRyan Busch returns to lead Roseville after hitting .500 and posting a 1.97 ERA to

earn all-state honors in 2010

Quick Hits• Team seeks third straight

state appearance

• Johnson leads deep pool of pitching options

• Slew of returning players leads to position battles

If Forest Lake’s 2009 appear-ance in the state baseball tourna-ment was a testament to the talent in town, last year’s return trip was a validation of a successful program.

With just two regulars back on the team, the Rangers opened eyes with a 17-11 campaign and a second straight fourth-place finish at the state tournament.

Considering the stable of play-ers now returning who con-tributed as underclassmen last spring, it stands to rea-son that a special opportu-nity exists.

“We have history now,” said head coach Brian Raabe. “We have history proving we win. When we have talent, we’ll win, and the athletes on the team certainly see the tal-ent. With that being said, they should be very confident.”

Raabe has built a winner here under the philosophy of playing whichever kids give him the best chance to win, regardless of age. He’ll have plenty to sort through this season, as the Rangers are two- or three-deep at several positions. Unfortunately, much of the evaluat-ing will have to be done on the fly as the team only got a few days of practice outdoors before it opened the season on Monday.

“We have to make calls on a gym floor, and that’s very hard to do,” he said one week before opening day. “I like what I see so far, but this is in the gym. I want to see what kind of competitors we have.”

Around tHe HornRaabe preaches pitching and

defense, so he is happy to have senior Evan Johnson on the mound. The senior co-captain burst onto the var-sity scene last year with a 10-1 record and a 1.39 ERA. In his 14 appear-

ances, the St. Cloud State commit notched four complete games and two shutouts, including a 2-0 blank-ing of conference rival Stillwater in the first round at state. Johnson also batted .289 and drove in 10 runs.

Johnson will again be a work-horse, but Forest Lake has several other arms in the pen. Phil Sauer logged 34.2 innings as a ninth-grader and posted an ERA of 3.23.

Junior southpaw Alek Zentzis will get a chance to prove himself, as Raabe said he has a very good arsenal.

Lefty Trent Rabel pitched 13.2 innings as a ninth-grader last spring before miss-ing most of the sea-son with an injury.

Sophomore Matt Jellum impressed after moving up from JV last season.

Senior Matt Hultgren, senior Andrew Miron, senior Luke Koren and junior Lucas Kohls are also at pitching coach Tal Gravelle’s dis-posal.

Two of the outfield spots are locked in with senior co-captain Matt Schmidt and junior CJ Franklin. Schmidt, a left fielder, played in all 28 games and hit .292 in 2010. Franklin played center and hit leadoff. He batted .365 with 16 RBI, seven extra-base hits and seven stolen bases.

Junior Bryce Kinder will have the first crack at claiming the right field job.

Rabel was the opening day starter at first base and should provide a power bat. He slugged four home runs in just 36 at-bats last year while maintaining a .417 average.

Second base is up in the air, with as many as five boys battling for

playing time.

The left side of the infield returns intact to start out, with junior Ben Norling at third base and sophomore Beau Fandel entrenched at shortstop. Norling saw action in 23 games, while Fandel played in every contest and hit .377.

Junior Carter Burgoyne opens the year as the starting catcher.

Hultgren is the team’s main pinch runner, a role in which he excelled in the postseason.

The lineup at the end of the season will likely look different than Monday’s.

“This is kind of a year where, because we have so much talent, that we could be more creative on what we do,” Raabe said. “By taking one guy out of one position

to strengthen another position, we’re really not going to weaken that spot.”

outlookStillwater went 15-3 to win the

SEC, but graduated most of its start-ing lineup. Cretin-Derham Hall was the runner-up at 13-5.

In Section 7AAA, Grand Rapids went 16-10 and pushed the Rangers to an elimination game. The Thunderhawks will again be a tough test as they lost just one player.

Raabe is not looking any farther away than his own squad, and he likes what he sees.

“Right now we have a lot of tal-ent,” he said. “The talent runs from seniors, juniors, sophomores. We have some talent at the freshman level. So we’re excited about that as a coaching staff, [but] that doesn’t mean we’ll win. You never know what’s going to happen, but I’m very excited about our talent.”

Standard set high for reigning section champs

CJ Franklin brings speed to center field and the basepaths. The junior lead-off hitter was one of Forest Lake’s top batters in his first year on varsity.

Matt Schmidt Trent Rabel

File photosAbove: Pitching coach Tal Gravelle congratu-lates Evan Johnson after the then-junior shut out Stillwater in the first round at state last spring. Below: Phil Sauer provided some quality innings as a ninth-grader. Left: Beau Fandel established himself as a shortstop and hit .377 as a ninth-grader.

Allina Health SystemVan Dyke FamilyPolaris

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

When former Forest Lake softball standout Angie Ryan took the head job at her alma mater, she came in with a plan to build the pro-gram from the ground up. After years of hold-ing camps and working directly with summer leagues and traveling team coaches, the sev-enth-year head coach and her staff are really beginning to reap the benefits.

“There’s a lot of peo-ple that put in a lot of time, and I’m just so appreciative,” she said. “We really feel we have a strong program, one of the strongest in the state, actually. We feel very good about where it’s going.”

It is not really accu-rate to say they are beginning to reap the benefits – Forest Lake has gone to state three years running. But the advantages of hav-ing a solid foundation will truly manifest this spring. Five starters, nearly all multi-year starters, graduated. In step a handful of under-classmen, mostly ninth-graders and sopho-mores. Still, Ryan has never entertained the notion of expecting a step back this year.

“We have a strong program and we want to keep it that way,” she said. “They know that. They have high expecta-tions, just like I do.”

It helps that the youngsters can realis-tically be expected to play well.

“We used to have to work so hard at coach-ing varsity, whereas now [new varsity members] come in so much further along, just miles ahead of where they came in my first couple years,” Ryan said.

It is not a complete overhaul. Forest Lake returns five start-ers, including its bat-

tery. Senior Taylor Burmeister transitioned extremely well to being the pitching workhorse last season, throwing nearly every inning as the Rangers allowed just 40 runs and went 23-4.

“She’s definitely got-ten better hitting her spots,” Ryan reported. “She looks good. She’s using her legs more, her riseball is better, her changeup looks better than it did last spring.”

Catching Burmeister will be three-year var-sity member Kailey Hanson. The Southwest Minnesota State com-mit is an elite defensive catcher whom Ryan expects to also be a big part of the offense as a senior.

Mikki Modjeski is the final senior and also brings two previous years of varsity expe-rience. An intelligent communicator, she will captain the outfield from centerfield.

Modjeski will like-ly be flanked by new-comers. Ninth-graders Natalie Wright, Lauren

Riedeman and Mikayla Watters are among those vying for the cor-ner positions.

Around the horn, speedy junior Shannon Nelson returns to start for a third season at second base. A start-ing outfielder in 2010, junior Andrea Mogren will bring quickness to third base and power that belies her size to the lineup.

The left side of the infield will be all Mogren, as Andrea’s sister, Dana, lines up at shortstop. The long and rangy sophomore has one of the strongest arms on the team and projects as a good hitter.

Brooke Halbert will get first crack at first base. The sophomore flashes a good glove, but will have to hold off junior Maggie Forsell when she returns from injury.

Junior Micah McGuiness could figure in the outfield mix and

will serve as the backup pitcher.

The offense may seem down from last year on paper, but Ryan thinks it will play out otherwise.

“As good as we thought we were going to be offensively last year, we really weren’t until the end, at sec-tions we started hit-ting,” she said. “We were just extremely good at defense last year – that’s what won most of our games. So I think this team can definite-ly compete with where that team was offensive-ly last year.”

The Suburban East Conference remains among the most loaded in the state. Hastings, who tied for the title with the Rangers in 2010, loses its all-state pitcher and catcher, but still figures to contend. Stillwater is always tough, and Roseville and White Bear Lake should benefit from new coaches. The Raiders are being led by former University of Minnesota co-head coach Julie Standering, while Ryan’s former assistant Kaity Wightman left Forest Lake to lead the Bears.

Duluth Central could emerge as a sectional force, as the program combines with Duluth Denfeld starting this year.

There is a rule change to keep an eye on this spring, as the high school league decided to move the pitching mound back three feet further from the plate. Batters will now be 43 feet from the pitcher, just like in college.

“People make a big deal out of that, but it really isn’t for the kids because they play that distance in the sum-mer,” Ryan noted.

3.4-1By The Numbers

Ratio by which Forest Lake outscored opponents

last season

“They come in just miles ahead of where they came in my first couple of years.”– coach angie Ryan

RangeR Softball• 2010 record: 23-4, third at state (SEC: 11-3, T-first)• Head coach: Angie Ryan, seventh year• Assistant coaches: Erin Casey, Don Cramer and Laura Palke• All-Conference returnees: senior Taylor Burmeister and junior Shannon Nelson. Honorable mention: senior Kailey Hanson

SOFTBALL4/11 at c-D hall 4:154/14 at east RiDge 4:154/16 vs viRginia 11:304/16 vs heRmantown 2 4/18 vs w.B. lake 74/21 at hastings 4:154/25 vs stillwateR 74/27 vs Roseville 74/28 vs PaRk 4:155/2 at mounDs view 4:155/4 at w.B. lake 4:155/5 at Roseville 4:155/9 vs wooDBuRy 4:155/11 at stillwateR 4:155/12 vs mounDs view 4:155/13 at Duluth east 5:305/13 at Duluth DenfelD 75/17 vs Rosemount 75/19 at noRth BRanch 4:305/24 section Play-in

5/26 section QuaRteRfinals

6/1-2 section final fouR

6/9-10 state touRnament

Around the SeCDefending champ North St. Paul assistant Tom Nemo takes over an up-and-com-

ing East Ridge squad.

Quick Hits• Young newcomers will see

playing time at several spots

• Key pitcher-catcher combo returns intact

• Solid program going for fourth straight state trip

New talent, same expectations

Photo courtesy of Stan WaldhauserThe 2011 Rangers include, front row: Andrea Mogren, Micah McGuiness, Taylor Burmeister, Mikki Modjeski, Shannon Nelson and Natalie Wright. Back row: Brooke Halbert, Mikayla Watters, Kailey Hanson, Dana Mogren, Maggie Forsell and Lauren Riedeman.

2011 SpRing SpoRtS pReview

articles written by sports Editor Clint Riese

page

2Baseball

page

4Boys Track

page

5Girls Track

page

6Tennis/ Synchro

page

7Lacrosse

page

8Golf

File photosTaylor Burmeister pitched her way to honorable mention All-State honors last spring. Left: Kailey Hanson will team with Burmeister to form an expe-rienced battery.

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

�

� � � � � � � � � � � � � �

� � � � � � � � � � � � � �

��

��

��

The Ranger boys’ track and field pro-gram is riding high on a string of successful sea-sons. In 2010, the boys claimed their second consecutive Suburban East Conference cham-pionship and their fifth straight Section 7AA title. They went on to medal in six events at state, taking 14th place.

“We’ve just been for-tunate enough to have enough talent to be really competitive,” said coach Paul Kendrick. “There’s a lot of good coaches in our conference and sec-tion, but you need talent to win.”

Finding the right bal-ance of “track” and “field” will be crucial if the run is to continue this spring. Heading into this season, Forest Lake looks to be quite strong in the field events, while some holes exist on the track.

Strong FieldForest Lake returns

two state qualifiers in the pole vault. Seniors Tyler Massey and Tyler Colling tied for fifth- and 12th-place, respec-tively, at Hamline University. The top four state finishers were seniors. Massey topped out at 14-3 last spring, and Colling at 13-11. In the season-opening Minnesota High School Indoor Classic this April 2, Massey set the indoor school record of 14-0. There is depth, too, as senior Kyle Olson has also cleared 12-0.

The Rangers also return a state qualifier in the long jump. Tommy Tyson took 14th at state as a junior and set a per-sonal best of 21-6 1/2 earli-er in the season. The sup-porting cast will include junior Andrew Mansmith, who leaped 19-5 last year, and possibly Olson and senior Brandon Carlson.

Tyson is also a 41-foot triple jumper. He took fifth at sections last sea-son. Colling and sopho-more Anthony Tyler are in mix to round out the event.

Cody Walton turned heads high-jumping as a ninth-grader last year and has cleared 6-0 already this spring. Tyler

could also factor in, and Carlson has experience in the event.

The Rangers return much from a strong throwing contingent. Senior Charlie Royce won the 2010 conference

c h a m p i -onship in the shot put with a toss of 50-8 3/4. Senior H a y d e n Lane pro-vides a solid sec-ond scorer.

The duo also will head up the dis-cus. Lane won the SEC meet last season and has topped out at over 150 feet. Royce also posted a top-five finish at the sec-tion meet. Senior Scot Larson will provide depth in both events.

On the TrackThe running events

were a strong point for the team last year, but Kendrick is looking for some athletes to step up this spring, particularly in the middle distances. State medal-winners Josh Nielsen (400 meter) and JJ Weigel (1,600 and 800) graduated. Tra Griffin, who took sixth in the 100 as a sophomore, moved to St. Paul.

Griffin, Nielsen and then-senior Mitch New formed three legs of the 4x200 relay team which took seventh at state.

“We gotta have some guys step up,” Kendrick

said. “I would say that sprint depth, we’ll see where we’re at, but right now I’m thinking that’s an area I have a concern with.”

Even with the depar-tures, the Rangers boast

some burners. Tyson and Massey took the fifth and sixth spots in the 100 at the sec-tion meet. Senior Zach Greene should also win some points in the event.

Those three last year joined

Griffin on the state-quali-fying 4x100 relay.

Competition is open in the 200. The coach-ing staff will sort through a wide field of runners, including Walton, junior Pat Moran, junior Mac Schultz, sophomore Glen Miron and senior new-comer Eric Invie.

That mix may also contribute in the 400, which could be boosted by some of the longer-distance specialists.

Head cross country coach Deno Johnson oversees the distance crew, which includes many from his state-qual-ifying fall team.

“Those kids were all good cross country kids, so we’re expecting that crew to really do well,” Kendrick said.

Seniors Ben Long and Eric Herbert, junior Joe Jackson and sophomore Jacob Jankowski form a

solid nucleus, and senior captain Phil d’Entremont has also logged a lot of miles.

Hurdle events could go from a weakness to a strength, as all the main contributors return and look improved.

“Some of them trained pretty hard in the off-season,” said Kendrick. “So Aaron Egelkraut and Andrew Mansmith, we’re hoping for big things from them.”

Walton also will hurdle.

OutlookOverall, Forest Lake

has a stable program with veteran coaching in place. Numbers were down just a bit, but Kendrick is excited about the poten-tial of the 20-strong class of ninth-graders.

The SEC remains rug-ged, with Stillwater, White Bear Lake, Mounds View and Roseville join-ing the Rangers as title contenders. Forest Lake will likely have an easier time defending its section title.

Once some positions are sorted out, Forest Lake may once again make its typical late-sea-son charge.

“I’m pleased with what we have out,” Kendrick said. “Like every year, I think we’ll be a team that’s mid- to late-bloom-ing again, just because we’re looking at young guys and seeing who can step up.”

0By The Numbers

Returning pole vault competitors who finished

ahead of Tyler Massey at state

“I think we’ll be a mid- to late-blooming team again because we’re seeing who can step up.”– coach Paul KendricK

RangeR Boys TRack• 2010 record: first in SEC, first in Section 7AA• Head coach: Paul Kendrick, 14th year overall• Assistant coaches: Ron Backes, Mike Coffee, Tom Hipkins, Chris Fahey, Deno Johnson, Brandon Brambilla and Adam Wilson• Captains: seniors Phil d’Entremont, Hayden Lane, Tyler Massey and Charlie Royce• All-Conference returnees: d’Entremont, Lane, Massey, Royce, senior Tyler Colling, junior Eric Herbert, junior Joe Jackson, junior Ben Long and junior Tommy Tyson

BOYS TRACK4/2 Mn indoor classic 7th

at univ. of Minnesota

4/7 sec relays 4th

4/12 osceola (Wi) invite 3:454/14 at stillWater 3:454/16 Pony classic 9:45 at stillWater

4/20 at roseville 3:454/22 haMline elite Meet tbd

4/29 at ParK tbd

5/7 roch. Mayo invite 105/10 true teaM section 3:30 at W.b. laKe

5/18 at stillWater 3:455/20 true teaM state tbd

5/24 sec PreliMs 3:15 at east ridge

5/26 sec finals 4:15 at east ridge

6/1 section PreliMs 11 at grand raPids

6/4 section finals 11 at grand raPids

6/10 state PreliMs tbd

at haMline univ.6/11 state finals tbd

at haMline univ.

Around the SeCStillwater, W.B. Lake and Mounds View took the

3-5 spots at the 2010 True Team State Meet.

Quick Hits• Field events a strength

• Team seeks third straight conference championship

• Middle sprints among the few question marks heading into the season

Joe Jackson

FL chases third SEC, sixth section title in a row

GOOD LUCKForest Lake Rangers

From Theforest laKe tiMes

File photosSenior captain Phil d’Entremont, left, is part of a standout distance crew that will be counted on to score lots of points for Forest Lake this spring.

Above right: Senior Tyler Massey will again star in several events, including the 4x100 relay. Left: Senior Tyler Colling is eyeing big things in the pole vault. Above: Junior Tommy Tyson will play a big role as a sprinter and in the long and triple jumps.

Charlie Royce

��

��

��

��

��

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

��

�

��

��

��

��

��

��

�

��

Forgive Eric Kaluza and Matt Cleary if they are still learning names as the track and field season begins. The co-head coaches have a crew of 102 girls at their disposal this spring.

That number is up about 20 from last year, and is triple the amount Kaluza inherited when he became coach in 2007. He is not shy about hoping to grow the program upwards of 200 within a few years.

That amount of talent to cultivate might be necessary to compete with the likes of Mounds View in the Suburban East Conference and Elk River in Section 7AA. It might be possible, con-sidering that this year’s seniors number less than 10.

“We are young all the way around,” Kaluza said.

The staff even brought up a dozen or so seventh- and eighth-graders. The high turn-out and solid base of talent will be needed as Forest Lake tries to defend its True Team Section title and replace several graduated state qualifiers.

Graduation hit the

sprint crew especial-ly hard. Sophomores Amanda Sievers, Amina Cheikh and Liz Thorson will be asked to step into leading roles in the 100 and 200.

The middle- and long- distance events should be a strength for the Rangers.

“We’re going to be strong 400 on up, we’ll be very tough to beat,” Kaluza said.

Junior Sarah Hagen and ninth-grader Lara Steinhoff will contrib-ute in the 400, and distance crew juniors Holly Winberg and Cassie Thobe will dip down into the event, as well.

In the 800 on up, Thobe and Winberg will be joined by fellow cross-country stand-outs including senior Liz Peterson, eighth-grader Rocci Wohlk, seventh-grader Emma Benner and eighth-grad-er Abby Van Bergen.

Wohlk finished fourth at sections in the 3200 last year and is running under 5:30 in the mile this spring.

“They’ve done a phe-nomenal job,” Kaluza said of the long-dis-tance runners. “They

are at or better than they were last year at this point already.”

Sophomore Jessica Dhaene appears ready to have a big year in the hurdles, as she is hit-ting around 50 seconds in the 300-meter vari-ety. Sophomore Rachel Schumaker is also com-peting in hurdles.

The Rangers were dealt a blow in the field events when junior captain Kayla Suess suffered a torn labrum. She took sixth in the conference in the long jump last spring, and would have figured in the pole vault, high jump and hurdles. Her status for returning is unknown.

Her loss will be felt most in the long jump, as that and the triple jump are among the most unsettled spots on the team at this point.

High jump should still be a strong point, as Schumaker and eighth-grader Sarah Jaeb are clearing 4-10. Schumaker placed sixth in the conference last year.

Junior Hailee Cohoes is the top returning pole vaulter and is clearing 8-7.

Forest Lake will score a ton of points in the throwing events. Junior Sam Anderson went to state in both the shot put and discus last season and three-time conference scorer Amy Holmes, a senior, was not far off.

Even if all goes well, the Rangers would be hard-pressed to edge Mounds View, Roseville or Stillwater for the SEC title.

“We would love to be fourth in the confer-ence,” Kaluza said.

The team took third in the section in 2010 and could improve on that, although defend-ing champion Elk River remains the favorite.

Forest Lake’s true hope, though, is to make another trip to the True Team State meet.

“We know White Bear and Blaine are hungry, they don’t want us to beat them again,” Kaluza said. “That’s our centralized focus. We have one month to get ready for it.”

102By The Numbers

Girls on the team this season, up from the mid-80s

in recent years

“We’re going to be strong from the 400 on up, we’ll be very tough to beat.”– coach Eric Kaluza

RangeR giRls TRack and Field• 2010 record: Sixth in conference, third in section• Head coaches: Eric Kaluza, fifth year and Matt Cleary, second year• Assistant coaches: Mike Coffee, Devin Swanberg and Paul Wieland• Captains: senior Amy Holmes, senior Liz Peterson, junior Kayla Suess and junior Holly Winberg• All-Conference returnees: Eighth-grader Rocci Wohlk

GIRLS TRACK4/5 chisago laKEs T. Trials

4/6 M. ViEw TiME Trials

4/12 aT rosEVillE 44/14 aT sTillwaTEr 3:454/16 sainTs inViTE 10 aT sT. Francis

4/19 aT Mounds ViEw 3:454/26 aT rosEVillE 3:454/28 aT w.B. laKE 3:454/29 haMlinE EliTE MEET 45/6 aT chisago laKEs 3:455/10 TruE TEaM sEcTion 4 aT w.B. laKE

5/20 TruE TEaM sTaTE 4 aT sTillwaTEr

5/24 sEc PrEliMs 3:15 aT EasT ridgE

5/26 sEc Finals 4 aT EasT ridgE

6/1 sEcTion PrEliMs 11 aT grand raPids

6/4 sEcTion Finals 11 aT grand raPids

6/10 sTaTE PrEliMs 10 aT haMlinE uniV.6/11 sTaTE Finals 10 aT haMlinE uniV.

Around the SeCMark Sotebeer enters his 30th and final season as coach at Roseville, which

took fourth at state.

Quick Hits• State-qualifier Anderson

leads strong throwing crew

• Talent abounds in long-distance events

• True Team section title defense is top priority

Numbers soar as track girls seek continued rise

Photos by Clint RIese/File

Clockwise from above: Junior Sam Anderson hopes to build on a state appearance; Kayla Suess, Liz Peterson, Amy Holmes and Holly Winberg (not pictured) will captain the team; Eighth-grader Abby Van Bergen is part of a deep pool of distance run-ners; Sophomore Jessica Dhaene has looked good in the hurdles this spring.

Page 6A – Thursday, April 14, 2011 – Forest Lake Times www.forestlaketimes.com

The Forest Lake syn-chronized swim team took third place in the state in 2010. The fin-ish tied for the best in program history. The Rangers previously fin-ished third in 1999, when current head coach Laura Davison was a senior on the squad.

Davison will be with-out the large contingent of seniors which helped the team break through last spring after Forest Lake had finished fourth or fifth for five straight years. Just one member of the current team is a senior. Fortunately, some young talent is ready to step in which has Davison believing this year’s team can fare just as well.

“I think that we’re coming back strong from losing quite a few girls,” she said. “So far I feel like we’ve made up some ground this season. We had girls do the sum-mer clinic and a few girls working year-round with the Stillwater club and that helped bring up our level from what we lost.”

No swimmer below ninth-grade has ever made the extended team here, but two such young-sters are in Forest Lake’s top grouping in 2011.

Seventh-grader Andrea Dunrud and eighth-grader Rachel Chatwin join senior Charity Riesgraf and juniors Katherine Anderson, Resa Brockman, Brooke Ewert, Morgan Sperry and Kiersten Sewall on the extended team. The group will perform to an intense musical compila-tion entitled ‘Fight.’

Ewert, Riesgraf and

Sperry have an extend-ed trio selection. Sperry and Ewert will also team as a duo. Anderson and Sewall will take part in the extended solo divi-sion.

Competing as a team in the long division are junior Alissa Ralph, soph-omores Kathy Tomnitz, Randi Rossbach and Sarah Kroska, ninth-grad-er Karlee Lawrence and

eighth-graders Lindsey Crohn, Stephanie Brenk and Jessica Walker.

Overall, Davison con-siders the team to be very balanced. For exam-ple, in the figures compe-titions where swimmers are judged individu-ally on their execution of a series of common moves, any of a number of Rangers could post the highest score.

“It’s a really hard thing to call with these girls,” Davison said. “At [our first] meet, Katherine Anderson took the top spot... I looked at it and not one girl took the top spot more than two times last year. It kept rotating and it could do that this year.”

Stillwater remains the top contender in the con-ference and gave Forest Lake an early-season showing of top-level per-formance. The Rangers, though, are optimistic they can end the season with another top-three finish.

‘We’ve hit the ground running and I’d say as far as knowing our routines, especially our team rou-tines, we’re ahead of the game at this point, which is exciting,” Davison said.

69By The Numbers

Consecutive victories for junior Dusty Boyer entering

the 2011 season

“I think the three best players that have ever picked up a racquet in Forest Lake are playing on the same team right now.”– coach GreG Patchin

RangeR Boys Tennis• 2010 record: 15-4 (SEC: 7-2, T-second)• Head coach: Greg Patchin, 20th year• Assistant coach: Phil Raaen• All-Conference returnees: junior Dusty Boyer, junior Zack Decker and eighth-grader Toby Boyer. Honorable mention: ninth-grader Brett Gravelle

BOYS TENNIS4/9 elk river trianGular vs s. lake Park 5-2 vs hibbinG 6-1 vs elk river 2-54/11 at chisaGo lakes 5-24/14 at stillwater 3:304/16 herzoG invite 9 at stillwater

4/18 vs andover 44/19 at woodbury 3:304/21 at w.b. lake 3:304/26 vs Mounds view 3:304/28 at Park 3:305/2 vs centennial 45/3 vs hastinGs 3:305/5 at east ridGe 3:305/7 andover invite 95/10 vs roseville 3:305/11 vs caMb.-isanti 45/12 at c-d hall 3:305/23-24 teaM sectionals 45/26 ind. subsectionals 9 at st. Francis

5/31 teaM Final Four 9 at hibbinG

6/1 ind. section Finals 9 at hibbinG

6/7-6/8 state tournaMent at univ. oF Minnesota

Around the SeCCretin’s Dante Pitera is the lone 2010 individual state

qualifier back other than For-est Lake’s three returnees.

Quick Hits• Mounds View comes here

April 26 for SEC showdown

• Stacked singles lineup has four all-conference players

• Section 7AA is improved, but FL the favorite to repeat

14By The Numbers

Routines Forest Lake sent to the state meet last spring,

leading to third place

“I think we’re coming back strong for having lost quite a few girls. I feel like we’ve made up some ground.”– coach laura davison

RangeR synchRonized swimming• 2010 record: Second at sections, third at state• Head coach: Laura Davison, eighth year• Assistant coaches: Wendy Chelberg, McKinzie Chelberg and Kelly Knutsen• Captains: senior Charity Riesgraf and juniors Brooke Ewert and Morgan Sperry

SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING(All Home events Held At soutHwest Junior HigH)

Figures meets:

4/5 at stillwater 3-26

4/7 vs blooMinGton 27-2 vs osseo-M. Grove 29-0

4/14 at col. heiGhts 4:30 (with richField)

routine meets:

5/3 vs stillwater 4:30

5/7 hoMe show

5/20-21 section Meet

at coluMbia heiGhts

5/26-27 state Meet

at univ. oF Minnesota

Around the SeCThe Stillwater Ponies took

second place at the 2010 state meet.

Quick Hits• Just one senior on roster

• Young swimmers fill in gaps left by graduation on extended team

• Team has balance among its top several competitors

Youth make waves for FL

Photo by Clint RieseFront row: Rachel Chatwin and Andrea Dunrud. Middle row: Charity Riesgraf and Morgan Sperry. Back row: Katherine Anderson, Resa Brockman, Brooke Ewert and Kirsten Sewall.

Singles fuel loaded squadComing off the first

team state appearance in school history, hopes are as high as they have ever been for the Ranger boys’ tennis program.

Forest Lake returns six of 10 varsity players to a lineup centered around a killer singles flight that remains intact.

“You’ve got to pick your poison,” said vet-eran coach Greg Patchin. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to come against us as a coach.”

In 2010, the fearsome foursome of Dusty and Toby Boyer, Zack Decker and Brett Gravelle com-bined to lose just 10 matches while propelling the Rangers to a mark of 15-4 and the Section 7AA title.

All but Gravelle also qualified for the individu-al state tournament, and Dusty Boyer won his sec-ond consecutive state sin-gles title as a sophomore. All return as underclass-men.

Dusty Boyer is riding a 69-match winning streak and did not drop a set last year until the state tour-nament. Toby Boyer was the section runner-up to his brother as a seventh-grader and was dominant at No. 2 singles.

“Toby is not so much taller [than last year], but so much stronger, and his foot speed is phenom-enal,” said Patchin.

The best-kept secret may be the junior Decker, who played more than any of his teammates in the off-season. Patchin describes him as an intelligent play-er who does everything asked of him.

All three could be the ace of nearly any team in the state and Patchin does not mince words in dis-cussing their talent.

“In all the years I’ve been coaching, I’ve had some great players, but I think the three best play-

ers that have ever picked up a racquet in Forest Lake are playing on the same team right now,” he said, noting that 2000 German foreign exchange student Orkin Cakir may be the lone exception.

Gravelle is no pushover, either. The ninth-grader could be one of the best No. 4 singles players in the state. He features ath-leticism and a lethal back-hand.

“I think he understands his focus and his goals,” Patchin said. “I think he knows that if he doesn’t get beat, the team isn’t going to get beat. Brett is just such a competitor.”

Such a loaded singles lineup means that Forest Lake may often see teams stack their doubles and hope to get lucky at one of the four singles matches.

“If we can come up with some doubles, we’re going to be pretty good,” Patchin said.

The Rangers have plenty of candidates in that side of the field, but none have yet pulled away from the pack. Juniors Nate Riedeman and Zak Buckley paired at No. 3 doubles for most of last spring. Riedeman’s 10th-

grade brother, Austin, will likely end up on a varsity doubles team. Juniors Thane Meier and Ryan Renard could play their way to a varsity position, and seniors Caleb Peters and Jake Albee teamed at the top JV doubles posi-tion last year.

Two off-season devel-opments will pose chal-lenges to the Rangers. First, two-year varsity member Jeremiah Cusick left for California, where he is in the national train-ing program for the US Archery team. The senior would have been a tennis captain and a No. 1 dou-bles player. Then Mounds View senior Wyatt McCoy announced he is returning to high school competition after two years of playing in the USTA circuit. The Notre Dame commit won the Class AA state title as an eighth-grader in 2007 and is undefeated against Dusty Boyer in USTA play.

Patchin felt this was Forest Lake’s year to beat Mounds View, but McCoy’s return could be enough for the Mustangs to keep their stranglehold on the SEC. Regardless, tennis fans should circle April 26 on their calendar, as the

Mustangs visit Forest Lake this year.

“If Dusty puts it all together I think he’s going to beat him, but boy I don’t know,” said Patchin. “Dusty has ice water in his veins, but if you get somebody who refuses to lose and you haven’t beat, sometimes that can be hard to overcome...There’s going to be some real nice tennis on the 26th, no doubt about it.”

Stillwater, Woodbury and Cretin-Derham Hall could compete with Forest Lake, but it would likely be an upset if anyone other than Mounds View beats the Rangers in SEC play.

In the Section 7AA scene, Hibbing is athlet-ic, Cambridge-Isanti may have its best team ever and Duluth East brings nearly everyone back. Still, the Rangers expect to return to the team state meet, where last season they lost 4-3 to eventual runner-up Eagan and 5-2 to Mounds View in the conso-lation semifinals.

“The goal is to get three matches at state,” Patchin said. “Section 7 has been two-and-done at state for six or seven years now.”

Photo by Clint RieseFront row: Zack Decker, Jake Albee, Toby Boyer, Brett Gravelle, Danny McClure, Zak Buckley and Thane Meier. Back row: Caleb Peters, Austin Riedeman, Nate Riedeman, Dusty Boyer, Ryan Renard, Calvin Eichinger and Austin Morris.

File photoZack Decker improved over another busy offseason and should be a force at No. 3 singles.

It’s safe to say that lacrosse is catching on as a girls’ sport in Forest Lake. The Rangers start-ed their program last sea-son with 31 participants. One spring later, the number has ballooned to 56.

The sudden growth allows for a full JV team. Last year, several girls carried over between JV and varsity.

For head coach Krista Seipel, that means a big-ger talent base to pick from. Much of the spots, though, are already locked down as Forest Lake returns nearly all of its key players from its inaugural season. In her senior season, all-conference forward Jamila Cheikh will again be flanked by McCall Lemmons and Laura Goedeke. Both were all-conference honor-able mention picks as juniors last year, when the Rangers went 3-10. Sophomore midfielder Amy Enrooth also made the honorable mention cut in 2010.

Three starters return to the defense: senior Kristina Johnson and juniors Quin Lei and Haley Huberty. Senior Allie Dreher will protect the pipes this season.

Seipel got to coach some of the girls in a 7-on-7 league in Stillwater this winter. She said this season has seemed like a breeze so far as the bulk of the girls know the ropes going in.

“It’s been a lot easier,” she said. “Just on the

coaching side with the drills, there’s a founda-tion there this year so they kind of know what to expect.”

As a second-year program, there is still a focus on teaching funda-mentals and getting the girls up to speed with the game’s inner workings.

“I told them they’ve built an excellent foun-dation,” Seipel said. “Stronger defense is the goal, and we’re looking to have more of a bold offense.”

One thing stood out to new boys’ lacrosse coach Jon Loo as soon as he started working with the Rangers this spring – desire.

No matter the level of experi-ence or skill, the boys have some-thing that can’t be taught.

“There’s a lot of really enthusi-astic guys,” he said. “You can tell they’ve been part of the whole grassroots operation that started lacrosse in Forest Lake. There is no need to teach them to love the game.”

Loo, a teacher at Blaine High School, takes the reins from Rahal Cheikh, who stepped down after

one year due to his work schedule. The 1995 Blaine gradu-ate was an assistant lacrosse coach for the Bengals last spring. He is also a Linwood resident who has been an assistant coach in the Forest Lake

boys’ hockey program for four years.

He takes over a program with 58 players out. The Rangers were held winless in their first season as a high school team in 2010. That made this year’s goal-setting dis-cussion a short one.

“One win and we’ve got suc-cess,” Loo said. “We’re just going to try to get better every year.”

Loo expects sophomore Dan Mollet to be a key part of the offense. Senior captain Steve Pignato and junior Chase Hamernick lead a defense protecting the net in front of goalie Collin Murray.

The team again calls the fields at the Central Learning Center home. Bleachers have been added over the off-season, though a permanent scoreboard solution has yet to be finalized.

The team has been practicing on a soccer field in order to let the main field dry out. When the boys finally take to it, look for a full-fledged effort.

“These guys are ready to win,” Loo said. “They’re thirsty.”

2By The Numbers

Everything should be that much smoother for the boys in their second go-around

“You can tell they’ve been part of the whole grassroots operation that started lacrosse here. There is no need to teach them to love the game.”– coach Jon Loo

RangeR Boys LacRosse• 2010 record: 0-10• Head coach: Jon Loo, first year• Assistant coach: Greg Sowden• Captains: senior Nathan Fuerst, senior Steve Pignato and senior Jake Shields• All-Conference returnees: Shields. Honorable mention: Pignato

BOYS LACROSSE4/12 at St. cLoud tech 6:30

4/13 at andover 7

4/22 at S. Lake Park 7

4/25 vS MahtoMedi 6

4/27 at S. WaSh. co. 7

5/2 vS StiLLWater 6

5/4 at MoundS vieW 6:30

5/9 vS Woodbury 6

5/11 at roSeviLLe 6

5/12 at irondaLe 7

5/16 vS W.b. Lake 6

tbd Section 4 tourney

6/7-10 State tourney

Around the SeCIn boys’ lacrosse, Park and East Ridge join together as South Washington County.

Quick Hits• Team sets goal of first win

in program history

• New coach Jon Loo comes from the staff at Blaine, which went 12-0 in the regu-lar season last year

Jon Loo

Rangers have the hunger

File photosForest Lake jumped in head-first to the varsity lacrosse scene last sea-son. The boys hung close in a few games but are seeking their first win as the 2011 season begins.

56By The Numbers

The girls’ program has nearly doubled in size to 56

in its second season

“It’s been a lot easier. Just on the coaching side with the drills, there’s a foundation there so they know what to expect.”– coach kriSta SeiPeL

RangeR giRLs LacRosse• 2010 record: 3-10• Head coach: Krista Seipel, second year• Assistant coach: Heidi Link• Captains: senior Jamila Cheikh, senior Laura Goedeke and senior McCall Lemmons• All-Conference returnees: Cheikh. Honorable mention: Goedeke, Lemmons and sophomore Amy Enrooth

GIRLS LACROSSE4/13 at andover 5:30

4/15 at bLaine 6

4/19 at S. Lake Park 6:30

4/20 vS c-d haLL 6

4/26 vS hiLL-Murray 6

4/27 vS Park 6

5/2 at StiLLWater 6

5/4 vS MoundS vieW 6

5/9 at S. WaSh. co. 6

5/11 vS roSeviLLe 6

5/16 at W.b. Lake 6

5/18 vS MahtoMedi 6

tbd Section 4 tourney

6/7-10 State tourney

Around the SeCIn girls’ lacrosse, Woodbury and East Ridge join together as South Washington County.

Quick Hits• Team won three games in

first year as varsity sport

• Most of the scoring punch returns

• Tightening up defense will be a key

File photosLaura Goedeke, above, was a key scorer for the Rangers in 2010. At right, McCall Lemmons returns for a second year as one of the team’s captains.

Numbers don’t lie: Sport catching on in FL

www.forestlaketimes.com Thursday, April 14, 2011 – Forest Lake Times – Page 7A

Page 8A – Thursday, April 14, 2011 – Forest Lake Times www.forestlaketimes.com

After three straight top-three fin-ishes at the state meet, fate was cruel to the Ranger golf boys last spring. The team finished a dramatic late-season run with its third consecutive Suburban East Conference champi-onship, but fell short in heartbreak-ing fashion at the Section 7AAA meet. Forest Lake improved by 38 strokes on its section-winning score from 2009, only to see Elk River shoot a remarkable 576 to win the title.

The scores could drop again this spring, because the Rangers appear as dangerous as in any of their state years. Six of the team’s top seven golfers return, and competi-tion runs extremely deep even beyond that. Four spots are locked up with all-confer-ence returnees, and upwards of 10 boys are shooting it out for playing time at the last two varsity positions.

“It’s going to be very competitive, and that’s what I told the guys – it’s going to make us better,” said coach John Buck.

Talent abounds, but Buck is equal-ly excited about the attitude and cohesion the squad has displayed early on.

“I want them to really try to just enjoy [the season],” he said. “Last year sometimes the kids weren’t enjoying themselves. Part of that was just the leadership and the atmosphere that develops from that and they have to fight it. This year I don’t expect to have to deal with that.”

Two seniors with state experience will captain the team. Drew Massey qualified individually last season and Shane Sampair tied for eighth at the 2009 state meet. Massey, who will golf for St. Cloud State next year, came on strong last season after missing his sophomore season with an injury.

“He has a really big upside, and I think he’s just kind of scratched the

surface,” Buck said.Sampair, who will play for Fort

Lewis College in Colorado next year, was fourth in the SEC in scoring last season at 74.0.

Forest Lake’s biggest weapon, though, will be sophomore Max Kelly, who broke out in a big way as a ninth-grader. Kelly won the SEC scoring title (72.25), took second in the section and tied for eighth place

at the state meet.Another sophomore,

Trevor Thompson, golfed his way onto the all-confer-ence team in his first varsity season and had the team’s third-best score at the sec-tion meet.

Senior Matt Skoglund and junior Zach Dickinson each had extensive varsity experi-ence in 2010 and will have

a chance to round out the lineup. Juniors Taylor Bisbee and Brad Rod, sophomore Sam Shiminski and ninth-graders Daniel Massey and Jake Moryn are among those also com-peting for varsity playing time.

“Who else is going to step up?” Buck said. “There’s a long list of kids, so I’m excited.”

Interest in the program is peaking, as 75 boys are out for the sport. Most will play on a developmental team which Buck plans to run similar to a league.

Roseville and Stillwater should again be among the top competition in the SEC. Section 7AA may be even more competitive than the confer-ence, as Elk River returns the top four scorers from its third-place state lineup and Grand Rapids continues to improve.

Soggy conditions kept Forest Lake off the course for the first few weeks of practice. Instead, assistant coach Jeff Wilson coordinated a series of conditioning drills aimed at getting the team off to a fast start.

“We’re not going to have a lot of extra time, so they’ve got to be in shape and ready to go,” Buck said.

+4By The Numbers

Forest Lake’s section score of 580 was just four over par, but

also four back of Elk River

“[Competition for varsity] is going to be very competitive. I told the guys it’s going to make us better.”– coach John Buck

RangeR Boys golf• 2010 record: first in conference, second in section• Head coach: John Buck, seventh year• Assistant coaches: Jeff Wilson, Aaron Forsythe and Matt Fenno• Captains: Seniors Drew Massey and Shane Sampair• All-Conference returnees: Massey, Sampair and sophomores Max Kelly and Trevor Thompson

BOYS GOLF4/12 at RiveR oaks Gc 14/14 Blaine invite 9 at BunkeR hills Gc4/18 at tPc Blaine 84/19 sec Meet 2:30 at hastinGs cc4/21 chisaGo lakes inv. 1 at chisaGo lakes Gc4/25 W.B. lake invite 12 at DellWooD hills Gc4/28 BRaineRD invite 9 at the PReseRve

4/29-30 at eDinBuRGh usa Gc 15/3 sec Meet 2 at RiveR oaks Gc5/7 Fl invite 3 at FoRest hills Gc5/9 sec Meet 1 at PRestWick Gc5/13-14 DetRoit lakes invite at DetRoit lakes cc5/16 sec Meet 2:30 at FoRest hills Gc5/19 sec Meet 9 at hiGhlanD national

5/23 Duluth east invite 8 at noRthlanD cc5/25 sec touRnaMent tBD at kelleR Gc5/30, 6/2 section touRnaMent 11, 9 (location tBD)5/14-16 state touRnaMent tBD at BunkeR hills Gc

Around the SeCRoseville senior Sam Mathew is the lowest-

scoring returner in the SEC other than FL’s Max Kelly.

Quick Hits• Nearly everyone back

from SEC-winning team

• Sophomore Kelly tied for eighth at state last spring

• Defending section champ Elk River looks tough again

Max Kelly

Deep squad poised for state return

File photosSenior captains Shane Sampair, above, and Drew Massey each have state tournament experi-ence. They lead a Ranger team deep in talent this spring.

1By The Numbers

Seniors out for the team this year

“We should be able to beat some teams and hopefully hang with some of the better teams.”– coach Joel hall

RangeR giRls golf• 2010 record: fourth in conference, third in section• Head coach: Joel Hall, sixth year• Assistant coach: Joe Mueller• Captain: senior Sami Moe• All-Conference returnees: Moe

GIRLS GOLF4/18 at tPc Blaine tBD

4/21 sec Meet 4:40 at PRestWick Gc4/25 sec Meet 2:45 at MiDlanD hills cc4/26 elk RiveR invite 11 at elk RiveR cc4/28 sec Meet 3 at hiGhlanD national Gc5/2 RanGeR invite 10 at FoRest hills Gc5/3 sec Meet 2:30 at noRth oaks Gc5/5 noRthFielD invite 2 at WillinGeRs cc5/9 sec Meet 12:30 at W.B. lake Yacht cluB

5/10 ReD WinG invite 1 at MississiPPi national Gc5/12 sec Meet tBD at RiveR oaks Gc5/16 sec Meet 3 at hastinGs cc5/19 sec Meet 4:45 at PRestWick Gc5/20-21 Duluth invite 1, 9 at RiDGevieW, noRthlanD 5/26 sec touRnaMent tBD at oak Glen

5/30, 6/2 section touRnaMent 11, 9 (location tBD)6/14-16 state touRnaMent tBD at BunkeR hills Gc

Around the SeCCassie Deeg and Hailey

Boner placed in the top 10 as sophomores to help Stillwater

take third at state last year.

Quick Hits• Longtime leaders gone as

team opens new era

• Plenty of competition for final varsity spots

• Home invite scheduled for Monday, May 2

It’s a whole new ball game for green teamFilming swings, practicing yoga,

putting in the hallway...the season was not 10 days old yet and Forest Lake girls’ golf coach Joel Hall was already digging deep to think of how to run a practice without the benefit of a course to play on.

The lingering effects of the harsh winter had the sixth-year head coach listing the benefits of moving the golf season to the fall.

“If we start it mid-August and have the state tournament first week in October, that would be fan-tastic,” he said. “We’ll have half the season done before school even starts. You wouldn’t have to miss school, it’d be great.”

But alas, there is a season to play this spring, muddy though it may be. This year, in particular, Hall could have used all the nice days he could get to sort out just what he has with a young roster.

Opponents may have trouble recognizing Forest Lake this spring without Betsy Kelly atop the score-card. The six-year varsity member, five-time state qualifier and 2009 state champion is now playing for the Colorado State Rams. Also gone is four-year varsity member Katie Nowicki.

“We graduated the biggest class we’ve ever graduated last year,” Hall said. “It’s tough to see Betsy go and Katie Nowicki go. They’ve been staples for a long time.”

The Rangers return four girls who saw significant varsity time and their development will dictate the team’s success.

Sami Moe enters her third varsity season as the team’s lone senior. She placed second on the team at the section meet last year.

“She can scramble well. She usu-ally does pretty well with the short-game stuff,” Hall said. “She just has that one blow-up hole and if she eliminates that and can rely on that consistency she does show, she’ll be in really good shape.”

Junior Katie Wick and sopho-

more Emily Proulx saw their scores count toward the team total often in 2010. Wick is strong physically and can hit the ball long.

“The first time I saw her swing a club in ninth grade, I looked at [assistant coach Joe] Mueller and said, ‘She’ll be all-conference hon-orable mention by the time she’s a junior.’ So this is her year,” Hall said.

Proulx is entering just her sec-ond varsity season, but she has a lot of playing experience and Hall considers her a “seasoned veteran” already.

“Those three have to be able to play day in and day out,” he said. “If they have a bad day, hopefully it can’t be that bad.”

Ninth-grader Maggie Jeans played extensively last spring and ninth-grader Rachel Skoglund just missed a varsity letter.

Among those who could fill out the lineup are sophomore Maddy Wohlberg and Katelin Krueger, who both have put in a lot of practice on their own.

Just 17 girls came out for the squad, as the coaches encouraged less experienced golfers to take pri-vate lessons. Last spring, the non-varsity and JV girls practiced on a developmental team.

“The girls that did it just didn’t get enough out of it and for the 200 bucks they’re spending on the activ-ity fee, they’d be better off spending that on private lessons or a mem-bership somewhere,” Hall said.

The varsity crew will have their hands full in the Suburban East Conference, as Stillwater could be a state contender and White Bear Lake returns three individual state competitors. In Section 7AAA, defending champ Grand Rapids will remain tough, and Elk River is on the rise.

“Realistically, I’m hoping for the top half [of the conference],” Hall said. “We should be able to beat some teams and hopefully hang with some of the better teams if we play well.”

File photosSenior Sami Moe earned all-conference honors a year ago and will be counted on for consistent scores, as she is surrounded by a young cast.

Spring Sports Preview

Documents