Although I’m as ready as anyone to usher in a new year on Saturday night, I spent a good share of Tuesday afternoon looking back at what has been an outstanding 2005 year for athletic teams from the Star Herald coverage area.The idea was to gather some quick information on what transpired over this past year and rank them based on importance.In my mind, it was easy column fodder. But, as usual, I was wrong.I did my homework, and what I consider to be the top eight accomplishments will follow in this column, but ranking them in order of importance was a tough task.Anyway, here’s my Elite Eight Selections for the year 2005 sports year. You can argue with their order of importance if you wish, but I honestly believe they all deserve positions in this lineup.No. 8: LHS tennis, golfOne of the best stories of the spring sports season developed on the tennis courts in Luverne, where the Cardinal boys’ team compiled a 14-6 record and captured the school’s first Section 3A team title.The team, which was led by senior singles player Dusty Antoine, dropped its quarterfinal-round match at the state tourney to Virginia. Antoine also qualified for the state singles tournament, going 0-2 at the event.Also last spring, Luverne junior Brittany Boeve advanced to the state golf tournament individually, placing 31st in the Class A field.No. 7: AHS baseballThe Adrian baseball team won its third Section 3A title in the past four years in early June.The Dragons went on to win their second consolation championship at the state classic, with senior Levi Bullerman making the all-tournament team.No. 6: LHS harriersThe Luverne girls’ cross country team earned their fourth straight berth in the state cross country meet by placing second at the section level last fall.At state, the Cards turned in their best finish in state competition by placing fifth as a team.LHS sophomore Lexi Heitkamp made the All-State Team by placing sixth individually. LHS senior Thomas Pinkal, an individual qualifier for the meet, also made the All-State Team by placing 20th.No. 5: AHS wrestlingThe Adrian team compiled a 34-3 record capped by a third-place finish as a team at the state meet in St. Paul last February.St. Michael-Albertville, the team that beat AHS in the 2004 state championship match, knocked the Dragons out of title contention in the semifinals this year.Individually, Adrian’s Levi Bullerman won the school’s state individual title at 189 pounds. Joey Bullerman and Cody Lutmer placed fourth at 112 and 275 respectively, while Brandon Bullerman finished sixth at 135.No. 4: State trackA number of area individuals, led by Hills-Beaver Creek senior Tyler Bush, turned in solid efforts at the state track meet in June.Bush won H-BC’s fourth individual state title by taking top honors in the 800-meter run.Luverne’s Lexi Heitkamp placed second in the 800-meter run, and the LHS boys’ 800-meter relay team consisting of Jake Hendricks, Jordan Siebenahler, Tom Ward and Mike Kunstle finished second.Hendricks (fifth in the 400), Chris Ashby (fifth in the 300 hurdles) and Kunstle (ninth in the 200) also placed at state for LHS.Adrian’s Morgan Lynn placed in the 1,600-meter run.No. 3: LHS boys’ trackThe Luverne boys captured their first Section 3A True Team Championship in school history in early May.The Cardinals went on to place third at the state meet in Blaine, finishing 13.5 points behind the championship team.No. 2: LHS hoopsMaking their first appearance at a state tournament in 22 years, the Luverne boys’ basketball team went 2-1 and placed third in the Class 2AA field.Led by All-Tournament Team performers Brandon Deragisch and Jared Pick, Luverne beat Moose Lake-Willow River (54-42) and Rockford (60-55), while falling to Crookston (46-35) at the state classic.No. 1: AHS winsThe Adrian girls’ cross country squad won the school’s first state team title during the Class A meet in Northfield in early November.The Dragon girls, who never competed at the state meet as a team before, captured the title by nipping Staples-Motley 63-71.Adrian’s Morgan Lynn (third), Megan Henning (13th) and Leslie Stover (22nd) made the All-State Team for the Dragons.The AHS boys also qualified for the state meet, placing eighth in team competition.
