Sports from the week of June 15, 2005

Athletes earn state medals

Tracy/Milroy/Balaton athletes had a successful trip to the state track meet Friday and Saturday.

“This was certainly a step forward for our program,” said Panther Coach Al Landa. “Everyone who qualified for the meet won a medal.”

Senior Dan Tutt placed fourth in the state in the Class A pole vault by clearing 13 feet, three inches.. Tutt was also a member of the 4 X 200 meter relay team, which placed fifth, with a time of 1:33.02. Other members of the team were underclassmen Matt Rosa and Drew Nelson, and senior Trevor Morin.

Junior Gary Knott placed second in the high jump at 6-5.

Bobbi Jo Buyck earned medals in two events. The junior was third in the girls’ pole vault by clearing 10 feet, six inches, improving upon her fourth-place finish at state last year. Buyck was fifth in the 100 meter hurdles with a time of 15.62.

Buyck also competed in the 200 meter and 100 meter dashes, but did not advance from preliminary competition Friday.

The meet was held at the National Sports Center in Blaine.

Baseball players honored

Tracy/Milroy/Balaton baseball team members looked back on a championship season at an awards picnic Sunday at the Bob and Mev Jackson home.

Donald Strand was given the Golden Glove Award for the best defensive player. Matt Bauer received the Golden Arm Award for the most valuable pitcher. He also was chosen as “Mr. Offense” and the recipient of the Gatorade “Player of the Year” given to the athlete who consistently pushes himself to excel both in practice and games.

Luke Walling won the “Mr. Team Award” as the player with a great attitude and who did whatever was asked of him for the good of the team. David Schmidt was “Rookie of the Year” as the most valuable first year varsity player.

Erik Frisvold was honored as the player who showed the most improvement from last year. Derek Radke and Matt Bauer were elected captains for 2006.

Three individual records were broken this year. Donald Strand broke both season and career stealing records that had been held by Darin Horner. Horner’s mark was 31 season and 65 career steals. Strand had 33 steals this year and 65 in his career. Bauer set a new single season batting average record at .559 for the 2005 season. The old record was .527 held by Scott LaVoy in 2002.

Bauer, Strand, Radke and Derek Daniels were chosen to the 212 All-Conference Team. Bill Tauer was named the Conference Coach of the Year and Matt Bauer was chosen as the Conference Player of the Year.

Strand and Jackson received senior participation awards.

The Panthers, 15-9 on the year, were the 212 Conference baseball champions.

Great at State

Boys’ 4x 200 relay: 1. Annandale (Luke Hinz, Nick Demarais, Ryan Koenigs, David Queck), 1:29.62: 2. Luverne (Jake Hendricks, Tom Ward, Jordan Siebenahler, Mike Kunstle 11), 1:31,.81; 3. Fairmont (Paul Mallory, Brady Lubenow, Jacob Peymann, Matt Reeve), 1:32.17; 4. Long Prairie-Grey Eagle (Dan Scheve, Jim Siegel, Harrison Dotson, Ben Pohlman), 1:32.96; 5. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton/Yankton (Dan Tutt, Matt Rosa, Drew Nelson, Trevor Morin), 1:33.02; 6. Bagley/Fosston (Collin Rud, Anton Goss, Drew Hayes, Matt Arnold), 1:33.45; 7. Cannon Falls (Anthony Twaites, Saul Harris, Ryan Underdahl, Nic Anderson), 1:33.46; 8. Holy Family Catholic (Tayor Smith, Tom Burke, J. Kramer, Jimbo Bell), 1:33.47; 9. Esko (Brian Lewis, Chris Boline, Steve Hicks, Justin Sweeney 12), 1:35.35.

Boys’ High Jump: 1. Jared Graff, LeSueur-Henderson, 6 feet-7 inches; 2. Gary Knott, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 6-5; 3. Ted Rud, New York Mills, 6-5; 4. Jonah Shermer, Hermantown, 6-4; 5. Adam Hendricks, Watertown Mayer, 6-4; 6. Jimbo Bell, Holy Family Catholic, 6-2; 7. Bryan Olcott, Pine Island, 6-2; 8. Marcus Dennis, Walker-Hackensack-Akely, 6-2; 9. Dustin Flattum, Lanesboro/Fillmore Center, 6-2.

Boys’ Pole Vault: 1. David Gierut, Mankato-Loyola, 14-3; 2. David Hahn, Warroad, 14-3; 3. Chad Aurich, Mayer Lutheran, 13-3; 4. Dan Tutt, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 13-3; 5. George Lund, Byron, 13; 6. Phil Schaffhauser, B/Gb-Mr/Tc, 13; 7. Beau Pilgrim, Staples/Motley, 13; 8. Erik Hauglid, Dilworth-Glyn-Felt, 12-6; David Christensen, Mayor Lutheran, 12-6; 10. Tom Burke, Holy Family Catholic, 12-6; 11. Shawn Nelson, BOLD, 12-6; 12. Pat Hiller, St. Claire, 12;

Girls’ 100m Hurdles: 1. Laura Pace, Pillager, 15.01.2. 2. Alex Andrews, Triton, 15.09. 3. Chris Claussen, Watertown-Mayer, 15.51; 4. Larissa Veldhuizen, Pipestone Area, 15.59; 5. Bobbi Jo Buyck, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 15.62; 6. Anna Sather, Proctor, 15.63; 7. Kierah Kimbrough, Badger-Greenbush-Middle River, 15.73; 8. Chi Chi Obi, St. Paul Academy, 15.82; 9. Jennifer Becker, Eden Valley-Watkins/Kimball, 16.18.

Girls’ Pole Vault: 1. Jennifer Hensel, Frazee, 11; 2. Kelly Nelson, Milaca, 10-9; 3. Bobbi Jo Buyck, Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 10-6; 4. Courtney Wagner, Byron, 10-3; 5. Lyndi Bosshart, St. James, 10-0; 6. Brittany McPhail, Pine Island, 9-9; 7. Kelsey Griffith, Staples-Motley, 9-9; 8. Mya Lambrecht, Delano, 9-6; 9. (tie) Kristine Gehlar, St. Crouix Lutheran and Mollie Juntunen, Esko, 9-0.