Sports from the week of November 19, 2003

Volleyball team wraps up season with awards

The Panther volleyball team held its annual banquet Monday night at the high school cafeteria.

In her remarks, Coach Katie Gervais recalled the Panthers had 29 matches in 57 days en route to their 15-14 season record.

"We did not reach all of our goals this year, three teams (the state champions in the 3 classes) out of 432 failed to have some disappointments."

Gervais commented that some of the Panther goals were met, such as: 1) improving the season record from 9-17 last year to 15-14 this season; 2) improved tournament performance (advanced one more round in sub-section); 3) Beat RCW at Renville (and looked good in the process); 4) won the conference championship (3-4 conference record last year to 6-1 record this season).

"Our conference is very strong in volleyball," stated Gervais. "In nine out of the last 10 years we have been represented in the finals of the state tournament."

Laura Lanoue, Kasey Loeslie and Tessa Nelson were chosen as team captains.

Tessa Nelson, Kasey Loeslie and Krysta Tholen were chosen to the 212 All Conference team with Nelson being named the conference "Most Valuable Player." Tessa Nelson was also cited for having been selected to the coaches' association class AA All-State team.

The Panthers lose two of the team members, Jadeen Schultz and Kasey Loeslie, to graduation this season. Coach Gervais said, "Jadeen Schultz blew out her ACL after transferring to T/M/B and has been hampered by it since. However she goes full bore all the time and is our 'silent contributor'."

While describing Kasey Loeslie Coach Gervais said," Kasey has developed into an excellent server and has great perseverance. She is a team leader and a coach on the floor."

Haberman looking forward to season of expanded duties

Richard "Ric" Haberman has stepped up from the Panther girls' basketball B-squad coach to become the co-head coach, with Paul Soupir, for the varsity this season.

"We work really well together," said Haberman. "It will be a case of sharing the duties. I am looking forward to it. We have good numbers in the sophomore class and we have some talent coming back in the junior and senior classes."

Haberman, who went to high school at Heron Lake-Okabena-Lakefield, graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall and worked his first job as junior varsity coach at Marshall High School during the school year 1992-93. He became the Windom B-squad coach in 1993-94 and then the head girls' basketball coach at Fulda from 1994-2001. Haberman started coaching in Tracy as the girls B-squad coach last season. In his playing career, Haberman was a guard and he has spent most of his time working with the Panther back court players.

The girls started practicing Monday for the up-coming season and will be trying to improve on last season's 8-16 record. The high light of the season last year was upsetting Jackson County Central in the first round of the sub-section before losing in the semi-finals to Windom.

"We are looking to improve on last season's record," said Haberman. "We will be deeper and will have some height but will lack bulk on the inside. Our main task, in the early part of the season, will be to find the best combination of players."

Persons, Davidson are football all-conference

Two Panthers were chosen to the 212 Conference All Conference football team.

Matt Persons was chosen as a as a running back and corner back. Anders Davidson was chosen as a line backer and tight end.

Joe Nordin, Dan Rueckert, Brad Hopp and Luke Hartog represented ACGC, Nick Okins, Tim Ebbers, B. J. Seidl, Kellen Hennen, Sam Neubauer and Ben Kuznia were selected from the championship BOLD team, Shawn Thissen, Nate Noble, Matt Uttermark and Aaron Minter from MACCRAY, Eric Schidtman from RCW and Darin Bergeson, Tom Johnson, Nathan Fromm and Tyler Santjer represented the YME team.

Steve Solem from BOLD was selected as the "Coach of the Year "while Rick Meyer from MACCRAY was the assistant.

Nick Okins (BOLD) was chosen as the "Back of the Year", Shawn Thissen (MACCRAY) the "Offensive Receiver of the Year", Tom Johnson (YME) and B. J. Seidl (BOLD) "Offensive Lineman of the Year", Tim Ebbers (BOLD) "Defensive Lineman of the Year", Joe Nordin (ACGC) "Defensive Linebacker of the Year" and Shawn Thissen (MACCRAY) "Defensive Back of the Year."