PAGE 2B: WINTER SPORTS 2016 PRESS & DAKOTAN n VERMILLION PLAIN TALK Freshman Lucus Anglin tries to turn an opponent during a match in the 2015-16 season. Anglin, third at 106 pounds last season, is one of seven returning state qualifiers for the Tanagers. Veteran Lineup Returns For Tanagers BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN VERMILLION Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally occurred in the Dec. 3 edition of the Press & Dakotan. It has been updated to reflect the ongoing season. The Vermillion Tanagers have all the right tools to pave the way to another Class A state wrestling tournament run. All seven of last season’s state meet qualifiers, a majority of the entire team and a rich wrestling tradition are returning to work towards improving on their 2015 placements that included two third places and one sixth place finish. “Definitely a goal is to be a state champion and make state finals,” said senior Carter Kratz. “I know that is a goal for four or five guys in the wrestling room and that is the kind of energy we have right now.” The Tanagers went 16-4 overall as a team in duals during the 2016-2015 season and placed third in the region tournament. This year, head coach Joe Delveaux is looking to take that top spot in the region. “We set a goal every season to win the region and take as many to state as possible,” he said. “This is no exception. We can win this Junior Trey Hage, left, finished sixth at 126 pounds a season ago. region. We have the talent and the experience.” Kratz placed third at state last season in the 160 class with a fall to Jacob Schoon of Brookings in the semifinal match and a win in the consolation match. He will be joined by Noah Walker and Jacob Husby for their senior’s seasons. “I thought I could have done a little bit better, maybe got to that finals match,” Kratz said. “It definitely didn’t end up how I wanted it to.” State place winners Trey Hage, sixth place at 126 pounds as a sophomore, and Lucas Anglin, third place at 106 as an eighth grader, will be moving up in class and also looking for a championship run. “I went to state and I had one goal in mind, which was to win state,” Anglin said. “I had that mentality going in and I ended up getting beat in the semis by the number one rated kid.” Anglin lost in the semifinals to the eventual state champion Lincoln Turman of Pierre, but won in the consolation match 13-3 to Collin VHS Boys * - Event occurred after press deadline Powell of Chamberlain for third place — an opponent Anglin had lost to early in the season. That went on to show him that a little extra work can go a long way. “In the beginning of the season I thought I was going to be a little small for 106, but then I ended up lifting weights every now and then after practice and kept on working hard,” Anglin said. “I gradually kept on doing better and better and finally when I got to the regions I just dominated pretty much VHS WR | PAGE 3B VERMILLION FROM PAGE 1B The season, which Vermillion earned a 17-6 record, fell just short of expectations, but was still considered a success. “Last season was a successful one overall,” Williams said. “Our goal was to make it to state, as it has been for the last 25 years, but we had a lot (of players) coming back and we expected to get to state. We had expectations and we finished 17-6 and we came one game short.” According to head coach Jay Drake, the road the state tournament starts with depth and defense. “We probably don’t have as much depth as last year, so we are going to start to develop some depth and that will take time and then just trying to move in some new pieces,” he said. In addition to Peters and Williams, Logan Peterson saw some minutes last year and Vermillion adding a guard in A.J. Plitzuweit, who is new to the school, but has varsity experience at his previous school in Kentucky. “Then everyone else, we are relying on kids that have basically played JV basketball and now it’s time to step up to the next level,” Drake said. Defensively, Drake is looking to play a man-to-man defense, something that has always been on his agenda. As he sees it, a player can’t “guarantee” how well he is going to shoot the ball on any given night, and can make up for that by playing hard on defense. “We’re a man-to-man 12/3 S.F. Roosevelt Inv. 3rd of 10 12/8 at Dakota Valley/vs. Brandon Valley/Yankton * 12/10 Watertown Dual Tourn. 10 a.m. 12/13 vs. Tri-Valley/West Central/ West Sioux 5 p.m. 12/17 S.F. Washington Inv. 9 a.m. 12/29-30 Floyd Farrand Inv. (SF Lincoln) 11/10 a.m. 1/3 at S.F. Lincoln/vs. Dakota Valley/ Elk Point-Jefferson 5 p.m. 1/7 Brandon Valley Inv. 9 a.m. 1/10 at Dell Rapids/vs. Madison 5:30 p.m. 1/19 at Lennox/vs. Tea Area 5:30 p.m. 1/21 Dakota XII (Lennox) 10 a.m. 1/24 vs. Beresford-Alcester-Hudson/ Canton 5:30 p.m. 1/28 Brookings Inv. 9 a.m. 2/2 at Crofton-Bloomfield/vs. Wagner 5:30 p.m. 2/4 Yankton Inv. 9 a.m. 2/9 vs. S.F. Washington/ Dakota Valley 5:30 p.m. 2/16-17 Region 2A (Yankton) 5/6 p.m. 2/24-25 State (Sioux Falls) 10 a.m. Boys’ Basketball 12/9 vs. Bon Homme 8 p.m. 12/10 vs. Deubrook Area (Tea Classic) TBA 12/13 at Lennox 7:30 p.m. 12/15 vs. Irene-Wakonda 8 p.m. 12/20 at Tri-Valley 8 p.m. 12/29 at Tea Area 7 p.m. 12/31 Samaritan’s Feet Classic (Sioux Falls) TBA 1/2 at Garretson 7:30 p.m. 1/6 vs. Parkston 8 p.m. 1/14 vs. Windom Area (Garretson Border Bash) noon 1/17 at Elk Point-Jefferson 8 p.m. 1/19 vs. S.F. Christian 7:30 p.m. 1/24 at West Central 7:30 p.m. 1/26 vs. Dell Rapids 8 p.m. 1/31 at Beresford 8 p.m. 2/4 Dakota XII Classic (Vermillion-SCSC) TBA 2/7 vs. Dakota Valley 8 p.m. 2/14 vs. Wagner 8 p.m. 2/16 at Madison 7:30 p.m. 2/24 vs. Canton 7:30 p.m. 2/28 Region 4A 3/2 Region 4A Semifinals 3/7 Class A Sweet 16 3/17-19 State A Tourn. (Sioux Falls) kids, they are competitors, they work hard and they have nice attitudes and we just have to learn and grow as a team.” The Tanagers face an always-competitive Region 4A schedule Lennox, West Vermillion senior Riley Peters goes up for a jump shot dur- Central, Dell Rapids and, of ing a game last season. Peters will be one of two Tanagers course, Dakota Valley. “I think we look at everyreturning for the 2016-17 season who saw significant playone as a tough opponent,” ing time last season. Peters said. “I don’t think there is anyone that is weak team,” Drake said. “We feel to cember 10 game. The sched- on our schedule, but I think we are definitely looking forhave success in our conferule has three more games in ward to getting some revenge ence, and in this area of the a week before the holiday on Dakota Valley.” state, you have to be good break of over a week. The rematch of last seadefensively man-to-man and Drake will look for the we are just going to lean on young players to be well con- son’s region championship that and rely on that.” ditioned to defend, rebound- against the Panthers is scheduled for Feb. 7 in Vermillion. The young team will have ing and keep a level head to Vermillion is also schedlittle time to adjust because stay close in games. uled to host the Dakota XII Vermillion’s schedule will “We are basically playing Conference tournament on sneak up quickly with five two games to start the year games before Christmas, a in about 15 hours, so that’s a Feb. 4. The regular season concludes Feb. 24 at home higher number than in years concern condition wise and past. The Tanagers open the not having a lot of depth,” he against Canton. season on December 9, then said. “The nice thing about turn right around for a Deour group is they are good Let us “Brighten” your way! WELFL rightway “Your Home Town John Deere Dealer” Construction Co. www.yanktonhomefinder.com 1901 Broadway • Yankton, SD Joe LaBarge 605-260-1600 B E Yankton Fred Haar Co. 665-3258 800 W. 23rd St. Hwy 50, Yankton • 800-952-2424 Hwy 81, Freeman • 800-251-6912 Hwy 46, Wagner • 888-384-4580 Mitchell • 800-952-2362 www.deerequipment.com lectric LLC Haleigh Melstad, one of the Tanagers’ top two leading scorers from last season, is returning as a junior for the Vermillion High School girls’ basketball team. Tanager Girls Work To Build Toward State Berth BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally occurred in the Dec. 7 edition of the Press & Dakotan. It has been updated to reflect the ongoing season. The season goals are hanging in the locker room of the Vermillion High School girls’ basketball team as a reminder to what the Tanagers are playing for this season. “They’ve been the same ever since we’ve been here,” said fourth-year head coach Jon Brooks. “We want to try to win the conference; we want to try to win our region.” Despite graduating a number of seniors, the Tanagers are returning more experience than it’s lost, including last season’s two leading scorers in Kasey Jensen and Haleigh Melstad, two juniors who have been playing at the varsity level since the eighth grade. In fact, a majority of the team has experience playing at the varsity level and has been playing together for the last few years. “(Jensen and Melstad) have been playing and starting since eighth grade, so I think they can be really good leaders and help us,” said Maddie Regnerus, a senior guard. “I think we’ve all played with each other. It’s been a good group of girls that have played together for the last couple years, so we know how each other works.” The Tanagers are coming off a season of 13 wins, the most under coach Brooks in his four-year tenure and, as he puts it, the team is starting to get over the hump of playing underclassmen to now playing upperclass- Girls’ Basketball 12/6 at Garretson * 12/9 vs. Bon Homme 6:30 p.m. 12/10 vs. Rock Valley (Tea Classic) TBA 12/15 vs. Irene-Wakonda 6:30 p.m. 12/20 at Tri-Valley 6:30 p.m. 12/29 at Tea Area 5 p.m. 1/5 vs. Canton 7:30 p.m. 1/6 vs. Parkston 6:30 p.m. 1/10 at Madison 7:30 p.m. 1/12 vs. Lennox 7:30 p.m. 1/14 vs. Windom Area (Garretson Border Bash) 3 p.m. 1/17 at Elk Point-Jefferson 6:30 p.m. 1/20 vs. West Central 6:30 p.m. 1/26 vs. Dell Rapids 6:30 p.m. 1/28 Dakota XII Classic (Dell Rapids) TBA 1/31 at Beresford 6:30 p.m. 2/2 vs. S.F. Christian 7:30 p.m. 2/7 vs. Dakota Valley 6:30 p.m. 2/14 vs. Wagner 6:30 p.m. 2/21 Region 4A 2/23 Region 4A Semifinals 3/3 Class A Sweet 16 3/17-19 State A Tourn. (Brookings) * - Game occurred after press deadline men. Vermillion will have two seniors on the roster with Regnerus and Jaida Anderson, but that number inflates to six in the junior class. “We have six kids in that (junior) class and lot of them have been playing since they were freshmen and sophomores,” Brooks said. “So, we have a lot of kids in our rotation that have had a lot of varsity experience over the last couple seasons and we feel like they are really prepared for the season.” Some of that experience includes last season’s second round region tournament loss to Elk Point-Jefferson, a consistent powerhouse in the Region 4A standings. 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