Speaking of Sports

By John Fragodt, Sports Reporter

Wow, here we are ready to start another sports season at Minnewaska Area High School.

The girls basketball team opens up its season with a game at Lac qui Parle, Tuesday (tomorrow), while the Laker wrestlers commence with the schedule Friday, Dec. 1 at the Big Lake Invitational, the dance teams open up play, Friday, Dec. 1 at home during the Minnewaska Invitational and the Laker boys basketball team begins play Saturday, Dec. 2 against Redwood Valley, which just missed out on a berth at state last year after losing to EVW, 75-72, during last year’s section championship.

I’m always excited to begin covering a new season and this year’s winter sports at Minnewaska Area should be especially good.

The wrestling team returns two state wrestlers from last year (Chase Smith and Myles Wildman), while the girls basketball team returns most of its team from last year’s successful season, the boys basketball team has a new coach and 40 players in grades 9-12 and the dance team hopes to get back to the state meet for a third-straight year after both teams qualified to state in 2021-22 and the Jazz team made it to state last year.

•  I first of all want to thank the fall coaches and everyone else for helping me out during the fall season.  Thanks to coaches Tara Reichmann, Sam Oellien, Michele Johnson, Jennifer Johnsrud, David Vinje and Jared Lyle for doing such a great job and making sure to get the information to the public.

Looking toward the winter season, here are some things to look forward to in 2023-24:

•  Will junior Chase Smith and ninth-grader Miles Wildman be able to get back to state wrestling and how will the Lakers do in the new Section 8AA with the likes of Alexandria, Perham, Detroit Lakes and DGF?

•  Will the boys basketball team make a big improvement under first-year head coach Zach Traphagen despite losing two of its top players from last year; PJ Johnson and Hunter Kloos?

•  Will the girls basketball team match the expectations this sportswriter has for them over the next few years with a super talented group of juniors and sophomores?

•  In 2021-22, the Jazz and High-Kick dance teams qualified to state and last year, the Jazz team made it back to state.  With a strong group leading the way, what will the results be this year for the dance teams who moved to Section 2A this winter?

•  In addition, there are a pair of basketball doubleheaders scheduled at home this year for the Lakers, giving fans a great chance to see Minnewaska Area teams in action.  The Lakers host West Central Area for boys and girls basketball, Jan. 5, and also host Litchfield for a boys and girls doubleheader, Jan. 25.

•  The dance team not only hosts the Minnewaska Invitational this Friday, but is also set to host the WCC Meet at home, Jan. 26.

•  And, the best week for watching all four teams in action might be the week of Jan. 22 when the Lakers host Morris Area-CA-Hancock in wrestling, Jan. 23 and also host Litchfield for the doubleheader, Jan. 25 before hosting the WCC Dance Meet, Jan. 26.

Let’s go Lakers!