Rochester John Marshall High School Athletics

2018 ROCHESTER SOFTBALL PREVIEWS

MAYO SPARTANS

Head coach: Steve Lewison

Last season: 8-7 Big Nine Conference, 9-13 overall

2018 outlook: The Spartans will be extremely young this season. Their top three returning players are all sophomores. That trio includes catcher/shortstop Bryn Carlstrom, pitcher/third base Jadyn Koestering and first base/shortstop Johanna Muenkel. They’ll also rely on a trio of freshman newcomers to contribute to the varsity — third base/pitcher Destiny Schellhammer, pitcher Jessica Condon and catcher Kendra Steven.

Coach Lewison: “We are very inexperienced at the varsity level right now, but have made great strides in the first three weeks of practice. I am looking forward to see how much improvement we can make throughout the season.”

ROSTER

Seniors — Sierra Welch, Madison Johnson, Elizabeth Hansen, Stella Fritsche. Juniors — Christina Fague, Ellie McIntyre. Sophomores — Jacqueline Klein, Johanna Muenkel, Jade Floyd, Jadyn Koestering, Bryn Carlstrom, Elizabeth Heroff, Morgan Vold, Miranda Harrer. Freshmen — Destiny Schellhammer, Kendra Stevens, Jasmin Geike, Jessica Condon, Gabriella Castro, Olivia Button-Swenson. Eighth-grader — Avery Werneburg.

SCHEDULE

April 10 – at Mankato East
April 12 – John Marshall
April 13 – Red Wing
April 17 – Winona
April 19 – at Century
April 20 – Faribault
April 24 – Austin
April 26 – at Owatonna
April 28 – at Lourdes Invitational
May 1 – Albert Lea
May 3 – Northfield
May 4 – at Mankato West
May 8 – at John Marshall
May 10 – at Winona
May 15 – Century
May 17 – at Red Wing
May 18 – Pine Island

LOURDES EAGLES

Head coach: Becky Macken

Last season: 11-0 HVL, 22-3 overall; HVL champion, West Subsection 1AA champion; Section 1AA runner-up

2018 outlook: The Eagles could be right back in the thick of the title race in the HVL and Section 1AA this season. They return a talented nucleus of players, led by senior pitcher Abbey Gapinski (1.48 ERA, All-HVL, All-Section 1AA, First Team All-State). Four other starters are back, as well, led by senior utility player Eleanor Plager (.426 avg., All-HVL, All-Section, H.M. All-State); junior 3B Ashley Krom (.329 avg., All-HVL); junior 1B Katie Virgin (.319 avg., 5 HR); and sophomore SS Alyssa Ustby (.370, All-HVL). Among the newcomers coach Macken expects to step in are junior P Anna Taylor, sophomore infielder Michaela Krahn and freshman utility player Karin Hayford.

Coach Macken: “The HVL is always tough. We’ll need to prepare for every game and not overlook anyone. We have good pitching and team speed, and a high softball IQ. We have low numbers and will need to work through some tough injuries.”

ROSTER

Seniors — Abbey Gapinski, Clara Radloff, Eleanor Plager. Juniors — Anna Taylor, Ashley Krom, Claire Creighton, Katie Orr, Katie Virgin, Linda O’Connell, Margaret Rogers, Veronica Taylor. Sophomores — Alyssa Ustby, Michaela Krahn, Anna Hernandez, Elle VanSande, Maddie Eliason, Mary Wright. Freshmen — Karin Hayford, Peyton Trahan, Whitney Younger. Eighth-grader — Lizzie Pike. Seventh-graders — Allison Ritter, Lanie Limburg, Sabrina Schroeder.

SCHEDULE

April 10 – at Byron
April 13 – Concordia Academy
April 16 – at Pine Island
April 17 – at Waseca
April 19 – Zumbrota-Mazeppa
April 23 – at Hayfield
April 24 – at Lake City
April 27 – Kenyon-Wanamingo
April 28 – Lourdes Invitational
May 1 – Stewartville
May 3 – at Cannon Falls
May 7 – Century
May 8 – Kasson-Mantorville
May 11 – La Crosse Aquinas
May 12 – Rockford (at U of M)
May 14 – at Triton
May 15 – Blooming Prairie
May 17 – Goodhue

JOHN MARSHALL ROCKETS

Head coach: Thang Nguyen

Last season: 7-8 Big Nine Conference, 12-12 overall; advanced to Section 1AAAA final four

2018 outlook: It’s tough to replace a pitcher like Mel Boisen, who handled a heavy load for the Rockets in recent seasons. But easing the loss of Boisen to graduation is the fact that JM has eight seniors and seven starters back from last season’s team that reached the Section 1AAAA final four. Among the key returners are senior shortstop Abby Gee (All-Big Nine, .412 avg.); senior catcher Megan Karp (All-Big Nine HM, .367) and junior OF Grace Freed (All-Big Nine HM, .465).

Coach Nguyen: “Our girls will always play hard and compete in every game this year as they have all played a lot of softball and have a great work ethic. We will go as far as our pitchers can take us in the circle — they are ready to gain experience and compete at the varsity level. Our experience in the field and at the plate will help us tremendously. The Big 9 and Section 1 will once again be a challenge with Mankato West, Mankato East, Faribault, Owatonna being top teams. We are looking for a top-half finish in the Big 9 along with those top teams and several other good programs (Winona, Northfield, Century, Mayo).”

ROSTER

Seniors — Becca Herzog, Kaycee Neumann, Abby Gee, Emma Bartholomew, Lexy Andersen, Kaitlyn Ward, Megan Karp, Savannah Tines. Juniors — Grace Freed, Gina Pula, Melanie Sadecki, Sammy Guetter, Abby Kirkham, Maggie Yadlosky. Sophomores — Olivia Evans, Gabby Dokken, Emma Jones, Mya Tines, Megan Jensen, Alexa Miller, Ashley Koehler. Freshmen — Abby Miles, Lauren Swenson, Mikayla Gee, Megan Ihrke. Eighth-grader — Claire Evans.

SCHEDULE

April 7 – Owatonna
April 10 – at Northfield
April 12 – at Mayo
April 13 – Mankato East
April 17 – Century
April 19 – Austin
April 20 – Pine Island
April 24 – Red Wing
April 26 – at Albert Lea
April 28 – Rochester Lourdes Invitational
May 1 – Mankato West
May 3 – at Faribault
May 8 – Mayo
May 10 – at Century
May 15 – at Austin
May 17 – Winona
May 18 – at Byron

CENTURY PANTHERS

Head coach: Chad Buchmann

Last season: 10-6 Big Nine Conference, 14-9 overall

2018 outlook: Century lost some talented players from last season’s team that finished fifth in the Big Nine Conference, but the Panthers have a good group of upperclassmen — five seniors and nine juniors — to build around in 2018. They’ll be led by a pair of All-Big Nine Conference players, junior pitcher Emma Kartheiser and sophomore outfielder Emma Wieneke. Kartheiser led Century in batting average and home runs last season, and will again anchor its lineup. Senior second baseman Abbey Holets is a three-year starter. Senior catcher Rachel Garness, senior pitcher/first baseman Grace Henriksen, and senior shortstop Megan Kartheiser are all two-year starters. Among newcomers to the varsity to watch are senior Lindsay Elpert, juniors Angela Spors, Kendra Nelson and Ella Lentz, and freshman Ali Henriksen.

Coach Buchmann: “We will have an infield of juniors and seniors, and we will lean on their Big Nine experience from the past two seasons. We will also have three athletic pitchers (Emma Kartheiser, Angela Spors, Grace Henriksen) on the varsity roster who each offer a different pitching style, to keep our opponents off balance.”

ROSTER

Seniors — Megan Kartheiser, Grace Henriksen, Rachel Garness, Abbey Holets. Juniors — Kendra Nelson, Angela Spors, Ella Lentz, Emma Kartheiser, Elizabeth Spencer, Lindsay Elpert, Sarah Erickson, Hayley Christinsen, Lauren Luhman, Morgan Bergman. Sophomore — Ella Wieneke. Freshmen — Anya Miller, Alivia Henriksen, Molly Kong, Brinley Dunn, Teijah Woolley, Katherine Thorvilson, Martha Dougherty, Haylie Raymond.

SCHEDULE

March 29 – at Austin
April 10 – Mankato West
April 12 – Red Wing
April 13 – Pine Island
April 17 – at John Marshall
April 19 – Mayo
April 24 – at Winona
April 26 – at Faribault
May 1 – Owatonna
May 3 – at Mankato East
May 5 – at Wabasha-Kellogg tournament
May 7 – at Lourdes
May 10 – John Marshall
May 12 – Chatfield
May 15 – at Mayo
May 17 – at Albert Lea
May 18 – Northfield