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Elk River Star News Saturday, April 4, 2026 | 23
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Elk River, MN 55330.
Sting track and field builds strong team culture
ERIK NELSON Sports Reporter
The Spectrum Sting’ s goals for the 2026 season are to compete at the highest level possible and contend for the Section and MCAA conference titles. Head coach: Varney
Conneh
Key returning athletes: Senior Hannah Boese, 18, finished third at the Nike
Indoor Nationals in New York on Thursday, March 12.
Important meets: Thursday, April 9 vs. Becker, Two Harbors and Zimmerman; Chuck Johnson Invite Thursday, April 30 @ Princeton HS; MCAA conference meet Friday, May 15; Tuesday, May 19 @ Rockford
Coach Conneh’ s expectations for 2026:“ We’ re going to compete. We have a chance at competing at the highest level within the section and the conference. We’ re confident in the kids that we have in our boys and girls teams for both [ the ] section and [ the MCAA ] conference. Our goal is to push athletes to get to that next level in regards to showing forth our ability within [ the ] section and going for that
FILE PHOTO
Spectrum senior Hannah Boese ran in the Nike Outdoor National 5K on June 19, 2025, in Eugene, Oregon, finishing in 17:56.23. It was a special week for Boese, as she turned 18 years old.
section title, seeing how much we can compete so that we send as many athletes as we can to state.”
Thunder girls golf fosters lifelong love of golfing
ERIK NELSON Sports Reporter
The Zimmerman girls golf team is on a mission to grow the sport and develop a life-long love of golfing.
Head coach: Krista Fossey
Key returning players: Sophomore Anna Brant is the Thunder’ s top golfer and hopes to continue to grow and develop. Senior Makenna Morrell also has potential.
Coach Fossey’ s expectations for 2026:“ We’ ve got a lot of girls coming back this year... probably the most we’ ve had in a couple of years, which is exciting. We have a lot of eighth graders that are going to keep our program growing. They all joined us last year as seventh graders. It’ s crazy to see what can happen in just one summer of going out and playing golf after being a new golfer back in the spring. The girls all have fun together, which is the best part. We’ re going to better in the [ Mississippi 8 ] conference this year, which will be good to see. We got more development. Last year, we had only one girl on varsity with any experience. We’ re still young. I love watching the girls grow in their love for the game, grow into amazing young women and build relationships and friendships. Golf is one of those few sports where the coolest thing is there going to be able to do this their entire lives. [ The ] seniors are already talking about how,‘ Oh, when I go to college, I was doing
tours. They have this golf course there and I’ m going to be able to keep doing this with my girlfriends. It’ s a great way to meet people.’ It’ s a great sport in that regard. They are some of the kindest girls that are going to show up ready to
play. They all showed up to practice the first week inside, which is not easy to do, coming with a mission. They’ re all practicing with a purpose. I think they’ re going to play with one.”
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