Remembering 2015: Bruins say goodbye to coach, Heimark claims swimming title (Numbers 6-10)
Published 9:39 am Thursday, December 31, 2015
Austin Bruins head coach Chris Tok walks off the ice as the Minnesota Wilderness celebrate winning the Robertson Cup in May. Herald file photo
6. Tok, Huffman leave Bruins and Grabowski takes over
It was a strange final season for former Bruins head coach Chris Tok. Tok, who started as the Bruins original head coach in 2010, was leading to the Bruins to their fourth straight winning season when rumors began to circulate that he was not going to be back in 2015.
Austin goalie Evan Smith lays in the crease after the Minnesota Wilderness’ game-winning goal in the fourth overtime in game one of the Robertson Cup championship series in Riverside Arena. The game broke the NAHL’s record for the longest game in history. Herald file photo
Despite the rumors, the Bruins rallied to make it to their second straight Robertson Cup Finals,where they came up short.
Tok had plenty of supporters during the run, including a big group of former players who showed up to Riverside Arena during the Robertson Cup Finals.
This season, former Brookings Blizzard assistant coach Kyle Grabowski took over the Bruins and is off to a strong start. As of Wednesday, the Bruins sat atop the Central Division with a record of 17-12-1.
7. Bruins lose in Robertson Cup
The Austin Bruins had their NAHL title hopes come to an end when they lost the longest game in history, and couldn’t regroup just 19 hours later.
Austin played past midnight as it lost 2-1 in four overtimes to the Minnesota Wilderness in game one of the Robertson Cup Finals. Bruin’s goalie Evan Smith made 47 saves and the Bruins took 48 shots.
Austin had trouble finding its energy in game two the following night and lost 4-0 to end the series.
8. Austin Legion baseball team gets to state
The Austin Post 91 Legion baseball team earned its first trip to the state tournament in 25 years and made a little noise, winning its first two games before bowing out.
Post 91, which used players from Austin and Lyle-Pacelli, was able to find success thanks to its deep pitching staff and timely hitting.
The sun reflects off of Jordan Hart’s helmet as he takes a swing at the Legion state baseball tournament in Edina Friday. Herald file photo
9. Craig Heimark claims records, state title
Craig Heimark made his final swim meet with the Austin Packers his best ever.
Heimark re-set his Austin High School records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle team and he became Austin’s first state champ since 2003 when he won the 100-yard freestyle at the Class A state meet in 2015. Heimark’s time of 45.54 seconds in the 100 was one of the top 75 times in the nation and it made him an All-American.
Heimark, who moved to Colorado for his senior year, took third in the 50.
Austin’s Craig Heimark reacts to winning the 100-yard freestyle at the Class A state swimming and diving meet in the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center last March. Herald file photo
10. LeRoy-Ostrander football takes 2015 off
The LeRoy-Ostrander football team knew it would be low on upperclassmen heading into this season, so instead of struggling through a year that would see younger kids thrown into varsity action, LO head football coach Aaron Hungerholt decided to take a year to recover.
The Cardinals didn’t field a varsity football team in 2015, but it still played a full JV schedule. Hungerholt is hoping the minutes on JV were more valuable to his young team than varsity minutes would’ve been and the Cards plan on bringing the varsity team back in 2016.
