SPORTS WRAP
Senior night for Owatonna wrestling afforded the chance to salute Cael Robb and Mason Blum, plus managers Kamryn Fitcher, Skylar Krenzelok, Grace Nirk, and Katlyn Schubert.
Robb’s 11-second pin was the quickest match of the evening while Kaden Keller’s pin at heavyweight may have been the most inspirational. The freshman was in driver’s education Thursday afternoon when junior varsity coach Josh Woodrich came into class and asked, “Can we borrow Kaden Keller for weigh-ins at 4:30? He’s wrestling varsity.”
Head coach Derek Johnson had a hole in the lineup due to an illness. He assumed Keller was at an off-site location but was told, “Actually he’s down in B-Plaza right now in Mr. Buryska’s class… Oh my gosh, go get him. Let’s have him weigh in quick. Then he can go back to it. He was sitting through driver’s ed training with his singlet on and his warm-up over the top of it.”
Keller was taken by surprise. “I was so shocked I couldn’t believe it… So, it’s going to be a great night tonight.” He was a little disappointed to learn Chatfield didn’t weigh in a heavyweight, “So, it’s just going to be a forfeit. I was just filling in.”
Chatfield adjusted late in the dual and bumped their 220-pounder to heavyweight. “A match is a match. I was so excited for it,” said Keller. The freshman only realized he would have an opponent a few minutes before hitting the mat. “I think it was better for me. I was nervous at the start of it. But was like, ‘It’s going to be great.’”
Johnson says Keller handled the twist well. “For Kaden to do what he did, let it all fly, and get the pin was pretty incredible.”
Keller started in the down position to begin the third period. As his opponent attempted to flatten him, Keller went to a tripod. “I rolled him. He rolled all the way over top of me, and ended up with me rolling back on top of him. He just laid there flat and that’s how I [stuck] him.”
“It was awesome. It couldn’t have gone better. I was so happy at the end. Seeing the crowd and hearing all the screams.” In fact, Keller said he could even hear his parents. “I heard both of them on the mat from the stands, just yelling and yelling. It made me so happy.”
Johnson said, “We know what he’s capable of. We’ve seen his progress. He’s a great story.”
SECTION WRESTLING
The No. 4 seed Huskies open the Section 1AAA team tournament against No. 5 Rochester Century on Thursday, Feb. 16 at Rochester Mayo High School at 6 p.m. The winner faces the top-seeded Spartans at around 7 p.m. The section final is Saturday, Feb. 18 at the Mayo Civic Center at 2 p.m.
Mayo got the top seed despite a 37-33 loss to Owatonna. Johnson likes the match-up if the Huskies beat the Panthers. “Both teams are getting back a couple of guys to their line-up. Back then we didn’t have Trey Hiatt or Ethan Schubert and had some guys under the weather too. That’s kind of the match-up we wanted. No matter what the seeding was, we wanted to be able to make the finals through Rochester Mayo.”
NOBLE VISITS HER HOMETOWN RINK
Holly Noble has stepped away from hockey a couple of times, but keeps going back. The 2004 Owatonna High School graduate played hockey and tennis at the University of St. Thomas but left hockey to study abroad. She later took up a coaching position at the Academy of Holy Angels. As she was leaving that post, she was invited to join the Lakeville South’s girls staff. The Cougars came to Owatonna for a game in January.
It was her first visit to Four Seasons Centre in a few years. “The benches were still on the other side. I think that’s a huge shift and a really good addition. You can see more. It looks really nice. It’s a great arena.”
She recalls plenty of success there. “Four years in a row we went to a section final game against Lakeville. And every other year we swapped who got to go to state. What I really remember about those games is that it would be packed in here. You couldn’t find space along the boards. The stands were packed. The vibe in here and the intensity of those games was palpable.”
“I wish that I lived in a smaller town sometimes because the community surrounding sports is so different than in the cities. Coaching at Holy Angels was hard because you’re just a school in a city and you got your kids coming from all over the board. That dynamic is very different than what it felt like growing up here.” She says there is a sense of community with the Lakeville program.
WOMEN COACHING GIRLS
Noble was invited to join the South staff by Joel Tornell, who was assistant to Tim Hunst during Noble’s playing days. South was looking for a female coach. “I think it’s invaluable, honestly. For a number of different reasons. The ability to connect with players female-to-female is huge. To understand and see somebody who’s gone and done the things before you. That to me is exponentially more powerful because you can see yourself in the eyes of the player,” said Noble. Plus, she laughs, “Women just get girls.”
Noble also works for the Minnesota Voyager Outward Bound School. “We use the wilderness as a tool for personal growth and change as well. It’s a great program. I wish I would have found it when I was a kid, honestly.”
OHS GIRLS DROP GAME TO WINONA
Turnovers and foul trouble plagued the Owatonna girls’ basketball team Friday night, falling to Winona 66-58 in a game seen on OwatonnaLive.com. The Winhawks had five players in double figures. OHS was led by Ava Olson’s 18 points while Lexi Klecker added 13. Three Huskies fouled out. Owatonna is at Faribault Friday and has its final two home games next week.
TIGERS’ TALL TASK
Medford’s boys basketball started the season with a limited roster. That took a hit when senior Casey Chambers suffered an early-season knee injury that has forced him to become a pseudo-coach. “The biggest thing probably is just trying to get them as excited as I am to be there. I obviously can’t play, but it’s a lot of fun to spend time with them and watch them during practices,” he told the Owatonna Live Coaches Show.
He has enjoyed watching players mature. “Josh Bluhm has increased his defensive skill set by a lot this year. I try to give tips on anything that I can to everyone that’s playing. Being a viewer from the sidelines, I can see a lot more than what they’re seeing on the court.” Chambers believes he can be back on a baseball field by fall and hopes to play in college.
Seniors Austin Erickson and Connor Jones have carried the scoring load. Erickson has faith that others can step up. “They have the potential to score. It’s just we need to work more as a team to get everybody hyped up.” He likes the chemistry of playing with his fellow seniors while bringing along the younger players. Erickson runs cross country and track.
Jones adds, “It’s tough with as few guys as we have.” Jones can have a hot hand from three-point land on any given night. But he can’t force it. “Definitely not thinking about it. That’s the big thing. Just kind of doing it.” Jones enjoys the intensity of preparing for baseball season. He’ll welcome the warmer weather and roaming centerfield, “I look forward to catching pop flies and hanging with the boys.”
Landon Driscoll is making the most of his senior season. “I just really like playing with these guys. It’s a lot of fun. I like going out there and playing hard with my friends.” He’s considering getting back on the baseball diamond for his senior season. He loves being a fan on a night off as well. “Any sport I can really get to. We’re out there supporting.”
The Tigers dropped back-to-back games last week. Bethlehem Academy pulled away in the second half 71-50 on Thursday. Erickson led Medford with 17 points but was limited by foul trouble. Carter Bilitz played valuable minutes in his place and scored eight points.
The next night, Kenyon-Wanamingo prevailed 82-45 after building an early lead. The Knights held Jones scoreless in the first half, but he ended with 11 poitns. Erickson led the team with 19 and Bluhm had six.
OWATONNA LIVE SCHEDULE
Thursday, Feb. 16
OHS wrestling, section tournament
Friday, Feb. 17
Medford boys’ basketball vs. USC, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 18
OHS boys’ hockey vs. Austin, 1 p.m.
OHS boys’ basketball vs. Faribault, 7:30 p.m.
Monday, Feb. 20
Medford boys’ basketball vs. Blue Earth Area, 7:15 p.m.