Kaiserhoff becomes member of Southern Minny League

NEW ULM -- At its annual meeting Sunday, the Southern Minny League unanimously voted to accept the New Ulm Kaiserhoff as its eighth member for the 2002 baseball season.

The Kaiserhoff will join the all Class "B" league, which includes Albert Lea, Austin, Faribault, Mankato, Owatonna, Rochester and Waseca. The team will play a 14-game league schedule that begins on May 29 and ends July 31.

League officers are President Tink Larson of Waseca, Vice-President Derek Woodley of Mankato and Secretary-Treasurer Charles Fuller of Owatonna. Last year, the Southern Minny League had three teams competing in the state tournament with Austin finishing second and Rochester third. Waseca also qualified for the tournament.

EAGLES GAIN REVENGE: The New Ulm Eagle basketball team gained some revenge Friday for an earlier 11-point home loss to Blue Earth with a 47-44 win over the Bucs in Blue Earth.

"It was a good win for us," said coach Pat Burmeister whose team has now won two of its last three games. "it was a good team effort and the kids played under control and together and that is what we needed to win."

When New Ulm played Blue Earth the first game, the Eagles were without Eric Austvold and Andy Walden who were sick. In the win Friday, Austvold led New Ulm with 20 points while Walden tossed in eight points.

However, the Eagles were still not at full-strength in their win over the Bucs.

"Matt Suess and Joe Peters were both gone on spring break and Bob Wellmann (Eagles' leading scorer) was home sick," said Burmeister. "Charles Ganske is still having problems with his knee and is out for the rest of the season. But the kids that played, played together and played good defense. We rebounded the ball well (out-rebounded the Bucs by one in the game) and on offense we were under control and got good shots."

Burmeister said that Austvold, a junior point guard, "did a nice job running our offense. He took control and got us in the offense. He hit some big shots, especially in the first quarter when he scored 12 of his points. He got us going."

The lack of depth by the Eagles was really put to the test against the Bucs with players missing.

"We played seven kids against Blue Earth. John Witt came in in the second half and played some real quality minutes -- he did a nice job, got some rebounds and took care of the ball on offense. Jordan Budenski played well . He has been getting better each game. He had nine points and 11 rebounds in the win. He made some key shots -- but the rebounds that he had was the key."

New Ulm has now beaten LeSueur-Henderson, lost to St. James by nine after having been beaten by the Saints by 45 earlier in the year and then toppled the Bucs. "We have improved a lot. ... We made a big turnaround at halftime of the LeSueur game (down by 13 but came back to win). I told the kids that we are a couple of small steps away from being good. We need to know how to pass the ball, play team defense and get better at rebounding. We have a test at home (Thursday) against St. Peter."

CHARGER GIRLS MAKE ADJUSTMENT: MVL girls basketball coach Dave Biedenbender said that a defensive adjustment by the Chargers was a key in a 63-61 win over the Tigers.

"We were playing zone at first and they picked that apart so we went to person-to-person defense the rest of the game," he said. "it was just game of swings -- both teams went back and forth. We got up by six points in the fourth quarter, but they came back. Finally towards the end, we were up by two points and Leah Morgan was fouled and made one of two free throws. Brittany Fesser hit a three-point shot with a hand in her face. But we brought the ball back down the court -- we put up a shot, missed it, but Leah put the rebound in."

PLAYED WITHOUT UNKE: The Chargers were forced to play without perhaps the most improved player on the team in Angie Unke. "She has a shoulder injury (suffered in the Sleepy Eye St. Mary's game) and did not play," said Biedenbender. "They call it a subluxation which is a partial dislocation -- we did not realize it when she got hurt."

Unke visits doctors today. "They will re-evaluate her. If it is a partial dislocation and that is it, she may be able to come back in a week. If it is a tear, she will probably be done for the rest of the year."

In Unke's absence, Emily Buck filled in.

"She had started at the beginning of the year for us. She had 13 points and five rebounds and played some solid interior defense," said Biedenbender. "We had to fill in -- we moved Julie Dzwonkowski down to the post to fill in when Emily wasn't in there."

HEINITZ PLEASED WITH ROLLOFF: Augustana head football coach Jim Heinitz said that he is "happy that we got (New Ulm High School's) Brandon Rolloff."

"He is a wonderful kid who you want to have on your football team," said Heinitz. "He is of strong character and the kind of person you want. He is a good athlete -- we have had a history of throwing the ball pretty well here at Augustana. We had a two-time All-American (Matt Holmland) that set every receiving record in the (North Central Conference) NCC and Brandon reminds us a lot of him as an athlete. Brandon is tall (6-foot 4) and has good speed and hands."

"Our goal was to get three wide receivers (in recruiting), and Brandon fits in well," Heinitz said. Rolloff averaged 21.8 yards per catch on 12 receptions for six touchdowns. "He has the best combination of speed and size of the (incoming) receivers."

"The closer to the end zone that you get, those tall receivers are nice to have," Heinitz said. "He is probably looking at a red-shirt year, but you never know. He does have a lot of skills. He could give us a lot of help in a hurry. Wide receiver is an easier position to play (as a freshman) than defensive or offensive tackle."

HOFFMANN UNDECIDED: New Ulm High School's Jamie Hoffmann, who is being recruited by colleges for hockey and baseball is currently undecided about his college choice.

"I don't know if I will play baseball or hockey in college," said Hoffmann, who took an official visit for baseball to Minnesota State-Mankato. "There are some junior hockey teams looking at me. Mankato State has talked to the coaches about me for hockey. In baseball it has been Mankato, Augustana, Northern Iowa (Division One). There have also been a bunch of D-III schools looking at me."'

Hoffmann, who plays forward in hockey and shortstop in baseball, knows choosing between the two sports will be difficult.

"In high school. it has been nice to play both. I will probably wait until after baseball."

Column by Jim Bastian