Bulletin Game of the Week: Thunderbolts start state tournament today

Game of the Week

Who: South Washington County Thunderbolts

What: Adapted softball state tournament

Where: Coon Rapids High School

When: Friday, June 1, at 5:30 p.m.

The South Washington County Thunderbolts adapted softball team will play in its first state tournament since 2006 today.

The Thunderbolts, which are 8-1 and the No. 2 seed from the South Division, take on the Mounds View Rams, which is 7-2 and the No. 3 seed from the North Division, today at 5:30 p.m. at Coon Rapids High School in the first round of the CI Division of the 18th annual State Adapted Softball Tournament. The ‘Bolts beat Mounds View at state back in 2006. A win would advance the ‘Bolts to the next round and a game at noon on Saturday. A loss would put the team in the consolation round on Saturday at 9 a.m.

This year, the youthful South Washington County squad has received contributions from a large number of players. The Thunderbolts have three seniors on its roster – Caleb Gotz, Hannah Behnken and Robert Foley. Other top players on the team include: starting pitcher sophomore Amanda Henderson, freshman shortstop Tristan Rankin, junior outfielders Alice Liu and Jared Dike, sophomore outfielders John Stutelberg and Thomas Jarosiewicz and freshmen infielders Lucas Fiedler, Lucas Coy and Dylan Kubitschek.

The Anoka-Hennepin Mustangs, the two-time defending champions in the CI Division, are the No. 1 seed in the North Division again this year. Their season record is 9-0. The Dakota United Hawks, also with a 9-0 record, are the top seed in the South Division.

The ‘Bolts beat seventh-seeded Wayzata/Minnetonka 18-4 in five innings last Wednesday to qualify for the 2012 state tournament.

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