SPORTS WRAP

Baseball is family. Mom or dad playing catch with the kids. Everyone piling into the car for a trip to downtown Minneapolis for a game.
Twins pitcher Louie Varland could very well toe the same rubber as his brother who is a member of the Chicago White Sox. Infielder Brooks Lee is following in the footsteps of his father who played high-level baseball.
Lee, a California native and a first-round draft pick of the Twins in 2022, may have been destined to play professionally. He’s named after Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. But Lee knows it’s one day at a time in the big leagues. “It’s been a great experience. I want to stay here, succeed and do well for the state of Minnesota and the Midwest.”
Varland is thrilled to be on this ride with his brother Gus. “I followed him to Concordia University-St. Paul. There we started to get good and slowly got exposure to scouts and all that good stuff. One thing led to the next and here we are.”
He said the two have appeared in the same game three times in the minors.
The St. Paul native is overwhelmed to be playing for his hometown team. “It’s a complete dream come true. It’s still surreal. I find myself taking it all in all the time, thinking, ‘Man this is actually really cool.’”
The players stopped in Owatonna on Wednesday for the Twins’ annual caravan around the Upper Midwest. Fans welcomed them to Central Park as part of the Bold and Cold Festival, highlighting fun winter activities in town. The Twins contingent did some ice fishing and went curling in addition to playing cornhole with fans.
Optimism for 2025
Broadcaster Kris Atteberry says there’s plenty to be excited about, even though the team hasn’t made any big free agent moves yet. “Part of that is we don’t have a lot of glaring needs. I love the rotation. You start with the top three: Pablo Lopez, Bailey Ober, and a healthy Joe Ryan. I think we have a bunch of young guys who have proven that they are big leaguers but have yet to hit their stride as productive big leaguers,” said Atteberry. He cited Royce Lewis, Lee, and David Festa. Atterberry believes the bullpen will be strong with Griffin Jax and Jhoan Duran. “I think this team is going to be a lot better than people think it is.”
Varland has worked as a starter and reliever with the Twins over the last three seasons. “Any role that they want me in. It does not matter. We are going to pitch to our best ability in any role. I’m still progressing, whether it’s volume, distance, intensity, or throwing right up until spring training. Eventually I’ll get into some live hitters before I go down to spring training.”
Broadcaster and former Twins pitcher Glen Perkins says the team has depth on the mound “which is something they needed. You’re not going to get through the season with five starters. To have upwards of 10 guys that can be high-quality major-league starters in a nice luxury to have.”
Lee played several infield positions last season and is ready to do the same. “Wherever they want me. I’m sure we’ll figure that out in spring training.”
After a disappointing end to last season and missing the playoffs, he said, “It left a bad taste in our mouth last year. We’re ready to go. We work hard for it. We’ll get what’s ours.”
Bob Uecker
Atteberry crossed paths with legendary Milwaukee Brewers announcer Bob Uecker several times. “He was one of the most amazingly charismatic, funny people I’ve ever met in my entire life… He called such a great game. A lot of people want to talk about his jokes but at the core he was a great play-by-play guy.”
Uecker passed away on Thursday, Jan. 16 at the age of 90.
Perkins added, “He’s a big reason why Major League was my favorite movie. Getting to work with [Twins broadcaster and former Brewers announcer] Cory Provus and getting to know him and the relationship that they had. He said that that movie was not scripted, that was not rehearsed, that is Bob Uecker. A treasure.”
Club for sale
“We’re trying not to think about it,” Atteberry said of the possibility the team could be sold. “Honestly, working for the Pohlad family is fantastic. They’re great humans to work with. The fact that we know our owners, have a personal relationship with them is so rare in is this day and age. But change happens. It’s the right move for them. So, we’re supportive of what they’re looking to do. Just hoping that whoever ends up in charge understands, like that family did, what this organization means to so many people.”
New pro at OCC
Family explains how Dayne Hahn came to be the new golf pro at Owatonna Country Club (OCC.) While feeling stagnant in a pharmacy job, “I asked myself, ‘What do you love to do?’ And the answer was play golf with my dad. So, I decided to look into that type of career,” said Hahn.
Since being named to the position in early December, Hahn is getting up to speed and meeting people. “Everyone loves the club here. That’s what I love about being here. There’s not a single member that I’ve met so far that has anything negative to say about Owatonna Country Club.”
He says the course is in great shape. “It’s in remarkable condition year in and year out. They mow the greens lower than most courses in the area. So, the speed of the greens is usually pretty fast. Both nines end in a par three too…that’s fairly unusual.”
Hahn grew up in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. After going to golf school in Texas, coming back north was an easy call. “I’m a family-oriented guy. I couldn’t stay away for too long. You miss home.”
As he and his wife await the birth of their first child, he has strong feelings about junior golf. “It’s one of the backbones of golf in general. Especially to create new golfers moving forward to keep golf in this great city of Owatonna. Having a junior golf program is vital in any club.”
He loves how the courses in town work together. “Having Havana Hills and Brooktree is an asset. People love playing golf and sometimes they don’t want to just play the same golf course every day of the week. So, having a couple of other options in town is awesome.”
Hahn says OCC has landed a big tournament for later this year. “The mid-am championship is going to be held here this year. It’s considered to be an Minnesota Golf Association major event. We’re going to be hosting one of Minnesota’s amateur majors.
“It travels around from year to year. Owatonna was lucky enough to win the bid this year. It’s the best of the best golfers. Watch out course record.”
Hattie for Roush
A sophomore stole the spotlight on senior night for the OHS boys’ hockey team last Thursday. Grady Roush finished a hat trick in the closing minute of a 5-1 win over Austin. He had a highlight break-away goal in the second that put the Huskies up for good.
Roush’s linemates sophomore Zach Klecker (two assists) and freshman Zach Roesner (goal) added to the offense. Owatonna’s defense held the Packers to 10 shots on net in the game.
Two days later, Klecker scored a pair of goals as OHS held off Rochester Mayo 3-2. Isaac Mobley scored what proved to be the game-winner midway through the third period on a shot from the left-wing boards. The Spartans got within a goal with 15 seconds remaining.
Owatonna hosts ‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ in their next home game on Tuesday, Feb. 4 against Albert Lea.
Junior hockey
The Minnesota Blue Ox scored a pair of second-period power play goals and beat the Steele County Blades 5-3 Friday night. The Blades were held off the board until the third period the next night during a 4-1 loss to the Northwest Express in Spooner, Wisconsin.
Steele County hosts games on Friday, Jan. 31 and Saturday, Feb. 1.
OwatonnaLive.com play-by-play schedule
Thursday, Jan. 30
OHS boys swimming vs. Northfield, 6 p.m.
OHS girls hockey vs. Mankato East, 7 p.m.
OHS boys basketball vs. Austin, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Jan. 31
Medford girls basketball vs. WEM, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 1
OHS boys swimming invite, 11:30 a.m.
Dance Team Community Show, 12 p.m.