BOYS SOCCER: Caledoniaís intense boys soccer schedule got off to a rocky start with a 2-1 loss to Austin High School at home on August 27.
GIRLS SOCCER: The varsity girls soccer team beat Austin 3-0 in the first game of the season.
VOLLEYBALL: The opening volleyball game of the season is tomorrow and the squad has been working very hard to get ready to meet all comers.
ìThe girls are excited and working really hard,î said coach Scott Koepke. ìWe are working on becoming a more efficient team this year, so we are working on some of the skills that will help us become more efficient. With the new scoring system (rally scoring to 25 points - every side-out is a point) the teams that play the more efficient volleyball are the teams that are the more successful in the conference at the end of the season.î
The Warriors have eight letter-winners returning to the floor this year. Here are some comments from Koepke on their roles for the team:
Heather Ideker is going to do some setting for us this year, and she is very good server. She communicates well on the court with the other girls. We look to her to be one of our team leaders on the floor this year.
Karly Misch and Allison Neeman are right side hitters for us this year. We are looking for some offense on the right side from them.
Hannah Rohrer, Ashley King and Alecia Fruechte are our left side hitters. What we are looking for from them is that they can pass the ball well for us and attack the ball from the left side.
Meghan Betz is a back row player and has been working very hard, along with the other girls, on her back row game. She will be a defensive specialist or a libero for us. Liberos pass and dig the ball only from the back row. They do not play from the front or serve the ball.
Meghan Sullivan is a middle hitter. Sheís been working hard on her quick attack and blocking.
Koepke said that the Three River Conference in which they play, and neighboring Hiawatha Conference must be two of the toughest conferences in Minnesota. ìKingsland, St. Charles, Wabasha, Chatfield, Lewiston, and Fillmore are all going to be good teams,î said Koepke. ìWe are going to work as hard as we can and be as efficient as we can, and weíll see how it comes out at the end of the night.î

FOOTBALL: Expectations are high for this yearís Caledonia High School football team.
Thatís good, coach Carl Fruechte said on August 23. ìBy the same token, we are dealing with young men,î he quickly added. ìYou still have to go out there and earn it.î
The earning will start this Friday when the Warriors host Dover-Eyota in their home opener at 7 p.m. in Caledonia.
Fruechte said that senior leadership and enthusiasm on the team are two of its greatest strengths. ìOur seniors are doing a great job communicating with our younger kids,î he said.
That leadership is backed by some talent on the field from a team that finished 8-2 last year, with a first-ever Three Rivers South championship, a victory over Class A state champion Rushford-Peterson, and one post-season victory. With 27 returning letter winners, itís easy to see why hopes are high.
Thirty team members took part in a three day team camp at the the University of South Dakota (U-SD) this summer. They excelled there, Fruechte said, and got to play big schools like Des Moines Iowa and Austin, Minnesota. Three Caledonia participants, Kevin Klug, Karl Klug, and Travis Steele, were offered U-SD scholarships after the camp.
Another interesting aspect to this season will come in the postseason. Because of a decline in enrollment, Caledonia will move from Class AAA to Class AA.
Many starters back
Cory Messner, last yearís starting quarterback, will guide the offense again this year, with a backfield that might be the fastest in the state. Fullback Kevin Klug and tailbacks Karl Klug and Travis Steele all competed in the Section 1A 100-meter dash event in track last spring, with Steel going on to win the state title in that race.
ìOur running backs are pretty fast and pretty explosive,î Fruechte said.
The line is full of experience too. Hereís the rundown with comments from Fruechte.
ï Tight end: senior Sam Gerardy, a vocal leader, and returning starter from 2004;
ï Right tackle: senior Paul Bulman, a hard-working returning starter.
ï Right guard: senior Brent Knutson, who started about half the games last year, a small but hard working player;
ï Center: senior Chris Summers, a returning starter who worked in the weight room about four days a week during the summer;
ïLeft guard: junior Josh Wynn, a returning starter who is more athletic this year and moves better;
ï Left tackle: senior Wyatt Hammell, who works hard in the weight room and on his familyís farm;
ï Wide receiver: This position is still up in the air. Seniors Brandon Skifton and Trevor Heintz and junior Derek Lager will play, as will Travis Steele.
Strong defense too
The defense looks equally formidable. Karl Klug, the conference Defensive Player of the year last year, will play strong side defensive end, with Gerardy on the other end. ìTheyíre the cornerstone of our defense,î Fruechte said.
At defensive tackle, there might be a rotation, with Wynn, Bulman, Knutson, and juniors Andrell Hudson and Brandon Vick playing there.
Inside linebackers will be Kevin Klug and Wyatt Hammell. Outside linebackers will be juniors Simon Augedahl, Zach Gran, and Dustin King.
Juniors Clint Grabhorn and Derek Lager will fight for the cornerback position. Steele will be free safety.
Simon Augedahl and Lucas Nelson will be place kickers. Nelson also plays soccer, but will follow in in the footsteps of Pat Hurley to play both sports. Gerardy will punt.
Other tough conference teams will be Rushford, Kingsland, and Chatfield, Fruechte predicted.
Fruechte encourages people to come to the games. The kids love having a big crowd, he said.
Assistant coaches include Brent Schroeder, defensive coordinator; Mitch Mullins, quarterback/tenth grade; Roger Knutson, linebacker/10th grade; Luke Snell, defensive backs; Phil Costigan, ninth grade; Josh Diersen and Doug Miller, eighth grade; Kevin Klug; seventh grade; Ernie Hodges, volunteer strength coach; and Roger Dunn, Curt Christian, and Merle Hanson, volunteer coaches.

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