Eastview junior Natalie Manders, the best girls' discus thrower in the South Suburban Conference, is out to prove she is the best in the state as well.

Manders opened the season with a toss of 167 feet, 6 inches in a dual meet with Burnsville. She was the conference record holder in the event with a toss of 147-1 last season. She was the runner-up in the state meet with a throw of 141-10 a year ago.

Maggie Ewen of St. Francis is the state record-holder in the event. She had a toss of 175-9 in 2013.

Manders also won the shot put in the meet with Burnsville with a throw of 39-4. She is the school record-holder in the event with a toss of 41-9.

"Natalie is a true competitor," Eastview coach Jorjean Fischer said. "She is always setting and working toward goals."

Two more changes

Two more coaches of winter sports teams — Lakeville South girls' hockey mentor Natalie Darwitz and Prior Lake boys' basketball mentor Dan Rubischko — will not be returning next season. Darwitz resigned to accept another position while Rubischko's contract wasn't renewed at Prior Lake.

Darwitz, a three-time All-America at the University of Minnesota, has been named head coach at Hamline University in St. Paul. She was named the women's college player of the year by USA Hockey in 2005. She also represented the United States in three Olympics.

Darwitz guided the Cougars to their first Class 2A state tournament appearance under her direction this past season. She just completed her fourth year as the Cougars' mentor, finishing with a career record of 79-29-5. They were 24-6-1 this past season.

Rubischko guided the Lakers to an overall record of 29-27 in his two seasons. They lost in the Class 4A, Section 2 semifinals each year.

Top performances

• Sophomore Sam Carlson threw a two-hit shutout for Burnsville's baseball team in its season opener, a 1-0 triumph over Rosemount in a South Suburban Conference matchup. Carlson struck out four and walked two. He also went 2-for-3 at the plate, and drove in the game's lone run.

• Eagan senior catcher Zach Seipel went 5-for-8, including a grand slam home run, with eight RBI in the first three games for its baseball team. Eagan went 1-2 during that span. Its lone victory was an 11-1 triumph over Hopkins.

Ron Haggstrom • 612-673-4498