Centennial readies for softball rematch

With seven returning letterwinners from a team painfully close to reaching the softball state tournament last season, Centennial coach Janelle DiMartino never assumed this season would be a chore.

Yet, the Cougars were a pedestrian 4-3 through seven games this season. Marred by inconsistent hitting and mercurial attitudes, Centennial struggled to find the right mix of players.

"It took awhile to figure out this team," DiMartino said.

Clarity has arrived in the form of an eight-game winning streak. Centennial (12-3) entered this week trailing only Osseo (14-1) in the Northwest Suburban Conference standings. The teams meet at 4:15 p.m. today at Osseo.

A pitchers duel turned ugly in their first meeting this season. Neither team managed a run for 12 full innings, but four Centennial errors resulted in three Osseo runs in the 13th.

"It's important for us to get a win against them this time," DiMartino said, noting that the teams are in the same playoff section. "It's our opportunity to get a little revenge."

Both the boys' and girls' track and field teams at Totino-Grace are accustomed to success at the True Team state meet, but the teams have never qualified in the same season -- until now.

The strong girls' team ran away with the Class 2A, Section 5 meet, while the young boys' team claimed the wild card by a mere seven points.

"This is special for me because the True Team meet is what we strive for in both of our programs," said coach Chris Beach, who directs both teams.

The girls team posted a "top three finish in just about every event," Beach said, enabling him to use other athletes at the meet rather than taxing his stars with multiple events.

The boys needed every point they could muster and received veteran-type performances from youngsters such as sophomore Matt Schroeder in the sprints and freshman Steve Dado in the distance events.

Park Center golfer Rachel Nyquist earned medalist honors last week, a victory announcing her successful return to the team.

Nyquist, a senior, took a year off from golf and surprised her team by returning this season. Her 10-over par 47 at the Elk River Country Club was good enough to earn medalist honors for the first time in her prep career.

"She has a super long game that helps her reach the greens," coach Tim Kallevig wrote in an e-mail. "Her play at Elk River showed an increasingly improving short game with fewer than two putts per hole."

Gary Grad has been named head coach of Andover's boys' basketball team. Grad was an assistant under Tim Feine, who resigned to pursue other opportunities. Feine coached Andover to three consecutive state tournament appearances (2005-07).