SPORTS WRAP
Habits earned early can pay dividends later. That seems to be an impact of Charlie Wallace, the longtime fifth and sixth grade football in Blooming Prairie. For 24 years he’s been making football fun while teaching great concepts. Now he’s stepping down and was honored before the regular season finale on Oct. 19.
“I coach because I love football and I love kids,” said Wallace, who started when his son played in sixth grade. “I was gonna be that dad that just helped when his son was there. And then I get roped into helping John Stenzel.”
After a couple of years Stenzel had a job change, and Wallace took the leadership role. “Treat ‘em like humans and be a human yourself no matter what.”
Blossom varsity head coach Chad Gimbel, in his 26th season, said, “Number one, just consistency. Having an elementary football coach year and year that does things right, has really built and created the foundation for our program… He doesn’t worry about the wins or losses at this grade level. He makes sure the kids have fun. I’ve had three kids go through the program and they have loved it.”
Wallace said, “The plays that I started using back when I first started, I was using them up until I retired. They’re the same plays. I never changed them.” He avoided featuring any particular player at that age. “He’s fast in fifth and sixth grade but what’s going to happen when he’s a senior. I’ve had so many kids that came through, they just blew me away. You see them do one thing in fifth and sixth grade, but ‘Boy,’ when they’re seniors, ‘Wow,’ did not see that coming.”
Gimbel appreciates that approach.
“He makes sure everybody carries the ball. He makes sure he runs the ball up through the middle. He makes sure that everybody sees the importance of blocking,” Gimbel said.
Wallace says he did his own thing without guidance from the varsity level and defers any credit for the long run of success at the high school level. “That was all Chad’s game. He is the mastermind of that… Chad raised the bar for Blooming. I just tried to keep it there.”
Wallace will miss the practice times the most. “That’s when the kids were the kids. They were themselves. God love teachers because what they’ve got to put up with,” he added with a chuckle. He thanks Greg Nirk who assisted for many years and whose son Dylan was the center on the state championship team in 2019. Wallace also appreciates his wife Mary’s patience over the time.
Seniors reflect
Blooming Prairie senior Cade Christianson didn’t hesitate when asked for his first football memory on the Owatonna Live Coaches Show. “Leg lifts in fifth and sixth grade football. We would do leg lifts for like two minutes straight. It was not that fun,” he said with a slight laugh.
Gimbel is even a little jealous. “He teaches them discipline, and I don’t know how, but those kids do not jump on ‘two’ and ‘three’…I give him kudos for that,” and deduces, “He makes them do leg raises every time they jump.”
BP sophomore Brady Kittelson stated, “[Wallace is] a great coach. He’s made a huge impact on all of us throughout our career. He’s part of the reason why we are such a great football team.”
Sportsmanship always in season
Deep into the fourth quarter of the section quarterfinal football game between Blooming Prairie and Medford, wide receiver Bo Zwiener went to the ground after a pass pattern with leg cramps. Tiger defensive back Jesse Ortiz jumped to the rescue and helped stretch out Zwiener’s leg while BP trainers made their way across the field. Another Medford player grabbed a water bottle and offered it to Zwiener. Owatonna Live announcers Jason Iacovino and Brennen Toquam did a nice job of acknowledging the gesture. Throughout the game I saw players help their opponents back to their feet many times.
Blossom Royalty
On a side note, Christianson reigned as Homecoming King at BP. His time at school is limited due to being in the PSEO program. “When I did come to school, it was kind of cool to see all the decorations and all that. And then when we went around town to go to the nursing home and the elementary school, it was cool to see everyone’s faces and see how the town reacted.”
Homecoming Queen and cross-country runner Abby Smith said, “It was exciting. It’s just fun to see everybody and it made it a good year.” In her six-year running career she’s learned to roll with the punches. “You win some you lose some. You’ve just got to use those bad runs to just make yourself better is how you can learn from it.”
Saluting soccer’s seniors
Owatonna’s girls’ soccer seniors had a memorable season, winning 10 games and giving Lakeville North a great battle in the playoffs. Senior captain Abby Vetsch stated, “I would just say the relationships that I have developed through hockey and soccer is unmatchable. Ezra (Oien) and I, our freshman year, we were the two youngest on the team. And even our sophomore year, we were still the babies of the team. So being able to walk through those steps with her is something that not a lot of people can say they’ve done.”
Oien said many of her soccer teammates had a busy summer heading into the fall season, “All of us are staying busy. None of us are ever really having this free time, which I think just ultimately prepares us” for more than just soccer.
Ava Stanchine moved to town and was new to the team, yet still earned a spot as a captain, “Everyone welcomed me with open arms. Everyone’s really accepting and asked if I every needed anything. They invited me to do stuff. It was really nice.”
Molly Achterkirch was a junior captain this fall. She says the seniors’ work ethic and grit will be missed, “The senior class really pushed each other to be the best that they could and pushed everyone to their goals.” She appreciates that they took her under their collective wing.
Coach Nate Gendron expressed how proud he was of this team in an Owatonna Live Coaches Show appearance, especially after a rough start, “They fact that they were able to regroup, refocus and really push forward. Our motto this year has been onward and upward.”
Other seniors on the roster included CJ Frear-Boerner, Lily Highfield, Macy Stanton, Emily Schmidt, Avery Routh, Lauren Waypa, Mckenna DuFrene, Sarah Snitker, Kate Havelka and managers Madelyn Simon and Paiton Glynn.
Bunton puts on a show
“I guess I grinded a little harder than normal,” commented Steele County Blades forward Joey Bunton after a four-point game at the Midwest Showcase in Blaine on Friday. He had just turned in a two-goal, two-assist performance to power the Blades to a 6-1 win over East Division-leading Chicago.
“I think our energy level was much better before the game, after the game, during the game” he exclaimed, adding, “I think I was just upset with how the week’s been going” after a loss to a last-place team the day before.
Bunton and his linemates were hopping happy after his second goal. “The guy didn’t tie me up. I walked right by him; the puck was sitting on a tee for me.” He just missed out on a hat trick. “I had the empty net one down there, was really hoping that one would go in.” He earned a few extra shifts late as the team worked hard to get him a third goal. Bunton says the team is a close-knit group.
In the big picture, the third-year junior hockey veteran said, “I think this is going to change the whole season around. So, I think it’s all good.” Bunton, an assistant captain, and photographer for the Steele County Times, hopes to play college hockey. “I might not be the most skilled guy. But I’ll definitely work my butt off no matter what. Don’t care if we’re down or up, I’ll try to make sure I get in front of that shot or get in those corners.”
Bunton scored the first goal on Sunday as the Blades beat Battle Creek, Mich. to end the showcase event 2-2. Steele County’s next home game is Friday at 7 p.m. at Four Seasons in Owatonna.
Curling Open House
The Owatonna Curling Club hosts an open house on Saturday. It is open to anyone interested in learning more about the sport from 1 to 4 p.m. The curling club is right next to the Four Seasons Centre on the Steele County Fairgrounds.
Curling enthusiast and Owatonna Live announcer Brad Betterman says, “Curling is a great sport that promotes teamwork as well as camaraderie between the teams and leagues. The club atmosphere is a good blend of competition and fun.”
Owatonna Live Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 5: Owatonna football at Rochester Mayo, 7 p.m. (simulcast on 100.9 KOWZ)