sports ECHO JOURNAL’S 2023 SPRING
PREVIEW PEQUOTLAKES | PINE-RIVERBACKUS ECHO JOURNAL | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5, 2023
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SPRING SPORTS SEASONS STARTING SLOWLY By Dan Determan Echo Journal
Players are ready. Coaches and fans are ready. Even your local sports writers are ready. Mother Nature, on the other hand, is not ready. In fact, she may be far from ready.
The majority of Pine River-Backus and Pequot Lakes spring sports teams began practicing Monday, March 27, and several had games and meets scheduled for this week. However, with several inches of snow still on the ground — and several more in the forecast — the
Patriots and Tigers have been relegated to indoor facilities for their practices for the foreseeable future. All outdoor sporting events for Pequot Lakes have been postponed at least until Thursday, April 13. For the Tigers, the next thing on the schedule is an outdoor track meet,
baseball game and softball game Tuesday, April 11. Whether the weather will improve by then remains to be seen. The Echo Journal will try to keep schedules as up to date as possible, but please keep in mind these schedules are subject to — and certainly will — change on
a regular basis. So enjoy the past few weeks of winter, if that’s something one can possibly do. The weather is sure to turn around eventually, and when it does, the Patriots and Tigers will take the field.
girls golf
Dan Determan / Echo Journal
The Patriot girls’ golf team. Front row, from left: Bahati Gibbs, Taylor Max, Charlee Sullivan. Back row: Alexis Pietig, Genevieve Birkeland, Morgan Krieger and Annie Neva. Not pictured: Izzy Larson.
PATRIOTS RETURN LINEUP FROM 3RD PLACE STATE FINISH By Pete Mohs Echo Journal Pequot Lakes he Pequot Lakes Patriots girls’ golf team is excited to start this season after finishing third at last year’s Class 2A state meet in Jordan. “Our girls are determined and ready to make some big moves after finishing third last year,” said Savannah Nelson, who is starting her sixth season as the Patriots coach. “Our senior captain, Morgan Krieger, is such a great leader, on and off the course. I’m excited to see how she guides the team towards success.” Other returning
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letterwinners are Charlee Sullivan, Annie Neva, Bahati Gibbs and Genevive Birkeland. “Genevive, who finished fourth individually at state, had been working on her game all winter with a goal of coming back strong.” Last year as a freshman, Birkeland shot a twoday 120 to place fourth individually. As a junior, Krieger tied for ninth with a 122. Other state participants included: Neva 144, Sullivan 149, Kate Stephens 167 and Gibbs 173. Lake City won the state team title with 491, followed by Fergus Falls 530 and Pequot Lakes 535. At last year’s Section 6-2A meet, Birkeland tied
Albany’s Abby Thelen for first with a 161 to help the Patriots finish first with 686, followed by Albany with 702. Krieger was third with a 167. Others who could contribute this spring for Pequot Lakes are Izzy Larson, Taylor Max, Alexa Pietig, Clare Oseland “Izzy is a great athlete and golfer,” Nelson said. “I think our team will be deep this season, which is fun to see as a coach.” Brenda Helmrichs is assistant coach for the Patriots, who are scheduled to open Tuesday, April 5, at Grand Rapids. The Section 6-2A meet will be June 5-6 at Blackberry Ridge Golf Course in Sartell.
PEQUOT LAKES GIRLS GOLF April 13 - Pequot Lakes Invitational (Crosswoods) 10 a.m. 25 - Pequot Lakes at Grand Rapids (Pokegama) 10 a.m. 28 - Pequot Lakes at Bemidji Invitational 11 a.m. May 1 - Pequot Lakes at Sartell (Blackberry Ridge) 11 a.m. 8 - Pequot Lakes at Park Rapids (Headwaters) 9 a.m. 15 - Pequot Lakes at Park Rapids (Mid-State) TBD 17 - Pequot Lakes at Brainerd (Madden’s Classic) 9 a.m. 23 - Pequot Lakes at Detroit Lakes 12:30 p.m. 30 - Pequot Lakes at St. Cloud (Wapicada) Noon June 5-6 - Pequot Lakes at Section meet (Blackberry Ridge, Sartell), TBD