Sports from the week of April 5, 2006

Panthers win season opener

The Panther baseball team got off to a good start by winning their opening game over Luverne, 4-2. The game had been originally scheduled to be played in Luverne but it was decided that the Tracy field was in better condition so the game was moved to Tracy. ÒIt was good to get outside and especially good to get a win,Ó said Panther Coach Bill Tauer. ÒOur pitchers did a very good job by getting 11 strikeouts. Obviously we still have a lot of things to work on.Ó Matt Bauer started on the mound for the Panthers and gave up 0 runs on 2 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2 in the three innings he pitched. Bauer got out of a jam in the second inning when Luverne put runners on second and third with no outs and he registered a strikeout, an out on a fielderÕs choice and a flyball to center field to retire the side without a run. Derek Radke pitched the next three innings and gave up 2 runs on 2 hits while striking out 4 and walking 1. Derek Daniels pitched the final inning and gave up 0 runs on 0 hits while striking out 2. Daniels and Paul Carlson led the hitting with 2 hits each while David Schmidt, Matt Bauer, Taylor Rignell and Andy Nelson added 1 hit each. Luverne 000 011 0 2 4 3 T/M/B 111 010 x 4 8 3 T/M/B-Schmidt, 2b, 4, 0, 1; Radke,ss,3,0,0; Bauer,p,3,2,1; Daniels,cf,3,1,2; Carlson,rf,2,0,2; Vandromme,lf,2,1,0; Walling,3b,2,0,0; Rignell,2b,1,0,1; Frisvold,1b,2,0,0; I.Dolan,1b,1,0,0; Nelson,c,3,0,1. Totals,26,4,8. The Panthers will next host MCC on Friday.

Wrestling fans swell downtown

Parking spaces were at a premium in Downtown Tracy Saturday. A regional Northland Youth Wrestling Association tournament at the VeteransÕ Memorial Center attracted between 700 and 800 people. The meet started with weigh-ins Saturday morning, and continued until about 6 p.m. Eleven teamsÑincluding the ÒPantherÓ youth wrestling team from the Tracy, Milroy, Balaton and Currie areaÑcompeted. Each team had about 20 competitors, making for a total of 275 kids. Admissions were estimated at between 400 and 500 people. Adrian and Minneota qualified for the state NYWA team tournament, by finishing first and second at the Tracy meet. The Saturday meet was organized and run by local wrestling supporters.

No kidding...youth wrestling is not for faint-hearted

Local youth wrestlers participated in a regional team tournament sponsored by the Northland Youth Wrestling Association in Tracy Saturday. Teams from Adrian and Minneota qualified for state competition. Six young Panthers (Zach Campbell, Luke Prairie, Josh Coyle, Eric Cooreman, Jake Burns and Andrew Dieter) have qualified for the state NYWA individual tournament in Rochester this weekend.

Track individuals have strong showings

Panther track teams participated in a meet at Minnesota State University at Mankato hosted by Mountain Lake Saturday. The boys and girls were both fourth out of six teams. Jillian Tholen placed first in the 800M and the1600M, while Ryan Tholen of the placed first in the 800M and the 1600M. Gary Knott in the high jump, Drew Nelson in the triple jump, Chad Stibbe in the pole vault and the 4 X 200M relay team of Rosa, Nelson , Stibbe and Paradis. ÒI was particularly impressed with the performance of the boysÕ 4 X 200M relay team,Ó said Panther Coach Al Landa. ÒThe pairing of the Cedar Mountain and the Springfield Comfrey track teams is going to be tough to beat.Ó The girlsÕ team scores were: 1(Cedar Mountain / Comfrey /Springfield, 219; 2) MLBO, 77; 3) Wabasso, 70; 4) T/M/B, 52; 5) JCC, 29; 6) W/R, 4. Scoring for the Panther girls were: Low Hurdles, Haugen, 6th, 10.50; 200M, Fritz, 3rd, 28.04; 800M, Tholen, 1st, 2:35.16; Bautista, 6th, 2:57.00; 55M, Fritz, 3rd, 7.82; Kirsh, 5th, 8.05; High Jump, Kolander, 5th, 4-4; 4 X 200 relay, T/M/B, 2nd, 2:00.97; 1600M, Tholen, 1st, 5:26.07; Pole Vault, Anna Snyder, 3rd, 6-0. The boysÕ team scores were: 1) CM/C/S, 114; 2) MLBO, 95; 3)T/M/B, 89; 4)JCC, 66; 5) Wabasso, 60; 6)W/R, 36. Scoring for the Panther boys were: 800M, Tholen, 1st, 2:19.96; high jump, Knott, 1st, 6-4; Nelson, 2nd, 6-0; 4 X 400, T/M/B, 4th, 4:35.89; shot put, Prairie, 3rd, 38-9 ; 200M, Paradis, 3rd, 25.38, long jump, Paradis, 5th, 17-7 ; triple jump, Nelson, 1st, 38-3 ; pole vault, Stibbe, 1st, 10-6; 4 X 200 relay, T/M/B, 1st, 1:41.87; 1600M, Tholen, 1st, 4:58.59; 400M, Mata, 5th, 62.03.