SPRING GROVE LIONS
Head coach:Russell Larson
2010-11 record: 18-0 conference/28-2 overall
Notes:Spring Grove starts the season looking to build on a 36-game conference win string, after going unbeaten in the SEC last season for the second straight year. The Lions narrowly missed their first trip to state, falling in the Section 1A final to Goodhue 50-43. It snapped a 19-game winning streak for a team that led the section in scoring at 69.8 ppg. It was the second time in three years that Goodhue ended Spring Grove’s season in the section final. Look for the Lions to be tough again with three returning starters and eight players with varsity experience, led by the top scorer in the conference last year, senior guard Richell Mehus. Coach Larson said his team will have good speed on top of experience. Larson has a 104-54 record at Spring Grove since becoming coach in 2005.
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Richell Mehus 5-8 12 G 18.3 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 6.3 apg, 5.2 spg
Taylor Elton 5-6 12 G 13.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 6.7 apg, 4.6 spg
Cheyenne Moen 5-8 12 F 5.8 ppg, 4 rpg
Michaela Neuzil 5-8 12 F 1.7 ppg, 4 rpg
Randi Mehus 5-6 11 G 3.9 ppg
Nikki Hansen 5-7 11 G 3.4 ppg
Nicki Ellingson 5-8 10 F 1.8 ppg, 3.6 rpg
Addy Cross 5-6 11 G 1.2 ppg
MABEL-CANTON COUGARS
Head coach: Doug Carlson
2010-11 record: 7-11/8-17
Notes:Mabel-Canton has a new head coach with Doug Carlson taking the place of Bobbie Jo Vickerman. Mabel-Canton struggled defensively last season allowing nearly 55 ppg, and the Cougars sustained their fourth straight losing season as a result. The last time M-C finished over .500 was in 2005-06 with a 15-11 mark. Coach Carlson inherits a very young team with not much depth, so it will be a challenge for the Cougars to reverse the recent trend. There are no seniors with varsity experience, and four of six returning players are sophomores. Carlson said his team has good height and some good outside shooters. "Right now we are just trying to get a new system in place and are hoping to be a much better team by mid-season," he said.
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Lydia Geving 5-8 10 G 7.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.1 spg
Christy Welscher 5-10 11 C 4.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg
Carly McCabe 5-5 10 G 5 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 2 spg
Amanda Rasmussen 5-10 11 C 2 ppg, 1.4 rpg
Sara Lind 5-11 10 C 1.6 ppg, 1.5 rpg
Abby Hanson 5-7 10 G
SCHAEFFER ACADEMY LIONS
Head coach: Jeremy Burget
2010-11 record: 7-11/7-14
Notes: Schaeffer Academy, which is located in northeast Rochester next to Century, came a long way last year in its first season in the SEC. The Lions won only one game two years ago, so last year’s fifth-place finish in the 10-team conference was pretty impressive. Coach Burget thinks Schaeffer could match or exceed that same success with three returning starters. The coach hopes to find more scoring; Schaeffer averaged a conference-low 34.3 ppg last season. "The team has worked very hard this off-season and is very excited to get things started," Burget said.
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Nicole Arpin 5-9 11 F
Melanie Murray 5-10 11 F
Evelyn Lowe 5-9 10 F
LANESBORO BURROS
Head coach: Ryan Scheevel
2010-11 record: 6-12/6-20
Notes: Lanesboro has a new head coach in Ryan Scheevel, a 28-year-old Preston native who was the B squad coach last year. Lanesboro is coming off a tough season last year when it lost 20 games and never had a winning streak. The Burros lost 5-of-6 to close the regular season and then lost a Section 1A East playoff opener 36-31 to Le Roy-Ostrander. Lanesboro struggled offensively averaging just below 40 ppg. Coach Scheevel expects better things this season with three returning starters and eight players with varsity experience, led by third-year player Bryn Harmon. The Burros should be strong inside with pretty good size. "I’m not sure what to expect this year," the new coach said. "I have high hopes that we can play with the best teams in the conference."
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Bryn Harmon na 12 G
Paige Hungerholt na 12 F
Kiah Halvorson na 12 F
Karlee Ruen na 12 G
Alisa Warnes na 11 F
Kirsten Ruen na 11 F
Kaia Hongerholt na 10 C
Johanna Bearson na 11 G
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GRAND MEADOW SUPERLARKS
Head coach: Dawn Badoin
2010-11 record: 5-13/6-19
Notes: Grand Meadow had a down season last year, after winning 15 games the year before, and back-to-back conference championships in 2008 and 2009. The Superlarks started out 0-9 last year but played better in the second half of the season. Grand Meadow’s season ended with a tough 60-point loss to Spring Grove in the second round of the Section 1A East playoffs. The Superlarks allowed 56.6 ppg, second-most in the SEC. Coach Baudoin has some experience with two returning starters and five others who came off the bench last year. But there are no 6-footers and only one player taller than 5-9.
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Cortney Olson 5-9 11 F 9 ppg, 5.4 rpg
Autumn Thorsen 5-5 11 G 8.9 ppg, 1.7 spg
Audra Durhman 5-7 11 F 4.5 ppg, 2.9 rpg
Stephanie Russell 5-5 12 G 2.5 ppg
Ashley Crumb 5-3 11 G 2.2 ppg
Rachel Oehlke 5-4 9 G 1.5 ppg
Sydney Richardson 5-10 11 C 1.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg
Cori Pecinovsky 5-4 9 G
GOPHER CONFERENCE
BLOOMING PRAIRIE BLOSSOMS
Head coach:John Worke
2010-11 record: 10-6 conference/13-13 overall
Notes: Blooming Prairie is coming off its second straight .500 season and a second-place finish in the Gopher Conference. The Blossoms’ season ended in the second round of the Section 1A West playoffs with a 54-39 loss to Faribault B.A. Blooming Prairie could be a contender again this season with a wealth of experience and a 6-foot center, senior Kelli Naatz. The Blossoms suffered a loss already with two-year starter and all-conference pick Janelle Morem, a junior, out for the season following ACL knee surgery. Worke, 45, got his 300th career win last year and has a 305-141 record here since 1993-94.
RETURNING PLAYERS
Ht Yr Pos Last season stats
Cortney Easton 5-6 12 G 4.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg
Kelli Naatz 6-0 12 C 5.5 ppg, 5 rpg
Julia Manges 5-5 12 G 1.8 ppg, 1.9 rpg
Jenna Krell 5-6 11 F 4 ppg, 3 rpg
Tricia DeBoer 5-3 12 G
Melanie Grant 5-5 12 G/F
Shelbi Swenson 5-6 11 G
Marissa Jensen 5-9 11 F
