Retired Apple Valley track coach to join hall of fame

Geri Dirth will join the state's elite.

The recently retired Apple Valley girls' track and field coach will be inducted into the Minnesota State High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Dirth retired from coaching and teaching at the school in June.

Dirth will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual awards banquet on Oct. 11, at the Minneapolis Marriott West Hotel in St. Louis Park. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour.

Dirth guided the Eagles starting in 1980. They won 15 state championships — 10 true team and five in the Minnesota State High School League — under her guidance. She had 26 individual state champions.

She also guided the school's cross-country and girls' basketball programs at different points in her career.

Dirth also has been inducted into the Minnesota State High School League and Luther College Halls of Fame.

Joining Dirth in the Hall of Fame will be Mounds View boys' basketball coach Zigurds "Ziggy" Kauls, Pine City girls' tennis coach John Eberhart and St. Cloud Tech boys' hockey coach William Frantti.

The defending state champion Wildcats, who are 6-3 on the season, are ranked third in Class 3A.

Gillen also guided the Wildcats to championships in 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2003.

• Senior midfielder Michael Gersemehl had an outstanding week for the Northfield boys' soccer team. He netted six goals in a three-game span and scored in four consecutive games. The unranked Raiders are 8-0-1 in their first nine games of the season.