Wolff highlights Panthers' all-conference list as Mid-State MVP

Janessa Wolff was a dominant force in leading the Park Rapids girls basketball team to an 8-2 record in Mid-State Conference play.

Wolff, a junior center, hit double figures in points and rebounds in all 10 conference games and averaged 26.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 3.8 blocks a game against conference opponents. Those numbers made Wolff a unanimous selection as the Mid-State's Most Valuable Player.

Wolff made 111 of 184 field goals (60.3 percent), including 5 of 8 3-pointers, and shot 60.3 percent at the free-throw line (42 for 60) while compiling 269 points, 129 rebounds, 38 blocks, 15 assists and 12 steals in 10 conference games.

Joining Wolff on the all-conference team were the Panthers' Lauren Knuttila, Lindsey Czeczok and Nicki Schumacher. Park Rapids' Jenny Gravalin and Heather Tretbar were all-conference honorable mention players.

Knuttila, a senior guard, started all 10 conference games and averaged 7.5 points and 2.3 assists per game. Knuttila made 25 of 72 field goal, including 13 for 39 on 3-pointers, and made 12 of 16 free throws in tallying 75 points, 23 assists, 17 rebounds and seven steals.

Czeczok, a senior forward, also started all 10 conference games and averaged 5.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game. Czeczok made 24 of 56 shots and 9 of 14 free throws and had 57 points, 39 rebounds, 33 assists and 14 steals.

Schumacher, a senior guard, averaged 5.2 points and 2.9 assists per game. Schumacher made 22 of 78 field goals, including 7 of 41 3-pointers, and had 52 points, 20 rebounds, 29 assists and seven steals in 10 games.

Gravalin, another senior guard, made 7 of 34 field goals and had 15 points, 18 rebounds, 22 assists and six steals in 10 conference games.

Tretbar also saw action in all 10 conference games, compiling 26 points, 37 rebounds, 19 assists and six steals. Tretbar made 10 of 35 shots.

Three Panthers selected

Park Rapids' Bryce Fazekas and Grant Dierk-hising headlined this year's Mid-State Conference boys basketball team.

Fazekas, a junior center, averaged 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds in eight games while Dierkhising, a sophomore guard, averaged 13.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in 10 games as the Panthers went 3-7 in conference play.

Fazekas shot 69.1 percent from the field (56 for 81) in tallying 130 points, 74 rebounds, 42 blocks, 11 steals and eight assists against conference opponents.

Dierkhising shot 41.5 percent from the field (37 for 84, including 7 for 22 on 3-pointers) and 74 percent at the line (37 for 50) in compiling 132 points, 70 rebounds, 25 steals, 21 assists and three blocks in 10 conference games.

Park Rapids' Rocky Donatelle earned all-conference honorable mention honors after compiling 60 points, 25 rebounds, 19 assists, seven steals and seven blocks in six conference games. Donatelle, a senior guard/forward, made 25 of 64 shots, including 3 for 15 on 3-pointers, and 7 of 9 free throws.

Six hockey players chosen

Six Park Rapids hockey players were named to this year's Mid-State Conference team.

Senior forward Levi Goeden, senior forward Alex Ehler, senior forward Nate Wittenburg and sophomore forward Zach Lehrke were all-conference selections while senior goalie Tyler Condiff and junior defenseman Justin Dennis received all-conference honorable mention honors as the Panthers shared the conference title with Detroit Lakes with 7-1 records.

In those eight conference games, Goeden had 10 goals and 11 assists, Lehrke had eight goals and 12 assists, Ehler had six goals and nine assists and Wittenburg had seven goals and four assists. Condiff went 2-0 with five goals allowed and 42 saves.

Goeden was also named to the Section 8A team while Ehler, Wittenburg, Lehrke and Condiff were all-section honorable mention players. Goeden also received the team's Hobey Baker Award and Ehler was given the team's Matt Spangler Award.

Four wrestlers selected

Four Park Rapids wrestlers were chosen for this year's Mid-State Conference team.

Sophomore Colter Uscola was chosen at 119 pounds, junior Joey Meinert was selected at 125 pounds and senior Joe Leacox was chosen at 130 pounds for the 17-member all-conference team.

Senior Brandon May was among nine wrestlers to earn all-conference honorable mention honors.

Uscola went 5-0 with four pins, Meinert went 5-0 with two pins, Leacox went 5-0 with three pins and May went 4-1 with two pins as the Panthers went 3-2 in conference dual meets.

All four Park Rapids wrestlers qualified for the state Class AA tournament.