Speaking of Sports

By John Fragodt, Sports Reporter

After covering Benson and KMS High School sports for so long, I’m really looking forward to covering the Minnewaska Area Lakers this school year.  The Lakers always seem to find success on the field, track or courts, and this year should be no exception.

The Lakers officially opened up the 2022-23 sports schedule Monday, Aug. 15 with the first official high school practices followed by the start of actual competition with two road dates for the Minnewaska Area girls tennis team, Friday and Saturday.

The girls tennis team faces a rebuilding season this fall after going 13-8 overall and 8-0 in the WCC last year to win the title.

•  The Minnewaska volleyball team, which was 7-20 overall and 2-10 in the WCC to finish sixth last year, hosted a scrimmage, Friday, and will also play in a scrimmage at Concordia before opening up play Tuesday, Aug. 30 at Benson.  The team looked very good at the scrimmage and should move up in the WCC standings this fall.

•  The soccer and swimming teams are set to get their seasons underway this week with the soccer team hosting Heritage Christian, Saturday, and the swimming and diving team competing at Willmar, Friday.  The soccer team finished 9-6 overall and 7-2 in the Granite Ridge Conference last year.

•  The strong Laker cross-country teams have two meets during the first week of competition, Monday, Aug. 29 at the Morris Invitational, and Thursday, Sept. 1 at the LQP Invitational.

The girls’ cross-country team finished second in Section 6A and won the WCC Meet last year, while the boys team should be much improved after finishing sixth in the WCC meet and seventh at sections.

•  The Laker football team, meanwhile, won only one game last year, but the Lakers play in one of the toughest conferences in the state, the Mid-State 1 sub-district.  Other opponents in the Mid State 1 sub-district are defending champion Rockford (6-3 record last fall), Pierz (7-4), Morris Area-CA (6-4), Montevideo (1-8) and Melrose (3-6), most of which have traditionally strong football teams.

And, instead of having some easy non-district games, the Lakers have three very tough games for its “non-conference” games this year against Royalton (8-2), Eden Valley-Watkins (9-2) and Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted (0-9), possibly the one somewhat-weak team the Lakers will play this season.

Yes, it should be a very exciting fall season of sports at MAHS and the Pope County Tribune will be here every step of the way covering the competition.