First-year LF coach has veteran team
First-year Little Falls Flyers swimming and diving coach Marge Brutscher won't have the luxury of talking about a rebuilding process that is part of what so many first-year coaches have to deal with.
Brutscher has a veteran team to coach this year. She has set lofty goals for her squad and for herself.
"We have strong returning letterwinners," said Brutscher. "This is a talented group with a lot of experience. Our goal is to win Section 3A this year."
The Flyers' team will be led by nine returning seniors and a bevy of younger swimmers. Many of the returnees recorded impressive performances a year ago, under departed coach Sarah Filippi, that they hope to improve upon this season.
Little Falls Flyers
Football coach -- Jack Marmon, 3rd year
Career record -- 5-13
2000 record -- 2-5 in Central Lakes Conference; 3-6 overall
Assistant coaches --Shawn Alholm, Tom Riitters, Carl Larson, Pat Cory, Jeremy Stadum, Mike Hendrickson, Tony Couture
Volleyball coach -- Kevin Hoskins, 3rd season
2000 record -- 6-17
Cross country coaches -- Jeff Massmann boys, 5th year; Jackie Devine, girls
Assistant coaches -- Reid Bellig, boys.
Tennis coach -- Greg Emerson, 8th year
2000 record -- 1-11 in the Central Lakes Conference; 1-19 overall.
Assistant coaches -- Deb Yliniemi-Ahlin
Girls' swimming coach -- Marge Brutscher, first year
2000 record -- 9-3 overall, second in Central Lakes Conference; second in region.
Assistant coaches -- Lisa Brill
Soccer coaches -- Rev. Loren Olson, girls 1st year; Dr. Julie Bell, boys
Assistant coaches -- Brad Laager, boys.
Julie Carlson is a returning state qualifier in the 200 individual medley. The returning 200 medley relay team of Julie Carlson, Emily Tschida, Maggie Neudecker and Jessie Ylitalo were state qualifiers a year ago. Jessie Ylitalo qualified for state in both the 50 and 100 frees and also returns.
Carlson, Ylitalo and the 200 medley team all broke school records in their events.
Last season was a time of many firsts for the Little Falls swimmers. It marked the first time they beat Alexandria in a dual meet, the first time they defeated Alexandria, Willmar and Sartell at the conference meet.
Only a strong Brainerd team kept the Flyers from claiming the conference championship.
The Flyers figure to be deeper and more difficult to beat this year as they add several swimmers from a junior varsity that went 12-0 last season.
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Julie Carlson, Kari Carlson, Cassie Goldenstein, Rachel Greene, Maggie Neudecker, Brianne Simonson, Marissa Skuza, Emily Tschida, Jessie Ylitalo.
Juniors-- Megan Rens, Jodi Tonsager, Allison Zak.
Sophomores-- Jenni Ashwill, Amanda Dunlap, Jenne Johnson, Ashley Messerschmidt, Marissa Mowers, Ashley Neudecker.
Freshman-- Brittney Corrow
Additional varsity candidates
Junior-- Elizabeth Hecht.
Sophomores-- Ashleigh Albrecht, Alex Kuiper, Trisha Simonsen.
Tennis
Much of the coaching process in high school involves teaching and developing raw talent.
Little Falls Flyers girls' tennis coach Greg Emerson will rely on his ability to transform athletic ability into tennis talent, hoping that will translate into improvement for a team that managed just one win a season ago.
The Flyers went 1-11 in the Central Lakes Conference during the 2000 season and 1-19 overall. If Emerson's analysis of his 2001 team is correct, the Flyers can count on more wins this season.
"We look to improve on last year's one conference win," said Emerson. "We hope to be more competitive in all our matches. I believe we have a more athletic team than in the past and we should be improved in both singles and doubles."
Rachel Loscheider, Shanna Bach, Kate Fogle and Christina Saari are returning starters who will provide leadership and be the keys to an improved Little Falls team.
"Last season," said Emerson, "we had our No. 1 doubles team win a match at subsection and also a singles player win a match at subsection. We also won our first conference match in three years."
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Rachel Loscheider, Shanna Bach, Kate Fogle, Christina Saari.
Juniors-- Nicki Olson, Shelby Swenson.
Sophomores-- Heather Rakow, Elizabeth Brisk, Maggie Cotton, Jessica Peterson
Additional varsity candidates
Sophomores-- Jolee Miedema, Samantha Schneider, Melissa Ploof, Tina Martin.
Freshman-- Jessica Tonder
Football
If the Little Falls football team is going to make a run at the Central Lakes Conference championship, and experience counts for anything, this might be the Flyers' year.
A year ago, the Flyers finished 2-5 in the CLC. Two players earned conference and section honors. Tailback Ryan Olson and Mark Kasella, a tight end/defensive end, both received all-conference honorable mention. Kasella also was an All-Section 8, Class 5A selection.
Both players are back as seniors ready to lead what figures to be an improved Little Falls team.
Nine starters, eight of them seniors, return. There are another four seniors that did not start but earned letters who will also be back..
Both Blake Smith, linebacker, and Dave Sperl, quarterback, earned letters as sophomores and return.
The two returning juniors, along with the large number of experienced senior leaders, give head coach Jack Marmon cause to be optimistic about his team's chances in the CLC.
"Our skill people are solid," said Marmon. "If we can find some depth up front, we will have success. Our schedule is very tough, so developing young players is very important.
"We also are going to have a spirited battle at quarterback, with four players as legitimate candidates."
Besides Sperl, the other quarterback candidates include Christian Larson, Noah Czech and Mike Damante. Sperl is the only one of the four that qualifies as a returning letterwinner.
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Ryan Olson, TB; Jeremy Doroff, WR; Mark Kasella, TE/DE; Derek Johnson, LB; Matt Wenz, DB; Matt Preble, OT; Nate Doucette, DB/LB; Josh Woolery, OG; Luke Anderson, WR; Mick Erickson, OG; Brandon Gregor, RB/LB; Paul Hochsprung, WR/DE.
Juniors-- Blake Smith, LB; Dave Sperl, QB.
Additional varsity candidates
Seniors-- Josh Gosiak, LB/O-line; Noah Czech, QB/DB; Mike Damante, QB/RB/DB; Nicholas Mirlice, DB; Josh Sassen, DL/OL.
Juniors-- Bo Corrow, WR; Christian Larson, QB; Rick Mayer, OT; Tom Murray, OT; Jason Forceer, DL; Bryan Pender, LB; Brett Dobmeser, DE.
Cross country
The Little Falls boys' cross country team is hoping for better things from the 2001 season.
If they get their wish, the Flyers could find themselves atop the Central Lakes Conference when all is said and done.
A year ago, the Flyers' boys finished second in the CLC and then won the Section 8AA crown.
Jason Thielen, a sophomore last year, finished second in Section 8AA competition and followed that performance with a 25th-place finish at the state meet.
Thielen is now a junior and returns with another season under his belt. Of the dozen runners returning with Thielen, only two, Mark Hartwig and Matt Krousey, are seniors.
Six of the returnees started last year. Besides Thielen, Hartwig and Krousey, they include junior Andrew Feia, sophomore Jordan Horejsi and freshman Jon Stoltman.
Head coach Jeff Massmann looks for a special season from his Flyers.
"We should be a contender," said Massmann, "for the conference and section titles."
On the girls' side, the news is not good for the Flyers' Central Lakes Conference competitors hopping to make a move in the standings this year.
Last season, the Flyers were CLC champions. They also finished third at the section.
Becky Anderson finished 15th at the state meet, fourth at the section and was an all-conference selection. Holly Beto placed eighth in the section and was also an all-conference pick.
Both are back this year and looking to improve on last season's performance.
"We graduated no one last year," said Little Falls head coach Jacki Devine. "We will be a strong team this year with more experience and depth than ever."
Besides Anderson and Beto, Emily Gustafson also returns as a senior.
Angela Bratsch and Shannon McCoy are junior veterans.
Susan Sawtell is a returning sophomore and Megan Meyer, who ran as a seventh-grader last season, is also back.
Girls' cross country team
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Becky Anderson, Holly Beto, Emily Gustafson.
Juniors-- Angela Bratsch, Shannon McCoy.
Sophomore-- Susan Sawtell.
Eighth grader-- Megan Meyer.
Additional varsity candidates
Juniors-- Stephanie Chatfield, Ashley Thompson, Melissa Posterick.
Sophomore-- Maari Hanson
Boys' cross country team
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Mark Hartwig, Matt Krousey.
Juniors-- Jason Thielen, Andrew Feia, Jim Newman, Alex Warzecha, Mike Ashby.
Sophomores-- Jordan Horejsi, John Loscheider, Mat Davich, Matt Schilling, Will Floersheim.
Freshman-- John Stoltman.
Girls soccer
Rev. Loren Olson, head coach of the Little Falls girls' soccer team, begins his first season with enough returning starters and letterwinners to be optimistic about the season.
Olson will be aided by assistant coach Brad Laager, also in his first year.
The returning players will have a core of senior leadership that includes Janelle Callahan, Holly Fuechtmann, Colleen Roach, Megan Germscheid and Karen Cox.
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Janelle Callahan, Holly Fuechtmann, Colleen Roach, Megan Germscheid, Karen Cox.
Juniors-- Tyler Young, Heidi Fuechtmann, Holly Hoheisel.
Volleyball
The Little Falls volleyball team begins its third season under the guidance of head coach Kevin Hoskins hoping to improve on its 6-17 mark of last season.
To improve, the team will depend on the leadership and performance of its four returning letterwinners.
Those four include senior co-captains Sam Parker and Rachel Davich along with Jennifer Oldakowski, Erica Baros and Rachel Grams.
Hoskins expects defense to be a strength for the Flyers. And, as evidence to support that claim, points to the athleticism of juniors Rachel Hoben, Joelle Holtberg, Jody Kliber, Laura Okroi, Cassie Taylor and Kelly Feia.
New to the team and the Little Falls area is sophomore Laura Harms.
Former Pierz head coach Sheryl Wesenberg will coach the junior varsity.
Returning letterwinners and varsity members
Seniors-- Sam Parker, Rachel Davich, Jennifer Oldakowski, Erica Baros, Rachel Grams.
Juniors-- Rachel Hoben, Joelle Holtberg, Jody Kliber, Laura Okroi, Cassie Taylor, Kelly Feia.
Sophomore Laura Harms.
Boys' soccer
The Little Falls boys' soccer team will look to improve upon its 2-13 record from last season with a returning core of eight senior letterwinners. Julie Bell enters her second season as the team's head coach after posting a 2-11 record in the Central Lakes Conference during her first campaign.
Returning starters and letterwinners
Seniors-- Matt Parins, Mark Sahr, John Patterson, Eric Bakow, Jason Cash, Ian Bakke, Luke Gadzala.
Junior-- Paul Flahave.
Additional varsity candidates
Seniors-- Michael Sobrech, Joe Van Heel, Renzo Ferrari.
Junior-- Brandon Straab.
Freshmen-- Kyle Kalve, Chad Kofoed.
Ninth-grader-- Eric Bell.