BASEBALL PREVIEW: Itís an exciting time for new Caledonia High School baseball coach Eliott Kranz.
He took over the job from Scott Sorenson this year after working as an assistant for the past two years.
ìI look forward to it,î Kranz said on March 22. That was just the third day into the season, so it was a little early to say how things would go this year. But Kranz sees the strengths of the team as hitting and returning pitching.
Simon Augedahl, a junior, will be the ace on the mound, with senior Nate Waterhouse and sophomores Kody Moore and Alex Klug rounding out the rotation.
Position players will be senior Cory Messner catching; sophomore Alex Klug and junior Nate Klug platooning at first; junior Kaleb Schmitz at second, Waterhouse at shortstop, junior Jake Hanson at third, junior Tyler Augedahl in left field, Simon Augedahl in center field, and Halverson in right field.
Moore will play outfield, and Alex Scholze, a junior, will play infield.

GIRLS GOLF PREVIEW: There are no worries when it comes to pressure on this yearís Caledonia/Spring Grove High School girls golf team.
At least thatís the philosophy of Ken Van Den Boom, who coached last yearís team to the Minnesota Class A championship.
He said he never looks at a team with the previous year in mind, because there are always some who graduate, and a whole new group who come in.
Caledonia has won the state golfing championship an amazing seven times, all under the ìBoomer.î He has coached the team since its inception in 1977.
The team will center on Janelle Lilliquist, Katelynn Hauser, and Kelsey Kruse, who were on last yearís varsity. Others who will emerge onto the varsity remain to be seen. Some of the athletes played a lot last summer and some didnít, Van Den Boom said. ìIím not sure who will step up,î he said. ìThereís some possibilities, thatís the good news.î
The goal will be to get below 200 as a team, and to see who can shoot consistently below 50. (Meets have six participants per school, with the top four scores on a nine-hole course tallied for the team score.)
Having a couple girls go consistently below 45 will make a very good team, Van Den Boom said. ìIf not, weíll struggle.î

SOFTBALL PREVIEW: If the weather cooperates, the Spring Grove/Caledonia softball team will play its first game on Monday. The team is scheduled to travel to Mabel-Canton for a 4:30 game.
Coach Michelle Anderson said she has made it her practice to assume the game will go on as planned, even though the first games of the season are usually ìiffy.î
This year, the only returning senior to the team is Kaysie Otterness. Junior letter-winners Jordan OíHeron, Jane Pettit and Karla Tweeten are back, and Cassie Gran, a freshman letter winner and two year all-conference pick, are bringing experience to the young team. Pettit was on the all-conference first team last year and OíHeron received an honorable mention. Lost through graduation were Angie Ideker, Courtney Lager and Vanessa Augedahl. The team also lost several players to track this year.
The girls ended their 2005 season 15-6 overall and 9-1 in the conference last season and were co-champions with Houston.
Coach Anderson said the teamís strength lies in the girlsí ability to play several positions, and to play them all well. She expects Pettit and Gran to pitch this year, and looks to OíHeron to take over the catcherís role.
ìThere are so many possibilities,î said Anderson.
The roster has 14 sophomores and freshmen, and with such a young team that versatility is especially important, said Anderson.
ìWe have to have the younger kids step up,î she said.

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Caledonia Argus
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