SPORTS WRAP
The accolades are plenty, but the impact left on student-athletes is what Keith Bangs will be most remembered for from his long coaching career at Owatonna High School. The 35-year boys golf coach and Athletic Hall of Fame member passed away Sept. 9 at the age of 81.
“Keith had a passion for the game of golf and his players. He always spoke positively about his players and connected with each one throughout his years of coaching. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to be an assistant under coach Bangs for six years. He brought back the passion I had for golf that I had lost for many years. I would not be a part of the Owatonna golf community the way I am if it wasn’t for him,” said current Owatonna boys golf head coach Mark Langlois.
Langlois also owns Havana Hills Golf Course.
Brady Arnold played for Bangs and is the golf pro at Owatonna Country Club.
“Keith was an incredible teacher and someone who was so patient as a teacher and coach. For me personally, he made the game of golf so exciting to be a part of because of his love for the game and his energetic passion for coaching and being a part of a team. He will truly be missed in this community,” said Arnold.
“Coach Bangs was a tremendous golf coach and high school math teacher who had an incredible impact on so many student-athletes. Obviously, he had great success on the golf course with his teams. But more importantly, he was an incredible role model, mentor and teacher to so many kids in Owatonna. Keith will be dearly missed,” said Owatonna High School activities director Marc Achterkirch.
Head football coach and teacher Jeff Willimas expressed his feelings on Bangs passing online through X.
“Lost a great one today. Phenomenal math teacher and golf coach and our football statistician for over 30 years. Most importantly, Bangs was a great human being. Smart, kind and wise. One of my all-time favorites. I will miss him dearly. Hit’em straight up there,” wrote Williams.
Bangs was a state basketball champion during his high school days in Bottineau, North Dakota where he was a three-sport athlete. He studied math at Concordia College in Moorhead while playing hoops and baseball. He came to Owatonna in 1974 and is a member of the Minnesota State High School Golf Coaches Hall of Fame. He led Owatonna to a trio of top-three finishes at state and was state coach of the year three times.
I enjoyed the years of visiting with him for the KRFO Coaches Show. He rarely missed the chance to talk about the team and was a pleasure to chat with. I also cherished the chance to work with his wife, Jane, on the Young Life Cake Auction and keeping tabs on his grandkids during their athletic exploits at OHS.
Floor hockey into the Hall
Only eight years after its inception in 1996, Owatonna’s adapted floor hockey won the state championship. That 2004 squad enters the OHS Athletic Hall of Fame this week as a Team of Distinction.
Jeanne Stursa coached the team and told Owatonna Live they went through a couple of winless seasons before developing a dynasty.
“We were still struggling with this whole idea of what to do on the floor and how to do this. But once we figured it out, then we had the magic number. And then we were unstoppable for several years,” said Stursa.
They beat Winona for the title.
“I remember it was a very close game. We just played our hearts out and they left it all out there. And we did it. I’m not even sure what the score was. Everybody was so excited when we were done. We were just yelling and screaming and crying and everything,” said Stursa.
The Huskies appeared in the state title game four years in a row from 2003-06 and followed that up with back-to-back consolation titles in 2007 and 2008. OHS has gone to state 15 times, most recently in 2022.
Stursa, herself in the hall of fame, was excited to get the program started.
“Gary Ridge was the athletic director at the time. I had heard through the grapevine that they were going to start some adapted athletics. I was kind of interested in that because I enjoyed working with those kids in the P.E. department.”
She retired from coaching in 2008.
Stursa said the support from the community during state tournament trips was great. She was thrilled to see the reaction when the floor hockey team played at the new high school.
“I was here at that game, and it was so fun. It almost brought tears to my eyes because I walked in the gym and the cheerleaders are there and the band is there. The bleachers are full. It was just a fantastic event,” said Stursa.
Their regular home court is at the middle school.
Reaction from team members to the Hall of Fame recognition has been strong.
“They are so excited. They will all be here, believe me…They can’t wait for Sept. 20 to come along. It’s going to be so fun,” said Stursa.
Induction day
The Athletic Hall of Fame induction is Friday, Sept. 20 at OHS. A 3:15 p.m. reception is followed by a 4 p.m. program in the Wenger Performing Arts Center. The public is invited.
Joining the 2004 adapted floor hockey team are five student-athletes. Glen Stoltz (Class of 1964) lettered in football, basketball, track and baseball. Holly Noble (’04) lettered in hockey, soccer and golf. She captained all three sports and was an all-state golfer.
Derek Skala (’06) was a state wrestling champ individually and part of the 2005 title team in addition to playing football and baseball. Casey Dehn (’09) was a state champ in shot put and discus as a junior and senior and played football. Kyle Melcher (’09) earned all-state honors in football, basketball and baseball.
Thick of the race
OHS girls soccer earned a big win last week topping Mankato East 2-1 to keep the Big Nine Conference race close. The Cougars struck early in the second half, but Owatonna leveled the match four minutes later on a goal by Norah Cederstrom. Jessica Fisher pounced on a rebound for the game-winner midway through the half.
“It was exciting to see Norah score because she’s been injured this year, and this is actually her second or third game back,” said head coach Nate Gendron.
Fisher scored following a free kick from Kelli Waypa.
“We told them, ‘Crash the net! Crash the net!’ Because we knew their goalie wasn’t going to hang on to it,” said Gendron.
Gendron said it was a team effort.
“We used every player we could. It was just really exciting, and we hope that it’s a floodgate that opens up for the rest of the season.”
It was Owatonna’s first win over Mankato East in five years.
The backline defense of Alia Kubicek, Isabella Muir and Brynn Routh, plus goalkeeper Anna Mollenhauer kept an aggressive Mankato East squad at bay.
“They’re super organized. They listened to what we implemented at practice, and that was stepping to the ball first. They did a great job. There’s a reason why they stayed in the whole game,” said Gendron.
OHS followed that with a 2-0 win over Chaska on Saturday. Mollenhauer was stellar in goal. Kennedy Schammel and Averi Vetsch scored second-half goals.
Outdoor hockey
The puck drops on Steele County Blades junior hockey this weekend. They play Friday, Sept. 20 in Coon Rapids against the Blue Ox at 7 p.m., then again on Saturday, Sept. 21 at Augsburg versus the Mullets at 2 p.m. Their home opener is Oct. 4 with the Dells Ducks at Four Seasons Centre.
The club has an outdoor hockey game this season, playing the Mullets on Sunday, Jan. 12 at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center at 2 p.m.
“We had so much fun doing it three years ago. It was a no-brainer for us. Yeah, we have a fair amount of Minnesotans and Midwesterners, but a lot of other kids from all over the country, all over the world who don’t necessarily have an opportunity to play outside. Our guys are definitely looking forward to it,” said head coach Nick Adamek.
OwatonnaLive.com play-by-play schedule
Thursday, Sept. 19
Huskies girls swim & dive vs. Northfield, 6 p.m.
OHS girls soccer vs. Rochester JM, 7 p.m.
OHS volleyball vs. Winona, 7:15 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 20
OHS football vs. Northfield, 7 p.m. (simulcast on The FAN, 1170AM/106.3FM)
Blooming Prairie football vs. Goodhue, 7 p.m.
Medford football vs. USC, homecoming, 7 p.m.