SPORTS WRAP
As the defending long jump state champ, Owatonna senior Justin Gleason would love to repeat, but his primary focus is to work on technique to reach new distances. His new goal is 24 feet, which would be nearly a foot further than his winning leap from last year.
“I think I can do it. I’ve been working hard this year. Things are going well,” said Gleason on the Owatonna Live Coaches Show. He also explained how it all comes together. “You have to jump from a board. If you go past it, then the jump doesn’t count… We work on that approach. Because you have to get that consistency in order to be on the board as close to it as possible.”
“When you’re in the air, we do a lot of stuff with our arms and legs to keep ourselves upright, so we get as much distance as possible.” He won state at 23 feet, 1.75 inches in 2022. He’s already passed that this season.
All in the family
Gleason’s parents offered a great example with their success. Joey won the long jump and a couple of other events while being part of a high school state championship team in Minnesota. Debby was a three-time Division II national high jump champion for Augustana (SD). Both are members of the OHS coaching staff.
It’s not surprising that Justin began jumping at a young age. “I started actually when I was seven years old. I did some USA Track and Field (USATF), which are summer track meets. I got to nationals in my first year during my eighth birthday. So, that was pretty fun. I just loved it ever since.”
Justin added the triple jump to his routine last year. “I just figured it out as I went through. But this year I’m hoping to get the form more down and just go a little bit further and stay consistent with it.”
Gleason will attend Northwestern College in Iowa and plans to study business administration. He was drawn to the school by its quality jump coaches.
Fellow jumper
Senior Owen Korbel is a high jumper for the Huskies. “I’ve been able to jump since I was really young. I’ve always jumped higher than most kids. Justin and I were pretty good friends when we were young and his mom being the high jump coach… She got me to come over and try it and it was all good times from there,” said Korbel.
“Honestly, the approach is the jump. I don’t think you necessarily have to be able to jump high as long as you can run at a bar and manipulate your body,” said Korbel. His personal best coming into this season was six feet, four inches. That’s enough to get to state on standard, but Korbel is aiming for either six feet, seven inches or six feet, eight inches as his new goal.
He only high jumps now but hopes to add other events including the long jump when he competes at Division II Minnesota State University-Moorhead next season.
One shoe on
OHS grad Sydney Kretlow (Class of 2019) is a junior middle-distance runner for the University of Minnesota track team. Her distance medley relay finished sixth at the recent Drake Relays in Iowa. Meanwhile, I was told her open 800 included a traffic jam of runners where one stepped on the back of her leg, leaving a scratch and ripping off her sock and shoe. She managed to finish in 16th place.
Kretlow was a three-sport letterwinner in track and field, gymnastics, and soccer at OHS. She placed top-ten at state in the 800 twice and was an all-state selection in 2017. She was also a two-time Big Nine Conference champ in the 800 and still holds the school record in the event.
Back to baseball
OHS senior Collin Vick took a year off baseball last spring to concentrate on AAU basketball. With his opportunity to play hoops at University of Wisconsin-Stout in hand, he is happy to return to the local nine this spring. “I always loved playing baseball. It was my favorite sport growing up. The decision was pretty easy. Just playing with all the buddies that I grew up with for one last high school sport,” said Vick.
He was a little rusty initially. “The first week was pretty shaky after not throwing for a long time and not swinging at all… I had a few swings and misses, but I’m getting back into the groove of things.” Vick came up big at the plate in the recent comeback win over Mankato East and has been kept busy manning an outfield position.
His basketball season was nothing short of spectacular. He helped lead Owatonna to a 20-win campaign, contending for a Big Nine Conference title into the final week of the season. Vick earned the Blue Collar and Teammate of the Year award after leading the Huskies in rebounding, assists, and steals.
Youth baseball
As April flipped to May, the weather took a turn for the better for baseball. That means getting the youth excited for their season. OHS coach Tate Cummins works with the Husky Bullpen Club. “Our throwing progression, trying to get that longer throwing in play and also working our pitching. A lot of those kids, their first summer of pitching is going to be this year. So, we’re getting them a jump start on that,” said Cummins.
A couple of times a week, OHS alum Eric Benson and Steve Benson, a former longtime coach in town, are adding a dimension that Cummins calls the “hitting accelerator.” Teams and groups come in for wiffle ball, short toss, batting cage and bunting work.
A hitting clinic this June will give players aged under 10 through under 13 a chance to work with OHS grad Matt Seykora, now a sophomore for Division II Southwest Minnesota State University. Go to Owatonnabaseball.com for information and a registration link.
Parent and Husky Bullpen Club board member Jason Iacovino says this is unique. “There just aren’t too many towns around where you are going to get that kind of one-on-one training with the best coaches in town. I just think that’s a credit to our head coach and what he’s doing with this Bullpen Club and with the youth kids,” said Iacovino.
“He’s making a push here to strengthen the youth programs and he’s been doing it for a while. It’s definitely going to pay dividends at the varsity level,” said Iacovino. Cummins is in his 17th year as the Huskies’ head coach. OHS has won three Big Nine Conference titles during that time with a state tournament trip and multiple appearances in the section final four. He surpassed 200 career wins last season.
Youth players can also get on the field with varsity players and coaches. “We have a handful of those between now and the end of the varsity season after varsity games,” said Iacovino. “Talk about a great opportunity. My son, Fletch, loves to watch the varsity players and idolizes them. But then to get down there and work on pitching and throwing, it’s really cool.”
Baseball and BBQ
Youth 1st of Owatonna is teaming up with Cash Wise Foods to present Baseball and BBQ on May 18 and 19 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Get racks of ribs or meals to benefit Youth 1st team awards and the Owatonna Parks and Recreation Youth Scholarship Fund. Sign up to win Minnesota Twins prizes including game tickets.
Owatonna Live play-by-play
Thursday, May 18
OHS softball vs. Mankato West, 5 p.m.
OHS girls’ lacrosse vs. Rochester Century, 5 p.m.
Friday, May 19
OHS baseball vs. Rochester Century, 4 p.m. DH