Second semester is notoriously the hardest half of the year. Teachers are cracking down, trying to finish the textbook by the end of the year, A.P. tests are looming, and warm weather makes it hard to concentrate. If the stress of the spring months is weighing you down, it’s time to fit a break into your schedule. And what better place to take a break than at an Edina sporting event? Edina’s spring sports include boys and girls track and field, badminton, boys tennis, boys and girls golf, boys and girls lacrosse, baseball, softball and synchronized swimming. Here’s a preview of our spring sports:
Boys Golf
With a solid mix of seniors, juniors, and sophomores ready to try out for the team, boys golf is anxious to start the season. Their biggest rival is Wayzata, who has won state three years in a row, and will be looking for their fourth state title. Coach Phil Finanger hopes that the team “understands the importance of developing the short game on and around the green to improve overall scores.” He also believes that their biggest challenge will be staying patient. The best games to watch will be played at Interlachen in May. The captain is senior Dylan Rusk, who was named Junior PGA player of the year last summer.
Girls Golf
With players ranging from 8th to 12th grade, girls golf is ready to kick in the season with almost all of the varsity players returning from last year. Their biggest rival is Wayzata, who won the state tournament last year and who also has a veteran team returning. Coach Mark Harelstad wants the players “to have fun and be competitive in every day of practice.” Their biggest challenge is to keep up the competition, and to realize the importance of their short game. Harelstad comments that the players not only pride themselves on representing Edina with a positive attitude, but also with their apparel. “We look marvelous!” he exclaimed. Captains are seniors Grace Gilmore, Allie Buska, and Alie Nye.
Baseball
With only five returning players, this year’s baseball team will be fairly young. Also new this year are both of the varsity coaches, head coach Carter Freeman and varsity assistant Nick Kennedy. In spite of the young team, coach Carter Freeman is encouraged because they have a “great group of returners.” Their toughest competition will probably be Eden Prairie. Coach Freeman hopes that the team gets better every day. He wants them to play the “Edina way. This is a certain way, basically playing the right way. The other coaches and I have outlined ten things or so that we want every player to remember to do during the game,” said Freeman. Captains are seniors Nick Leer and Nick Omodt.
Boys Lacrosse
Like baseball, boys lacrosse has a brand new coaching staff this year and a fairly young team. Their biggest rivals are the other Lake Conference teams. Coach Travis Wells hopes to “win every game we play and to get better every day.” Their biggest challenge will be working on coach-player chemistry, since it’s a new staff. “It may be a bit of a struggle in the early part of the season,” said Wells. Also similar to baseball, boy’s lacrosse is kicking off their season with a game against Burnsville on April 13th. It’s a Friday night at 8 and it’s free for all fans! Captains are seniors Danny Burke and Sam Lardy and juniors Willy Duggan and Austin Dover.
Girls Lacrosse
After graduating 14 seniors last season, girls lacrosse will have quite a young team this spring. Their biggest rivals are Eden Prairie and Blake. Make sure to catch the EP game at home on May 8th at 6 pm. Co-head coach, Chelsea Duke hopes that the team will grow this year. “I want to expand the knowledge of lacrosse,” explained Duke. “We have to start training in the younger girls to build a strong foundation.” The team’s biggest challenge will be pulling all the girls together. Since it will be a fairly new team, they are going to have to work on getting to know and trust each other. Interestingly, Duke played for Edina while in high school, while other Co-Head coach Beth Neary played for Eden Prairie. Captains are seniors Isabelle Buie and Jordie Schnell and junior Madeline Rodriguez.
Boys Track and Field
With over 75% of the team consisting of underclassmen or new seniors, boys track and field, like many other spring sports this season, is expecting a relatively young team. However, they do have some superstars from last year, including some boys from the cross country team, and shot put athlete junior Ian Collins, who finished 15th in state last year. The team’s biggest rivals are the other Lake Conference teams. If you can only attend one track meet this spring, make sure to go to the Edina Invite on Friday, May 4. You will see the boys rocking their new uniforms, and if you’re lucky you will catch the sprinters in their new compression shorts. Coach David Boone hopes that everyone “has fun, improves throughout the season, competes with heart, and sets a personal record at the end of the season.” If this happens, he said, “We should advance a handful of athletes to the state met in June.” Captains are seniors Jake Campbell, David Fogg, Cavonte Johnson, John Lagorio and Keagan Potts.
Girls Track and Field
Unlike most sports this spring, girl’s track and field has 23 seniors on the roster – the most they’ve had on the team since coach Cole Nelson started coaching. Three of these senior athletes competed in the state track meet last year, and five team members participated in the state cross country meet this past fall. “There is a lot of potential in the team this year,” believes Nelson. Their biggest competition is Hopkins, who has been conference and section champions several years in a row. The girl’s team only hosts two meets at Edina this season. The biggest one will be the Edina Invite on May 4 (hit a two-for-one and check out the boys too!). Coach Nelson hopes to “place in the top three at the conference championships and at the Section True Team meet,” as well as send a handful of girls to the state meet in June. The team’s biggest challenge, like any sport, will be “staying healthy,” comments Nelson. Captains are seniors Piper Bain, Shelby Harkness, Elaine Rock, Julia Good, Emily Guimont and Katybeth Biewen.
Boys Tennis
With a handful of skilled returners, boys tennis is pumped for the new season. Returning seniors, juniors and even sophomores, like two year letter winner Max Olson, are expected to be very important to the team’s success. Like many of our spring sports, boys tennis is most worried about the Lake Conference teams. Coach Gary Aasen hopes the team will be “stronger than last year,” and will win their conference. The team’s biggest challenge will be “finding three good doubles teams that can compete well, as well as practicing hard from the first day of the season to the last,” commented Aasen. The best tennis event for fans to watch is the Edina Invite all day on Saturday, April 28. Captains are senior Peter Batdorf and junior Tyler Kuck.
Badminton
In its second season, badminton is Edina’s newest sport for girls. With 47 girls on the team, coaches Steve and Margo Henke hope the team will “improve fundamentals and play with confidence.” Their practices are “fun, super fast, have loud rave music and great uniforms,” said Mrs. Henke. The coaches hope for a “festive atmosphere” at the meets this year. Minneapolis South is the team’s biggest rival. Last year, Edina lost to them in the beginning of the season, but then beat them later on. If you’re looking for a good match to watch, catch the April 24th match against Eden Prairie at 3:45 in the South View gym. Captains are seniors Patty Weicht, Alma Pronove and founder Celine Henke.
So grab a few friends, make some superfan signs and try to watch at least one game for each sport this spring!
