Righting the ship LYLE — The Lyle-Pacelli football team has a lot of work ahead of it. A year after the team went winless, the Athletics are limited in numbers again as they look to make some improvements. “If we don’t get better, then we’re right back to square one,” said LP head coach Reid Olson, who is in his second year at the helm. “We felt like we were in square one all of last year and we don’t want to go back there again. Our effort has been good, and our attitude is getting better.” The Athletics should have around 20 players on their roster when the season kicks off, which means most starters will have a heavy workload.
SCHEDULE/Home games in bold
•Aug. 31: Grand Meadow at Lyle-Pacelli at Art Hass Stadium, 7 p.m. •Sept. 7: Lyle-Pacelli at Glenville-Emmons, 7 p.m. •Sept. 14: LeRoy-Osrander at Lyle-Pacelli in Lyle, 7 p.m. •Sept. 21: Lyle-Pacelli at Spring Grove, 7 p.m. •Sept. 28: Lanesboro at Lyle-Pacelli in Lyle, 7 p.m. •Oct. 5: Mabel-Canton at Lyle-Pacelli in Lyle, 7 p.m. •Oct. 12: Lyle-Pacelli at Houston, 7 p.m. •Oct. 17: Lyle-Pacelli at Grand Meadow, 7 p.m.
LP running back Garett Lester is one of several seniors on the team who is trying to push some of the younger players along. “We’re trying to help out the younger guys, a lot of them are going to play offense, defense and special teams,” Lester said. “Everyone just needs to work harder in practice, and it’ll show on the field.” LP has gotten a boost in practice from Lester and Sean Shapiro and the team will likely turn to sophomore Jordan Hart at quarterback. “We’re not blessed with15 linemen that are big kids,” Olson said. “I think we need to play out in space more. We still want to run the ball, and we want to have an equal balance; but right now we’ll probably lean to more of a throwing team.” Olson is hoping his team takes a solid step this year. “We’re still trying to change the culture of the program,” he said. “We’ve got to get people to buy into commitment, effort and playing with technique.”
State qualifier returns to Pacelli cross country The Pacelli girls cross country team brings back the first Pacelli girl who ever qualified for the state meet and another runner who wasn’t far from getting to state as well last year. Pacelli sophomore Sarah Kahle finished 88th at the state meet last year, and her teammate Madeline Kraemer, a junior, was just four spots away in the section meet from going to state herself. The trip to state will be even tougher this year as last year’s top 17 finishers return and two new teams have been added to the field. “It will take a good effort, but I look for both Sarah and Madeline to be in the hunt for another shot at state this year,” Pacelli head coach Jim Parlin said. The girls will also look to Katie Ethen, who is in her fourth year on the team, for leadership. The boys team will be led by seniors Stephen Juenger and John Ethen, who is entering his sixth year on the team. “We’re still short on numbers in both the boys and girls pro-
grams. We will have to rely on inexperienced runners to fill out our line-up,” Parlin said.
SCHEDULE
•Aug. 30: Pacelli at Stewartville, 4:30 p.m. •Sept. 6: Pacelli at Hayfield, 4:30 p.m. •Sept. 11: Pacelli at Dover-Eyota, 4:30 p.m. •Sept. 20: Pacelli at Pine Island, 4:30 p.m. •Sept. 25: Pacelli at Kingsland, 4:30 p.m. •Oct. 4: Pacelli at Lewiston-Altura, 4:30 p.m. •Oct. 9: Pacelli at Austin, 4:30 p.m.
Lyle-Pacelli VB Schedule SCHEDULE/Home matches in bold
•Aug. 28: LP at Houston, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 4: LP at Glen.-Emmons, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 8: LP at Hayfield Invite, 8:30 a.m. •Sept. 10: Rice, Iowa at LP, Lyle, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 11: LeRoy-Ostr. at LP, Lyle, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 15: LP at South. Invite, 8 a.m. •Sept. 18: G.Mead. at LP, Lyle, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 20: LP at Sch Acad, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 24: Ran. at LP. in Lyle, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 25: Glenville-Emmons at Lyle-
Pacelli in Lyle, 7:15 p.m. •Sept. 27: S.Grove at LP, Pacelli, 7:15 p.m. •Oct. 2: LP at LeRoy-Ostrander, 7:15 p.m. •Oct. 4: Mabel-Canton at LP in Pacelli, 7:15 p.m. •Oct. 9: LP at G Meadow, 7:15 p.m. •Oct. 11: S.Acad. at LP, Pacelli, 7:15 p.m. •Oct. 16: H.Luth. at LP, Pacelli, 7:15 p.m.
*Survey for story was not returned from coach by presstime
2012 FALL SPORTS PREVIEW | 19