Ridgewater fast-pitch coach Todd Thorstad got a good look at the Lady Warriors' 2006 edition and is pleased with what he saw in Florida.
The team played seven scrimmage games, all against NJCAA Division I and II teams while at West Palm Beach.
Rookie pitchers Laura Suter (Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg) and Angie Flaten (Greenbush-Middle River) threw strikes, each averaging just one walk per game. The Ridgewater bats didn't have a lot of pop yet, but by the last two games, striking out was rare, Thorstad said.
Six position players are back, including All-Region choices Julie Vosejpka of Lonsdale and Suzie Zander of Howard Lake, plus defensive MVP Mallory Peterson of Willmar. The Lady Warriors could again make a run for the NJCAA Division III national tournament, where they placed sixth last season. Unfortunately, Jenny Cunningham from Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City blew out her knee at the national basketball tournament March 16. She would have provided depth at both catcher and second base.
The college baseball team is out to repeat last year's success -- 37 wins, national tournament runner-up. After going 5-5 in Florida, the team has lined up six games Friday-Sunday in St. Cloud. Sophomore pitcher Josh Fortman (Robbinsdale Cooper) has been dismissed from the team for what Ridgewater coach Dwight Kotila labeled a "Coach's decision." Fortman was 6-2 last season with 67 strikeouts in 51 innings.
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Ex-Card is voice of
Brainerd Warriors
John Backlund (WHS '66) played center for the 1965 Cardinal football team that tied Brainerd 6-6 in the season lidlifter
After playing center on the football team at Concordia, he taught three years at Hector before going to Brainerd, where he taught junior high math and coached three sports.
But he is best known as the public address voice of the Warriors, according to a feature article in the Brainerd Dispatch. Starting with junior high wrestling in the late 1970s, he now mans the mike at varsity football, volleyball, wrestling and all home basketball games. Backlund retired from teaching last spring after 34 years in the classroom. For many years he kept horses while also racing trotters with his sister, Jan, a hobby they inherited through their father, Allan, a member of the Cardinal Pride Hall of Fame.
On the fly
n The Willmar boys hockey team was led in scoring this season by senior Tyler Wahl (17 goals, 11 assists, 28 total points). Also scoring in double figures were junior Josh Aslesen (10-6-16), senior Dan Swanson (4-11-15), senior Scott Gregg (9-3-12), sophomore Joel Schendel (6-6-12) and junior Griffin Leitch (6-5-11). In goal, junior Kevin Maxfield (312 minutes) had a 3.4 goals-against while senior Jeff Reed (636 minutes) and sophomore Jon Mattison (384 minutes) were each at 4.3. The Cardinals scored on average 2.54 goals per game.
n Wahl has been selected to play in the 25th annual Ted Brill Minnesota "Great 8" High School Hockey Festival. He'll play for Section 4AA-4A that will be coached by Willmar graduate Dave Aus, who guided Blaine to a 2-1 record at the state tournament. The three-day event starts Friday at the Wakota Arena in South St. Paul and features 136 leading seniors.
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n Spring practice in all sports is underway with boys tennis slated to open Saturday at New London. Track is set to start with meets at Hutchinson and St. Cloud (indoors) next week with baseball aiming for a game at the end of the week (April 7) in Marshall. The softball team starts its journey in pursuit of a second straight Central Lakes Conference title and a fourth straight state tournament trip with a game April 11 at Cold Spring.
n Good turnouts are reported in all spring sports, according to activities director Paul Schmitz. New baseball head coach Brad Dean welcomed 49 prospects (grades 9-12). Track and field coach Jerry Popp and assistants are leading an army of 135 boys and girls
n The Cardinal wrestlers could return as many nine 20-win wrestlers among 14 letterwinners next season from its conference runner-up squad. State qualifier Jesse Alonzo (30-8), Brandt Haglund (33-11), Trent Molacek (31-11), Drew Larson (30-7) and Erik Borgos (28-15) are the win leaders who will return. Martin Munoz (20-12) and Josh Dahlke (18-24) were the only senior full-time starters.
n The boys basketball team came up short again in the section final, but look for the returnees to use that as motivation for next season. Five regulars will be back and current 6-2 freshman Jordan Smith, who placed kicked for the varsity football team after Luke Buer was injured, had a standout season playing with the hoops "B" team. Jordan's dad, Fran, played on the Cardinals team that went 17-2 in 1978-79.
