PAGE 12: FALL SPORTS 2017 PRESS & DAKOTAN ? PLAIN TALK Tanagers Look To Make Another Deep Playoff Run their share of experience at the varsity level, as well, despite still being considered young. Cami Regnerus earned sigEDITOR’S NOTE: This article nificant minutes as a freshman and originally appeared in the Aug. 11 will return to the midfield for her edition of the Press & Dakotan. sophomore year. Lilly Johnson, a freshman, is also vying for a spot VERMILLION — Taking the on in the midfield after contributseason day to day and learning from ing the last season’s success as an one game to the next is the attitude eighth grader. that allowed the Vermillion High “(They) have already shown School girls’ soccer team to make their knowledge from that experian appearance in the semifinal of ence and can use it to make even the state tournament last year. more of an impact on our team this With a majority of last season’s season,” Fitzsimmons said. young players returning, the TanaFitzsimmons is looking for the gers hope to carry that outlook into positive attitudes and commitment the new year. to the team to carry the Tanagers to “We focus on one practice and another successful year. one game at a time with the goal “In order to achieve those goals that we will reach our peak during it takes commitment, focus, and the playoffs,” said Vermillion head a good attitude,” she said. “We coach Shannon Fitzsimmons. “Our believe in making individual choices desire is to do what it takes now to that are best for the team.  Many give our best effort and reach as far things can happen early in the seaas possible in the playoffs.” Vermillion’s Kinsey James, 10, tries to slip past a pair of Tea Area de- son, but being quite a young team Reaching as far as possible into still, we will continue to learn, grow, the playoffs is a likely achievement fenders during their 2016 Class A girls’ soccer semifinal match. and believe. “ for this season as the Tanagers The Tanagers opened the season boast some depth across the field. played nearly all minutes of games have used that experience to serve with a win over Garretson on Aug. Madisen Martinez, Kinsey James last season. as leaders in the pre-season this 11, then dropped a 2-0 decision to and Kara Mulheron return as the “Each heavily contributed to the year,” Fitzsimmons said. West Central on Aug. 17 before travteam’s three seniors and each success of our team last season and The rest of the team has had BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net VERMILLION 8/11 8/17 8/22 8/26 8/29 8/31 9/5 9/7 9/12 9/19 9/26 9/30 10/7 Girls’ Soccer (1-1) Garretson at West Central at Tea Area Groton at S.F. Christian West Central at Dakota Valley S.F. Christian at Garretson Dakota Valley A First Round A Semi?nals A Final (Aberdeen) W 2-0 L 0-2 (late) 2 p.m. 6 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. eling to Tea Area on Aug. 22. The season runs through September 19 when Vermillion will host Dakota Valley. Playoffs start on September 26 and conclude with the state championship game on October 7 in Aberdeen. “The best qualities of this team are their positive attitudes and work ethic,” Fitzsimmons said. “It is a joy to work with these girls each day.  Without those two things, the success we achieved last year as well as the goals we would like to achieve this year would not be possible.” Tanager Runners Return Entire Squad From ‘16 BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN VERMILLION Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net The biggest factor working in favor of the Vermillion High School cross country teams is that not a single runner graduated from last season’s squad. The girls’ team is coming off a sixth place finish at the state while the boys return the only state qualifier in Justin Sorenson. With that to build off of, Tanagers head coach Kelly Fischbach is looking to bring both teams to the state meet, which she feels is a very attainable goal. “Obviously, the goal every year is to qualify both the boys’ and girls’ teams for that state meet,” Fischbach said. “We run in an incredibly tough conference and region, so things have to go right and we have to perform well to make that happen, but that is our goal going into every season.” Sorenson, a junior, will take the reins on leading the boys’ team to a state meet appearance, while the girls will look to senior Maddie Lavin, two runners that are not new to the spotlight. “Both Maddie and Justine really have had to step up and be captains and leaders since they were eighth graders and freshmen,” Fischbach said. 8/25 9/5 9/14 9/18 9/21 9/29 10/5 10/12 10/21 Kate Develder will be some more impact runners for the girls’ squad. “(Develder) had a really strong finish to the cross country season and she ran really well for us in the track season,” Fischbach said. “I hope she can build on that confidence and work her way up to those three at the front of the pack and that’s going to be a big difference maker.” The teams are coming Maddie Lavin, a former state champion, returns for her fi- off a slow summer training nal season with the Tanager cross country team. She leads season and trying to build a solid base with workouts to a squad that finished sixth at state a year ago. prepare for the start of the season. Speed work starts Taryn Whisler, a freshman, just a little peanut of a thing, off the training to build up but she really steps up and is another runner for the to longer distances, then the girls’ who contributed to last takes charge of things,” Fisch- team will get into interval season’s team qualifying and bach said. training with speed work on will be looked at to continue Team veteran Landon the track and hill workouts. to lead the pack in the girls’ Smith is also returning for Going into the “championraces. his junior season and Riley ship season” with the confer“I’ve really seen a lot of Ruhaak, a freshman, is lookgreat leadership out of Taryn ing to make a bigger impact Whisler as a freshman and on this year’s team. if you’ve ever seen her she’s Melissa Mikkelson and Tennis Tanager Soccer Squad Returns 10 Starters with some respected competition and with 10 of the 11 Elyse.brightman@plaintalk.net starters returning things are looking up for 2017. EDITOR’S NOTE: This ar“We just didn’t have the ticle originally appeared in the Aug. 11 edition of the Press & experience to get a win last year,” said Vermillion head Dakotan. coach Curt Nelson. “This year everyone is a year older VERMILLION — The and has another year of expotential in undeniable for Vermillion High School boys’ perience, so hopefully that is the key to putting a full game soccer team this season. together and getting a few The Tanagers went winless in the 2016 season, but dropped many close games VHS SOC | PAGE 13 BY ELYSE BRIGHTMAN VHS FB FROM PAGE 11 ing yards last season with 496 and three touchdowns. The teams’ leading tackler is also returning in Culver, who accumulated 50 tackles including five for loss. This year Vermillion will use him on both sides of the ball. “(Brett Culver) is back, he’s ready to go. He’s already shown us stuff at practice. He’s also going to help us out a lot offensively this year,” Homan said. The Tanagers face up with the likes of some football powerhouse schools, like Madison, Dell Rapids and Sioux Falls Christian, but the mixing of schedules this season allows Vermillion to face some teams that are not constantly ranked in the top-tier of the state. Vermillion wants to use the “more favorable” Mead Lumber Cross Country Beresford Inv. 10 a.m. Canton Inv. 4:15 p.m. S.F. Christian Inv. 4 p.m. Alcester-Hudson Inv. 3:45 p.m. Yankton Inv. 4:15 p.m. Lennox Inv. 4 p.m. Dakota XII Conf. (Canton) 4 p.m. Region 3A (Beresford) 3 p.m. State A (Rapid City) schedule to produce more wins and end the season above .500. Vermillion will see some new teams with CheyenneEagle Butte and St. Francis Indian from the western part of the state and Elk PointJefferson, an 11B school. “We just have to watch film on them,” Surrell said. “It’s just like any other game that we have. It doesn’t matter if we are going against Madison or Cheyenne- Eagle Butte, it’s the same team.” The team opens on August 25 in Lennox, the only team Vermillion saw a win against last season. The middle of the season will be a tough stretch with Dell Rapids week two, Tri-Valley week three, Madison week four and Tea Area week five. The second half Vermillion hosts Dakota Valley, and then makes the five and a half hour trek to Cheyenne-Eagle Butte. VERMILLION 8/11 8/26 8/31 9/5 9/9 9/14 9/19 9/21 9/26 9/30 10/7 Boys’ Soccer (0-1) James Valley Christian Groton at Freeman Academy S.F. Christian at James Valley Christian at Tea Area at S.F. Christian Freeman Academy A First Round A Semi?nals A Final (Aberdeen) L 2-4 4 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m. noon 6 p.m. 6 p.m. 5 p.m. “Five and a half hours is tough,” Homan said. “Your guys just came off a long bus ride and you have to try to figure out how to get them motivated for the game right away. It’s a little bit different, but I don’t think it will be a huge problem just hopefully we start off strong right away.” Vermillion then travels to Elk Point and hosts St. Francis on senior night to close the season. “Obviously, a team goal is to win every game, but we want to be better than .500, I know I want to be better than .500,” Johnson said. “Everybody needs to learn the offense and everybody knows what’s going on.” Over 95 Years In Business FROM PAGE 11 longer practices to prepare for Saturday’s season opener. They have been working hard on doubles, technique drills and even strength and conditioning. “We are having a little bit longer practices and it started a little bit earlier this year, so I feel like we are getting going a little earlier, so we might have more of a chance,” said senior Brandi Styles. “He’s been teaching us about serving, so we have been really going hard on VHS VB FROM PAGE 11 role as the team’s main setter this season. “Lexie Saunders is going to do a good job leading us as our setter on the court,” Taggart said. “She, so far this week, has been very vocal taking on the setter role and, as a sophomore, that’s what I like to see because last year she was kind of shy, so it’s good to see she’s coming out of her shell and taking that leadership role.” To prepare for the season the Tanagers are using the preseason practices to work on basic skills and inter- Serving... Vermillion, Yankton, Sioux City and Everywhere In Between Justin Sorenson was the lone state qualifier for the Vermillion boys a season ago. He returns for his junior campaign. ence, region and state meet, Fischbach will dial it down to ensure fresh legs. “If the girls do well and everybody stays healthy, with them we probably want to have a shot at being in the top five where you get medals and plaques and trophies at the state meet and I think, if we run well, we have a shot at it,” she said. The season kicks off on August 25 with the Beresford Invitational that starts at 10 a.m. serving and practicing for that.” Fehr is pleased with the progress being made and considers all the players on the team to have a solid skill base. Rosdail and Styles, the team’s two seniors, will most likely take on the role of the number one doubles team and being lifelong friends will work in their favor as they work together as teammates. “I think we are pretty good at lifting each other up and motivating each other and we just have a good team bond so that allows us to work well together,” Rosdail said. It is still a battleground for singles play, and doubles according to Fehr, as he says all the players are on similar playing levels. He will decide who plays at what spots in a variety of ways. “I use a mixture of challenge matches where they play each other and different drills to see who does well with this person or who does well at certain things,” Fehr said. “If I haven’t come to a really first decision after we play a couple of meets then I will use the meets to determine who goes where.” Vermillion opened the season with road events on Aug. 19 in Yankton and Aug. 22 in Mitchell. The Tanagers play their home opener on August 31 against Harrisburg. squad scrimmages. Communicating on the court is another element the players are trying carrying over from last year. “Having a positive attitude all the time and communication is a big thing in volleyball, so just continuing with that,” Bye said. “We have done all the basics, passing, setting, hitting and working on our form and how we are supposed to do that correctly.” The season opens with Wagner on August 24 at home in Vermillion. The 12-game season runs through October 20 when the Tanagers close out the regular season against defending state champions Dakota Valley at Dakota Valley High School. “I have told them that they are going to be the under dogs this year,” Taggart said. “We don’t have our big hitters. We are going to have big hits, but we have to be smart with it. I just want them to not give up.” We’re on your care. team for 605-624-8643 113 W. 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