With last season's laurels behind them, Flyers look to new faces

The awards piled up for the Little Falls Flyers baseball team last season.

The Flyers were Section 8AA champions and went on to finish third in the Class AA state tournament in St. Paul. Graduated pitcher/second baseman Mario Filippi earned first-team all-state honors and Little Falls earned the Central Lakes Conference Sportsmanship Award.

If the Flyers are going to equal that spectacular season, a crop of new players is going to have to come through.

Little Falls Flyers

Baseball coach -- A.J. Kluver, 7th year

Career record -- 84-58

1999 finish -- 8-6 in CLC, 20-9 overall; Section 8AA champion, third place in Class AA state tournament

Assistant coach -- Scott Renning, John Hanowski, Steve Bell

Softball coach -- Ron Hinnenkamp, 20th year

Career record -- 131-219

1999 finish -- 2-12 in CLC, 3-14 overall

Assistant coaches -- Lyn Swenson, Anita Larsen, Ron Koski, Amy Holm, Deb Yliniemi-Ahlin

Boys' track coach -- Jeff Massmann, 1st year

Assistant coaches -- Kevin Condit, Chad Holm

Girls' track coach -- Terry Ronayne, 3rd year

Assistant coaches -- Joe Davich, Nancy Anderson, Jacki Devine

Tennis coach -- Dennis Flesner, 23nd year

Career record -- 105-205

1999 finish -- 6-6 in CLC, 7-7 overall

Assistant coach -- Rick Swenson

Girls' golf coach -- Steve Robinson, 2nd year

Boys' golf coach -- Scott Holm, 3rd year

Assistant coach -- John Filippi

Little Falls returns only three players from last year's squad: seniors Jon Czech (third base/first base), Tom Rakow (outfield) and Adam Czech (pitcher/first base). Jon Czech batted .478 and led the team with eight home runs and 43 RBI.

Seventh-year coach A.J. Kluver needs 12 other seniors and juniors to step up, especially on the pitching staff. Three returning pitchers have only seven innings of experience on the mound.

"Our pitchers' progress will determine how much we improve over the course of the season," said Kluver, whose team was 8-6 in the CLC and 20-9 overall last season. "We may take our lumps early but hopefully we will be ready for the stretch and to defend our section title."

Senior Luke Kasella and juniors Matt Martin, Chris Bell, Josh Burgardt and Jason Zilka all expect to vie for pitching duties.

Additional varsity candidates

Senior Rusty Deters (OF); juniors Pat Krebs (C/OF), Jon Larson (C/1B), Isaac Smieja (1B), Travis Hawkinson (3B), Kyle Nguyen (OF), Brian Kruchten (OF).

Boys' tennis

The Flyers' tennis team lost No. 1 singles player and state qualifier Sean Bowen to graduation.

But with strong doubles play, the Flyers expect to improve upon last year's 7-7 record.

"We've lost a bit in our singles lineup because Sean Bowen graduated, but we will be improved in our doubles lineup," Little Falls coach Dennis Flesner said. "I think we will be about even with last year's team or a little better."

Junior Chris Dobis will move up to No. 1 singles. He beat St. Cloud Tech's Ajay Prakash, a four-time state qualifier who is playing this season at Dartmouth, in the Subsection 8AA tournament last spring.

The doubles lineup will be led by seniors Travis Fuechtmann and Andy Rakow and sophomores Andy Spofford and Luke Godzala.

Other returning letterwinners

Senior Ryan Schrupp (singles); junior Josh Peterschick (singles)

Additional varsity candidates:

Seniors Brandon Casillas, Aaron Rakow, John Alcorn; sophomores Eric Rakow, Phil Weiss, Josh Anderson, Mark Hartwig.

Softball

Pitching is always key in softball. Because of that, the Flyers could be much improved after a 3-14 season in 1999.

Senior Nicole Ashby threw 87.2 innings last season and junior Jess Waltman 19.2. Ashby was also second on the team in at-bats and fourth in hits and RBI.

The Flyers also enter the season with confidence. They disposed of higher-seeded Sauk Rapids 18-0 in the Section 8AA playoffs last season, before bowing out in the double-elimination playoffs.

Other returning letterwinners

Seniors Melissa Gustafson (C/IF), Jessica Peterschick (OF), Jenney Tonsager (IF), Daniell Baum (1B), Laura Sperl (IF), Steph Thesing (IF), Sarah Brausen (OF), Michelle Dick (OF), Jessie Doucette (OF), Erin Ireland (IF), Lisa Jelinski (OF).

Boys' golf

The Flyers return five players from last year's team that finished fifth in the Central Lakes Conference.

Seniors Paul Martin, Nick Dahl, Luke Liebel and Matt Germscheid and sophomore George Fortier will lead this year's linksters.

Additional varsity candidates

Seniors Dustin Emblom, Jeff Carlson; junior Jon Smieja; sophomore Nick Calhoun.

Girls' golf

The Flyers return five letterwinners from last year's team.

Flyers coach Steve Robinson expects Sarah Owen, a senior, Brie Mattsen and Kayla Czech, both juniors, and Jenna Herzog and Sarah Evans, both sophomores, to lead them toward the top of the Central Lakes Conference.

Additional varsity candidates

Sophomores Beth Klassen, Melissa Burggraff, Jolene Januschka, Tiffany Kotual, Kara VonderHarr; Eighth-graders Ashley Messerschmidt, Paige Johnson.

Track and field

The boys' team returns five seniors: Ben Smith (shot put), Joe Ulhorn (discus), Lance Schuer (800), Mark Stoltman (3,200) and Justin Anderson (pole vault).

The girls' team will be led by junior state qualifier Rachel Davich who participated in the 400. She will contribute to this year's squad in a number of events, including the 200, triple jump and as a member of 4x200 relay.

The Flyers also return senior Beth Miller, the school record holder in the discus (more than 119 feet). She has already thrown the shot put in excess of 37 feet this spring as well. Senior Sarah Bratsch, freshman Holly Beto and sophomore Trista Schilling also return from the school-record 4x800 relay.

The Flyers' girls team has 42 members, the largest ever at Little Falls. The junior high program has 79 girls out.

Additional varsity candidates

Boys: Juniors Ryan Schuer, Kerry Herdegen, Kevin Herdegen, Tom Hansen; Freshman Jason Thielen.

Girls: Juniors Kristy Feia, Nichole McCoy, Alexis Sand, Nichole Vernier; Sophomores Carrie Bryniarski, Becky Anderson; Freshman Ashley Thompson.