by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Superb hockey goalie Clare Minnerath of Sartell has garnered yet another honor, being named “Female Athlete of the Year” at the first Central Minnesota Sports Award Banquet on June 17 at the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center.
Another Sartell girl was also honored: Sabre Dance Team’s Hannah Wohletz as “Dancer of the Year.”
The well-attended event, with more than 200 athletes present from about two dozen central Minnesota schools, was sponsored by Times Media.
Master of ceremonies was Eric Perkins, sports director of KARE-11 TV, and New York Jets wide receiver Eric Decker, a 2005 graduate of Rocori High School, was the guest speaker.
When Minnerath took the stage to accept her award, she said this to the audience:
“Thanks, what a cool award. I just want to say congratulation to the other finalists and to all the other female athletes here. You guys are all awesome, and it’s pretty cool to be recognized among you.”
For the past two seasons, Minnerath has been a goalie with the Sartell-Sauk Rapids Storm’N Sabres Hockey team. She is widely regarded as one of the finest goaltenders in the state. She has been a member of the Storm’N Sabres since eighth grade. Her team’s coach is Marty Anderson.
Among her other many honors, last year she was named “All-Area Girls Hockey Player of the Year,” as well as “Girl Soccer Player of the Year.”
Minnerath’s extraordinary skills helped her team make it to state competition this year in Class AA. The Storm’N Sabres finished its season with a 21-9-0 record. The team won its fifth consecutive Central Lakes Conference title and clinched the Section 8 Class AA championship.
Other honorees at the banquet were: Dillon Radunz of Becker: Male Athlete of the Year (football); Dwight Lundeed of Becker: Coach of the Year (football); St. Cloud Tech High School Gymnastics Team: Team of the Year; Sauk Centre Girls Basketball: Academic Team of the Year; Rocori Football: Community Engagement Award; and Michael Meyer of Princeton (football free safety and receiver for the Pierz Pioneers team): Tom Bearson Foundation Spirit Award — $1,000 scholarship.
Clare Minnerath was named “Female Athlete of the Year” at the first Central Minnesota Sports Award Banquet on June 17.
Michael Meyer of Pierz, a member of the Pierz Pioneers football team, was honored June 17 at a Times Media Sports Honors banquet with the Spirit Award and a scholarship of $1,000 from the Tom Bearson Foundation, in honor of the young Sartell man and superb basketball player who was found murdered in the Fargo-Moorhead area.
