SPORTS WRAP
Owatonna High School graduate Taylor Busho is a national champion. She won the women’s individual Class B skeet title competing for Simpson College in Iowa.
“It was absolutely amazing and wonderful, and I was so thankful for the opportunity to be able to go down to Texas and compete,” said Busho.
The freshman was a bit surprised to find out she tied for the lead in the preliminary round.
“I was kind of in shock. I was not thinking that was going to happen in my first time down at nationals, especially in a discipline that I hadn’t shot until going to Simpson in August,” she said speaking about shooting skeet.
That set the stage for a shoot-off.
“I started to get a little anxious. I just told myself to keep calm.”
Busho won in the fourth round of the sudden-death format when her opponent missed, and she hit her shots.
The team also won the national title.
“Us freshmen who haven’t experienced this before, we were all ecstatic. The seniors were excited too because they had back-to-back championships. We were all jumping for joy,” said Busho.
She is studying health and exercise science with a minor in biology.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and getting to know the professors more as I start to dive deeper into my major. I’ve really enjoyed learning about the human body and the function of bones and muscles,” she said.
Busho was one of the Huskies’ top shooters the last three years and qualified for the MSHSL state meet as an individual two years ago and with the team last season.
OHS clay target
OHS clay target returns several shooters in 2024 who were on the state tournament team.
“We normally see quite a bit of individual growth as the season progresses. With 99 athletes on the team, including 20 that are brand new, there is a lot of unknown, untapped potential just waiting to rise to the top,” said Owatonna head coach Mike Kingland.
Senior captains include Bailey Davis, Kayden Glynn, Mack Mogen, and Will Wottreng.
Mogen averaged 23.2-out-of-25 last season and was on the state squad with Glynn.
Also returning are Parker Klecker and Jackson Davis, who Kingland said, “finished last season as some of our strongest athletes at the line.” The Huskies return three all-conference girls with Morgan Hansen, Victoria Koziolek and Chloe Gfrefer.
OHS is grouped with Bemidji, Hastings, New London-Spicer, Nicollet, Northfield and Rosemount for their conference, which is based on roster size. Competitions are scored virtually with teams shooting each week at their home range. A statewide competition in Alexandria in June determines teams that qualify for the MSHSL championships.
The Owatonna Gun Club hosts the Dave Schroeder/Kyle Wolfe Memorial High School Invitational on Saturday, May 4. It is an individual event, but teams are encouraged to sign up. It is $25 per person.
Strength and conditioning
OHS coach Jerry Eggermont is excited to offer Huskies Summer Strength and Conditioning. It’s open to boys and girls entering sixth through 12th grade and begins in early June. The registration deadline is May 31. For information contact jeggermont@isd761.org.
“Moving over to the new school, I proposed an idea to activities director Marc Achterkirch. He thought with everything being new that we turn the corner a little bit and go in a different direction,” said Eggermont.
While many who sign up will be training with a sport in mind, Eggermont emphasized it is for any student who would like to improve their physical fitness.
They’ll be doing so in impressive surroundings.
“It’s state of the art and we couldn’t have done it without the community. And of course, Hammer Strength, LifeFitness and Cybex. For them to come forward and to be able to partner with us and to do the things that they did,” said Eggermont.
Junior Lucas Smith is a thrower on the track team and told the Owatonna Live Coaches Show, “I like to keep it intense with my workouts. And it’s really easy to when we have teammates that are going to push you to succeed and to go to the extent that we go to. It’s very open. I like to jump around and motivate others and kind of yell at them and tell them to keep going.”
Aza Lewis is a junior and competes with a dance program out of Mankato.
“It’s kind of like a club sport. We practice five days a week. Competitions on the weekends,” she said.
She likes the intensity and consistency of the strength and conditioning program and how it relates to dance.
“There are so many fundamentals going down when you need strength and making sure you have good support in your hips and your legs and in balance. Because that translates right over into dancing as well.”
Junior Lauren Busho plays hockey and lacrosse.
“It’s definitely making me quicker and overall, a stronger athlete just in general. You can definitely use that to your advantage on the field when it’s pushing girls or keeping your side on defense and not letting anyone around you,” said Busho.
She says there’s more to it than the instruction, proper technique. and individualized plan.
“I look forward to seeing my friends and family, and your coach is in here. They want to see you strive and get better. They want to see you be the best athlete you can be and take it to the next level and keep going,” she said.
Zach Dahnert is a junior who plays football and throws shot and discus.
“I really think it’ll help out with track and the explosiveness and strength because Eggermont grinds us in there. He gives us some really good workouts and it’s just a great environment in there as well. The motivation is a lot different because you’re not alone working in there. You have your brothers and sisters in there working with you, and you’re always motivated,” said Dahnert.
Newsies to State
Owatonna’s fall production of Newsies will be among the featured shows this summer at the State Theatre in Minneapolis through a program with Hennepin Theatre Trust.
“Spotlight hires professionals involved in theater to attend high school productions across the state and critique them. Last year our performance of Shrek earned an Outstanding rating, and this year Newsies was awarded this special privilege as well. We are very excited to bring our show to one of the largest stages in the Twin Cities and perform in front of over 2,000 people on June 10 at 7 pm,” said Director Erik Eitrheim.
They will present a four-minute medley.
Vitaly Bauer was in both productions.
“This year we had a way better chance. It’ll be really fun. Last year was amazing. So, I can only just imagine what this year’s going to be like,” said Bauer.
“I’m really excited about it. I flip in Newsies. I was one of the people who did flips and stuff and I’d really like to showcase that at the State Theatre,” said Calista Seiler.
The show featured an abundance of dancing and choreography. Performers worked with Eggermont to get into shape.
“Out of the 30-some years I’ve been doing this, it’s my most memorable experience. To take a bunch of theater kids and slowly transform them into something they wanted to do. After the first morning I had three or four kids puke and I didn’t know if they would come back. They’re gritty and they just continued to work hard. And I was just a small part of that, but probably one of the most gratifying things that I’ve done was to take a bunch of kids and get them to believe that they could do it and help them to become more physically fit,” said Eggermont.
From the Heart and Soul
It’s not too late to run or walk From the Heart and Soul this Saturday, May 4 at Lake Kohlmier. Find the link at visitowatonna.org. A 5K and kids’ fun run will benefit Sawyer Wobig, Tracy Granquist and Joe Nelson in their fight against cancer.
OwatonnaLive.com play-by-play schedule
Thursday, May 2
Medford softball vs. Maple River, 4:30 p.m.
OHS baseball vs. Mankato East, 5 p.m.
OHS JV girls lacrosse vs. Mayo, 6 p.m.
OHS girls lacrosse vs. Mayo, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, May 3
Medford baseball vs. Randolph, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 4
OHS JV girls lacrosse vs. Lakeville North, 10 a.m.
OHS girls lacrosse vs. Lakeville North, 11:30 a.m.
OHS boys lacrosse vs. Andover, 2 p.m.
