SPORTS WRAP
Pads were popping and footballs flying. A highlight video of the Owatonna High School football season was presented by Gary Walter at Sunday’s banquet. The Huskies went 5-5 this fall and were section runner-up. By the end of the night a few tears were shed by the announcement that longtime assistant coaches Kevin Stelter and Doug Wanous are stepping down. Between the two they have more than 60 years of experience on the OHS staff.
In a vote by their teammates Justin Gleason was honored as the Most Valuable Player and Mikah Elstad as the Lineman of the Year. Gleason was second on the team with 11 receptions for 229 yards and a touchdown. He was second on the team in defensive points. Elstad started both ways on the line, had 29 tackles, and blocked a kick.
In a coaches’ vote, Peter Swehla landed the Champion of the Year Award, Drew Henson was named Special Teams Player of the Year, Conner Grems was presented Offensive Player of the Year recognition, and Drew Kretlow earned the top defensive player award. Henson, who recently committed to play college football at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, converted four-of-six field goal attempts and 25-of-26 extra point tries. He also punted and appeared in the high school all-star showcase. Grems rushed for 909 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kretlow led the team in defensive points.
Gleason, Grems, Kretlow, Collin Vick, and Owen Beyer were named All-District in the Big Southeast. Henson, Elstad, Ethan Anderson, and Mitch Seykora earned Honorable Mention. Big Nine Scholar athletes are Elstad, Gleason, Kretlow, Coda Richardson, Dawson Risser, Ty Svenby, Vick, and Ayden Walter. The team named captains for the next season as Beyer, Torrin Smith, Jacob Ginskey, and Seykora.
Up and down season
Junior quarterback Jacob Ginskey’s season was a bit epitomized by the opening game against Rochester Mayo. He had great stats but suffered an ankle injury. His season ended with a frightening play that gave him a concussion against that same Mayo team in the section final.
“I think it was just a growing season. It was a lot of setbacks and things that happened this season. But that happens and you gotta learn from it and grow from it,” Ginskey told the Owatonna Live Coaches Show.
He remembers the play that forced him out of the game. “I do. I lost some consciousness, but I do remember the play and what happened,” Ginskey said, adding the Mayo quarterback talked to him after the season-opening game and reached out after the section final, wishing him a good recovery and saying they’ll see each other next season.
New football field
Before the ball is teed-up next fall at the new Owatonna High School, there are plenty of logistics to figure out, even which direction the team must turn to get to the field.
Coach Jeff Williams says, “I open file cabinet doors and it’s like, that’s got to go, that’s got to go. We’re going to have to purge and pitch so much stuff. We’ve got old equipment in the shed that needs to go. I’ve got practice plans back to 1996 that need to go. It’s going to be a long process to put ourselves into a position to make that move and that’s probably my biggest focus right now.
“Are we going to have team camp at the new high school…Are we going to have Huskies’ Camp at the new high school? We don’t know because we don’t know when it’s all going to be available. So, it’s going to be a summer in flux of just having to be very, very flexible.
“Now as far as actually going out there underneath the lights, I don’t think any of us knows what that’s even going to look like. And I think I’m still in a little bit of denial that we’re not going back out on that stadium that we’ve been on forever.
“It’s going to be a new and interesting experience, even to the point of when we come out of the locker room, are we going to take a right and go south and then enter the field or are we going to take a left and go north and enter the field?”
First of many firsts
First varsity start. First varsity game-winning, overtime goal. On a team that graduated 19 from last season’s roster, the Owatonna High School boys’ hockey team will experience many ‘firsts’ this season. That was evident in the season-opening 2-1 win over Mankato East. Senior Porter Kuchenbecker made his varsity debut in goal and got the win. Junior Brody Goodnature put the Huskies on the board with his first varsity tally. Sophomore Andrew Mitchell netted the game winner in overtime for this first varsity marker.
The next game junior goalie Brennan Sletten got his first varsity shutout in a 4-0 win at Faribault. Jack Strom and Thomas Herzog each notched their first varsity goal. Joseph Webster (4 goals, 3 assists in 2021-22) and Mitchell also scored.
Captain Benny Bangs offered this advice to the new varsity players on the Owatonna Live Coaches Show: “The little things and the hard work that you put in really pay off more than just pure skill. That’s something I’ve learned from former captains and older players.”
Bangs added, “We’ve heard a lot this year [from the coaches] about blocking shots and sealing walls, making sure they can’t throw the puck up the wall and also finishing all the hits.”
Youth hockey night
The OHS girls hosted a youth hockey night after their game against Dodge County Dec. 8. Senior Mady Simon reflected, “I always remember being in U-10 and we would come out and skate with the varsity team and get to sit in their locker room and it was so cool. You always looked up to the older girls and thought I want to be that someday.”
Coach Tony Cloud knows the varsity players have an impact. “It’s a nice way for us to have all of our youth players come out and see our high school program and see what they’re working on getting toward. It’s great for us to have a crowd and have some young excitement in the building.”
Alumni hockey games
The annual alumni games featuring former Owatonna High School girls’ and boys’ players is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 23 at the Four Seasons Centre.
First of many lasts
Everyday something is happening for the last time at the current OHS. The final holiday concert in the auditorium was recently held. And it was spectacular. Simon plays a violin in the symphony orchestra. That group teamed up with the concert choir for a very powerful piece. “It actually happened only a week before the concert when we decided to do it. All of the music was handwritten, so it was kind of complex. But it was fun being able to incorporate all the music aspects.”
If you missed the holiday concert, or even if you saw it and want to experience it again, the event is archived on OwatonnaLive.com.
Wrestlers open
The Huskies held their home-opening tri and swept Austin 57-18 and Rochester Century 57-20. Owatonna pulled away early from the Packers with five straight pins from Justin Gronli, Donoven Sorenson, Lane Karsten, Trey Hiatt, and Ethan Schubert. OHS benefitted from five forfeits in the dual against the Panthers. Through five meets, Karsten is 5-0, Kaden Lindquist is 5-0, and Cael Robb is 4-0.
Medford girls basketball
The Medford girls’ basketball team opened their home schedule winning 57-49 over JWP Dec. 6 as seen on Owatonna Live. Andrea Bock scored 33 points. The Bulldogs led for much of the first half, but the Tigers had an 8-0 run in the second half to gain the lead for good.
The week ended with a 75-20 loss to No. 8 Hayfield. Medford was under siege from the start as the Vikings scored the first 20 points of the game. Hayfield’s Natalie Beaver scored a quick 10 points to reach 1,000 for her career.
Swimmers dive into season
The Huskies’ boys’ swimming squad dropped their season opener to Rochester Mayo at the middle school. Some notable finishes included Carter Quam 23.25 in the 50 free, the 200-medley relay of David Rhodes, Ryan Peterson, Matthew Larson, and Quam at 1:45.36, and Larson with a 5:33.91 in the 500 free. OHS divers Cole Piepho and Henry Hilgendorf took the top two spots. (The last two reports are from Owatonna Live’s Brad Betterman.)
Owatonna Live
Thursday
OHS boys’ swim/dive vs. Faribault, 6:30 p.m.
Friday
OHS boys’ hockey vs. Spring Lake Park, 7 p.m.
OHS boys’ basketball vs. Austin, 7:30 p.m.
Medford boys’ basketball vs. Blooming Prairie, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday
OHS boys’ hockey vs. Osseo, 1 p.m.