Sports Roundup: Silver Bay has youth to spare
Last season the Mariner football team had to see a lot of ironman duty as their numbers were way down. The outlook this year is much better with 25 players out for the nine-man team.By: Matt Suoja and Steve Gow, Lake County News Chronicle
- Katelyn Adams
- Caleb Hamp-Sill
- Kaley Peterson
Silver Bay football
Last season the Mariner football team had to see a lot of ironman duty as their numbers were way down. The outlook this year is much better with 25 players out for the nine-man team.
The team’s first game of the season is 7 p.m. Friday vs. Cook at home.
A few, suffering from Brett Favre-syndrome, made it a little later compared to others, but were welcomed with open arms. The Mariners return a “young veteran team” that gained their experience under fire last year.
“We have guys that are excited about football,” said head coach Ward Kaiser. “In the past we tried to piece things together.”
Last season’s seventh- and eighth-grade team, beaten once, sends along a number of freshmen with size that could help the team this season. The varsity team lost only two players from last season to graduation with extended playing time and has no seniors this season.
Almost all of the team’s opponents this season return a lot of skilled players at key positions. As a result, you could say this season could be a dress rehearsal for next year, when the Bay returns everybody.
Luke Thun will be at quarterback and is joined by Henry Mitchell, Kyle Blood, Holden Panetti, and Tyson Fultz in the backfield. Cody Larson and Daniel Wilson are at tight end and Larson returns to handle all the kicking chores. On the line will be Baruch Fischer, Mark Harris, Josh DeHart, and Chad Smuk. A number of freshmen could see some extended playing time this season.
The Mariners have lost a game on its schedule because Mesabi Academy no longer has a program. Kaiser said he didn’t expect that to hurt the Mariners playoff chances because usually every team from the conference goes. He expected the homecoming game to be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 against Cherry.
Fans will be sitting on new bleachers this season with the help of student Shane Billings, who helped demolish the old ones as part of an Eagle Scout project.
“I’ve heard a lot of good comments,” Kaiser said. He said the school badly needed new seating.
Kaiser will be assisted by Jamie Otterblad, Chris Belanger, Erich Richter, and Nic Harrison.
TH girls soccer
The Agates started out its season with a 5-1 win against Hibbing Thursday with the help of a hat trick by Lacey Myrdal.
Agates head coach Jeff Peterson said his players were stepping it up in the team’s win.
The first half was all Two Harbors, outscoring Hibbing 4-0 with Myrdal scoring the first two goals. Courtney Osbakken and Katelyn Adams hit the back of the net for the other two in the first half. Myrdal scored at the 56th minute in the second to complete the trifecta.
Lucy Bukowski had seven saves for Two Harbors.
The Agates fell 8-0 to Osseo Saturday. Peterson said they would be one of the tougher teams on the Agates’ schedule this season.
“[Osseo] kind of rolled over us,” Peterson said. He said the team had a few chances in the first half to close the gap but they just couldn’t get it into the net.
The Agates lost to Proctor 4-0 Monday. Two Harbors was down 1-0 at the half and couldn’t keep the Rails off track in the second, allowing three more goals.
“We let all the little things bother us,” Peterson said about the game against Proctor. “We could have played with them. It has to be the low point of the season.”
Two Harbors had only one shot on goal.
TH boys soccer
The Agates fell flat against Hermantown Friday, losing 8-1.
Hermantown took an early 2-0 lead before Caleb Hamp-Sill scored with an assist from Alex Horoshak. It was all Hermantown after that as they scored six more goals.
“We stayed competitive, but we lost our focus and let in some easy goals,” head coach Dave Lukkonen said.
Sam Strom had 12 saves for the Agates. Two Harbors had only six shots on goal.
On Monday, it was much the same for the Agates as they lost to Proctor 9-1.
The Rails started out the first half scoring two quick goals before Hamp-Sill powered one in. About 30 seconds later, Hamp-Sill nearly capitalized on another scoring opportunity. After that it was all Proctor as they scored six times.
Strom had 16 saves for Two Harbors.
“We’re a younger, inexperienced team,” Lukkonen said. He expects the team to get better as the season moves along.
A similar storyline developed Tuesday as Two Harbors lost to Hibbing 5-1 with another goal coming from Hamp-Sill.
TH volleyball
Two Harbors opened its season with a loss to Virginia 3-1 Thursday.
Kaley Peterson led the team with 12 kills and five blocks and Sasha Fjeran contributed 14 serve assists.
The Agates were shutdown by Greenway 3-0 Friday and Eveleth-Gilbert 3-0 Tuesday.
“We keep getting better,” head coach Brooke Chaffee said. “It’s a great group of girls. We have a young team.”
Chaffee said the team needs to avoid making mental mistakes.
TH swimming
The Agates swim team lost in a close meet Tuesday, 92-91 to Eveleth-Gilbert.
Rebecca Ronning had a strong showing, winning the diving event, while Jennie Dwyer won the 500-meter freestyle.
The 200 freestyle relay team of Ronning, Heather Fynboh, Leann Fynboh and Brooke Fletcher also won its event.
SB volleyball
The Mariners topped Ely 3-2 Tuesday.
Tom Frericks, the new head coach for the team, said it was terribly hot in the Silver Bay gymnasium but his team seemed to fight through it.
The team’s serve was at 92 percent and the Mariners had 22 ace serves.
“I’ll take that every time,” Frericks said.
Marina Carter had eight kills and seven ace-blocks while Shay Viola had four kills. Katie Geissler had seven ace-serves and Taylor Guzzo contributed 18 set-assists.
Emergency prep
Two Harbors Activities Director Scott Ross said teams have been working on practice runs for the Minnesota State High School League’s “Anyone Can Save a Life” program.
Players are assigned tasks during the drill which is an emergency response program for after-school practices and events. The players might be in charge of calling 911 or getting an automated external defibrillator.
In 2005, Jarrett Brenner was playing in a high school all-star basketball game at Duluth Central when the Grand Rapids player collapsed during halftime and never regained consciousness. Brenner’s death was caused by complications leading to an irregular heartbeat.
An automated external defibrillator, could have helped, but was locked in an office.
“I was at that game,” Ross said. “I remember it like it was yesterday. It has a lasting impact.”
Coaches are trained in CPR and defibrillator use.
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