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After two years and amid stubborn pandemic effects, adapted softball teams head to state

Concerns about vulnerabilities limited participation in 2022 after the 2020 and 2021 tournaments were canceled.

By David La Vaque

June 2, 2022 at 6:21PM

Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville celebrated a state championship in the adapted softball CI division in 2019, the last time one was available, and is back with an undefeated record this season. (Shari L. Gross, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Two seasons removed from the last adapted softball state tournament, coaches and athletes alike are grateful to be playing for some hardware once again.

State tournaments in both the CI (cognitively impaired) and PI (physically impaired) divisions take place Friday and Saturday inside the Chanhassen High School fieldhouse.

Concerns about the coronavirus wiped out the 2020 and 2021 state tournaments. While other sports returned to regular competition quicker, adapted sports leaders were more concerned for their athletes, some of whom are more vulnerable to medical complications.

Pandemic scars remain visible. Only five PI Division teams are competing in the state tournament. Three teams received quarterfinal byes and advanced to Saturday's semifinals.

Here's a look at the top teams in each division.

CI Division

Burnsville/Farmington/Lakeville (8-0)

Key players: Shane Baker, Ella Carvell, Riley Deutsch, Miller Hertaus and JT Koczur.

Worth knowing: Not until this season have the Blazing Cats entered the state tournament undefeated.

Dakota United (5-2)

Key players: Thomas Christopherson, Kyle Jacobson, Mark Manwarren and Colin Price.

Worth knowing: The Hawks do not have a senior on the roster.

North Suburban (7-1)

Key players: Andrew Conant, Quintavion Gilmer, Abby Pass and Will Ventrelli.

Worth knowing: The Cougars, made up of players from Centennial and Spring Lake Park, defeated two state tournament teams (Osseo and St. Cloud) during the season.

St. Cloud Area (7-1)

Key players: Cyrus Heins, Isaiah Jancik, Maria McKnight and Amara Ross.

Worth knowing: The Crush won back-to-back state titles in 2017 and 2018.

PI Division

Anoka-Hennepin (6-2)

Key players: Garmen Neal, Malachi Neal, Nick Reither, Evan Stern and Austin Swanson.

Worth knowing: The Mustangs made title-game appearances three times in four seasons from 2015-18, including the 2015 state title.

Dakota United (7-0)

Key players: Sam Gerten, Indigo Jaworski, Alex Jorgenson and Fiona Sitzmann.

Worth knowing: Hawks coach Brett Kosidowski called the above players "the core of our infield and our batting lineup. They are the reason we haven't lost a game since 2018. They are outstanding leaders and great kids all around. You want to root for them, and they will be sorely missed once they graduate." Jorgenson won MAAA PI Adapted Player of the Year honors.

Robbinsdale/Hopkins/Mound Westonka (4-3)

Key players: Mark Cleveland, Lucas Harper, Nick Johnson, Darius Larson.

Worth knowing: The Robins are the sport's ultimate dynasty, winning 12 titles in the first 26 seasons of state tournaments.

Rochester (4-3)

Key players: Stuart Batterson and Joe Hansen

Worth knowing: Raiders coach Tom Brown said his team has "gotten progressively better as the season has gone along. We'll have to play our best softball to compete and win games in this year's state tournament."

about the writer

David La Vaque

Reporter

David La Vaque is a high school sports reporter who has been the lead high school hockey writer for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2010. He is co-author of “Tourney Time,” a book about the history of Minnesota’s boys hockey state tournament published in 2020 and updated in 2024.