SPORTS WRAP
A pair of senior, first-year track athletes for Owatonna are not new to athletics. Logan Norrid and Ezra Oien see the opportunity to stay in shape for their college careers and be part of a team. Meanwhile, it gives coach Debby Gleason two Division-I athletes to work into the lineup. Norrid will swim for the University of Rhode Island. Oien heads east to play hockey at the University of Vermont.
Norrid acknowledged that running will be part of her workouts at college. “I thought it would be a good way to learn how to properly run and get into shape for some of the training to come. It’s definitely different than swimming, but still basic racing. I know how to do that. The coaches have been super helpful, considering I don’t know anything about the sport. All my teammates are great. It’s a different experience and it’s really fun,” said Norrid.
She’s anticipating the next phase of swimming. “I’m looking forward to competing at the next level. It’s a good way to build experience, and I get to train with a whole bunch of girls that are like-minded.” Norrid will swim the 100 and 200 butterfly and breaststroke.
Out for track again
Oien came out for track as a freshman, but that was the year affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. She competed in track in eighth grade and now gets to work with the same coaches again.“I had Joey and Debby [Gleason] as coaches when I ran middle school track, and I just really loved the style that they coached with. How they adapt to the diversity of the individual, whether you play hockey, soccer, or other sports. They really do what’s best for you.”
She enjoys being part of the team. “A lot of the girls I’ve already played with on different teams. It was a really easy decision. This group is so close, really like a family. I was really welcomed even though it was my first year joining as a senior which can sometimes be a little intimidating.”
Oien will begin prepping for hockey soon. “I’m going to start doing the workout stuff they give me on top of this. I’m giving myself the best opportunity for these next steps. I’m just really excited for the future.”
Debby Gleason indicates both will likely be sprinters. “Logan said all her swimming races are under two minutes. So, using the same energy systems on the track. Ezra is all about speed.” Gleason says their hard work in their other sports “definitely carries over to the track to see them working so hard to learn something new.”
More college athletes
The two are joined by other college-bound athletes, including Kiara Gentz (cross-country and track at Wisconsin-LaCrosse), Lauren Waypa (track at Northwestern College, Iowa), and Lauren Bangs (volleyball at Concordia-Moorhead).
Gentz’s love of running originates with her dad who was a track coach, but she also told the Owatonna Live Coaches Show more influential names in her career. “Tasheena Cooke – who was my distance coach in middle school track and who helps out with cross-country and high school track – she’s been there throughout the whole journey. She’s definitely an inspiration to me.”
“Distance-wise we’re very excited. We’ve got a lot of our varsity cross country team out, so we’re ready to continue on our success from the cross-country season,” said Gentz.
Waypa was on the 4x100 relay team that ran at state last year. Graduation claimed a few athletes from the squad, but she said, “I think that with the new people and the returners, we’ll just pick it right back up.”
She’s looking forward to the benefits of participating at the next level. “It’s a great way to make connections in college since it’s a totally new place for everybody.” She didn’t join track until seventh grade but is thrilled she did. “It’s one of my favorite things that I do.”
Kaitlyn Wasieleski leads a deep group of about 20 throwers as the only senior. “I think the throwers are a really unique group because we spend a lot of time together. It’s a lot of drilling, but by the end, we get to be really close. I feel very fortunate to be a part of this team.”
She’s a swimmer and was told by coaches, “You have a strong upper body. You should go out for throwing. It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”
Mayo football rivalry ends
Owatonna and Rochester Mayo frequently met in the section football finals. That will change with Mayo moving up to Class AAAAAA. It’s also unlikely they will play during the regular season, but districting and schedules won’t be completed until later this spring or summer. Owatonna is together with Century, John Marshall, Northfield, and newcomer New Prague for sections.
Blooming Prairie’s move back to Section 1A groups them with Bethlehem Academy, Fillmore Central, Goodhue, Hayfield, Kenyon-Wanamingo, Rushford-Peterson and Wabasha-Kellog for football. Medford and NRHEG remain in Section 2AA with Blue Earth, JWP, Maple River, St. Clair/Loyola, Triton and WEM.
Lakeville North out and in
Lakeville North, who won the girls’ hockey 1AA title this past season, moves out next winter. Mankato East and Austin come in. The Panthers remain in 1AA for boys’ hockey. Big Nine Conference champ Northfield moves up and New Prague comes in for the boys.
Lakeville North rejoins Owatonna’s section for baseball in 2024 after being out for a few years, including this season.
Swapping Raiders for Trojans
In quite a few sports, New Prague replaces Northfield in the section. The Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) has Owatonna’s enrollment at 1,244 for next school year. New Prague is at 1,255 and Northfield at 1,102. Section assignments for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years were released by the MSHSLlate last week.
Dance the Night Away
A veteran dance couple is holding a series of events and classes at Camp Pillsbury in Owatonna. You can dance the day away on the third Sunday of each month including April 16 from 2 to 5 p.m. Lynette and Brian Dawley have 30 years of experience with a full range of ballroom and country dances.
Camp Pillsbury Director Vonda White jumped at the chance to team up. “We’re really trying with our campus to start making it to where we can have activities that bring the community in and have things to do for people.”
White had the space and Lynette said, “We had floor and mirrors that we needed a home for and Vonda was very gracious enough to let us move in.”
Downstairs at the dining hall of Camp Pillsbury features much of the memorabilia from the Rock-and-Roll McDonalds in Owatonna, along with a professional dancing floor.
“You’ve got the wonderful décor,” Brian told Owatonna Live. “We’ve got a very good dance floor. It’s a floating dance floor that allows you to dance on very well with the right traction, feel and bounce. Mirrors on the wall expand the space but it also gives you a feeling of how you’re dancing at times. The sound system and everything is here and it’s a very nice, warm inviting place to come into.”
The Dawleys met in community dance and competed in country and ballroom dancing, including years of one-on-one lessons from top ballroom instructors. They also taught at Minnesota State University, Mankato. A typical third Sunday will start with a lesson followed by dancing. People can come as a couple or a single. It mainly targets adults, but all ages are welcome.
They also offer multi-session classes with the next being a Wedding Dance Sampler beginning Monday, May 1. More details are available on their Facebook Page, Bee Bop Club. They hope to involve youth or teens as an activity for that age group at some point.
A special event is planned for the day before Father’s Day, Saturday, June 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. White says, “The girls can wear a nice prom dress, or a semi-formal, or just a dress and then the dads can dress however they’re comfortable.”
Owatonna Live Play-by-Play Schedule
Thursday, April 13
OHS baseball vs. Rochester John Marshall, 5 p.m.
Medford baseball vs. USC, 5 p.m.
Monday, April 17
OHS girls’ lacrosse vs. Rochester Mayo, 7:15 p.m.
Tuesday, April 18
OHS softball vs. Faribault, 5 p.m.