Johnson completes coaching staff
Posted 8/15/02

"I think both the coaches and players are enthused and anxious to get going," said Milaca Head Football Coach Randy Johnson, looking ahead to the start of football conditioning drills Monday, Aug. 19. "We had a great turnout for our recent summer camps and now the next step is the start of practice."

Milacaís summer camps, which were held two weeks ago, were broken down into three age groups and drew over 150 participants.

Johnson, who takes over for Mike Lundeen, has filled out his coaching staff. Cory Anderson is the varsity assistant coach, Jeremy Mikla is head junior varsity coach, Joel Warner is assistant junior varsity coach and Mark Erickson is the head ninth grade coach.

"Weíre familiar with each other and I think weíll work well together," said Johnson, who was also Milacaís head football coach from 1988-1990.

Milaca opens its season Thursday, Aug. 29, with a Rum River Conference game at North Branch at 7 p.m. Fans should note that the RRC changed the starting time of its

games from 7:30 p.m. to 7 oíclock.

And, all eight of Milacaís regular-season games are conference games. Sauk Rapids has left the RRC for the Central Lakes Conference but St. Michael-Albertville and Big Lake joined the Rum River, making it a nine-team conference.

"Itís nice to have a non-conference game to open the season," said Johnson. "Now, that first game will be important for both the conference and the section standings."

The Wolvesí first home game is Friday, Sept. 6 against Mora.

Johnson is planning to add a black wolf emblem to Milacaís red helmets.

Seger hot

ïJ.D. Seger, son of Milaca graduates Mike and Barb (Johnson) Seger and grandson of Jim and DeLores Seger of Milaca and Susie and the late Don Johnson, pitched the St. Cloud River Bats to a 2-1 Northwoods Baseball League win over Waterloo in the second game of a doubleheader Sunday night at Dick Putz Field in St. Cloud.

Seger allowed seven hits and three walks while striking out four over six innings. Seger, who has a 4-1 mark in his third season with the River Bats, pitched a nine-inning complete game to pace St. Cloud to a 5-2 victory at Madison, Wis., July 22.

Seger, a right-hander, played for Division I Texas Tech University last spring. The River Bats are bidding for a playoff berth.

Quick looks

ïMike Lundeen, who was Milacaís head coach for five seasons, will work with the offense on his father Dwight Lundeenís staff at Becker this fall. Becker will open its season with a non-conference game against Melrose, Milacaís opening foe in 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001....

ïMilacaís Mickey Mantle (ages 16 and under) baseball team, which placed second at the Minnesota Baseball Alliance Tier II State Tournament July 29, compiled some impressive statistics while winning the MBA West Division regular-season title with a 15-1 record.

Milaca outscored its foes 167-37 and compiled a .411 team batting average. The pitching staff of Tony Thompson, Josh Loegering, Ben Johnson, Derrick Fetters and Levi Plath notched 122 strikeouts over 16 games while allowing just 43 walks and 67 hits....

ïDarrell Nelson, who will be a junior this fall at Milaca, placed second in the boys ages 16-17 division during the golf competition in the Star of the North Games held earlier this summer at St. Cloud. Nelson, who was a member of the Milacaís golf team last spring, shot an 18-hole score of 81 on the Fairways Course near St. Cloud....