Glen Strandberg
Sports Editor

When opposing teams prepare to face the Forest Lake softball team, they might see a small bit of text that reads, “Objects in rearview mirror are closer than they appear.”

If it weren’t for the irreplaceable experience the girls gained last spring, the 4-17 record from 2006 might as well be thrown away like an old mitt.

Not surprisingly, the .190 winning percentage sent the Rangers to the basement of the Suburban East Conference, and head coach Angie Ryan acknowledges the team was in a major rebuilding mode.

Compared to last season, where the Rangers only had a couple of players with varsity experience, Ryan can now look into a dugout and see almost an entire line-up who understands what it’s like to compete at the top level. With that in mind, the third-year coach and Forest Lake alum wants to see the team finish above .500 in the conference, and that should put them in the top half of the SEC.

And if that’s not enough, Ryan has a very specific goal when it comes to the playoffs.

“I’d like to see us in that section final game,” she says.

Based on what Ryan saw during tryouts, she thinks the section final is a real possibility. By the end of last season her squad was making big strides and only lost by one run to the No. 2 team in the region. In early March she felt the girls had picked up right where they left off nearly 10 months ago.

Now Forest Lake will just have to navigate through programs like Park, Woodbury and Hastings in the Suburban East as well as Mounds View, Centennial and North St. Paul in Section 4AAA.

“We know we’re going to be better this year,” Ryan says.

Better how? Let us count the ways.

For starters...and for starters, Forest Lake didn’t have any experienced pitchers to lean on last year, but dealing with this year’s schedule is the veteran duo of Amy Lalla and Alyssa Dunrud.

These two have put in a lot of time during the off-season, and Ryan looks forward to watching Lalla and Dunrud’s earned run averages head southbound to Victory-ville. Helping the pitchers reach that destination is what should be a vastly improved squad that will display its speed in the field, and at the plate.

“I think we’ll have a stronger defense behind them and also produce more runs, so I think all of that will help to combine for more wins,” Ryan states.

The only problem the head coach will have is an enviable one, as Ryan admits that she’s not exactly sure who’s going to start.

“Honestly I don’t know,” she says. “All 14 kids I have, I can see starting. They’re all that athletic and that good.”

One of the likely candidates is the über-athletic Kathy Crudo. A catcher her freshman year, Crudo should see a majority of her third varsity season playing shortstop, simply because it improves the Rangers chances of getting three outs each inning.

When Crudo turns a double play, there is a possibility she’ll be working with senior Megan Hinrichsen at second base, or maybe freshman Sami Holien, or perhaps junior Kelly Kent.

Then again, the tremendously quick Hinrichsen could easily end up at third base, leaving just Holien and Kent to battle for second.

First base will also see some competition with the reliable senior Chelsie Nelson and her surprising power trying to hold off another fantastic frosh in Ashleigh Matheson.

Senior captain Kacie Waldoch is another player who provides some punch to the line-up and she’ll look to start over junior Jessica Skogen as the Rangers’ catcher.

Heading to the outfield, a couple more veterans return in senior Amber Diemert and Stacey Johnson. As a hitter, Diemert has moved to the left side of the plate, while Johnson is another Ranger who can bring some pop to the offense.

The spot in left field welcomes junior Krystal Plouff, but she will be tested by freshman Lexi Alm.

Got all that?

Regardless of who starts, Ryan and senior captain Johnson are eager to see what can happen in 2007. With 14 players who can wheel down the first-base line, the Rangers have the ability to use speed as a serious weapon in the short game of bunting and running.

“We’re very fast, especially the infield,” Johnson says. “Hitting has definitely been kind of a weakness, and hopefully we’ll pick that up more this year.

“Since we’re returning a lot of varsity players, we’ll do pretty well in conference. I’m really excited.”

“We’re going to definitely be improved this year,” Ryan says. “There’s no doubt about it, and all the girls know that, too.”

As the season goes on, Forest Lake’s opponents will find that out as well.

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