Wolfe to be

assistant

coach at

Gustavus

NEW ULM -- Former New Ulm Cathedral boys basketball coach Dan Wolfe has accepted a basketball coaching position with Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. Wolfe will be an assistant coach working with the Gustie varsity women's team.

"I have worked (Gustavus) summer basketball camps for 18 years and they had talked to me earlier this summer about the possibility of coming over and helping with the women's program," said Wolfe. "I have known Mickey Haller and her staff for many, many years. And with their game schedules being opposite of (Cathedral's boys) schedule, it will still allow me to coach at Gustavus and watch my son (Ted), who plays basketball for Cathedral. So it was a pretty good mix of things. It was also an opportunity to work at the next level, (Division III) college basketball and learn about college coaching."

Wolfe said his duties will be to coach individual player positions. Haller runs the Gustavus offense and her top assistant Erin Kale guides the Gusties' defense.

"I will work with kids in specific areas of skills," Wolfe said. "I will work with guards, forwards and posts. It will not be so much of a team type of thing as it will be working with kids on individual skills."

Wolfe said he has followed Gustavus and the MIAC " for years. I have had a long relationship with Gustavus, and the MIAC is a non-scholarship conference, so they are the cream of the crop as far as student-athletes. This particular women's team at Gustavus is a veteran team -- they were 20-3 last year and they return two all-conference players. It is a team that is really going to challenge for the conference title along with (St. Benedict) and St. Thomas."

Wolfe also said the opportunity to work with Haller, who was voted MIAC coach of the year in just her second season, is something he is looking forward to. Meetings for the coaching staff will begin during the second week of September; practice will start Oct. 15.

BUBOLTZ HAS QUESTION MARKS ANSWERED: Minnesota Valley Lutheran football coach Jim Buboltz said he had "a lot of question marks answered" when the Chargers scrimmaged Saturday with Gibbon-Fairfax-Winthrop, Marshall and Bird Island-Olivia-Lake Lillian District.

One of the questions answered involved the play of middle linebacker Adam Dittbenner, who was moved to the spot after playing nose tackle last year.

"We moved him to middle linebacker and he looked very good there," Buboltz said.

Outside linebacker Nathan Nass also looked good, Buboltz said.

"We also moved Adam Hoscheit to free safety. That really helped solidify some things for us defensively," Buboltz said.

Buboltz also indicated his approval of Andrew Harpestad's play during the scrimmage. Harpestad is expected to play both offense and defense for the Chargers. Buboltz wants Harpestad, who was a starter last season, to lead MVL's offensive line.

"He looks strong but he will need help," Buboltz said.

Buboltz expressed some concerns with his defense. He was initially not pleased with the Chargers' response to counter plays during the scrimmage. He was pleased, though, with his defense's pursuit to the outside covering pitches.

"And our pass rush looked decent," Buboltz said.

Quarterback Karl Struck continues to impress Buboltz.

"He throws a nice ball -- he connected with Andy Bielke on a 40-yard touchdown pass on a nice pass and catch," Buboltz said. " I am really happy with Karl's play. He has a lot of targets in Jake Firle, Nathan Nass and Grant Hoelzhueter. We have some targets, so if we get some offensive line play, he can hit them."

Buboltz said all three of his receivers have looked good in two passing scrimmages.

"We had a passing scrimmage on Thursday with Sleepy Eye (High), and then with Cathedral and New Ulm (High) that night," Buboltz said. "We need to find a way to get Jake the ball more. He needs to get the ball. ... It was great to get together with (Cathedral coach) Denny Lux and (New Ulm High coach) Rick VanRoekel. We need to keep that going."

EAGLES SCRIMMAGE IN MANKATO: VanRoekel thought the Eagles' scrimmage Saturday with Chaska, Worthington, New Prague, Waseca and Mankato East in Mankato "went better than I thought it would because of all the new faces."

VanRoekel, however, was concerned with the Eagles' performance against Worthington. He said New Ulm High was unable to get its offense to perform well.

But against the other teams VanRoekel was pleased.

"We ran the ball well outside," VanRoekel said. "We ran the option and the Veer well. Overall, there were not a lot of negative things."

VanRoekel cited Spencer Dickinson on both offense and defense for his play. VanRoekel said Dickinson ran the ball well.

Senior Bob Wellmann and junior Jon Koeckeritz split time at the quarterback spot. Wellmann, who was scheduled to have surgery on his right elbow, will now not require the procedure.

"It ended up to be nerve damage," VanRoekel said. "And even with that floating bone chip in there, it is more nerve damage. But they do not know the extent of that yet. They need to do more tests to determine that. But he will also be getting another opinion later on."

Also catching VanRoekel's eye during the scrimmages were Travis Aufderheide at noseguard, Eric Austvold at cornerback, and Josh Kral and Matt Suess.

"Eric Austvold did a really nice job coming up on the option and reading the run," VanRoekel said.

VanRoekel expressed confidence heading into the season, which will get under way when the Eagles travel to Luverne Friday for a nonconference game.

"Kevin Neidecker, Eric Austvold -- (they) can run well," VanRoekel said. "I also think that our offensive line, which is inexperienced, will click. They did well. I think that our offense will click."