Top 10 Sports Stories
There were some amazing moments in sports in 2017. There were surprises, upsets, shocking results, fantastic feats, sadness and incredibly unexpected results. Minneotans marveled on the resiliency of its athletes, looked back at the past, cheered on the present and looked forward to the future.
It wasn’t easy, but the staff of the Minneota Mascot has chosen the Top 10 Sports Stories of 2017.
Here they are:
1. An unexpected State Football Championship.
When the season started, nobody was talking a state championship. There was an inexperienced line and a dozen other questions. Even the coaching staff wouldn’t have put money on winning the Class A title. But the Minneota Vikings kept getting better and better all year, went into the Section 5A Tournament and beat a BOLD team everyone figured was the favorite, 35-22; then knocked off Mahnomen and Mayer Lutheran to find themselves in the state championship. Minneota, a six-time state champion, hoped to avenge the loss to Wabasso in the Section 5A semifinals a year earlier. In the end — it was Minneota who came away with the state championship, 28-13 behind 294 yards rushing from Isaac Hennen on 34 carries. “Wabasso is a very good football team,” said Minneota Coach Chad Johnston. “But we did an excellent job. This team surpassed the level we set for them.” After it was over, Wabasso Coach Joe Kemp agreed. “We expected this kind of thing out of Minneota. They come at you hard in the box (on the line) and they come at you hard all the way down field,” said Coach Kemp. They rode the big horse, Isaac Hennen, to the state championship, but did it behind a line that “came together” and it was said, if Hennen was the big horse, the line was a whole corral of stallions.
2. Mr. Football comes calling Isaac Hennen.
Never in the glorious history of Minneota football have they had a Mr. Football candidate. That is, a player among the final 11 for the honor as the best player in the state of Minnesota Star Football Game and was one of the 11 finalists for the 2017 Mr. Football Award. When Isaac Hennen came into the Mr. Football banquet alongside Coach Chad Johnston, it was the first time a Minneota athlete had been awarded the honor of becoming one of the final 11. The Minnesota Football Coaches Association and the Minnesota Vikings sponsor the Mr. Football program. “This is not about honoring one fellow, but 11 men who had outstanding years,” said Clay Anderson of Pipestone, a member of the Mr. Football Committee. Not only did Hennen help his team bring home two state championships, he combined for 2,614 yards from scrimmage (1,844 rushing and 870 receiving, scoring 250 points on 39 touchdowns and eight two-point conversions) this year alone. Altogether for his career, Isaac Hennen had 5,626 yards from scrimmage, scored 552 points on 89 touchdowns with nine twopoint conversions.
3. Big Shocker!
Volleyball girls stun Tracy Tracy-Milroy-Balaton was the “Queen” of Section 3A the past three years. They’d taken the title Minneota used to command year-after-year and they held it tight. Then, suddenly, quite unexpectedly, the Vikings snatched the crown away from the Panthers, leaving them stunned and the entire volleyball world shocked. Minneota and TMB went to five games before the Vikings won the trip to the state tournament with a stunning 15-13 win in the fifth game. “We had a different game plan, taking some risks, but the girls executed it well,” said Coach Hayley Fruin. Minneota has had trouble in the past stopping the Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Panthers’ Sydney Lanoue at the net. So they decided to go at her and Evie Dolan, make them work and if not blocking their hits, at least get touches on the ball. It worked to perfection. Junior Lydia Sussner came through with 31 kills and five blocks for points, neutralized the hard-hitting Lanoue and gave the win and state tournament berth to Minneota. Minneota was on its way to the state tournament. David had officially defeated Goliath. And the Vikings went on to win their first two games at state before losing to State Champion Mayer Lutheran, 3-0. Second place in state, a stunning upset and suddenly Viking volleyball was back.
4. The heavyweight wins it all
Minneota’s biggest wrestler, T.J. Esping, thrilled the community with a 3-2 overtime win over Bradey Berg of Barnesville, 3-1 on a takedown in overtime. It have him the Minneota Class A 280-pound (heavyweight) championship.Much like the statement years ago that, “It takes a community to raise a child,” — Esping proclaimed it took a couple of families, his and his wrestling family to win the state tournament. “My brothers kept texting me. Brother Nicholas (SMSU wrestler), texted me and said he couldn’t sleep the night before my match. And brother Jackson, he kept texting and so did my parents,” said Esping. “That sort of set the tempo for the day,” he said. After escaping a big, tough Jared Rabbit of Deer River 2-1 in the first round and beating Devin Pries of Badger/Greenbush-Middle River 6-1 — he ran right into some familiar territory — Canby junior Josh Hansen. He’d beat Hansen twice, but won just 3-2 in the section finals. This time, it was no problem. Esping coasted into the state finals behind an 11-3 victory over Hansen. But Esping wasn’t quite sure about his opponent, Bradey Berg of Barnesville. He was 31-3 coming into the match and seemed much smaller than Esping. “He was built lower than the guys I usually wrestle and it was hard to get up into him,” said the Minnesota State Champ.
5. Golfin’ girls full of surprises
Heidi Guttormsson isn’t one to look for praise. But she sure was glad when she heard the final tally and found out she was in a three-way tie for second at state. “I was a little surprised,” she said about her 160 that tied her with Emily Doeden of Park Christian and Sophie Gray of Legacy Academy. The meet was won by Callie Wersal of Springfield with a 155. “It would have been better with a blue around my neck, but I always said I’d be satisfied with third. So second is pretty good,” she said. The Minneota senior was a little disappointed not to have a team ribbon around her neck as well. Minneota finished fifth. “I knew coming in we could be there in second. So I am kinda disappointed.” The Vikings finished in fifth place. Actually, they weren’t even supposed to be there. In a stunning finish to an amazing Section 5A tournament, the Minneota girls passed Lac qui Parle Valley, then hung on as Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa made a dramatic dash for the title. On the final hole of the day, Heidi Guttormsson chipped the ball 20 feet to within inches of the cup, calmly put it in and Minneota was on its way to the state tournament for the third year in a row and the fourth time in the past five years. For Guttormsson, who finished a fabulous high school career, she said, “But to tell you the truth, I like the pressure — it keeps me going.”
6. Taylor Reiss hauls in the hardware.
Minneota has produced a lot of great girls athletes — but likely none better than Taylor Reiss. And she stepped into the world of Division II volleyball and has stamped her mark on that world as well. As a junior at SMSU in Marshall, she helped her team to the sectionals this year. And, The American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) announced that outside hitter Reiss was named the TeamSnap/ AVCA Division II Player of the Year, making her the first recipient of the award in SMSU history. The announcement, which comes just one day after Reiss was named to the first team AVCA All-American team for a second straight year, was made at the NCAA Division II Volleyball Championship Banquet at the Hilton Hotel in Pensacola, Florida. Reiss, a Taunton native and a 2015 graduate of Minneota High School, was named the CCA Central Region Player of the Year while also earning first team CCA All-American honors for 2017. And, she was also named the DII Honda Athlete of the Year nominee for volleyball. The award was announced by Executive Director Chris Voelz of The Collegiate Women Sports Awards (CWSA) presented by Honda. Reiss is now designated one of 11 finalists for the prestigious DII Honda Woman Athlete of the Year. At the end of last season, Southwest Minnesota State student-athletes from the 2016-17 academic year were honored at the SMSU Athletic Department 12th annual Celebration of Excellence program and Reiss was named the Female Athlete of the Year. She has one year remaining as a Mustang.
7. Megan Larson finishes a glorious career.
When top-seeded Southwest Minnesota State suffered its second lowest hitting percentage of the season and had its seven-match win streak snapped by Minnesota Duluth, which came away with a 25-23, 25-15, 25-23 sweep over SMSU on Friday night in the second of two NCAA Central Region semifinal matches in the PE Gym, it was a bitter moment for Megan Larson. The SMSU senior setter and former all-stater at Minneota High School had just ended her illustrious career as the team setter. “We’ve depended on her and counted on her for the better part of four years,” said Coach Terry Culhane. “There is literally no doubt in my mind that kid loved volleyball,” Culhane said. Larson had 31 assists to conclude her SMSU career as the Mustangs’ all-time leader with 5,574 career assists. Larson also finishes her career as the current NCAA Division II leader in career assists. She won severall all-conference, all-tournament and league most valuable player awards. Perhaps one of her greatest assets was playing three years as a setter for the same girl whom she set to in high school — Taylor Reiss. Larson and Reiss were known as Minneota’s Dynamic Duo, and playing only 13 miles from their home gave them instant access to home fans who had followed their illustrious high school careers. Megan Larson stepped away from college volleyball on a sad note — but with enough honors and great moments to fill a couple dozen scrapbooks. Not to mention the fact she left her fans with several thousand memories.
8. An Angel in the outfield.
“He loved to play baseball.” So what better memorial to Donnie Schuelke that a vivid reminder at K. P. Kompelien Field than a pair of wings with his “now retired”, No. 11 on a baseball in the middle. The seniors of the Minneota baseball team unveiled a memorial on Friday between games of an American Legion doubleheader, and tears began to well in the eyes of many of the onlookers. What those in attendance witnessed was the dedication of large “winged” memorial in honor of Donnie Schuelke IV, a recent Minneota graduate that was killed in a one-vehicle accident. Schuelke’s number “11” jersey was also retired by the team. Three of his game-worn high school jerseys were presented to each of his younger triplet brothers Logan, Josh and Carter. Just days after Schuelke’s death, teammate and friend Preston Nuy stood on the mound in Cottonwood and said, “It was hard to concentrate.” “I’d look over and see that No. 11 jersey in the dugout,” Nuy said. Nuy, with ninth inning “save” help from Henry Pesch, defeated Cottonwood 3-2. “Everyone wanted to do it for him,” Nuy said about the team’s fallen mate, Donnie Schuelke (No. 11). “It was hard to play under these circumstances,” said Schuelke’s friend and teammate Brock Fox. Fox was one of those who went looking for Schuelke when he was reported missing. “It was good to play. We met last night and I left it up to them whether they wanted to play or not,” said Coach Keven Larson. Were they playing for Schuelke? “Yes, that — and we just wanted to get together and do something — together,” the coach said.
9. Hall of Fame inductions are a family affair.
The old song, “We are family,” could have been the theme for Minneota’s second Hall of Fame induction. “When the committee was discussing my daughter Jami’s induction, they asked me to leave the room. When I tried to go back in, they told me I couldn’t. I didn’t know they were considering me, too,” said new Hall of Famer Jim Rolbiecki. At the induction ceremony, Jim sat next to daughter Jami (Rolbiecki) Bossuyt, as both were inducted. “It meant a lot to be inducted with my daughter,” Rolbiecki said. More “family” emerged when former all-state quarterback Chris Meidt took his place in the Hall of Fame along side his dad, Coach Gerhard Meidt, who was inducted last year. The Hall of Fame was started just two years ago with 10 inductees in each class. In addition to Jami Bossuyt, Jim Rolbiecki and Chris Meidt, the new inductees included Kris Fier, administrator Gerald Olson, Ron Davidson, Dale Yost, Dick Culshaw, Joe Anderson and the 2006 girls volleyball team represented by Alyssa (Buysse) Anderson. The former athletes flooded the crowd with memories of the past as their accomplished were detailed for the audience. Each of the new inductees left their mark on Minneota and they will now be remembered with their plague on The Hall of Fame Wall at Minneota High School.
10. Runner collapses in horrible conditions.
Try and imagine the most miserable running conditions possible. That’s what over 350 runners and numerous fans had to endure Thursday at the Section 3A Cross Country meet. And the up to 40 mile per hour, 30-degree winds whipping across the wide-open Madison Golf Course made it not only miserable, but difficult and dangerous for the runners. Snow was expected on Friday and the state qualifiers had to be reported by Saturday. So with little choice but to hold the meet, the show went on — but not without disastrous results. Canby-Minneota runner Faith Traen didn’t finish. “I saw her wobble, then fall,” said one C-M runner who was behind Traen. She had to be treated and checked by EMT’s in an ambulance. Apparently, the weather conditions and other elements caused her to collapse on the course. Canby-Minneota hoped maybe they could slip into second place and earn a trip to the state as a team. But when Traen fell and was treated by EMT’s in the ambulance with her parents on hand, her chances of an individual spot in state and the teams chances faded. Her vital signs were all good and she walked away from the meet on her own accord. Canby-Minneota’s Grace Drietz in third place; McKenzie Ruether came in sixth and in the boys race Anthony Wollum finished in eighth place and qualified for the state tournament. The three went on to run in the state meet.
BUBBLING UNDER:
Several other stories rated attention to the Top 10 but they under up just Bubbling Under ....
•Coaching against a friend. The volleyball battle with Yellow Medicine East was a “homecoming” of sorts — and a battle between old friends. Coach Leah Fadness of YME, a former player and teammate of Minneota Coach Hayley Fruin on the 2006 state championship team, brought her team to town. Minneota won, 25-21; 25-12 and 25-9. “It’s a mix of feelings playing against an old teammate and a friend,” said Coach Fruin. “If we weren’t playing her, I would be cheering for her. It’s a lot of fun to coach against another coach that you know is just as competitive as you,” said Fruin.
•Rolbiecki’s broken leg stuns players. When Landon Rolbiecki broke his leg in two places in the game against Lakeview, it was a sickening feeling for all his teammates. They watched in stunned silence as he was treated and carried off the field. Later they prayed for him on the field, along with Lakeview players. But it was only the beginning of a long and painful time for Rolbiecki, who by the end of the year had nine surgeries, was still in a wheel chair with an open wound on his leg. He started being treated at Avera in Marshall and was transferred to Sioux falls. Later he came home — but kept getting infection and had to return to the hospital for more surgeries. By the end of the year he was home — facing a somewhat uncertain future concerning his leg.
•Grace Drietz takes control. From the moment Grace Drietz won the first race of the year, until she finished in 17th place out of 174 runners at the state cross country, she was in control as the leader of her Canby-Minneota team. Just an eighth grader, Drietz, “Worked so hard all summer,” her Coach Beth Jessen said earlier this year.
•1000 kills, 1,000 for Lydia. Lydia Sussner has had a spectacular high school career. She hit her 1,000 career kill at Windom last fall — coming just months after she scored 1,000 points in a game against Fulda last February. Sussner is a junior and is playing on the Vikings basketball team after helping lead the volleyball team to the state tournament.
•Legion team defies the odds. “That’s the Preston Nuy we all know,” said fill-in Coach J.D. Pesch after Nuy threw a four-hit shutout and beat Montevideo, 4-0 to earn a spot in the next round of the playoffs. The odds may have been against them. With the coach gone with some of his players on a mission trip, Minneota was facing an uphill battled against Montevideo in the District 7 Southwest Sectional Championship game. But it would have been a big mistake to count them out — especially with Preston Nuy showing determination and a pretty good fastball. And what did Nuy get as his reward? He had a jug of water dumped on him, thank you!
•Solid finish for Mudhens Good pitching! Solid defense — that will win games. The Minneota Mudhens found that out when they swept three games the final week of the season from Land O’Ducks League opponents. But a 3-2 loss to Dumont and a 3-1 loss to the Hancock Orphans Saturday changed the Mudhen hopes from a state berth to a, “Look forward to next year.”
•Junior Legion falls just short Thomas Hennen tossed a four-hit, five-strikeout masterpiece as the Vultures won the first game, 3-0 Tuesday at Madison. Championship: Madison 7, Minneota 6 Despite a seven-run second inning, Coach J.D. Pesch said, “We put the pressure on them every inning, the entire game.”
•Incredible golf finish Like a well-scripted movie classic, the Countryside Golf Club Championship had its dramatic moments and came down to a stunning conclusion. Both Alex “Butch” Buysse and Aaron Sanow each sank 40-foot puts on Hole No. 9 to conclude the 27-hole regulation tournament in a 119 to 119 tie. Both had moments of victory at the end of regulation and the crowd let loose with a tumultuous ovation for both golfers. “I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Sanow. “That was awesome,” said Brian Engler, one of the final fouresome. He and Dale Kockelman ended tied for third at 123. Buysse and Sanow began the playoff on Hole No. 9 and both made it in three strokes. So they went to Hole No. 1. Although Buysse had a short tee-off and Sanow went into the trees on the right, both stroked five on the hole to continue the match. They both had a four on hole No. two, so the match continued. On Hole No. 3, both got on the green in a stroke. But Sanow got within inches on his second shot, Buysse was about four feet back and while Sanow chipped in his ball, Buysse’s ran just past the cup and it was over. It was the second Club Championship for Sanow.
• ‘Pipe-dream’ explodes on Vikings Maybe it was only a pipe-dream. After all, this team was so young, eight of their 12 wrestlers didn’t have much experience coming into the season. They were racked with injuries all year and just now got their team together for tournament action. But none of that mattered when Minneota lost to Pipestone, 33-29 and the Arrows captured their first Section 3A team title. •Big upset Charlie Josephson was so happy she leaped into the air to celebrate. “This was just what we needed — not just a couple of girls, but everyone together,” she said, choking back her emotions. Minneota had just upset No. 2-ranked Pipestone, 50-47 to advance to the North Section 3AA Championship Thursday night against Tracy-Milroy-Balaton. “We had a lot of confidence tonight,” Josephson added.