Tribune’s 2001 All-Area Softball Team&lt!—-&t;.

Sunday, June 17, 2001

Tribune’s 2001 All-Area Softball Team

Jerri Mondeel, Albert Lea

8th-grader – Outfield/Catcher/Pitcher

The biggest surprise in area softball this spring, Mondeel was an impact player in the Big Nine as an eighth-grader for the 7-16 Tigers. She batted .367, with an on-base average of .413 and a slugging percentage of .417. She pitched four games. &uot;Jerri’s had a lot of experience playing summer ball, since the summer of her sixth-grade year,&uot; said Tigers coach Sherrie Gayken. &uot;And she played for our ninth-grade team last year as a seventh-grader. She’s always been playing with older kids. On our varsity team, you wouldn’t have known she was an eighth-grader. She was asked to do a lot of things and she did a fine job at all positions. She’s very team oriented. She played any position we asked her to play.&uot;

Amber Sickels, Albert Lea

Senior, Shortstop

The Tribune’s Player of the Year in girls’ basketball, Sickels was a finalist for the same honor in softball. She finished her career as a Tiger by leading the team with a .386 batting average, .534 on-base average and .485 slugging percentage. &uot;She was our leadoff batter this year, and she handled the bat quite well,&uot; said coach Sherrie Gayken. &uot;As her batting average, especially in the Big Nine shows, she can hit the ball. In just nonconference games, her average was even higher. Defensively, she helped run our infield. It will be hard to replace her at shortstop next year.&uot;

Emily Krogsgaard, Alden-Conger

Senior, First Base

One of the best power hitters in the area, Krogsgaard led the 4-12 Knights with two home runs and 17 runs batted in. She batted .360, with two doubles and two triples. Krogsgaard was also strong defensively at first base. &uot;When she made contact, the ball went a long way,&uot; said Alden-Conger coach Gary Nelson. &uot;She was a real good clutch hitter for us.&uot;

Jessica Wichmann, Alden-Conger

Senior, Center Field

Wichmann had another solid all-around season, her third on the varsity, leading the Knights with a batting average of .372 and 22 stolen bases, with two doubles and two triples. She also had two assists from the outfield. &uot;She’s got good speed, a good arm,&uot; said Knights coach Gary Nelson. &uot;When she got on base, she was always a threat. She’ll be missed.&uot;

Megan Avery, Glenville-Emmons

Junior, Right Field

Avery was one of several key players for the Wolverines, who reached the final four in Section 2A and finished 15-10. Avery hit .379, with an on-base average of .486 and totals of 22 hits, 17 runs, six stolen bases, 12 walks and nine RBIs. She had five assists from right field. &uot;She collected a lot of hits,&uot; said Glenville-Emmons coach Bob Staska. &uot;She was 3-for-3 against Cleveland’s pitcher, which is outstanding, and she had a real good on-base average. She has an excellent arm in the outfield too.&uot;

Jill Delger, Glenville-Emmons

Junior, Pitcher

Delger was the mainstay on the mound and an offensive standout for the Wolverines, pitching 95 2/3 of the team’s 138 innings. Her earned run average was 2.49 and opponents hit .210 against her; she was 11-3 at one point but finished 11-6 as the Wolverines lost their last three games. Among her wins was a no-hitter against a strong Southland squad. Delger batted .328, with 16 runs, two triples, five stolen bases and six RBIs. &uot;She improved as the year went on,&uot; said Wolverines coach Bob Staska. &uot;Her control and her change-up just got better and better. Even though we lost the sub-section championship and our two section games, I think she pitched very, very well down the stretch.&uot;

Fallon Lorenzen, Glenville-Emmons

Senior, Second Base

A four-year letterwinner and four-time all-conference player, Lorenzen finished as the Wolverines’ career school-record holder for hits, runs, walks, triples and stolen bases, tying the mark for home runs. She stole a single-season school record 27 bases this year, when she hit .366 with 26 hits, 34 runs, two doubles, three triples, two home runs, 20 walks and 14 RBIs. She had an on-base average of .505 and only two errors defensively. &uot;She could manufacture a run by herself,&uot; said coach Bob Staska. &uot;She just makes stuff happen on the bases.&uot;

Jolene Peterson, Glenville-Emmons

Senior, Catcher

An offensive and defensive standout, Peterson batted .358 with 24 hits, 26 runs, five doubles, three triples, 13 stolen bases, 17 walks and 16 RBIs, an on-base average of .488 and a fielding percentage of .982. &uot;She’s a great fielding catcher,&uot; said coach Bob Staska. &uot;We played doubleheaders this year; she’d make a throw down to second early, and teams wouldn’t run on us after that. She was much more consistent with her hitting this year.&uot;

Jill Yost, Glenville-Emmons

Junior, Third Base

Yost was the Wolverines’ leading hitter, batting a team-high .406 with 28 hits, 18 runs, five stolen bases and 10 RBIs. She struck out only three times in 69 at-bats. &uot;She was a real consistent hitter throughout the year,&uot; said coach Bob Staska. &uot;She was good for one or two hits every night. Third base was a new position for her, and she played very well defensively after the first week. Her batting average speaks for itself; she’s up there swinging.&uot;

Erin Anderson, NRHEG

Freshman, Pitcher

The Tribune’s Player of the Year, Anderson’s numbers speak for themself. She pitched six no-hitters, one of them against Gopher Conference champion Blooming Prairie, one of only three teams to beat Class A state runner-up Lyle/Austin Pacelli. Anderson pitched 117 of the Panthers’ 121 innings, striking out 153 and walking 62 with an ERA of 1.91 and an opponents’ batting average of .111. She batted .359 with 23 hits, 19 runs, five doubles, one triple, one home run, 23 RBIs, 13 stolen bases, an on-base average of .507 and a slugging percentage of .516. Anderson had a fielding percentage of .982 – one throwing error – with 43 assists and 11 putouts. She played all 121 innings as the Panthers finished 13-6.

Holly Waldhauser, NRHEG

Senior, First Base

Waldhauser, a three-year varsity starter, was on the field every inning for the Panthers, hitting .246 with 14 hits, 15 runs, two doubles, eight walks, seven stolen bases and eight RBIs. She had only one strikeout in 57 at-bats, an on-base percentage of .463 and a fielding average of .979. &uot;Holly was a very consistent hitter and very good on bunt coverage,&uot; said NRHEG coach Wendy Schultz. &uot;She provided good leadership and has a great attitude.&uot;

Shannon Schrader, United South Central

Freshman, Center Field

Schrader was a pleasant surprise for the Rebels, who went 12-13 and reached the final four of Section 2AA. She hit .307, with 23 hits, 17 runs, two doubles, one triple, 12 walks, 10 stolen bases and 13 RBIs. Her on-base average was .478. Schrader pitched 39 1/3 innings, striking out 20. &uot;She could play anywhere for us – she’s that good of an athlete,&uot; said USC coach Brad Huse. &uot;She has exceptional speed and a great work ethic. She had an outstanding season.&uot;

Kim Schultz, United South Central

Junior, Shortstop

Schultz led the Rebels’ regulars with a batting average of .310. She totaled 22 hits, 15 runs, one triple, 12 walks, seven RBIs and a team-high four sacrifices. Her on-base average was .460 and her fielding percentage was .957. &uot;She has great athletic ability,&uot; said coach Brad Huse. &uot;The definitely played stellar defense for us, and at the plate she did well. She has good speed and a great arm.&uot;

Hilary Wacholz, United South Central

Junior, Pitcher

The biggest question for the Rebels this spring was who would pitch. Wacholz answered it. She logged 106 1/3 of the Rebels’ 178 innings on the mound, going 10-5 with an ERA of 2.30 and opponents’ batting average of .251. Offensively, Wacholz led the Rebels with 18 runs and 15 walks; she had an on-base average of .467. &uot;She was a three-year starter, and we ended up pitching her a lot this year,&uot; said coach Brad Huse. &uot;She did a great job, especially since she hadn’t pitched since eighth grade. She’s a good competitor, a good athlete with great speed.&uot;

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Honorable Mention

* Albert Lea – Jenny Hovendick, soph., outfield; Danielle Jacobs, jr., catcher; Emily Ulve, sr., third base;

* Alden-Conger – Patty Boettcher, jr., second base;

* Glenville-Emmons – Brooke Erickson, jr., first base; Sheri Lair, sr., shortstop;

* NRHEG – Rachel Andree, jr., second base; Kelli Schlaak, jr., outfield; Jenny Schroeder, jr., shortstop;

* United South Central – Nichole Fulton, jr., catcher; Heather Schroeder, sr., left field; Stacie Yokiel, sr., third base.

Player of the Year

* 2001 – Erin Anderson, NRHEG

* 2000 – Katie Johnson, United South Central

* 1999 – Shanna Dagestad, Glenville-Emmons, and Amanda Moxon, NRHEG

* 1998 – Amanda Moxon, NRHEG

* 1997 – Andrea Ellsworth and Brooke Hagen, United South Central

* 1996 – Meghan Krause, NRHEG

* 1995 – Brooke Hagen, United South Central

* 1994 – Kristin Maslakow, United South Central

* 1993 – Jill Anderson, NRHEG

* 1992 – Angi Nowak, United South Central

Coach of the Year

* 2001 – Brad Huse, United South Central

* 2000 – Bob Staska, Glenville-Emmons

* 1999 – Wendy Schultz, NRHEG

* 1998 – Gary Nelson, Alden-Conger

* 1997 – Wendy Schultz, NRHEG

* 1996 – Wendy Schultz, NRHEG

* 1995 – Bob Staska, Glenville-Emmons

* 1994 – Greg Ellsworth, United South Central

* 1993 – Wendy Lerberg, NRHEG

* 1992 – Greg Ellsworth, United South Central