Five of the best: Wrapping up 2016 with the top five sports stories
Published 7:01 am Sunday, January 1, 2017
- Grand Meadow’s Connor King, right embraces Zach Myhre as the Superlarks wrapped up their fourth-straight Class Nine Man state title in November at U.S. Bank Stadium. Herald file photo
The Austin Daily Herald wraps up it’s top sports stories of the year with the top 5.
1. Grand Meadow football team wins fourth straight state title
The Superlarks finished off a dominant run with another dominant performance as they beat Cleveland 41-21 to win their fourth straight Minnesota Class Nine Man State Football title and their 50th straight overall game.
GM’s Christophor Bain piled up 277 yards rushing with four touchdowns, and the Larks allowed just seven points in the second half as they put the stamp on their fourth straight state title.
“Our coaching staff is outstanding and I would put them up against anybody,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said after the season. “Every game that we go into I think our players expect to win. I don’t say that to be cocky, I think they just do what the coaches taught them.”
2. GMLOKS’s Olson and Hale place at state wrestling meet
A pair of Bulldogs wrestlers left a big mark at the Class AA state wrestling meet in 2016.
Brenn Olson took fifth at 132 pounds for the Bulldogs and Parker Hale took third place at 160 pounds.
Hale picked up a pin to win third place.
Austin’s Maddie Mullenbach in the middle of her
dismount from the uneven parallel bars last year in the
all-around at the Minnesota Class A Individual Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota’s Pavilion. Herald file photo
3. Austin’s Maddie Mullenbach wins All-Around gymnastics title
Austin junior Maddie Mullenbach won her first individual all-around title at the Minnesota Class A State Gymnastics Meet in February.
Mullenbach posted a total score of 38.125 as she won the beam, she took third in the floor, fourth in the vault and fourth in uneven bars.
“Looking back at years past I don’t even remember how well I do,” Mullenbach said after she won the meet. “I just don’t pay attention to the past and I try to go with what I got. I wouldn’t be able to do anything I’ve done today without my teammates. I love them so much.”
As a team, the Packers competed in their fifth straight Minnesota Class A State Gymnastics Meet and finished in fourth place with a team score of 144.275.
4. LeRoy-Ostrander brings back football
The Cardinals played their first varsity football games since 2014 when it brought back the varsity program this fall. LO had chosen to field only a JV team in 2015 as the school was short on juniors and seniors.
The Cardinals ended up winning three games in their first season back and they plan on making improvements as they look towards next season.
LeRoy-Ostrander running back Sean Lohuis battles for yardage against a trio of West Lutheran defenders in the first quarter early this past season in LeRoy. Herald file photo
5. Austin football team beats JM in playoffs after regular season loss
The Austin football team showed how much improvement it made throughout the season when it beat Rochester John Marshall 28-12 in the Section 1AAAAA quarterfinals.
The Rockets had opened the season with a 45-20 win over Austin.
Tabarie Gunsallus ran wild in the win for Austin as he had 286 rushing yards and two TDs.
Austin hadn’t beaten JM since 2009 and it was the first Packer playoff win since 2013.
