PAGE 8 Mix Of Youth, Experience Propel Gazelles Soccer Team BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK James.cimburek@yankton.net Tessier Ready For Challenge EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Aug. 12 edition of the Press & Dakotan. The Yankton Gazelles will have an interesting mix of talents as they enter the 2016 girls’ soccer season. Eight seniors. Eight freshmen. Not many players in between age-wise. “A few of the freshmen played with us last year, which helps,” said senior striker Madason Tessier, an honorable mention all-Eastern South Dakota Conference selection last season. “We do a lot of drills together in practice. We keep chemistrybuilding.” Tessier (5 goals, 2 assists) and fellow senior Sophie Bisgard (2 goals, 1 assists) return to lead an offensive front that lost the program’s all-time leading scorer, Brianna Benjamin. “Tessier’s back and Bisgard’s back, but we also have (freshmen) Madison Wuebben (1 assist) and Jaiden Boomsma (1 goal),” said Yankton head coach Tyler Schuring. “Both were up for us last year. They have plenty of speed and help us with depth.” Without Benjamin, the team will have to be more deliberate offensively, Tessier said. “We definitely have to work on building the ball up level by level, instead of kicking it over the top and running after it,” she said. “We have to work together as a team.” Senior Britney Bradwisch (1 goal, 4 assists) will be expected to lead a young midfield for the Gazelles. “We’ve worked on bolstering that area. It was one of our weaknesses,” Schuring said. “We are young but experienced: Bradwisch, Kasey Erickson (So.), Payton Wolfgram (Fr.) and Lexi Rust (Fr.).” The Gazelles graduated two players who handled the defense in net, Haley Schild and Amanda Gravholt. Yankton will look to a pair of underclassmen to fill the role. Britney Bradwisch (10) solid defenders in (seniors) Lindsey Hale and Linze Cowman.” The defense’s job isn’t Girls’ Soccer (3-0, 3-0 ESD) just to defend the goal, but to 8/12 at Watertown 1-0 kick-start the offense as well, 8/16 at Brookings 3-1 8/18 vs. Mitchell 5-0 Diede noted. 8/23 vs. S.F. Washington * “We need to be able to 8/25 at S.F. O’Gorman * handle the ball and get it to 8/30 vs. Harrisburg 6 p.m. 9/1 vs. S.F. Roosevelt 4 p.m. our offense,” she said. “We 9/6 at Brandon Valley 6 p.m. have to push the ball out 9/10 vs. Aberdeen Central noon 9/13 at Pierre 3 p.m. more to help our offense.” 9/15 vs. Huron 4 p.m. Also on the Gazelles ros9/20 at S.F. Lincoln 6:45 p.m. ter are senior Rebecca Moser, 9/27 Class AA First Round junior Anna Savey and freshman Madison Schroeder. With 10/8 Class AA Final (Sioux Falls) * - Games held after press deadline the level of experience on the team – even several of the freshmen are in their second “We talked to Holly Hicks varsity seasons — the team (Jr.) after last season, and expects to be better than last she’s put in the work with season’s 4-7-2 record. (boys’ assistant coach) Riley “We’re going to be pretty Smith, worked with USD’s good, better than last year,” (University of South Dakota) Bradwisch said. “We have a coach. She’s very athletic and lot of experienced players, a knows the game,” Schuring lot of depth. We have a lot of said. “Sadie Fedders is a people that can play different freshman who will have to positions.” step up this year as well.” Aberdeen Central will Haleigh Diede, the again be the favorite in the Gazelles’ other returning ESD, with several other teams honorable mention all-ESD in contention for top finishes, selection, and fellow senior Schuring said. Ally Hento (1 goal) return to “Between Pierre, Wateranchor the defense. town, Brookings, Brandon “We lost a couple of solid Valley, Harrisburg and us, defenders in Erin Luken and that next pack will be a fight Amanda Gravholt, but we’ve to move up and challenge got a couple of solid deAberdeen,” he said. fenders back, and we have The Gazelles opened the a couple of freshmen that 2016 season on Aug. 12, and got experience last year in are 3-0 as of Aug. 22. Morgan Strahl and Kelsey Oswald,” Schuring said. “We Follow @JCimburek on also picked up a couple of Twitter. YANKTON Madason Tessier Tessier At Ease On Soccer Field BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK “Soccer is more relaxed. I’m out here running around,” she said. “Basketball is a little more intense. Track, it’s just Yankton senior Madayou. It’s the most nerveson Tessier doesn’t feel the pressure of becoming a focal wracking, the most mentally challenging.” point of opposing defenses. Tessier stepped into a When it comes to soccer, the three-sport standout doesn’t lead role for the Gazelles this season as Brianna Benjamin, feel a ton of pressure at all. And that relaxed approach the program’s all-time leading scorer, graduated this past has paid off on the field. May. Gazelles head coach TyTessier, who scored five ler Schuring said that Tessier goals all of last season, scored four goals in a victory came into this season ready for that role. over Mitchell on Aug. 18 as “She’s active in multiple the Gazelles improved to 3-0 sports, so she’s always workon the season. The senior, who also com- ing, constantly involved. She petes in basketball and track, came in in shape, and is one of the first through all our said that the fall is the most relaxing for her as an athlete. conditioning drills,” he said. James.cimburek@yankton.net “She’s not just a vocal leader, she’s a leader on the field.” While each of her three sports requires different skill sets, each leads well into the others, she said. “I was in shape from track this summer, and summer workout programs and basketball open gyms helped me get ready for this fall,” Tessier said. “All three are a little different shape, but it helps to be in the other ones.” The attributes that have made Tessier a weapon on the basketball court and one of the state’s top hurdlers in track have also made her a threat on the soccer field, TESSIER | PAGE 9 Disappointing Finish Drives Bucks Soccer Squad YHS VB BY JAMES D. CIMBUREK numbers, but we have a lot of juniors and seniors,” said Yankton head coach Warren Brenner. “These guys have worked a lot this summer.” The Bucks return four of their five players honored by the Eastern South Dakota Conference a year ago, two each on offense and defense. Junior goalkeeper Trevor Rafferty and Slate, the team’s lone first-team selection, are back to anchor the defense. “Trevor’s in his third season. He’s seen a lot of game time,” Brenner said. “Treyson saw a couple of games as an eighth grader, so he has quite a bit of experience. He has good leadership skills and motivation.” Junior Cooper Kuchta will join Slate on the defensive interior, with senior Brady Skillingstad and junior Brady Dangler patrolling the perimeter. “Cooper’s conditioning is top-notch. He’s ready to go,” Brenner said. “Our outside guys have been around. They have the ability to create opportunities offensively.” Seniors Gabe Wenzlaff and Cole Lewno, both honorable mention all-ESD selections, will be joined by junior Evan Dvorak if the Bucks sport a senior Tyler Strahl, junior Garrett Tennant (attempted 7 passes in varsity action a year ago), sophomore Michael Drotzmann and sophomore Ethan Wishon. As is the case with every team, experience at that position is critical, Likness said. “An experienced quarterback with some confidence is always good to have, and we’ve got that with him,” he to find it in other places as well. said of Stephenson. One of those places will While Stephenson may not be in the talented group of be the most vocal player on sophomores that return. the team (Likness described “We are going to find leadhim as a “quiet leader”), he ership from several different can execute plays with both golfers,” said Sime. “AJ will his arm and his feet. be huge for us this year, but “He’s a pretty quiet kid, we also have three sophobut he can pick up his game mores (Michael Frick, Dalton and make some things hapMaibaum, and Kyle Withrow) pen,” Likness said. who have state tournament experience. They are all good Follow @jhoeck on Twitter leaders.” James.cimburek@yankton.net EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Aug. 12 edition of the Press & Dakotan. An overtime loss in the quarterfinals of last season’s Class AA quarterfinals has served as motivation for a veteran Yankton Bucks boys’ soccer squad as it enters the 2016 season. “We lost a tight one to (Sioux Falls) Lincoln. We came so close,” said Yankton senior defender Treyson Slate. “We are ready to come out and play, show what we can do.” Yankton returns much of a squad that went 6-7-1 last season, earning an upset victory at Watertown before the season-ending loss at Lincoln in the playoffs. “We don’t have a lot of Nate FROM PAGE 6 prominently in the outcome — the Bucks deflected away a two-point conversion in overtime. As the page turned to this season, Yankton boasts a quarterback group that includes five guys: Stephenson, “We can get to just about any ball out there,” she said. The Gazelles know they’ll three-prong front. be in for another battle in FROM PAGE 7 “If we use a three-man District 2AA, which will again front, Evan and Gabe will be have a play-in match to the Junior Cameryn Specht as- district tournament. The dison the outsides. Their foot sumes the full-time duties as trict boasts a pair of Division skills are solid. They can pass, shoot and play off each setter, but outside of that, the I recruits: Harrisburg’s Sami Gazelles are a few other play- Slaughter (Creighton) and other,” Brenner said. “In the ers who saw limited varsity center would be Cole, who Sioux Falls Lincoln’s Anezka action: juniors Holly Mines, has really shown a lot of Szabo (Nebraska). Emily Oswald and Amanda maturity this season. His foot Other than that, there’s Haas, and sophomore Maddy not much known right now skills are among the best in Hochstein. the state. He is a deadly force about the rest of the Class AA Also on the varsity roster field — defending chamup top.” are sophomore Caitlyn Barg- pion Aberdeen Central does, Senior Isaac Schulz and stadt, as well as freshmen Ivy though, return a few starters. junior Jack Wolfgram bring Mines, Brooklyn Bernatow experience to the midfield, “I just hope we can conand Gabby Pietila. with sophomores Isaac tinue to work and that things A common theme among Klimisch and Nathan Zimmerstart to fall into place,” Beste the players on the roster? man adding depth. said. Athleticism, according to “Jack is one of our stronCornemann — specifically on Follow @jhoeck on Twitter SOCCER | PAGE 9 defense. YANKTON Boys’ Soccer (2-0-1, 2-0-1 ESD) 8/12 at Watertown 4-4 8/16 at Brookings 3-1 8/18 vs. Mitchell 7-0 8/23 vs. S.F. Washington * 8/25 at S.F. O’Gorman * 8/30 vs. Harrisburg 4 p.m. 9/1 vs. S.F. Roosevelt 6 p.m. 9/6 at Brandon Valley 8 p.m. 9/10 vs. Aberdeen Central 2 p.m. 9/13 at Pierre 5 p.m. 9/15 vs. Huron 6 p.m. 9/20 at S.F. Lincoln 6:45 p.m. 9/27 Class AA First Round 10/8 Class AA Final (Sioux Falls) * - Games held after press deadline YHS Golf FROM PAGE 7 To give you an idea of just how young the Bucks are their roster is composed of one senior, three sophomores, three freshman, and five junior high students. With a few core returners there will be open spots to fill in the Bucks lineup. Some slots will be up for grabs. “We will need some younger kids to step up,” said Sime. “We hope that we can give them an opportunity to get better throughout the season, and grow from every meet.” With a young team, the Bucks will use early season meets as not only a measuring stick for themselves but other teams as well. “We will see where we are after the first few meets. That will be our measuring stick,” said Sime. “We will see how we do and other teams as well. It’s tough to tell at this point.” First task? The Bucks opened the season on Aug. 15, finishing 12th of 13 in the highlycompetitive Brandon Valley Invitational. “We are excited to get the season rolling,” added Sime. “It’s a fun time of the year.” Follow @bigheadbenny13 on Twitter Let us “Brighten” your way! B E Yankton rightway lectric LLC Locally owned * Proudly Serving South Dakota and Nebraska. Licensed Insured Warrantied Work Residential Commercial Service “Your Home Town John Deere Dealer” Fred Haar Co. (605)665-8073 2507 Fox Run Parkway Yankton *Bucket Truck Available* “Don’t Gamble” - Insure With M.T. & R.C. SMITH INSURANCE, INC. 204 W. 4th St., PO Box 1077 TOMORROW’S SUCCESS IS built ON TODAY’S HARD WORK -