Friday, April 4, 2014
OWATONNA PEOPLE'S PRESS SPRING SPORTS
PAGE 11
NRHEG HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL
Schultz ready to rejuvenate Panthers As a sophomore, Jade Schultz was the NRHEG softball team’s biggest bat and ace pitcher. As a junior, she could only be the Panthers’ biggest supporter. Now, in her senior campaign, Schultz is read to reclaim her roles. The senior pitcher will be making her return to the diamond for NRHEG after sitting out all of her junior season with a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus she suffered during the 2013 Class AA state basketball semifinals. The team’s MVP and Golden Bat two years ago, Schultz, a varsity pitcher since the seventh
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grade, returns to the Panthers with gaudy 2012 numbers, including a .450 average at the dish and a 1.79 ERA from the circle. As a sophomore she struck out 195 batters and held the opposition to a mere 0.175 on-base-percentage. Moving back behind the plate will be NRHEG’s only other senior, catcher Hannah Lundberg, who was an all-conference pitcher last year in Schultz’s absence. She hit .375 and scored team-best 17 runs last season. Joining the senior battery will be juniors Anna Stork (1B, .432) and Kelli Harrington (CF, .378), who each received all-conference
nods in 2013. Also returning to the starting lineup are juniors Ryann Hagen (OF) and Alyssa Esplan (SS) and freshman Kayley Camerer (OF). Key members lost from last year’s squad are third baseman Tara Simon, an all-conference and all-conference pick, and outfielder Makenna Thiele. NRHEG, helmed by coach Wendy Schultz for the 17th year, competes in a stacked Gopher Conference, helmed by Blooming Prairie, the reigning Class A champ, and Randolph. Maple River is Section 2AA favorite, according to coach Schultz.
LAST SEASON
COACHSPEAK
We have some experience back, but there’s going to have to be two or three people in new spots.” — Wendy Schultz
Jade Schultz NRHEG senior
ROSTER Seniors: Jade Schultz, Hannah Lundberg. Juniors: Anna Stork, Kelli Harrington, Alyssa Esplan, Ryann Hagen, Remi Wayne, Jade Peterson. Freshmen: Kayley Camerer.
Finished 9-5 overall and was knocked out of the first round of sub-sections by Faribault Bethlehem Academy.
NEED TO KNOW
Jade Schultz (P) — The senior missed all of 2013 with a knee injury, this all coming a year after she was named the team’s MVP as a sophomore. Needless to say, Schultzwill provide a huge lift in the circle and batter’s box for the Panthers. Anna Stork (1B) — Stork, a junior, brings back the most offense from last year’s team. A year ago, the all-conference honoree hit .432 with 19 hits and nine RBIs, numbers that sat behind only graduate Tara Simon, the team’s MVP.
March 31 vs. BEA, 4:30 p.m. April 3 at JWP, 5 p.m. April 7 vs. Faribault BA, 5 p.m. April 10 vs. USC, 5 p.m. April 15 at WEM, 4:30 p.m. April 17 at Maple River, 5 p.m. April 22 vs. Randolph, 5 p.m.
SCHEDULE
April 24 vs. Blooming Prairie, 5 p.m. April 26 hosts Sibley East, Loyola, Belle Plaine (tournament), 10 a.m. April 29 at Faribault BA, 5 p.m. May 1 vs. USC, 5 p.m. May 2 vs. Waseca, 4:30 p.m. May 5 vs. WEM, 4:30 p.m.
May 8 vs. Maple River, 5 p.m. May 9 vs. Mankato Loyola, 5 p.m. May 10 at Hayfield tournament, 8:30 a.m. May 12 at Medford, 5 p.m. May 15 at Blooming Prairie, 4:30 p.m.
Protecting Our Most Important Assets
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Good Luck to all area sports teams in the spring 2014 season!
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