SPORTS WRAP

After more than 30 years leading the Owatonna High School boys’ cross-country team, Dave Chatelaine is handing the reigns over to a younger generation, “There are two younger guys that are full of energy and fired up. Looks like they are ready to take over.”

Luke Holt, assistant for the last five years and an elementary physical education teacher in the district, will be the head coach. Jacob Jensen, a 2013 OHS grad, will assist. Holt also takes over working with the distance runners during the track season.

Chatelaine started in town about 35 years ago and worked with legendary coach Ev Berg. Then budget cuts led to a layoff for a couple of years while Lonnie Nelson and John Kuehn coached. In 1991 he took over as head coach, “One of the best things that I get out of coaching is just seeing these young guys develop into young men, seeing their friendships develop and carry on long after they leave high school.”

He believes he instilled a commitment to discipline and being in good physical shape among the athletes, and some nutritional attitudes that Dr. Brian Bunkers helped share, “I think a lot of these guys have second thoughts about drinking pop too. That was kind of an unwritten team rule that we had, don’t drink pop during the season because that will have negative effects on your running.”

OHS reached the state meet ten times as a team during his tenure with five top-five finishes including a third-place showing in 1999. Many individuals have run at state over the years.

He thanks his assistant coaches over time Kristi Hansen, Sam Hager, Jacob Bastyr, and Holt. Jim Herzog hired Chatelaine. He and subsequent Activities Directors Gary Ridge, Jeff Dahline, Ryan Swanson, and Marc Achterkirch provided support. Kids First coaches were instrumental to the program’s success, including Van Swank, Joanna Egbert, John Dickerman, Kelly Pirkl, Hanna Bremler, Lisa Thorson, Eric Brekke, Cameron Peterson, and Jacob Jensen. Chatelaine appreciates the contributions from volunteers Bunkers and Ryan Emanuelson. “It’s not just one person. It’s a whole team effort.”

Chatelaine will still manage home meets and looks to organize some off-season Nordic skiing, “That’s a really good activity to work on conditioning in the off-season.” A former Golden Gopher and accomplished runner himself, Chatelaine is limited due to an injury but still bikes, skis, and walks his dog. With the new free time, he may accompany his wife on work trips.

READY TO RUN

Holt is excited about the opportunity, “I’m ready to step in and step up and take over the program. Use some of the things he taught me. Use some of the things that I have in my knowledge to make it my own program. And really continue to run a great program for Owatonna.”

Chatelaine’s contributions are many, but Holt singles out a couple, “Building a strong community based off a foundation of bringing all the runners together as a family. Each runner takes a unique and meaningful relationship to help them advance to what they want it to be and what levels they want to compete at,” adding that “helping teams be successful isn’t always dependent upon the level of athlete that he has, but more about how he can get the best out of every athlete.”

Holt developed a passion for running early with his parents as his coaches, “I took a lot from them, and I’ve been running competitively since seventh grade, and I still do it to this day. So, I’ve stayed up to date with a lot of different, new strategies, techniques, and practices. What’s working. In the running community, as a whole, it’s continuing to progress to get faster and faster.”

OHS Activities Director Marc Achterkirch says, “Coach Holt’s knowledge, experience, and enthusiasm will continue the high level of excellence that has been established in our boys’ cross-country program. He has an excellent rapport with the student-athletes and is an incredible role model and mentor for our athletes.” Holt was named Section 1AA Assistant Coach of the Year in 2021.

DEBUT DAVIS DUALS

A new event for the Owatonna High School wrestling team will bring a throwback feel to the gym on Wednesday, December 28 with the debut of the Davis Duals to recognize longtime OHS coach Scot Davis. A reunion of coaches and supporters is planned.

Davis says the list of confirmed guests includes Jim Herzog, Todd Hale, Bob Phillips, Les Plumley, Jeff Becker, Doyle Johnson, Keith Stark, Delles Solie, Pat Paquin, Rick Paquin, Matt Paquin, Gary Crawford, Larry Hovden, Steve LaCount, Dan Johnson, Toby Erler, Launie Sorenson, Justin Sorenson, Scott Sorenson, and Derek Skala.

Davis appreciates the chance to keep connected with Owatonna wrestling, “I enjoy that. Because there were so many good people that helped with our program.” Davis coached at OHS from 1986 – 2011, leading the Indians and Huskies to 886 wins, ten section titles, and state championships in 1998 and 2005.

Two-time state individual champ and member of the ’98 team Derek Johnson is in his second year as head coach, “To be able to honor a guy who lived and breathed it in this program for 30 years. The community outpouring we’ve seen for it, and RSVPing of all these people attending. I know he’s really excited. We’re all really excited to see a lot of familiar faces in the stands.”

OLD SCHOOL SCHEDULE

The wrestling schedule is a bit more focused on duals this season, as it was during Davis’s time, “The feedback we get from the kids, as well as a lot of the parents, is bring back the dual,” says Johnson. “Those dual environments, it just brings the team together. It unifies. We’re not spread out across eight mats.”

Johnson hopes to continue to use the spotlight for featured duals at the new high school. The larger gym will also allow the opportunity to host bigger team events, including a bigger field for future Davis Duals. He hopes to be able to organize a girls-only tournament and be on the leading edge of that movement. 2022 OHS grad Rian Grunwald won a state title at the first MSHSL-sanctioned girls’ tournament last winter. Current sophomore Isabelle Townley placed third.

WELCOME TO THE DUNGEON

The move to the new high school will lead to a wrestling room with fewer obstacles Johnson points out, “It’s going to be a little bit conventional, standard rectangle. We won’t have the load-bearing pillars…As big as square footage as this current room is, you can tell there’s kind of some dead areas behind the pillars where you just can’t really operate anyway. And it’s going to have a dungeon feel to it which is very familiar in the wrestling community.”

SWIMMERS TOP FALCONS

OHS boys’ swimming led from start to finish to beat Faribault 94-79 on Dec. 15. Matthew Larson won four events including 50 and 100 free and as a member of the 200 medley and 200 free relays. Cole Piepho and Henry Hilgendorf led diving. Carter Quam won the 100 butterfly and Ryan Peterson took the 200 free.

NEW LOOK BASKETBALL

Owatonna girls’ basketball lost 52-39 at Farmington on Dec. 15. The Huskies were within four at halftime and pulled within one in the second half before the Tigers went on a run. It was Owatonna’s first game with the shot clock this season. That kept the pace up-tempo with just a couple of 35-second violations. OHS struggled shooting and got outrebounded. Huskies’ post player Lexie Klecker was out with an injury. Carsyn Brady scored ten points. Maryn Pool and Morgan Fisher each added eight.

After graduating ten players off last season’s roster, the girls will spend the early part of the season learning their identity. Senior Anni Moran told the Owatonna Live Coaches Show, “It’s going to be a challenge to figure out how the team works together. But I think that we have a lot of talent and that as the season goes on, we’re just going to keep getting better.”

The legacy of last year’s seniors carries over according to senior Natalie Krumholz, “They helped us in practices get better and played hard defense.” She knows there will be an adjustment period getting used to varsity play, “I think the pace. Varsity basketball is a lot faster the JV. The competitors are a lot stronger.”

Senior Kiara Gentz likes the Huskies’ quickness, “One of our biggest strengths right now is our speed and our defense. If we’re able to press them and get them scrambling, and then pass the ball up the court fast and run on them, then we’ll be able to get a lot of turnovers 

OWATONNA LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY

Thursday, December 22
OHS boys’ hockey vs Rochester Century, 7 PM

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