The golf season has finally begun, better late than never! For those of you who haven’t made it to the range yet, I’d like to offer a few suggestions on a great way to start.

What matters most in the golf swing is the impact zone. Start with a 7or 8 iron and tee the ball up. Put an alignment stick outside of your right and left foot so they match your stance line. The goal of this drill is to make contact with the ball in the center of the face of the club.

BRUCE STRAND CONTRIBUTED Sean Oslund plays 1 or 2 singles for the Cougars.

River 5-2 for the overall championship.

Centennial is seeded fourth in Section 4AA behind Mounds View, Mahtomedi and Stillwater. The Cougars will host No. 13 St. Paul Washington Tech on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to quarter-finals Friday against Roseville or Como Park.

The team’s six seniors, coach Dan Haertl said, “all worked quite hard in the off season

Sports Briefs

BASEBALL developing the skills necessary to compete effectively.”

I’d like to challenge you to look at it in reverse.

The important piece is starting your forward pivot first. You’ll need to establish a good tempo, and have a dedicated pause at the top of our backswing. If done correctly, the ball flight should be a slight draw. Once you get that shot pattern, extend your swing to a ¾ swing. You certainly could work through other clubs in your bag (not the driver at first) but I wouldn’t go any farther than a ¾ backswing. This is a great first day practice session at the range.

Captains are Sean Oslund and Zack Chaffey, who alternate at 1-2 singles, and Joaquin Bliss, who teams with brother JJ at 1-doubles. “We have good captains. Sean, Joaquin and Zack have been very helpful,” Haertl said.

Centennial has gone 20-2 in conference the last two years, both losses against Maple Grove. The Cougars were 16-3 last year and have mostly the same group this year, with a shorter season due to weather cancellations not made up.

Haertl has coached the Cougars for 15 seasons, posting a 174-74 record and only two losing seasons. “That is a solid record,” he said, “that indicates that we have had some talented athletes playing tennis for Centennial.”

Against Park, the Cougars won 84 of 90 games with a lineup of Chaffey, Oslund, Jesse Simso and Ian Gangl in singles, and the Bliss brothers, Trevor Allen/Brody Johnson and Andrew Abraham/Ander Julson in doubles. Winning against Armstrong were Oslund, Chaffey, Simso and Gangl in singles, and Bliss/ Bliss and Abraham/Julson in doubles. Allen/Johnson lost 3-doubles.

Tee Time

You’ll start with a half swing. On the take away make a slight pivot back. Make sure the clubhead is slightly outside of the alignment stick, with the clubhead partially closed. This is definitely different than what most of you are doing. Once the club is parallel with the ground, start your forward pivot first then your downswing. Finish with the club parallel off your left foot. Doing these two moves will start your swing from the inside which is exactly what you want. When you use your torso to swing, the clubface will automatically square up at impact. Most players I see are more concerned with their arm swing than what their body is doing, and

The hardest thing for most players is taking a new move to the course. I’ve always preached play like you practice and practice like you play. Try to play 9 holes twice a week with this ¾ swing and don’t keep score. You’re trying to ingrain a new move, and it’s true it takes 1500+ repetitions to form a habit. I’d really like to hear back from readers what they think of this and if it worked for them.

I’m teaching New to the Game and Game Improvement Clinics this spring and summer. Please contact me if you’d like more information.

Betsy Larey is an LPGA Professional who has taught adults and junior for 25 years. She teaches at Keller Golf and Chomonix Golf in Lino Lakes. You can reach her directly at betsylareygolf@gmail.com or 651.470.2297

Zack Chaffey, Centennial senior tennis co-captain, is one of the leaders of the Cougar squad hat won 11 of 12 matches in the regular season. Chaffey went 4 -1 at No. 1 singles and 4-1 at No. 2 singles, while winning once at 1-doubles, for a 9-2 overall mark. Chaffey will pick up his second straight all-conference award.

Centennial got well-pitched games from three different starters and picked up three conference wins in four days last week. The Cougars are 11-3 overall and 7-2 in conference, one game behind first-place Elk River. Jack Dagostino hurled six strong innings (one run, three walks, five hits) and doubled home a run to lead a 5-2 win over St. Thomas Academy (11-3) Monday. Anders Wessman notched a single, two walks and two runs. Will Whelan, Owen Hackett, and Aidan Leiser had RBI hits. Josh Lee threw six shutout innings (six hits, no walks, two strikeouts) in an 8-0 win over Spring Lake Park (2-10) there Tuesday. Krill Landry got the last three outs, two by strikeout. Vinny Wry was 2-for-5 (double, RBI, two runs) and Maverick Harper 2-for-2 (double, sac fly, two RBIs). Also with RBI’s were Tyler Gray (two) Luke Gunderman and Peyton Streit. Whelan spun a three-hitter (nine strikeouts, two walks, one earned run) to defeat Robbinsdale Armstrong (5-7) on Thursday 5-3. Hackett knocked in two runs with a single and sacrifice fly. Wessman was 2-for-2 (one run).

BOYS LACROSSE

Centennial pulled out two straight 8-7 wins last week, over Blaine on Monday and Champlin Park on Wednesday, improving to 6-3. Brol Scherman netted four goals, Logan Adams two, and Kellen Krumwiede and Cooper Larson one each, against Blaine. Scherman notched three goals, Adams two, and Samuel Lewis, Gavin Krage and Colden Anderson one each. Trenton Kramer, goalie, stopped 14 of 21 shots against Blaine (3-5) and 11 of 18 against the Rebels (4-5).

GIRLS LACROSSE

Centennial pummeled Blaine 15-4 on Monday, then was on the other side of a drubbing, 15-3 against Champlin Park on Wednesday, which snapped a six-game win streak. In the Northwest Suburban, Maple Grove is 9-0 and Champlin Park 8-0. Centennial is 6-2, tied for third place.

SOFTBALL

Centennial had three close games last week and won two of them with Riley O’Connell on the mound. The Cougars (7-6) nipped Anoka (6-6) on Monday 4-3 as O’Connell struck out 12 while giving up four hits and three walks. Peyton

Corbin and Jordan Lemire each had a double and two RBI’s. O’Connell tossed a two-hit shutout (seven strikeouts, four walks) as Centennial won 2-0 over Spring Lake (9-9) there Tuesday. Lily Renslow belted a solo home run. Lily Gilmore hit a double and scored the other run. Centennial lost 5-4 to Armstrong (7-7) at home Thursday. O’Connell was nicked for eight hits, three walks and five runs (two earned), striking out six. Maggie Olson singled home two runs in the last of the seventh and was thrown out going for a double. Lily Cummans was 2-for-3 with an RBI.

GIRLS TRACK

Centennial placed sixth of nine teams in the Section 5AAA true-team meet at Forest Lake on Tuesday, won by Blaine. Lauren Klein won the 800 run in 2:21.12. That was the Cougars best event with Miranda Sawvel eighth (2:31.18) and Anna Swanson ninth (2:31.72). Kylie Nelson had the Cougars other win, in the 1600 with 5:11.69. Brenna Person placed sixth in the shot put (32-9 3/4) and eighth in discus (93-11). Also in the top dozen were: Annie Trettel, sixth, discus (101-6); Abigail Wood, sixth, 3200 (11:55.58); Madeline Haider, sixth, 200 (28.05); Nora Halving, 10th, 100 (13.88); Adyson Janacek, 11th, pole vault (8-0); Alexis Larson, 12th, long jump (14-6); and Emilia Lauinger, 12th, 400 (1:04.42). In relays, the Cougars were second in the 4x800 (9:56.53) with Klein, Nelson, Wood, and Emma Magnuson, fourth in the 4x400, sixth in the 4x100 (52.68), and sixth in the 4x200.

BOYS TRACK

Centennial excelled in relay events but placed sixth of nine teams in the Section 5AAA true-team meet at Forest Lake on Tuesday, won by Blaine. The Cougars won the 4x400 in 3:27.97 with Sam Zeresenay, Jacob Podratz, Eli Berg, and Charlie Bolkcom, and won the 4x800 in 8:22.47 with Berg, Podratz, Bolkcom, and Matthew Washburn in 8:22.47. They also took third in the 4x100 (44.64) with Gavin Moore, Trystan Green, Isaiah Tandoh, and Zeresenay. Timmy Ball placed third in shot put (51-11 1/4) and discus (15710), both personal bests. Green placed fourth in the 100 dash (11.55) with Zeresenay fifth (11.60). Kavan Johnson was fifth in the 800 (2:08.48) with Alexander Persing sixth (2:09.29). Also in the top dozen were: Tandoh, sixth, 200 (23.33);

SEE SPORTS BRIEFS, PAGE 12

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OPPORTUNITY all real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Ho using Act which makes it illegal to advertise “any preferen ce, limitation or discriminat ion based on race co lo r, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or nationa l origin, or an intention, to make any such preferen ce limitation or discriminat ion.” Familial status includes children under the age of 18 livin g with parents or legal cu stod ians; pregnant women and peop le securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not kn owingly accept any ad vertising for real esta te which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newsp ap er are available on an equal opportunity basis To complain of discrimination call HUD toll free: 1-800-669-9777. The toll-free number for hearing impaired is 1-800-927-92 75

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SPORTS BRIEFS

FROM PAGE 10

Bolkcom, seventh, pole vault (10-4); Berg, eighth,1600 (4:46.17); Lukas Andrie, 11th, 300 hurdles (44.35); Liban Ahmed, 12th, 1600 (4:51.27); and Logan Huss, 12th, discus (126-11).

FIRST HOLE-IN-ONE

Chomonix Golf Club reported its first hole-in-one of 2023 last week. Dave Holvig aced the 116-yard No. 6 hole with a pitching wedge on May 8. It was his first.

Bruce Strand

Weekly Outlook

We avoided near disastrous weather this past weekend for two of the most important days of the year..... Fishing Opener and Mother’s Day. The forecast for Saturday was pretty bleak (rain). It was wet very earlier but the majority of the daytime was dry. Mother’s Day forecast was for nicer weather but it stayed wet until midday as showers moved south of the Metro and we were left with a very pleasant afternoon and evening. We have really greened up in one week. I’ve even mowed my lawn. Fields of dandelions look very colorful before they start seeding. Have a great week and this weekend looks dry!

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