By Matt Krumrie
MaxPreps.com
It’s been an especially cold spring (or extended winter depending on how you look at it) in Minnesota this year. According to research by the Star Tribune, there have been 722 event postponements or cancellations already this spring.
However, the action is starting to heat up across the state.
Here is a look at some recent highlights, players and teams to watch, and news and notes:
Baseball
Teams to Watch: Cretin-Derham Hall, Eden Prairie, Chaska, Hastings, Southland, Forest Lake, Tartan, Coon Rapids.
Who to Watch: Jacob Esch, Cretin-Derham Hall – Esch did it all last season, hitting .495 with six home runs and 45 RBI and going 6-0 on the mound for the AAA state champs. He has signed with Georgia Tech; Brad Hand, Chaska – a lefty with a 90 MPH fastball? No wonder he has signed with Arizona State. Struck out 71 in 42 innings last year. Cody Retterath, Southland High - batted .507 and had a 6-1 record as junior last year. Joe Loftus, Holy Angels – Vanderbilt recruit has 22 career home runs entering senior season. Alex LaShomb, Simley – at 6-3, 230 pounds major league scouts are taking a look at the junior. With two home runs early he has shown signs of power for 4-1 Spartans.
Boys Tennis
Teams to Watch: Edina, Mounds View, Henry Sibley, St. Paul Academy
Players to Watch: Wyatt McCoy, Mounds View – won last year’s big school state individual title as eighth-grader. Paul Swanson, Blaine – lost to McCoy in state finals last year. John Wright, St. Paul Academy – 2007 Class A runner-up is top returnee in this class.
Boys Golf
A number of top golfers from last year have graduated, and there is room for newcomers to move in and make a name for themselves. Among the top teams are Forest Lake, Virginia, Lakeville North, Edina and Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
Who to Watch: Casey Brider, Virginia – the defending class A state champ; Josh Bruder, Lakeville North – tied for third last year in 2A and is top returning golfer
Girls Golf
How good was the Minnewaska Area High girls golf team last year? They won the 1A state title by 47 strokes over runner-up St. Cloud Cathedral. With five top golfers back – all who finished in the top 25 in the individual state tournament – it will be interesting to see if they can improve on last year’s dominance.
Who to Watch: Lizzy Carl, Henry Sibley – Rutgers recruit was second in big school state tournament last year; Betsy Kelly, finished right behind Carl in third-place at 2A states last year – as a freshman; Burnsville – defending champs return five key golfers from last year’s team.
Girls Lacrosse
Four-time defending state girls champion Eden Prairie, behind five goals from Caz-Marie Norwich, opened the season with a 16-0 win over Chaska in their season opener. Others to watch: Blake, Armstrong, Kennedy, Edina.
Boys Lacrosse
Blake, the 2007 state champions, is ranked No. 22 in the nation in the STX-Westside Lacrosse preseason national poll. Blake’s Jordan Seivold has committed to the Naval Academy. Others to watch: Eden Prairie, Edina, Eastview, Benilde-St. Margaret’s.
Softball
Teams to Watch: Eagan, Park (Cottage Grove), Woodbury, Bloomington Jefferson
Who to Watch: Sarah Moulton, Eagan – went 17-3 last season with 0.28 ERA and 228 strikeouts. Tossed no-hitter in 8-0 win over Lakeville South Tuesday, and has struck out 26 in two games. Jackie Dooley, Como Park – sparkplug hit .411 and stole 26 bases for St. Paul City champs. Rose Tusa, St. Anthony – Tusa tossed a perfect game Wednesday in a 4-0 win over Brooklyn Center, retiring all 21 batters and striking out 14 in the win; Melissa Lenzi, Tartan – had five stolen bases in one week.
Boys Track and Field
Teams to Watch: Mounds View (defending state champions), Apple Valley, Cooper, Hopkins, St. Croix Lutheran, Breckenridge/Campbell-Tintah, Fridley, Glencoe-Silver Lake, Mankato East, Moorhead
Who to Watch: Derek Jerde, Chaska – defending Class AA high jump champ (6 feet 8 inches) looking for more; Zach Mellon, Buffalo – two-time defending state champ in 800. Won last years with a time of 1:52.66.
Girls Track and Field
Teams to Watch: Wayzata (defending state champ), Lakeville North, Mounds View, Hopkins, Robbinsdale Armstrong, Mankato East, Sartell, Pipestone, Esko, Blue Earth.
Who to Watch: Sade Pollard, Harding – best athlete in state? Has won five class AA state titles in past two years and is defending champ in 200 and 400; Megan Cayen, Watertown-Mayer – defending Class A champ in 1A.
Inside the Numbers
400 – Career wins Shakopee High coach Neil Johnson totaled after a 3-0 win over Farmington last week. Johnson has coached at the southwest metro school for 33 years.
36 – Nine-hole total of John Brooks of Benilde-St. Margaret’s and Dan Schmidt of Totino-Grace, who tied for medalist honors at the North Suburban meet at Victory Links Wednesday. BSM won the event with a team score of 147.
15 – Strikeouts for Burnsville’s Kelsey Anderson in a 1-0 win over Bloomington Kennedy Wednesday.
14 – Seniors that graduated from Cretin-Derham Hall’s 2007 state title team.
5 – RBI Andy Ross of Hastings had in the Raiders (3-1) 10-4 win over Roseville Wednesday.
