The springs sports season of 2017 lasted into the summer months for many local athletes. Blooming Prairie’s Tommy Braaten ran away with the state Class A golf championship to cap a fabulous high school career. Owatonna’s Andrew Wall-who played at the state high school tournament-won the Owatonna City Open in August. OHS grad and hall of fame member Dave Carothers won the state amateur tournament for the first time, after playing in it for many years.

Peyton Robb added to his trophy case this summer by winning two wrestling gold medals at the Cadet Pan American Games in Argentina.

Medford’s Luke Johnston won a pair of state track and field championships. Owatonna’s Dalton Kubista took ninth place in the long jump. The Huskies boys lacrosse team won a share of the Big Nine title, tying with Northfield—a rivalry that continues to heat up in many sports across many seasons. Blooming Prairie's Alec Ille ran at the state cross country meet this fall for the third straight season.

OHS baseball knocked off highly ranked Eden Prairie and won a game at US Bank Stadium…a preview of bigger things to come at The Bank. Medford baseball had a great season, that included a couple of playoff upset victories. A local summer baseball highlight was the Dodge County amateur team qualifying for the state tournament.

NRHEG had a couple of participants at the state trap shooting championships. Owatonna had its debut season of clay target shooting with about 40 on the team. It was one of two new sports that began at OHS in 2017, as the high school added dance team this winter. The school board also made a move to offer free activity tickets to senior citizens. Many have taken advantage of the opportunity.

Owatonna named Lexi Langeland and Jay Sullivan as the senior athletes of the year during an athlete recognition program at the high school. In May, the Gopher Chalk Talk Road Trip packed Owatonna’s Holiday Inn as people came out to hear from new football coach PJ Fleck and men’s basketball coach Richard Pitino among others.

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