Speaking of Sports

By John Fragodt, Sports Reporter

Practices for some Minnewaska Area spring sports begin Monday (today), while practices for the other sports will begin one of the next two Mondays.  Yes, the spring sports season is fast approaching and the spring season has traditionally been a very good one for the Lakers.

The softball and track and field teams are set to open up the practice schedule March 11, while the baseball and Laker golf teams commence with practices March 18, the boys tennis team opens up the season March 25 and the Trap team starts with its practices Sunday, March 31.

First on the spring sports schedule this year is an indoor track meet at Concordia College, Tuesday, March 26, while the boys tennis team is set to open up the season with an indoor meet at Fargo, Thursday, March 28 followed by the home opener against YME, Tuesday, April 9.

The Laker track and field teams have two home meets scheduled for this season, Tuesdays, April 16 and April 30.

The home baseball schedule picks up fast as the Lakers are set to host Melrose for a twinbill, Tuesday, April 2, followed by a home game with Redwood Valley, Thursday, April 4 and another home game with KMS, Friday, April 5.  How’s that for home cookin’?

The softball team also opens up the season at home with a doubleheader against Melrose, Thursday, April 4.  The Lakers won’t be back home again until Saturday, April 20 for the home invitational and then the Lakers have four-straight home dates scheduled from April 30-May 9.

The golf teams don’t begin play until mid-April.  The boys golf team opens up the spring at the Becker Invitational, Thursday, April 18 and both golf teams are set to open up the conference schedule Friday, April 19 at BOLD and Montevideo.

The Minnewaska Area Girls Golf Invitational is set for Friday, May 3, while the boys invitational is set for Friday and Saturday, May 10-11.

The Trap team meanwhile, is set to start with its six-week regular-season, Sunday, April 14.

There will be two new coaches taking over the helm of their respective programs this spring.  Luke Barkeim is the new softball coach and Dion Harste is the new boys golf coach.  

Other coaches this spring are Jennifer Johnsrud and Zach Traphagen for track, Tara Reichmann for boys tennis, Tony Janu for girls golf, Joe Alexander for baseball and Jennie Stone (co-head coach) for Trap.

Good luck to the Lakers as they get set to begin another sports’ season.